Big John Bates

Big John Bates
Brandy Bones & Big John Bates
Background information
Also known as	John Bates
Origin	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
Genres	post-punk, Americana, garage_music, deathrock, early psychobilly, thrash metal
Labels	Frontman Records, Rookie Records, Alternative Tentacles, Glitterhouse Records, Roadrunner Records
Associated acts	Annihilator; Sloan (band); The Real McKenzies; Bif Naked
Website	bigjohnbates.com
Members	Big John Bates Brandy Bones Ty-Ty the Saviour Requiemily
Past members	Timothy Hagberg JT Massacre
Notable instruments
Gretsch Hofner

Big John Bates is a guitarist endorsed by Gretsch guitars known for his rustic garage / post-punk style. He began professionally as the lead singer and writer for Annihilator and also plays mandolin and banjo. His "Big John Bates: Noirchestra" is dark, post-punk with symphonic elements and lyrics involving themes of hope, belief and despair. Their live shows and sonic qualities have been compared to Nick Cave and Siouxsie Sioux with Jello Biafra stating the first EP "Headless Fowl is extremely cool" and including the band in his Alternative Tentacles catalog. The Noirchestra incorporates a string section with Höfner upright bassist Brandy Bones, Requiemily on electric violin and features Ty-Ty the Saviour (Rich Sticks) on timpani, percussion and trap kit. They often include mandolin and cello on their recordings and occasionally live.

Born in Toronto, the Bates family moved to Ottawa when John was five. He taught himself to play guitar at age 14, learning songs with American friends over summers in the 1000 Islands and techniques from Exciter guitarist John Ricci. Bates' early guitar bodies were made by his brother Bruce in high-school workshop and wired by John from old Sears guitars. After high school John had his guitar and amp stolen, leading him to focus on lyrics and vocals. He formed his first professional band Annihilator with Jeff Waters which he was in for two years. After leaving the group John returned to business school then moved to Vancouver in 1992. He continued devoting himself to underground music, creating the musical identity Big John Bates after his previous deathrock band Bates Motel.

As a founding member (singer and songwriter) of Annihilator, the "highest-selling thrash metal band from Canada" Bates began his career with notoriety. Meeting Jeff Waters through mutual friends with the intention to cover AC/DC songs, Jeff instead decided to write originals together and the two of them formed Annihilator. John then recruited bassist Dave Scott and Jeff brought in drummer Paul Malek. The band rehearsed 5 days a week over a two-year period to hone their craft as songwriters and began the band's touring legacy with a residency in Val D‘Or Quebec. During this time Waters and Bates co-wrote most of the tracks from the albums Alison Hell and Never, Neverland before the first version of the band dissolved. John later co-wrote songs on King of the Kill, engineered the demos for the record deal, and sub-sequentially wrote songs for the three following albums. Bates also contributed a guitar track to "Remains".