Richard Milne of WXRT Radio Chicago recently called The Bon Mots' new record, “le main drag," “his new favorite Chicago record,” and claims to have been “listening to it constantly.” There is no accounting for taste, however, so please feel free to take a listen for yourself.(Contact via wwww.thebonmots.com).
The initial idea was to create a sound along the lines of the Zombies, the Byrds, and second-generation purveyors of cool (we think it’s cool, anyway) mid-sixties-informed creepy jangle such as The Bats, My Drug Hell, The Clean, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Smiths, the Church and such.
The Bon Mots were formed this millennium by Michigan-bred long-time Chicago veterans Mike Coy (formerly, Big Angry Fish, Cooksie) and Eric Chial (formerly, Mitch, Feedbag, The Eric Chial 2 (featuring members of The Coctails) and Cats and Jammers (featuring members of The Pulsars), Mike and Eric recruited Kevin Hoetger (formerly, The Cells, Big Angry Fish, Woolworthy) to play drums and sing happening backing vocals. Kevin brought in multi-instrumentalist—and mentalist—Chris Frantizak (who also plays keys for Chicago’s mighty Light FM, and used to play bass for Emil Muzz—and while we’re shamelessly dropping name, after name, after name, ad nauseum, it should also be noted that lately, Chris has been playing keys for a gentleman, rather spooky in his own right, named Nash Kato—of Urge Overkill, naturally).
After recording “le main drag” with maestro Neal Ostrovsky, who despite being a very good drummer (The Webb Brothers (Warner UK), Hushdrops, Electric Airlines (King Roesser of Urge Overkill)), has remarkably excellent ears, at his B-Side Audio sound machine in Chicago, Kevin decided he was moving to Austin, Texas—in August—because it’s hot as hell there. Undaunted, The Bon Mots called upon the ever-groovy and jazz-inflected Jason Styx (formerly, way too many to mention, except it must be noted that Jason and Eric met during a time in their lives which can only be described as Edenic, when they were both living in Athens, Georgia; but suffice it to say Jason also drums for The Wes Hollywood Show; and—while entirely irrelevant for these purposes—was in his day a top-notch alpinist, who once assaulted K-2, though he was ultimately acquitted).
For more information, visit their website: http://www.thebonmots.com
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