New Album! Out May 30th - Pre-order here
Equator Ping Pong by Blue Beast
Over the last 3 years Blue Beast collaborated with a number of friends on both sides of the equator. Miguel and Truus found a likeminded collaborator in Fred Smith (Television). From a few basic scratches Truus presented to Fred came solid tracks. It will be safe to say that Fred steered it into a certain direction that only someone with such an extensive and varied career like Fred could do. They all felt they had something really special. All the songs were created remotely, from all parts of the world. As the songs came to be they asked their various esteemed musical friends to add their talent. Miguel’s old friend Rick Cox exchanged a beautiful instrumental track that became the ethereal Like the Wind track. Truus: “I put Rick’s track on and it clicked immediately, I hooked up my mic and just started singing, words and melody just poured out of me, it’s magical when that happens. Rick also gave us a poem that became the song Faint Scar. We really took our time with it, never hurried anything along, we wanted it to be as good as it could be”. Truus knew she wanted to invite her old friend Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) on drums and he didn’t disappoint with his contributions on End of my Rope, Not Mr. Nice Guy and The Battle, really adding his distinguished touch. Paulo Bira, who always joined Blue Beast live in Brazil, played upright bass with his usual elegance on The Battle. Rogério Bastos, another live-show veteran, laid down the drums on Hotel Room. Apollo Nove, a longtime friend and co-producer of Blue Beast’s cassette EP Bar Tears, played the Mellotron and Synthesizer adding his unmistakable soundscape. On suggestion by Fred, Buford O'Sullivan gave a touch of class with his mournful trombone that will give you goosebumps. Rik van Iersel, an honorary Blue Beast and creator of Three of Blue Beast’s album covers as well as Two videos, created the outstanding cover art. Homero Lotito’s mastering brought it all together with a deep understanding of the Blue Beast sound, just like he did with their other albums.
Over the last 3 years Blue Beast collaborated with a number of friends on both sides of the equator. Miguel and Truus found a likeminded collaborator in Fred Smith (Television). From a few basic scratches Truus presented to Fred came solid tracks. It will be safe to say that Fred steered it into a certain direction that only someone with such an extensive and varied career like Fred could do. They all felt they had something really special. All the songs were created remotely, from all parts of the world. As the songs came to be they asked their various esteemed musical friends to add their talent. Miguel’s old friend Rick Cox exchanged a beautiful instrumental track that became the ethereal Like the Wind track. Truus: “I put Rick’s track on and it clicked immediately, I hooked up my mic and just started singing, words and melody just poured out of me, it’s magical when that happens. Rick also gave us a poem that became the song Faint Scar. We really took our time with it, never hurried anything along, we wanted it to be as good as it could be”. Truus knew she wanted to invite her old friend Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) on drums and he didn’t disappoint with his contributions on End of my Rope, Not Mr. Nice Guy and The Battle, really adding his distinguished touch. Paulo Bira, who always joined Blue Beast live in Brazil, played upright bass with his usual elegance on The Battle. Rogério Bastos, another live-show veteran, laid down the drums on Hotel Room. Apollo Nove, a longtime friend and co-producer of Blue Beast’s cassette EP Bar Tears, played the Mellotron and Synthesizer adding his unmistakable soundscape. On suggestion by Fred, Buford O'Sullivan gave a touch of class with his mournful trombone that will give you goosebumps. Rik van Iersel, an honorary Blue Beast and creator of Three of Blue Beast’s album covers as well as Two videos, created the outstanding cover art. Homero Lotito’s mastering brought it all together with a deep understanding of the Blue Beast sound, just like he did with their other albums.
Release July 1, 2023: A Limited Editions: Quarantine Singles (CD) & Bar Tears (Cassette)
All during the extensive Pandemic, Blue Beast created the “Quarantine Singles”, an ongoing series on Bandcamp and eventually released streaming worldwide. However the pandemic lasted a bit longer and as the pandemic neared the end Blue Beast created a new compilation of added new songs for this Limited edition CD. It contains 11 tracks. Additionally, Blue Beast came upon a new sound, as such, we decided to also compile 4 songs on an EP. This journey started with a re-mix of our song “Like a Fairy Tale” (from the album “Roaring”) by Apollo Nove for the TV horror series “Insania”. Apollo presented us with a full version of this re-mix and it steered Blue Beast into a melancholier Noise Rock sound. We could see what Apollo’s direction offered us so we asked for his guidance on these 4 songs. Truus is using her voice in a huskier, moody way. As we work completely by means of digital music file exchange between Brazil and Southern California, things started to take shape during many interchanges between Truus, Miguel and Apollo. On Bottom of the Barrel, horn player supreme, Edward Capel (NL) graces the tracks with his alto sax and horn section arrangements. On the title track “Bar Tears” we were lucky enough to recruit Blue Beast’s live rhythm section, Paulo Bira (bass) and Kuki Stolarski (Drums). So we are ecstatic to offer these 4 songs on this EP that tells of nostalgia, romance, melancholy and obsessions. The Album and EP is accompanied by beautiful cover art created by prolific Dutch artist extraordinaire Rik van Iersel. Physical release Date for cassette is set for July 1st, 2023. In Sao Paulo at SESC Belenzinho
Also on Bandcamp and streaming world wide.
All during the extensive Pandemic, Blue Beast created the “Quarantine Singles”, an ongoing series on Bandcamp and eventually released streaming worldwide. However the pandemic lasted a bit longer and as the pandemic neared the end Blue Beast created a new compilation of added new songs for this Limited edition CD. It contains 11 tracks. Additionally, Blue Beast came upon a new sound, as such, we decided to also compile 4 songs on an EP. This journey started with a re-mix of our song “Like a Fairy Tale” (from the album “Roaring”) by Apollo Nove for the TV horror series “Insania”. Apollo presented us with a full version of this re-mix and it steered Blue Beast into a melancholier Noise Rock sound. We could see what Apollo’s direction offered us so we asked for his guidance on these 4 songs. Truus is using her voice in a huskier, moody way. As we work completely by means of digital music file exchange between Brazil and Southern California, things started to take shape during many interchanges between Truus, Miguel and Apollo. On Bottom of the Barrel, horn player supreme, Edward Capel (NL) graces the tracks with his alto sax and horn section arrangements. On the title track “Bar Tears” we were lucky enough to recruit Blue Beast’s live rhythm section, Paulo Bira (bass) and Kuki Stolarski (Drums). So we are ecstatic to offer these 4 songs on this EP that tells of nostalgia, romance, melancholy and obsessions. The Album and EP is accompanied by beautiful cover art created by prolific Dutch artist extraordinaire Rik van Iersel. Physical release Date for cassette is set for July 1st, 2023. In Sao Paulo at SESC Belenzinho
Also on Bandcamp and streaming world wide.
Blue Beast - Devil May Care, Roaring, The Quarantine Singles & Bar Tears - Streaming now!
|
|
|
|
Blue Beast is the brainchild of Truus de Groot (Plus Instruments) and Miguel Barella. Both are seasoned veterans of the experimental electronic / noise world. After the acclaimed album entitled “Devil May Care”, released December 16, 2016, they dropped their second Album "Roaring", May, 2020, just as the Pandemic was in full swing. Now streaming everywhere! CDs available HERE - The Quarantine Singles are the fruit of our collaboration in quarantine during the Covid 19 Pandemic. This ongoing series of tracks reflects our emotional state during this unprecedented time in very different environs, Truus in Southern California and Miguel in the São Paulo, Brazil
Quote:s
"Miguel Barella, a veteran cultural catalyst, top guitarist and trouble-maker, who was in the first ever punk band in Brazil in 1976 (those early tapes are due to be released this year). These days his musical platform is the powerful, poetic and highly innovative group Blue Beast – whose second album is imminently released. " (Peter Culshaw’s global music radio )
The album "Devil May Care" is a constant surprise and every next theme convinces us that we have something precious going on no matter which name you give to it. (Rui Eduardo Paes for Jazz. PT)
"For one it is not easy to see this as a work that made over great distance by two people not in the same room together. It simply sounds like they are in the same room". (Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly)
"Barella throws suitable guitar noises into the mix, adding an appropriately rich, weighty counterpoints to the trademark electronic blurts and hisses" Richard Foster (Louder than War)
“It even gave me, this is a compliment – a true Vega feel” - (Rik van Iersel )
“hip vocals rising out of thick as gravy grooves—2kool for school!’" - (Johnny Dowd)
"Miguel Barella, a veteran cultural catalyst, top guitarist and trouble-maker, who was in the first ever punk band in Brazil in 1976 (those early tapes are due to be released this year). These days his musical platform is the powerful, poetic and highly innovative group Blue Beast – whose second album is imminently released. " (Peter Culshaw’s global music radio )
The album "Devil May Care" is a constant surprise and every next theme convinces us that we have something precious going on no matter which name you give to it. (Rui Eduardo Paes for Jazz. PT)
"For one it is not easy to see this as a work that made over great distance by two people not in the same room together. It simply sounds like they are in the same room". (Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly)
"Barella throws suitable guitar noises into the mix, adding an appropriately rich, weighty counterpoints to the trademark electronic blurts and hisses" Richard Foster (Louder than War)
“It even gave me, this is a compliment – a true Vega feel” - (Rik van Iersel )
“hip vocals rising out of thick as gravy grooves—2kool for school!’" - (Johnny Dowd)
|
|
|
|
|
