The Black Box Revelation
Encyclopedia
Black Box Revelation, also known as the BBR, is a Belgian
garage rock
band. It was formed in 2005 by vocalist and guitarist Jan Paternoster and drummer Dries Van Dijck. The band achieved great reviews with their debut "Set Your Head On Fire" and second album "Silver Threats".
, started playing together (with Jan's brother Tim Paternoster as vocalist and Christoph Marquez on second guitar) as “The Mighty Generators”, at the respective ages of 12 and 14 years old. It was during this period that the two of them started jamming together as well. These jam sessions would lay the foundation to their new group: Black Box Revelation.
In 2006 they arrived second, The Hickey Underworld
took the first spot, in Belgium’s influential Humo's Rock Rally
contest. The Mighty Generators made it to the quarter-finals.
New York Times wrote: "Every so often they strip the music down to something slow and bluesy. But the Black Box Revelation isn't purely retro. They are just as happy with a drum-machine beat and a heap of overdubbed percussion, as long as the music makes its happy, trashy crash."
Combining Beatles-meets-Kinks British invasion pop with haunting melodies, pounding blues, thick ambience and driving beats, Black Box Revelation plot their foreign invasion.
In Europe they toured with dEUS, Ghinzu, general fiasco's, The raveonettes, Eagles Of Death Metal, Iggy Pop, death weather,..
They played multiple times at Werchter and Pukkelpop, pinkpop, sziget, Lokerse Feesten, Rock en Seine, ...
In June 2008, the Black Box Revelation started their first tour in the United States
. They performed gigs in San Diego, West Hollywood and New York
.
Since then they played a couple of times at SXSW and they toured throug USA in June 2011 with the meatpuppets, played at Bonnaroo music and arts festival.
On tour w/ The Morning After Girls: Sept 19 - Oct 18
On tour w/ Meat Puppets: Nov 6 - Nov 13 2011
drummer Mario Goossens, mixed in Los Angeles by Greg Gordon (who had previously worked with Wolfmother
, Jet
and Soulwax
), and mastered in New York by Fred Kevorkian (Iggy Pop
, U2
, The White Stripes
).
Their single “I Think I Like You” rapidly rose to the top of the radio charts. Peter Afterman and the Major League Baseball
club Pittsburgh Pirates
later bought the rights to "I Think I Like You".
"A rock party that seems unwilling to end. Like the 60s garage bands they were influenced by, Black Box Revelation know that sometimes rock is most effective when it is simple. With this philosophy in mind, the band keeps their riffs repeating and their lyrics from being over analytical. Black Box Revelation's debut seem stragegically constructed while still retaining a reckless and raw sound." quote: Plug in Music.
drummer Mario Goossens, mixed in Los Angeles by Greg Gordon (who had previously worked with, and mastered in New York by Fred Kevorkian.
Contact Music wrote: "There's scuzzy, full throttle blues romps sitting comfortably next to more quiet moments. Silver Threats is an album that sits just on the edge of chaos, providing a brilliant musical thrill ride, almost from start to finish."
Black Box Revelation released a new single on June 1, 2011 called, "Rattle My Heart". It's the lead single from their 3rd album, My Perception, which was released worldwide on September 30th 2011.
They released 'My Perception' as follow up single.
as well as a James Trussart Deluxe SteelCaster (a Fender Thinline Telecaster-style guitar with a hollow metal body) with an SH pickup configuration. He has also been seen using a Hofner electric guitar. He uses a Vox AC30
and Blackstar Amplification
.
In 2011 on the US tour he played a early 60's Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Flying V with Blackstar Amps.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band. It was formed in 2005 by vocalist and guitarist Jan Paternoster and drummer Dries Van Dijck. The band achieved great reviews with their debut "Set Your Head On Fire" and second album "Silver Threats".
Formation
Jan Paternoster and Dries Van Dijck, two friends from DilbeekDilbeek
Dilbeek is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the villages of Dilbeek proper, Groot-Bijgaarden, Itterbeek , Schepdaal , Sint-Martens-Bodegem, and Sint-Ulriks-Kapelle...
, started playing together (with Jan's brother Tim Paternoster as vocalist and Christoph Marquez on second guitar) as “The Mighty Generators”, at the respective ages of 12 and 14 years old. It was during this period that the two of them started jamming together as well. These jam sessions would lay the foundation to their new group: Black Box Revelation.
In 2006 they arrived second, The Hickey Underworld
The Hickey Underworld
The Hickey Underworld is a Belgian alternative rock/garage rock band from Antwerp. The four members won the Humo's Rock Rally in 2006, and as a result of this achievement they played on the Belgian festival Pukkelpop.In 2009 they released their first album "The Hickey Underworld".The Hickey...
took the first spot, in Belgium’s influential Humo's Rock Rally
Humo's Rock Rally
Humo's Rock Rally is a Belgian contest for rock bands, organized every second year since 1978. It is organized by the Belgian magazine HUMO.Every band that has not yet released an official recording, may enter the Rock Rally, by submitting a demo to HUMO. Humo then selects 100 bands to compete in...
contest. The Mighty Generators made it to the quarter-finals.
New York Times wrote: "Every so often they strip the music down to something slow and bluesy. But the Black Box Revelation isn't purely retro. They are just as happy with a drum-machine beat and a heap of overdubbed percussion, as long as the music makes its happy, trashy crash."
Combining Beatles-meets-Kinks British invasion pop with haunting melodies, pounding blues, thick ambience and driving beats, Black Box Revelation plot their foreign invasion.
In Europe they toured with dEUS, Ghinzu, general fiasco's, The raveonettes, Eagles Of Death Metal, Iggy Pop, death weather,..
They played multiple times at Werchter and Pukkelpop, pinkpop, sziget, Lokerse Feesten, Rock en Seine, ...
In June 2008, the Black Box Revelation started their first tour in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They performed gigs in San Diego, West Hollywood and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Since then they played a couple of times at SXSW and they toured throug USA in June 2011 with the meatpuppets, played at Bonnaroo music and arts festival.
On tour w/ The Morning After Girls: Sept 19 - Oct 18
On tour w/ Meat Puppets: Nov 6 - Nov 13 2011
Introducing the Black Box Revelation
In 2007 the duo released their debut EP. The EP was supported by a videoclip for “Kill For Peace (And Peace Will Die)”. The Belgian press was unanimously enthusiastic and this resulted in lots of club-gigs. During the summer of 2007 the band played at the big open-air festivals Dour and Pukkelpop.Set Your Head On Fire
The Black Box Revelation started recording their album “Set Your Head On Fire” mid 2007. The album was produced by TriggerfingerTriggerfinger
Triggerfinger is a Flemish rock band from Antwerp, Belgium, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Ruben Block, bassist Paul Van Bruystegem and Mario Goossens as drummer....
drummer Mario Goossens, mixed in Los Angeles by Greg Gordon (who had previously worked with Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
, Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
and Soulwax
Soulwax
Soulwax, headed by David and Stephen Dewaele, are an alternative rock/electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Next to the Dewaele brothers, Soulwax consists of bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer. They were first noticed after the release of their album Much Against Everyone's...
), and mastered in New York by Fred Kevorkian (Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
).
Their single “I Think I Like You” rapidly rose to the top of the radio charts. Peter Afterman and the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
club Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
later bought the rights to "I Think I Like You".
"A rock party that seems unwilling to end. Like the 60s garage bands they were influenced by, Black Box Revelation know that sometimes rock is most effective when it is simple. With this philosophy in mind, the band keeps their riffs repeating and their lyrics from being over analytical. Black Box Revelation's debut seem stragegically constructed while still retaining a reckless and raw sound." quote: Plug in Music.
Silver Threats
In Feb 2010 they released their second album "Silver Threats", with the singles "high on a wire", "sleep while moving", "do I know you" and "love licks". This album was also produced by TriggerfingerTriggerfinger
Triggerfinger is a Flemish rock band from Antwerp, Belgium, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Ruben Block, bassist Paul Van Bruystegem and Mario Goossens as drummer....
drummer Mario Goossens, mixed in Los Angeles by Greg Gordon (who had previously worked with, and mastered in New York by Fred Kevorkian.
Contact Music wrote: "There's scuzzy, full throttle blues romps sitting comfortably next to more quiet moments. Silver Threats is an album that sits just on the edge of chaos, providing a brilliant musical thrill ride, almost from start to finish."
My Perception
The single Lust or Love was released on 14 February 2011, whilst the band was working on their third album with Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age) in Hollywood, LA.Black Box Revelation released a new single on June 1, 2011 called, "Rattle My Heart". It's the lead single from their 3rd album, My Perception, which was released worldwide on September 30th 2011.
They released 'My Perception' as follow up single.
Albums
- Introducing: The Blackbox Revelation (EP) (2007)
- Kill For Peace (and peace will die)
- Fighting With The Truth
- Mirror Of Imagination
- Start Where I Begun (live versie)
- Set Your Head On Fire (2007, T for Tunes, PIAS)
- I think I like you
- Love In Your Head
- Gravity Blues
- Never Alone/Always Together
- Stand Your Ground
- Love, Love Is On My Mind
- Set Your Head On Fire
- Dollars Are Sweet, They Say
- Beatbox Revelation pt.1
- Cold Cold Hands
- We Never Wondered Why
- I Don't Want It
- Misery Box
- Silver Threats (2010, T for Tunes, PIAS)
- High On A Wire
- Where Has All This Mess Begun
- Run Wild
- 5 O'Clock Turn Back The Time
- You Better Get In Touch With The Devil
- Do I Know You
- Sleep While Moving
- Our Town Has Changed For Years Now
- Love Licks
- You Got Me On My Knees
- Here Comes The Kick
- My Perception (2011, T for Tunes, PIAS, Merovee)
- Madhouse
- My Perception
- Rattle My Heart
- Bitter
- Skin
- White Unicorns
- Shadowman
- New Sun
- Sealed With Thorns
- 2 Young Boys
- Lonely Hearts
- Shiver Of Joy EP (2011, Merovee)
Singles
- I Think I Like You
- Gravity Blues
- Set Your Head On Fire
- Never Alone Always Together
- Love love is on my mind
- High On a Wire
- Do I Know You
- Sleep While Moving
- Love Licks
- Lust or Love
- Rattle My Heart
- My Perception
Equipment
Jan Paternoster is known to play a Gibson CS-356 hollow-body electric guitarSemi-acoustic guitar
A semi-acoustic guitar or hollow-body electric is a type of electric guitar with both a sound box and one or more electric pickups. This is not the same as an electric acoustic guitar, which is an acoustic guitar with the addition of pickups or other means of amplification, either added by the...
as well as a James Trussart Deluxe SteelCaster (a Fender Thinline Telecaster-style guitar with a hollow metal body) with an SH pickup configuration. He has also been seen using a Hofner electric guitar. He uses a Vox AC30
Vox AC30
The Vox AC30 is a guitar amplifier manufactured by Vox and known for its "jangly" high-end sound. First introduced in 1958 due to the growing demand for higher-wattage amplifiers, it became an iconic amplifier for British musicians and soon for others....
and Blackstar Amplification
Blackstar Amplification
Blackstar Amplification is a UK-based manufacturer of guitar amplifiers and effects, largely made up of ex-Marshall employees. Their products include the hand-wired, boutique "Artisan" series, the Series One series, and a range of pedals and amplifiers in the HT line...
.
In 2011 on the US tour he played a early 60's Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Flying V with Blackstar Amps.