"...a Janis Joplin fronted Free...!"

Lichfield Live

The Bare Bones Boogie Band was formed in London in October 2008 by four musicians from across the UK.

Helen Turner (vocals) and Iain Black (guitar), both from Scotland, met in London in 1990 and formed various blues-rock bands, toured the UK and released two albums on Locomoto Records.

Trev Turley (bass), from Birmingham, met Helen and Iain in 2003; they toured the blues clubs and festivals of the South East together and released a track on Essex Delta Blues 2 compilation on Bad Moon Records.
 
Andy Jones (drums), from Manchester was recommended to Helen, Iain and Trev by a mutual friend in October 2008. Andy had played with several bands in the London blues and experimental scene and released music on Mad Dash Records.

The BBBB played their first gig within three weeks of forming and the 100 Club within six months. They finished the first year with an exclusive gig at the O2 Dome in London and have since played their way around the national blues circuit and festivals.
 
The band has released two albums, both untitled and distinguished between by the front cover logo colour: BBBCD1 has a red logo, BBBBCD2 has a blue logo. They have become known, unsurprisingly, as the Red album and Blue album. The Red album was released in 2010 and received very complimentary reviews and airplay at the BBC and across the world. The Blue album was released on 1st January 2012 and is already picking up 5 star reviews, and worldwide airplay and sales.

The Bare Bones Boogie Band is a stripped-down, no nonsense blues band.

Our vision is simple - to strip the music back to the bare essentials and build from there.

Our roots are the heavy, electric blues of the late 60s and early 70s, when bands like Free, Fleetwood Mac and the Stones were inspired by BB King and Robert Johnson, and Janis Joplin was re-inventing Etta James.

Live, we will not hold back. We do not apologise for our rawness, nor for our tenderness.

We deliver heavy, soulful blues!

INSPIRATION

Helen: Janis Joplin, Mavis Staples, Maggie Bell, Paul Rogers, Robert Plant.

Iain: Free/Paul Kossoff, BB King, Peter Green, Angus & Malcolm Young/Bon Scott, The Black Crowes.

Trev: Current source of inspiration is Tal Wilkenfeld from Jeff Beck’s band.

Andy: Art Blakey, Louis Belson, Philly Joe Jones, John Bonham and Pierre Moerlen.