Whanganui blues trio BB and the Bullets inks deal with French label Dixie Frog

Brian Baker built a recording studio soon after moving to Whanganui.

Blues trio BB and the Bullets have signed a deal with a renowned French label after a year packed with almost 100 gigs and a pending album release.

The Whanganui act was formed by musician, producer and record label boss Brian Baker after he moved to the River City at the end of 2023.

He said his new hometown was instrumental in the band’s sudden success.

Baker built a studio at his home on Nixon St, where the debut album High Tide was recorded.

“That’s been great but it’s the people here that have afforded me this opportunity,” he said.

“I’ve got a great bass player (Stuart Duncan), a great drummer (Brad McMillan), and we’ve been able to do lots of gigs because the people of Whanganui get off their couches and go and see live music.”

The band’s manager Ken Usmar, a music industry veteran who worked with AC/DC in the 1970s, also moved to Whanganui in 2023.

Baker said the live show continued “to grow and grow” but was always rooted in the blues.

“Without sounding like a terrible old fart, we are a real band,” he said.

“Brad said it (live shows) was a bit like coming to a circus and watching a high-wire trapeze.

“They’re pushing the boat out further and further with these songs, when will they fall off? We take risks and we make mistakes.”

The band has put pen to paper with French blues label Dixiefrog and its debut record ‘High Tide’ comes out on September 12 in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

Baker said the deal was helped along by Kiwi blues musician and new label-mate Grant Haua, who happened to be in the label boss’ office when he was listening to High Tide.

Eddie Rayner (second from right) plays keyboards on the album's title track. Photo / Supplied

“Grant was saying ‘Oh, that’s good aye?’.

“We definitely owe him one. It’s Kiwis supporting each other.”

Baker’s own label, Nixon St Recordings, will release the album in New Zealand and Australia.

High Tide features seven originals and five covers, with Eddie Rayner (Split Enz, Crowded House, The Angels) playing keyboards on the title track.

Rayner and Baker also play together as the Makers.

“When I was working with Eddie, he used to laugh at me because I was too bluesy but I was able to inject that sensibility into the music. It worked really well,” Baker said.

“BB and the Bullets was consciously built as a contemporary blues act and is designed to fit on international stages.

“This is not a bunch of old guys going ‘dum dah dum dah dum’, we are out of the box.”

He said he loved “every tiny drop” of the band process, from arriving two hours early and setting up the PA to playing on stages around the country.

“I guess I just like to be fully immersed in it.

“This is my life. Even the poorest-paid show is going to help with my grocery bill.”

BB and the Bullets will film a music video for the album’s first single, Something in the Water, at the Commercial Hotel from 3.30pm on March 30.

The public is invited to join.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.