Bee Bee Sea Interview on 12/18/2017
By Dan Locke
Bee Bee Sea is a three piece band from an industrial town in Northern Italy, with garage-psych songs and a punk attitude. In 2015, they released their self-titled debut album (first pressing is now sold out) via Glory Records, the band’s own label. During that year, they started working with Rome-based booking agency Asap Arts and toured Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany, supporting Thee Oh Sees, Black Lips, The Night Beats and King Khan & the Shrines. In 2016, Bee Bee Sea released an EP, 3 Songs and Jacques Dutronc (Glory Records), on digital and cassette.
Bee Bee Sea
Tracks were soon featured in major commercial campaigns including ads by Fiat, DC Skateboarding, New Balance and DMAX. In April 2017, the band recorded their most recent full-length, Sonic Boomerang, live at Tup Studio in Brescia (IT) with producers Bruno Barcella and Alessio Lonati. The record will be released on Nov. 17, 2017, by Dirty Water Records USA (cassette, digital) and Wild Honey Records (vinyl).
Bee Bee Sea ‘Sonic Boomerang’ Tour 2017-18
7 Nov – Perugia, Urban Club
18 Nov – Rosà (VI), Vinile Club
1 Dec – Milano, Circolo Magnolia
15 Dec – Brescia, Lio Bar (Release Party)
16 Dec – Teramo, Fazenda
22 Dec – Parma, WOPA
23 Dec – Ravenna, Bronson
13 Jan – Mezzago (MB), Bloom
2 Feb – Piacenza, Musici Per Caso
3 Feb – Schio (VI), CSA Arcadia
17 Feb – Padova, Fishmarket
Bee Bee Sea
Unratedmag – How did the band get together? And tell me about the development of the band?
Bee Bee Sea- The band was created 7 years ago. We know each other for a long time cos we all come from the same small town. We started playing cover of the sixties like Beatles stones kinks etc.… After 2 years we recorded our first Ep with another name and from 2015 we are the Bee Bee Sea and we have released 2 albums and one EP so far.
How did you pick your name?
We decided the name after some other ideas. At the beginning it was Bee Bee Queen as the opposite of B.B. king but then we found out that it already existed. So we came up with Bee Bee Sea that reminded the British Broadcasting Company and it sounded good as well.
Who is in the band?
Wilson (guitar/vox), Giacomo aka Pagi (bass), Andrea aka Onni (drums).
How do you describe your music? I hear a mix of surf punk/Dick Dale and Ramones.
Garage punk psych surf beat pop and many other things and yes we like both Ramones and Dick Dale.
What type of music did you listen to growing up?
We all used to listen different things. I was into British pop/mod like The Who, The Jam and Oasis. Pagi was a great fan of led Zeppelin and Onni… well I’ve never really get what he was into, he liked Metallica but also some electronic stuff.
Who is Vampire George?
Vampire George is a friend from our town but we can’t say who he is because nobody but us knows it.
How did you get signed to the label?
It was pretty easy, no particular anecdotes behind it. We just sent them the songs and they answered straight away.
Tell me about Sonic Boomerang your new album? I am see you released it as a cassette.
Sonic Boomerang was released in cassettes and digitally by Dirty Water, on vinyl by Wild Honey Records and on Cd by Glory Records (our own label). It was recorded in the first months of 2017 at Tup Studio in Brescia by Brown Barcella and Alessio Lonati and mastered by Noel Summerville at 3355 in London.
Let’s talk about your new single D.I. Why Why Why. Tell me about it and why you pick it as your next single?
It’s a catchy song that sticks in mind and one of our favorite track we have ever recorded. It was chosen as first single because it mirrored well the mood of the whole album.
How did you pick the person to produce your album?
Brown Barcella and Alessio Lonati are two great guys and good friends. We have been recording with them since the very first Ep before we were called Bbs. TUP studio is one of most equipped studio in Italy and one the most chosen by the underground bands. Brown and Alessio besides their recording skills, are also good musician and awesome producers and composers. Check out their website! http://www.tupstudio.com
What made and model of instruments does you and your bandmates play? They have the sound of 60 Fenders and an EKO guitar.
I played a Teisco guitar of the late 60 with a Music Man 212 the very same stuff I use live
Drummer used a Ludwig.
Bass Fender US Precision of the 70s and a Japanese mustang with sound city tubehead.
What type of clubs have you played in?
We played in several clubs and bar in Italy and Europe. In one occasion we also played in a kebab restaurant and in a battle of the bands with a fake name last summer!
What music fests would you like to play in? Have you looked into SXSW?
We’d like to play at Beaches Brew (best festival in Italy) and Duna Jam (crazy festival in Sardinia). No need to mention other big festivals around the world, the more we do the happier we are (SXSW included).
By the way next year we will have our own festival!
How would you explain your live performance?
Mess, sweat, hats, beers on my pedals, buzzes from amps, guitar treble, microphone on the floor, sound check guy pissed off.
Who have you opened up for?
Thee oh sees, black lips, king khan and the bio shrines, night beats, cosmonauts, POW! subways and Steve Aoki
If someone was listening to you for the first time, what 3 videos would you tell them to look at and why?
We have only released 4 official videos so far. But we also have a few made by DC Shoes, New Balance and a couple of fan made videos. By the way I would choose Lou Weird because it’s our first ever, D.i.why why why cos we had so much fun destroying my car (so long Fiat Punto I already miss you) and the Secrack cos it was the cheapest video ever.
How do you see your band in the next 5 years?
Poor but happy.
What is on your phone for music now?
Almost everything with Spotify.
Any guilty pleasures your fans would be surprise you listen to?
W: I’m not really into rap and hip hop but I used to listen to this rapper from Milan called Zentag. He’s pretty unknown but is brilliant!
P: I have recently listened to My chemical romance, stuff I used to like in my teenage years.
O: I’m still a fan of Metallica.
Anything in closing you would like to say?
When there’s good shit around you better form a band.
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