Music Essentials: Bass Drum of Death

Last week’s Music Essentials reflected Peanut Butter Wolf’s quaint characteristics which he so aptly puts forward in his production and record label, Stones Throw. In this chapter, we bring you one of the buzzed-about talents from Stones Throw’s subsidiary label, Innovative Leisure. Reviving American garage rock with nostalgia, Bass Drum of Death, as the name suggests, is dexterous and unapologetic to say the least.

A musical initiative started by John Barrett, who until 2008 performed and recorded as a one-man-band playing bass drum and guitar, BDOD’s decided DIY aesthetic captures garage punk with rushes of hedonism. Its brash chord and big bass kick may seem nerve-wrecking at first, but the chaos finds leverage when John’s compelling vocals kick in — delivering a repertoire that’s somewhat barbaric yet commercially viable. It’s this kind of aesthetic that harnessed a great following in its own arena, and furthermore provoked collaborations with other exciting contemporaries such as OFWGKTA’s MellowHype.

Reflecting original rock ‘n’ roll swagger at its finest, John presents a basic list of essentials that keeps the artist grounded. BDOD’s grungy riffs won’t sound so genuine if it wasn’t for his 1960s Greco guitar, an acquisition that goes hand-in-hand with his BOSS VE-20 processor that distorts his falsetto with added rasp. Cast your eyes over his annotations above for a more detailed dissection, where he speaks of the significance of his customized “Mississippi” chain and why Jack Daniel is still his favorite drink of choice given its rock ‘n’ roll cliche.