Bulletproof Rose – Featured Band

Louise Swift 29 May 2014 Featured Band

.@louelladeville_ @PlanetMosh features Bulletproof Rose .@B_P_R_Band who have just signed a management deal with Roar Power Management a part of Roarrock Music Ltd.

Bulletproof Rose (Amy Graham Photography)

History of Bulletproof Rose

The idea to set up a band came from drummer Dan Wallace and singer/guitarist Jacob Siddle in November 2012, the two met through playing in a covers band together and had a mutual respect and love for raw, rough, high octane rock n roll. They decided to form a band who would play just that. A band with no frills and no gimmicks. A band which would strip rock n roll back to basics, just guitar to amp, plug in and play, with that idea in mind they sought out the perfect line up. Having tried and tested several band members along the way they were eventually joined by guitarist Brian Robinson and bass guitarist Connor Barton, two like minded rockers who share the same goal and thus make Bulletproof Rose the band it is today.

Quote from their facebook page ‘This in your face power foursome are booking shows up and down the country and are building a steady following behind them, their no gimmick approach to rock n roll is the perfect remedy for today’s tough living, for that few hours that you are at a Bulletproof Rose show you’ll find your troubles vanish and before you know what’s happening you’ll be at the front, head down, drink in the air and rocking hard to the good time rock n roll sound that leaves you breathless but begging for more. Bulletproof Rose aim to please and please they do!!!’

Bulletproof Rose have just toured the UK with Dirty Diamonds, they have opened for AC/DC’s original singer Dave Evans and have played alongside bands like Lyxx and Fallen Mafia. In May 2014 the band signed a management deal with Roar Power Management which is part of Roarrock Music Ltd.

Introduction to the Band in Ten (Q&A)

Jacob Siddle – Singer/Guitarist

Jacob Siddle - Bulletproof Rose — Jacob Siddle – Bulletproof Rose

1. How long have you played guitar/sung?

I have been playing guitar for around 6 and half to seven years.

I’ve been singing to myself since I was very small however I haven’t sang in front of an audience or in a band full time until I started with Bulletproof Rose. I had sung as secondary or back-up vocals in a few school bands previously but I was never the main vocalist before now.

2. What made you want to play guitar/sing?

I’ve always been a big fan of rock music ever since I heard my Dad playing Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ in the car when I was about 3 or 4 and I was always playing air guitar to his CD’s and I eventually decided I wanted to learn the real thing.

Personally I prefer being a guitarist but I do enjoy singing it gives me a chance to be loud and shout without pissing people off.

3. Who are your biggest influences?

Well I take a lot of inspiration from Slash he was the first guitarist I really latched onto after I listened to ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ for the first time, I was just mesmerized by his guitar playing.

Early Guns n Roses are one of my biggest influences particularly the ‘Appetite’ Era I also take a lot of influence from bands like AC/DC, The Ramones, Backyard Babies and Mötley Crüe.

4. What was the first record you bought?

I have never really bought music of my own accord until a few years ago when I bought myself a record player but the first record I ever went out and bought was ‘Appetite for Destruction’ by Guns ‘n’ Roses.

5. Who are your favourite bands?

Well that’s kind of obvious really Guns ‘n’ Roses as well as bands such as the Backyard Babies, Airbourne, AC/DC , The Ramones, Queen and Mötley Crüe.

6. What is your favourite song of all time?

That’s tough because it usually depends on what mood I’m in but mostly its songs like ‘Brand New Hate’ by the Backyard Babies, ‘It’s So Easy’ – Guns n Roses and probably ‘Hungry’ by Airbourne.

7. What, for you, is the most memorable album in your collection and why?

I don’t really have an extensive collection that’s something I need to work on but I would have to say my ‘Appetite’ record as to me that album is timeless it still sounds as pivotal now as it was when it first came out.

8. Which is the best gig you have played and why?

Well we have played a few good gigs over the past year but it would have to be our first gig in Bannermans in Edinburgh, simply for the reason that even though the crowd was relatively small, every single person was enjoying the music, dancing and head banging which, as the front man, is my main concern. Or our second gig in the Brickyard before last Christmas was pretty memorable as, similarly to the Bannermans show, the crowd seemed to enjoy every second of our set and we played exceptionally well as a result of this reaction.

9. If you could open for a headline act (past or present) who would it be and why?

Well there’s a few really. It would be a dream come true for me to open for Slash as he is my idol but I would be love to support Backyard Babies, AC/DC, Airbourne, Appetite era Guns ‘n’ Roses, The Ramones in the early years or Queen with Freddie.

10. Apart from Bulletproof Rose which up and coming bands would you recommend people listen to and/or go to see?

Well from my own personal opinion bands such as Massive Wagons, Fallen Mafia, Hellion Rising to name a few. Each of these bands to me are great musicians, they all understand rock n roll as it should be, live and raw.

Brian Robinson -Lead Guitar

Brian Robinson - Bulletproof Rose — Brian Robinson – Bulletproof Rose

1. How long have you played guitar?

I have been playing guitar for 3 and a half years.

2. What made you want to play guitar?

There are two reasons I started playing guitar, the first one being that my brother and uncle play guitar and I thought that was pretty cool. Also, the first time I heard Welcome To The Jungle by Guns ‘N’ Roses I new straight away that was what I wanted to do.

3.Who are your biggest influences?

Without a doubt Slash is my biggest influence, the guy is just so fucking cool, and he’s pretty much the perfect guitar player in my eyes, the way he locks into the groove, and his feel for the song, he doesn’t have to pick as fast as he can all over a song to make a good solo (I still love shred guitar though) And my other biggest influence is Rhandy Rhoads, the man was just a genius! Some of my other influences range from anyone like Joe Perry and Angus Young, to Django Reindhart an Joe Pass, then there are players such as Robert Johnson, Paul Gilbert and even C.C.DeVille.

4. What was the first record you bought?

Permission To Land by The Darkness, I think its the only debut album ever to truly rival Appetite.

5. Who are your favourite bands?

Guns ‘N’ Roses are my all time favourite band. Then there’s Ac/Dc, Aerosmith, Ramones, Backyard Babies, Led Zep, Motley Crue, The Wildhearts, Kiss, Black Sabbath, there are loads more, and Posion! I love me some Poison.

6. What is your favourite song of all time?

That is a tough question, Welcome To The Jungle, because its the reason I play guitar, but I wouldn’t say its my “favourite” song.

7. What, for you is the most memorable album in your collection and why?

Permission To Land, Appetite and Look What The Cat Dragged In, I keep wearing them out and having to buy new ones!

8. Which is the best/worst gig you’ve ever played?

The best was either the time we played The Brickyard in Carlisle, or either time we have played Bannermans bar in Edinburgh.

The worst was without a doubt my first gig with Bulletproof Rose, we played Maggie Mays in Glasgow, there were 3 other bands on the bill, not one of them watched our set and there was only the sound guy and bar man there.

9. If you could open for any headline act (past and present) who would it be?

Either Guns in the 80’s or Motley Crue in the 80’s just to see how insane they really were.

10. Apart from Bulletproof Rose which up and coming bands would you recommend people listen to and/ or go see?

I would say check out Blackmamba, The Deadhearts, Nest Of Vipers, and another Cumbrian rock band called Heartbreak Remedy, these guys are all kick ass musicians and awesome people!

Connor Barton – Bass Guitar

1. How long have you played bass guitar?

Played bass now for around three years and only quite recently started to play guitar and sing but my main instrument is bass.

2. What made you want to play bass guitar?

Seeing bands and just a love for music, I just wanted to be musical in someway, I never pictured myself getting in a band though so I think learning paid off.

3. Who are your biggest influences?

There’s so many, bands like Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot and Nirvana got me listening to rock music, but influence for playing bass I’d say Twiggy Rammirez, the bassist from the band Marilyn Manson because of how catchy and driving some of his bass lines are, and Duff McKagan, Gun’s n Roses original bass player, just for the great groove he has and the simple tone of his bass.

4. What was the first record you bought?

Demon Days, by the Gorillaz

5. Who are your favourite artists/bands?

The Prodigy, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, HIM, Nine Inch Nails, Gun’s n Roses, Die Antwoord, Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, Dedmau5, Sonny Moore and Korn

6. What is your favourite song of all time?

Very hard to decide upon but at the moment Something I Can Never Have, by Nine Inch Nails

7. What, for you, is the most memorable album in your collection and why?

Probably IOWA by Slipknot, it was the first metal album I bought myself and at first it sounded awful to me, but the album really grew on me because of how raw, heavy and aggressive it is.

8. Which is the best gig you have played and why?

Best gig was probably my second gig with Bulletproof Rose at a small pub in my hometown, Whitehaven, The Three Tuns. The crowd response was great and I always dreamed of playing in a band in that pub.

9. If you could open for a headline act (past or present) who would it be and why?

Gun’s n Roses back in 1987 because those guys are one of our biggest influences as a band.

10. Apart from Bulletproof Rose which up and coming bands would you recommend people listen to and/or go to see?

I’d say MT Arms, Blackjack and Saints of Arcadia definitely check those guys out.

Dan Wallace – Drums

Dan Wallace - Bulletproof Rose — Dan Wallace – Bulletproof Rose

1. How long have you played drums?

I’ve been behind the kit now for 5 years but I’ve been bashing table tops, walls, radiators anything that makes a noise for as long as can remember.

2. What made you want to play drums?

I really don’t know why I wanted to play drums I think it’s just hard wired into me, whenever I would watch a band on T.V. I’d never be looking at the singer or guitarist I’d be looking at the guy in the back smashing the skins, something about hitting things with sticks really appeals to me.

3. Who are your biggest influences?

My main influences would definitely be Phil Rudd of AC/DC and John Coghlan of Status Quo the drive and power they bring to their bands is immense, it’s that solid beat nothing flashy just straight forward hard hitting rock drumming, imagine AC/DC with a technical jazz drummer throwing crazy fills everywhere, no thanks!!!

4. What was the first record you bought?

I know this isn’t a rock n roll record by any means but I’m sure the very first record I ever bought was Eminem The Slim Shady LP!!!!

5. Who are your favourite artists/bands?

My most favourite would definitely be AC/DC, Status Quo, Motley Crue, Guns n Roses, Backyard Babies, The Ramones, Motorhead, Rose Tattoo, Airbourne, Sex Pistols!!!!

6. What is your favourite song of all time?

How the fuck do I answer that…………..Jailbreak by AC/DC, Big Fat Mama by Status Quo and Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue all come close and for the record I now have a splitting headache trying to answer that question!!!!

7. What, for you, is the most memorable album in your collection and why?

Definitely without a doubt Status Quo’s live album, Live! It’s just 100% rock n roll, no overdubs they proudly put it out there mistakes and all, it’s just so rough and ready with Rossi’s bum notes and Parfitts croaky vocals, in my eyes it’s exactly what a rock band should be loud, fast and nowhere near perfect, AWESOME!!!!

8. Which is the best gig you have played and why?

The best gig for me would have to be our first time at Bannermans in Edinburgh, we played to a small but very humble crowd and probably for the first time we felt our music was appreciated for what it was, I remember looking out and not seeing one person standing judging how well we were playing but seeing everyone there having a good time and for me that’s the whole point, if your coming to our show to judge our musical ability then don’t bother just stay at home, if your coming to have a good time then I’ll be the first one to buy you a drink!!!!

9. If you could open for a headline act (past or present) who would it be and why?

AC/DC with Bon Scott so we could learn Brian Johnson era songs and play them in our set because they won’t have wrote them yet and we could claim they’re ours!!!!

10. Apart from Bulletproof Rose which up and coming bands would you recommend people listen to and/or go to see?

There’s so many, you will want to check out Dirty Diamonds, The Muffwigs, Bad Behaviour, Red Spektor and The Scams all great bands and all except The Scams we have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with!!!

Up coming Gigs and Tour Dates