Bishop Don
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Bishop Don

Atlanta, Georgia, United States | SELF

Atlanta, Georgia, United States | SELF
Band Rock Alternative

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Rage Picks"

New power trio from Atlanta that brings back the brash jangle pop Georgia was formerly famous for in the college rock heyday of the later '80s and early '90s. It may have a modern acoustic pop update, bus this band wouldn't sound all that out of place on a compilation with Pylon and Love Tractor. - Nashville Rage


"New Releases"

Driving, wistful rock permeates this Atlanta trio's new EP. - Creative Loafing - Atlanta


"Colorful Night at Vinyl"

Ironically, the long-haired free spirits in the crowd did not come out until headliner Bishop Don began. Not the acid-enhanced hippies of the sixties, but rather the Bud Light swigging Southern boys and gals of 2004. Bishop Don is an alternative band with just a touch of Southern flare. They kick-off the night with a crunching guitar riff akin to Collective Soul, but with the melodic groove of the Black Crowes.

Singer and guitarist Blair Crimmins is decked out in a mechanic’s jumpsuit; apparently ready for a greasy, grimy night. I attempted to read the sewn nametag, but I feared passing through the riotous front row. There is something in Bishop Don’s music (or, perhaps, the Bud Light) that has inspired a throng of fans to wildly bob and weave about.

By the time Crimmins is singing, “What’s the weather Mary Jane?” there is an enthusiastic chant of “A-T-L!” Suddenly the scene at Vinyl looks like a cross between the freak-out fields of Woodstock and a well-attended frat party.

Granted, when the wah wah pedal is let lose and Jesse Cole lays down some heavy bass lines, the groove factor is high. The songs are bit too short and too tight to be considered a jam, but the diversity in style assures that both Grateful Dead and Stone Temple Pilot fans alike could find something to enjoy in Bishop Don.

- Atlanta Music Guide


"Atlantis Music Conf. Review"

Next up were Bishop Don, an apparently Atlanta-based trio of whom I've never heard. For me, this was the hardest band to classify, although that's mainly due to a lack of knowledge on my part. Although I liked their bass-heavy sound, I couldn't quite place the influence. At times, their music had a vaguely pop-ska feel, like early popular No Doubt, albeit with male vocals. At other times, they seemed like more of a jangly southern rock band. And still at other times, I thought I could catch a whiff of a mid-90s alternative band, like Stone Temple Pilots. Yet, truly, the crowd really seemed to get into their music. It struck me that perhaps, of all of the bands I'd seen in the evening, Bishop Don were the most commercially viable. - Evil8Sponge


"Bishop Don EP/Demo review 2003"

Listening to the new Bishop Don release is like taking a trip to my favorite used record store where the ghosts of great albums form the past 20 years swirl around the air and leave their markings on you. Bishop Don has certainly been to this same store. From the country stylings of Wilco to ska and rock sensiblities of the Clash and the Replacements respectively, to the power chords of today's punk pop bubblegum bands, Bishop Don manage to take several hooks that you have probably heard somewhere before and inject them with a sense of urgency that makes them fresh again.

This works well for the first few tracks off their latest release. By the fourth track, one begins to wonder where Bishop Don are going with their schizophrenic and manic influences, and whether the strong and diverse lead vocals can carry them through the forest. The latter part of the album shows Bishop Don hanging their hats in a comfortable and perhaps more effective spot. It is at this oint that the bass lines begin to meld with the drums and glam-country guitars, all the while encircled by dynamic and urgent vocals. When the album ends, you can almost hear wisps of the ghosts of albums past leave the room. They're probably on their way to busy this album at their favorite used record store. - phue Magazine


"EPK Review"

Bishop Don is a power trio consisting of Blair Crimmins (guitar), Jesse Cole (bass) and Cliff Losse (drums). They have some great tunes for you to check out on their sleek website.

“Friendly People” is the kind of tune that you would be dancin’ in the streets to and “Don’t Go Downtown” has a Velvet Underground feel to it, with the jingly echoing sounding rhythmic guitar in a decidedly alternative fashion.“Strange Love Danceclub” has the same kind of energy yet it drives and pushes a little harder in a more modern day retro rock fashion, then it slows down and sounds like an entirely different tune before it closes.

This trio is fantastic; they have their chops down. While pounding out some great tunes and excellent rhythms with hooks galore, you will find yourself literally dying to hear more. I really enjoyed the mixture of old and new, it’s a nice contrast that makes this band first rate.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-Vision Music USA
August 26, 2004
- Vision Music - Kevin Hannaleck


"Tech's own Bishop Don rocks local scene"

Big things do come in small packages. Just ask Bishop Don. The rock group is made up mostly of twenty-somethings, yet it has a maturity and confidence with the microphone that eludes many college bands.

A band of three members, Bishop has been entertaining the local music scene for over a year. Their self-titled CD consists of seven deliciously simple yet penetrating songs.

While most college bands lack any musical luster and still gain fame via the internet, Bishop has taken a more conservative way to make fans: by making good music and entertaining people in local venues.

They have a minimal presence on the web, whereas their influence on the local music scene is much more significant.

Bishop is a regular at the Dark Horse Tavern and Smith's Olde Bar, both famed for the quality of local artists who perform there. The band is a self-described melting pot of musical styles: rock, punk, funk, reggae and hip-hop.

Their CD begins with a Dylanesque harmonica riff followed by a three minute introduction to the vocal brilliance of the singer and guitar player Blair Crimmins. Crimmins has a voice that invites you to close your eyes and enjoy the moment. The guitar, bass, and drums fit his voice like a glove, neither overpowering nor too weak.

The third song is the pinnacle of the entire CD. Entitled "If You Can't Feel It," it almost defies definition.

The next four songs have minor flaws. They move slightly towards the extravagant guitar riffs found in rock music of the 80s, only to retreat back to the modesty of the first three songs. "Traffic" comes dangerously close to the mindless repetition of monosyllabic nonsense that fills the airways.

Eager fans or curious students can catch their next live concert this Oct. 18 at Smith's Olde Bar. A selection of their songs is also available at www.mp3.com.
By Narayana Varahabhatla
Contributing Writer
Big things do come in small packages. Just ask Bishop Don. The rock group is made up mostly of twenty-somethings, yet it has a maturity and confidence with the microphone that eludes many college bands.

A band of three members, Bishop has been entertaining the local music scene for over a year. Their self-titled CD consists of seven deliciously simple yet penetrating songs.

While most college bands lack any musical luster and still gain fame via the internet, Bishop has taken a more conservative way to make fans: by making good music and entertaining people in local venues.

They have a minimal presence on the web, whereas their influence on the local music scene is much more significant.

Bishop is a regular at the Dark Horse Tavern and Smith's Olde Bar, both famed for the quality of local artists who perform there. The band is a self-described melting pot of musical styles: rock, punk, funk, reggae and hip-hop.

Their CD begins with a Dylanesque harmonica riff followed by a three minute introduction to the vocal brilliance of the singer and guitar player Blair Crimmins. Crimmins has a voice that invites you to close your eyes and enjoy the moment. The guitar, bass, and drums fit his voice like a glove, neither overpowering nor too weak.

The third song is the pinnacle of the entire CD. Entitled "If You Can't Feel It," it almost defies definition.

The next four songs have minor flaws. They move slightly towards the extravagant guitar riffs found in rock music of the 80s, only to retreat back to the modesty of the first three songs. "Traffic" comes dangerously close to the mindless repetition of monosyllabic nonsense that fills the airways.

Eager fans or curious students can catch their next live concert this Oct. 18 at Smith's Olde Bar. A selection of their songs is also available at www.mp3.com.

- Technique - Narayana Varahabhatla


"Album Review 'Flowers from the Devil'"

Bishop Don
Flowers from the Devil
By Chris Parker
Published November 30, 2005






Call Bishop Don a band of dilettantes. The guys dip their toes into a variety of forms to cadge together a sound reminiscent of an old bar band. They blur the lines between roots, indie, hard and classic rock in delivering a debut full-length, Flowers from the Devil, with broad appeal.

Like the shadowy night creatures they undoubtedly are, they flit from rumbling country-rock rave-ups ("Lady of Tides") to blues-tinged dissipation ballads (the terrific "Symptoms") to dark, midtempo indie rock that recalls the Afghan Whigs ("Sick Sweet and Senseless"). The songs reek of spilled beer and dashed hopes like a roadside juke joint for the desperate or dispossessed. "Here we play it loud and sing along, and the waitresses sing every line/So we don't hear the bombs we just see them shine," sings guitarist Blair Crimmins, on the standout "World's Last Friday Night."

They don't "waste their lives trying to be clever," instead forging a pub-brand populism that revels in the release a moment's joy can offer. With the generous groove and Crimmins' hooked-lined riffs, the trio's boisterous anthems are nearly irresistible. None more so than the Sublime-influenced "If You Can Feel It," which encapsulates Bishop Don's attitude: "If you can't feel it, what good is it anyway." Overall this is an adventurous and engaging album. - Creative Loafing ATL


"Flagpole review of Bishop Don"

Strange Love Dance Club, an album full of psychedelic indie rock that borrows heavily from the surface appearence of acts like the Flaming Lips, although the band frequently streches out its heavy grooves to incorporate some strong Southern jamming tendencies. - Flagpole - Athens, GA


Discography

That Should Heal Nicely - LP - 2007

Photos

Bio

Bishop Don's music harnesses the rambunctious nature of punk and the searing guitar lines of classic rock. The bass-heavy alternative grooves, played under the spirit of story-telling troubadours like Dylan or Springsteen, leave critics pleasantly intrigued.

After loading up on jazz, Brazilian samba, flamenco, blues and rigorous music theory courses at the Berkley College of Music in Boston, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Blair Crimmins arranged the tools to get the music out of his head and in to your ears.

While they have opened for some National acts (Urge Overkill & Kevn Kinney), Bishop Don's headlining shows draw great audiences at respected music venues such as Smith's Olde Bar, the Earl, The Georgia Theater and the Tribeca Rock Club. Each member of Bishop Don contributes their own energetic presence to the stage, making memorable performances, all circumstances aside. The band has performed on FOX Good Day Atlanta and will be playing 99X Unplugged in the Park.

Not long after the band settled on a title for the latest record, That Should Heal Nicely, front-man, Blair Crimmins suffered serious head injuries resulting from late night skateboarding. Lying in the hospital, Crimmins was unable to hear out of his right ear but was determined to stay on schedule recording the album immediately after his release. In the weeks following, Crimmins along with bassist Jesse Cole, keyboardist Brent Sandel and drummer Cliff Losee, kept their noses to the grindstone and finished the Atlanta band's latest studio effort. With Blair fully recovered, he ponders the album title. "It's so disturbingly prophetic to start the album with the words, 'How many fingers am I holding up?' about someone who just ate pavement!"

The CD features guest appearances, including the legendary Mark Van Allen (Blueground Undergrass, the Indigo Girls, Sugarland) laying down some sweet pedal steel on "Passed Around," an acoustic ballad, signaling a slight departure for the band from their usual raw guitar rock sound and concludes the album on a note of shrewd sincerity. Also making an appearance on the album is Nashville songbird, Lindsay Wojcik, singing a duet with Crimmins on “Wasted Day".

With all recovery and ironic incidents behind them, their new album That Should Heal Nicely is ready to be heard. These thirteen tracks are a sonic entrancing string of impetuous rock and sincere ballads. All of which, have their own unique signature of dark wit and style.

Band Members