Anyone heard of Bobbie Marie? It's Thomas Bullock of many, many acts you may have heard of, plus Rene Love (what a name). They sound kind of like Iggy Pop fronting some seminal piano house act I have never heard of. They're good. We had a chat with them.Vice: This project's been going on a fair while. How did it come together?
Rene: Yeah, this project has been going on for a while. We started talking about Bobbie Marie around the time that Thomas was still working with A.R.E. Weapons. I was living in Tokyo around the time he started sending me ideas of what kind of music he wanted to write with me. I can't remember when we first started recording, but the first sessions were recorded at our friend Pistol Pete Mayer's house and that very first session produced the first two singles for Bobbie Marie on Whatever We Want Records. Thomas: Rene and I lived together in San Francisco before it was dot-com gay and it was REAL gay and wild, which does and doesn't have much to do with the music. We would write songs together and throw parties to play 'em to people. Years later, when I was living in bum-fuck Pennsylvania and freaking myself out by making rockabilly-trance music, I knew Rene would be the man to have sing the good word and lay down the law. From there, Bobbie Marie was born. By the way, "Bobbie Marie" is a name we used to scream at each other in between ill cuss words just to keep things fresh.What do you do aside from this band?
Rene: I do session work, DJ, and produce.
Thomas: I am in Rub n Tug and Map of Africa and Laughing Light of Plenty and Way of the Ancients and other fucked up relationships, but Bobbie is the best. Name five big influences on the music you make with Bobbie Marie.
Rene: It's hard to say. I would say our friendship, the cities that we've lived in, our travels around the world together. I was a young kid on a full head of LSD when I snuck in to hear Thomas at this small spot near the Bay Bridge. He was playing rock/dub/disco that night. A week later, I came around his house, had a meal, smoked a spliff, etc., etc. He asked me where I was living, I told him I was kinda homeless, so he asked me to move in and the rest is history. We've been friends for about 15 years. How come you're in London at the moment?
Rene: I'm out here working in a studio in Dalston putting together a new group with my friend Matt Ducasse. So if there are any good bass players that like Bobbie Marie, give me a shout! Planning on playing any shows?
Rene: Well, since my decision came up at the last minute, it didn't give promoters enough time to sort any kind of gigs for me. But I do have a few agencies trying to put together some shows. I'm planning on being out here for at least six months, so hopefully this interview will help out to get me some gigs.Bobbie Marie - Ship Overboard JOEL WRIGHT
Rene: Yeah, this project has been going on for a while. We started talking about Bobbie Marie around the time that Thomas was still working with A.R.E. Weapons. I was living in Tokyo around the time he started sending me ideas of what kind of music he wanted to write with me. I can't remember when we first started recording, but the first sessions were recorded at our friend Pistol Pete Mayer's house and that very first session produced the first two singles for Bobbie Marie on Whatever We Want Records. Thomas: Rene and I lived together in San Francisco before it was dot-com gay and it was REAL gay and wild, which does and doesn't have much to do with the music. We would write songs together and throw parties to play 'em to people. Years later, when I was living in bum-fuck Pennsylvania and freaking myself out by making rockabilly-trance music, I knew Rene would be the man to have sing the good word and lay down the law. From there, Bobbie Marie was born. By the way, "Bobbie Marie" is a name we used to scream at each other in between ill cuss words just to keep things fresh.What do you do aside from this band?
Rene: I do session work, DJ, and produce.
Thomas: I am in Rub n Tug and Map of Africa and Laughing Light of Plenty and Way of the Ancients and other fucked up relationships, but Bobbie is the best. Name five big influences on the music you make with Bobbie Marie.
Rene: It's hard to say. I would say our friendship, the cities that we've lived in, our travels around the world together. I was a young kid on a full head of LSD when I snuck in to hear Thomas at this small spot near the Bay Bridge. He was playing rock/dub/disco that night. A week later, I came around his house, had a meal, smoked a spliff, etc., etc. He asked me where I was living, I told him I was kinda homeless, so he asked me to move in and the rest is history. We've been friends for about 15 years. How come you're in London at the moment?
Rene: I'm out here working in a studio in Dalston putting together a new group with my friend Matt Ducasse. So if there are any good bass players that like Bobbie Marie, give me a shout! Planning on playing any shows?
Rene: Well, since my decision came up at the last minute, it didn't give promoters enough time to sort any kind of gigs for me. But I do have a few agencies trying to put together some shows. I'm planning on being out here for at least six months, so hopefully this interview will help out to get me some gigs.Bobbie Marie - Ship Overboard JOEL WRIGHT
