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Bye Bye Blackbirds share their unique sound with the Bay Area
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Photo by Isabelle Duffy
The Bye Bye Blackbirds - Bradley Skaught, Ian Robertson, William Duke and Lenny Gill - formed back in 2005 in Oakland. After Skaught and Robertson’s previous band, Belle Da Gama, split up, they created a list of the elements they wanted their new band to be centered on. They determined their strengths, and the things they wished they had done in the past, and then set out to find others who were capable of thinking along the same lines. The result was songwriter Duke, whom they found on Craigslist, and his ex-bandmate Gill.
In 2008, the band released their free EP, Apology Accepted, as well as their full-length album, Houses & Homes. Over the last four years, they have spent time touring locally with bands of all different genres, but it has been difficult for them to find one specific scene to play in. Their music is so diverse; they have pulled inspiration from 60’s British bands, 70’s pop bands, 80’s underground bands, country rock, folk, and more, and because of this fact, their music cannot be classified under one genre. The band has a unique sound that will continue to increase their fan base, and they say that as long as there are fans that will support them and enjoy their music, they will keep making it.
The members of Bye Bye Blackbirds have been in many bands before. They have played shows and released albums, and with this knowledge and experience, they have learned what steps to take to improve their music, and to give it a more grown-up feel. “In a lot of ways this band has been about drawing on the whole range of our experiences and accomplishments and trying to make something that demonstrates our growth,” Skaught explains. “It’s something we’ve integrated into our 9-5 lives that’s more than just coming up with tunes and playing gigs and trying to get attention - it’s a lot of fun, but it’s also more personal and rewarding. And I think the folks who hear us really respond to that.”
They hope to open up for some touring bands in the future, to spread their music to even more fans in the Bay Area. They will be playing a show July 31st in Fresno, at Audie’s Olympic Club, and a show in Los Angeles two day later, August 2nd, at Fais Do Do as part of the International Pop Overthrow Festival. The band will also be appearing on the upcoming album, Crayon Angel: A Tribute to the Music of Judee Still, on which they will be playing “There’s a Rugged Road”. The album is set to come out September 22.
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