Together for almost two decades, The Bonnevilles are one of Northern Ireland's best known Blues rock bands. We were delighted to get to talk to Andy from the band about their new album, Television exposure and making music as independent artists.
FT: The Bonnevilles have been together now for almost twenty years. How did you and Chris meet?
AMcG: Yeah nearly 20 years that’s mad. Chris was playing in another band called The Childish Thoughts, 60’s garage punk style outfit out of Banbridge and I knew a couple of the heads in it. I was playing in another band and we split and those guys asked me to fill in on bass, so I did. We had a blast but eventually I formed The Bonnevilles with a couple of different drummers but none of them were right but Chris was right there and I asked him if he’d fancy it and thank god he did and that was that.
FT: Who are the main influences on your music?
AMcG: I would say Chess records style electric blues from the 60’s, bands like Soundgarden and lots of the early 2000’s garage rock scene out of Detroit. Like The Detroit Cobras, the Dirtbombs, The White Stripes and all that mob.
FT: In the last few years the band has been included on the soundtrack for a couple of successful television shows on BBC and Amazon, I’m guessing the royalties weren’t life changing, but did the exposure help?
AMcG: Oh yeah for sure. We saw a lot of new faces at gigs all over the UK and Ireland because of those. Just the other day someone came up to me at a gig and said they found it after watching Blue Lights on a plane coming home from holiday. So yes definitely helps and we’d love to get more of those.
FT: As independent artists how hard do you find recording and releasing music these days?
AMcG: The landscape is changing constantly and we have to try and stay on top of the social media world for the promotion of everything we do but to be honest it is a huge pain in the ass. Once upon a time Facebook was the only game in town and it really worked but slowly they started the squeeze until now it’s practically useless, we still engage but it takes up so much time we really don’t bother much anymore, we have lives to live and trying to outwit an algorithm is no way to spend it. I don’t know what we’re doing with our new album yet, I don’t know if Alive Naturalsound wants it, I know they’re struggling, just as everyone else is, so we’ll see how the release goes. Recording is great, we have a wonderful relationship with Mikey Mormecha, he knows us so well having recorded our last 2 albums , I think it’s fair to say he’s going to be more of a collaborator for this one. His studio out in Ballinderry is fantastic, a big old barn with a vaulted roof that has an amazing sound.
FT: The band is about to enter the studio to record a new album. I’ve heard a couple of the new songs live recently and they bode well. What else can we expect?
AMcG: We wanted to develop our sound a little for this one, we spent a few days with Mikey in his studio over the summer and worked on a few things and we’re very excited, we got an amazing drum sound, its fucking huge, I really love it and we did some work on guitars, we jammed some stuff out with Mikey coming in on keys and percussion and stuff so I think it’s going to be a slightly different Bonnevilles sound. Joseph Toman is going to play keys on the album for us also so we’re excited about that.
FT: You also recently played a blistering version of ‘Parchman Farm’ at a gig I attended. Will that make it onto the album?
AMcG: Thank you, it may do. We’ll definitely record it and if it makes the cut it’ll be in but I reckon we could release it as a single if it didn’t make the cut.
FT: Do you find your relationship with streaming services useful for getting your music out there, even though they run the risk of devaluing the physical product?
AMcG: Yeah for sure but it’s a situation of ever diminishing returns, they demand more and more for less and less. They have far too much power and control of the industry and have musicians by the balls. The royalty splits are paltry and hardly worth having but as you say it does get you out there but we’re old school and our main method of exposure has always been gigs and tours. Its the one thing that is guaranteed. If you’re good and you put in the work you will get the return, it’s very hard though and none of us are getting any younger.
FT: With 2024 coming to an end and album release aside, how is the diary looking for 2025?
AMcG: Literally haven’t planned anything at all. We’re focusing on getting the album recorded and then we’ll see who wants it, I guess that’ll determine what we do over the year. No doubt we’ll get some festivals and the usual stuff but we’re not looking ahead at all.
FT: Thanks for taking the time to chat and good luck in the studio.
AMcG: No worries Gerry and thanks man.