Bacon Fat

Bacon Fat - Reinventing The Mojo - 2007 - Grease It Up Music

Founded in 2000 this three-piece unit from the Brussels area proved more than enough they are one of the most remarkable and most rumoured acts in the Lowlands. It is one of the rare bands who manages to drive the audience over the top with mainly original songs. Everywhere the crowds go mad for the unique style of the boys whom one might possibly describe as an orgy between ZZ Top, Hendrix, Ten Years After, Andre Williams, Masters of Reality and Five Horse Johnson. However, it is impossible to label the band. Bacon Fat is Bacon Fat and it only sounds like – indeed – Bacon Fat. It is a mixture of blues, rock, trash and boogie with some psychedelic and jazzy flavours added. Along with the self-willed characters of the three band-members this is a band who doesn’t fit any locker. There is nothing or no-one sounding like nor resembling to Bacon Fat and exactly this is the strength of the band. [ from the album notes of the band's "Boogielicious Baby" album ]

"Reinventing The Mojo" is a terrific "kick ass" album from the Belgian band, Bacon Fat. This band is a credit to Belgium. BF can really compare with the best of the American and British blues rock outfits. In parts, the album is reminiscent of late sixties, early seventies psychedelic rock. There are some great Hendrix influences, and Jimi's "Red House" is given a great workout here. It is worthwhile listening to more of this band's work. Buy the band's great rockin' "Boogielicious Baby" album.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Shake That Ass - Petitjean, Kesteloot, Goossens
2. Dig It Up - Petitjean, Kesteloot, Goossens
3. Bodeguita Brew - Petitjean, Bols, Lammens
4. She Go Down to Get Me High - Petitjean, Bols, Lammens
5. Pretty Little Thang - Petitjean
6. Blues for Carol - Petitjean, Kesteloot, Goossens
7. Red House - Jimi Hendrix
8. Gimme Some More - Petitjean, Kesteloot, Goossens
9. Miles Dewey III Part 2 - Petitjean, Kesteloot, Goossens
10. Humbucking - Petitjean, Bols, Lammens
11. Louisa - Petitjean, Bols
12. Morefun Boogie - Petitjean, Bols, Lammens
13. Raggafari Jack - Petitjean, Kesteloot, Goossens

BAND

W. Johnson - guitars, vocals, keys, effects, production
Benjamin Cestillo - bass, backing vocals
Enrique ‘Rico’ Gee - drums, percussion
Delvis - lead vocals, blues harp on Track 6, and howlin' on Track 13

REVIEW

It has been nearly three years since the release of “Boogielicious Baby” and to say the least: a lot has happened. First of all the band was injected some fresh blood as the ole’ line-up fell apart. Welcome aboard Benjamin and Rico!W. Johnson (the only original member) had to move mountains to keep the band existing. It was like starting all over from zero. Though luck was involved: within a couple of weeks the new line-up was ready to hit the stage. And the miracle was achieved when six months later the band was ready to record the second album which is presented right here. Actually Johnson literally had to reinvent the soul, the heart and the “mojo” of the band. Hence the title of the album. When listening to the opening track “Shake that ass” you can feel right away the band has gotten much tighter. This track you could probably file under “dance-blues” with it’s pumping bass and driving disco-beat. There’s even a real “Beat” added in the bridge, most exciting! At the end the song turns into a real bluesrocker in the vein of the “Undead”-album by Ten Years After.Other remarkable songs in the track-list include “Blues for Carol” (sung by 20-year old super-talent Delvis, who also plays the bluesharp here), “Red House” (a cover of the blues-standard by Jimi. Not an attempt to imitate the master but a true Bacon Fat-version), “Miles Dewey III part 2” (an instrumental effort inspired by the great man himself. Part 1 appeared on the “Show Some Steel”-demo of 2002) and “Raggafari Jack” (a song clearly inspired by Big Sugar. Where reggae meets rock rock 'n' roll!).On top of that there’s eight straight in your face blues-rock tracks. “Morefun Boogie” is from the “Boogielicious Baby”-era. “Pretty Little Thang” was the big success of the “Show Some Steel”-demo. And that’s not the oldest original included here. “Louisa” was written by Johnson in 1999 before the first incarnation of Bacon Fat even got together. “Humbucking”, “Bodeguita Brew” and “She go down to get me High” were among the last tracks written by the ole’ line-up. The two brand new rockers “Dig it Up” and “Gimme some More” complete the album.So if you’re into fat guitars, big guitars, dirty guitars and nasty guitars AND if you’re into ass-kicking drums and groovy bass-lines you better check out “Reinventing the Mojo”. Bacon Fat prove themselves to be a tight unit with loads of potential towards the musical future. © 2009 CD Universe

BIO

At the end of the nineties W. Johnson lost his interest in playing covers and left the Bluesfactory. He decided to go his own way and started writing his own songs. Two years and a first failed line-up later he teamed up with drummer Luke Lammenzo and bassplayer Mr. Nasty. On July 18th, 2000 Bacon Fat was born. Six months later, after an intensive period of songwriting and rehearsing a first demo-CD was recorded. Bacon Fat was ready to go on stage now with mainly new and original songs. On March 9th, 2001 W. Johnson made his debut-appearance as the leadsinger and frontman of Bacon Fat. From that moment on the band succeeds in playing show after show and Bacon Fat becomes a well known name in the blues- and rockscene in the lowlands. Meanwhile W. gets in touch with "Le duc de Berloz" and "Le Grand Rititificateur". They would take care of all the design and webbuilding for the band from here on. The first result of this cooperation was the notorious cover of the second demo "Plain Sustain" in Januari 2002. With the accompanying tour Bacon Fat played their first shows in Holland. In November 2002 they hit the studio again to record their third demo called "Show Some Steel". This was still Bacon Fat, but clearly on a higher level and even more dynamic than before. These recordings pointed out Bacon Fat is a true rock 'n roll-sensation. Gig after gig they knew to confirm that reputation. 75 shows later -in less than three years- they found themselves ready to release their first official CD. To keep everything under control from a business point of view, Grease It Up Music cvoa was founded. The CD "Boogielicious Baby" happened to be the ultimate compilation of the first years of Bacon Fat, completed with 5 new tracks. 2005 naturally became the year of the Boogielicious Tour and Bacon Fat played concerts and festivals all over the Benelux. But between W. Johnson on one hand and Luke and Nasty on the other, a different point of view on the future of the band was rapidly growing. So with spring 2006 in the air, Luke and Nasty left the band and started their own project. Meanwhile, W. didn't just sit down waiting for a solution falling down from heaven or outer space. He found some new strength in the likes of Benjamin Cestillo (bass and backings) and Enrique "Rico" Gee (drums). With this new line-up the real Bacon Fat-spirit is back and the future of the band is assured. June 2007 marks the release of the second full-CD "Reinventing the Mojo". Received with great reviews worldwide this album holds the spotlight on the band during a period of musical exploration. By the end of the year they finally got the right recipe to present their live-set in a way that covers the whole history of the band while keeping an open mind for further musical directions in the future... 2008 marks the year of the MOJO Tour. These performances show the band has grown a lot since the recording-sessions for "Reinventing the Mojo" and also brought us the very first new original material. Bacon Fat also did it's first shows in Germany. © www.baconfat.be/the_band.php