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Adam Gillespie has come full circle.
Gillespie was only nineteen years old when he joined Sullen, a hard rock outfit that created a pulsating array of grunge and hard rock music throughout the early 2000s. After naming Sullen the Best Hard Rock Band of 2002, the RFT described the group as having "well-crafted, intelligent, catchy songs that rock balls-out."
The band, though, eventually disbanded. And Gillespie -- who says he left Sullen before the breakup -- traveled on a winding personal path. He earned a law degree, temporarily relocated to Jefferson City, dabbled in solo work and started a family. Now he's the front man for Black Bears, an indie rock group that's been playing at venues across St. Louis.
"It's gratifying in a completely different way just to have your own songs," Gillespie said in a telephone interview. "And you know it might not be the hedonistic joy that Sullen was, but just totally satisfying in a different way."
Black Bears formed after Gillespie he met up with lead guitarist and vocalist Robbie Caldwell in -- of all places -- the courtroom. The group's two attorneys -- Gillespie and Caldwell -- joined up with two doctors -- drummer Robbie Honey and bassist Ron Loch -- to round out the lineup.
"Out of sheer coincidence we're composed of two lawyers and two doctors," says Gillespie, who is the lead singer, guitarist and keyboardist for the band. "We don't necessarily conceal it, but we're not out there usually advertising either. Because we don't want to be a gimmicky thing."
Photo provided by Adam Gillespie
Black Bears
While Sullen was -- in Gillespie's words -- something of a Nirvana/Hole hybrid, Black Bears' songs travel in a more diverse direction. For instance, the crowd-pleasing "Blades of Grey" has a funky sensibility that Gillespie compared to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
And "Bunny Rabbits" churns up an intoxicating drumbeat, a methodical bassline and unmistakable melody into a lively, finger-snapping package.
Being in a band again, Gillespie says, possesses a lot of commonalities from his time with Sullen. He still runs into some people that he encountered years ago.
"We have been playing together for about a year," Gillespie says. "It's kind of weird for me going to some of the same venues I used to play in with Sullen. And it's almost exactly a decade I was playing with them. I still see some of the faces, as far as people running the venues."
But while some of the same people are around to the see the band play, Gillespie adds there are some key differences this time around.
"In Sullen, it was very carefree," Gillespie says. "And I was a teenager. We were getting trashed before the shows and just having a blast. But it was amazing -- and I wouldn't change a thing about it. But now that I'm the chief songwriter and everything, there's a lot more responsibility."
"So I'm a lot more focused -- and I've got to find a babysitter for my kid when we have a show," he adds.
To learn more about Black Bears and to hear some of the group's music, click here to go to the band's Facebook page. - River Front Times
Adam Gillespie has come full circle.
Gillespie was only nineteen years old when he joined Sullen, a hard rock outfit that created a pulsating array of grunge and hard rock music throughout the early 2000s. After naming Sullen the Best Hard Rock Band of 2002, the RFT described the group as having "well-crafted, intelligent, catchy songs that rock balls-out."
The band, though, eventually disbanded. And Gillespie -- who says he left Sullen before the breakup -- traveled on a winding personal path. He earned a law degree, temporarily relocated to Jefferson City, dabbled in solo work and started a family. Now he's the front man for Black Bears, an indie rock group that's been playing at venues across St. Louis.
"It's gratifying in a completely different way just to have your own songs," Gillespie said in a telephone interview. "And you know it might not be the hedonistic joy that Sullen was, but just totally satisfying in a different way."
Black Bears formed after Gillespie he met up with lead guitarist and vocalist Robbie Caldwell in -- of all places -- the courtroom. The group's two attorneys -- Gillespie and Caldwell -- joined up with two doctors -- drummer Robbie Honey and bassist Ron Loch -- to round out the lineup.
"Out of sheer coincidence we're composed of two lawyers and two doctors," says Gillespie, who is the lead singer, guitarist and keyboardist for the band. "We don't necessarily conceal it, but we're not out there usually advertising either. Because we don't want to be a gimmicky thing."
Photo provided by Adam Gillespie
Black Bears
While Sullen was -- in Gillespie's words -- something of a Nirvana/Hole hybrid, Black Bears' songs travel in a more diverse direction. For instance, the crowd-pleasing "Blades of Grey" has a funky sensibility that Gillespie compared to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
And "Bunny Rabbits" churns up an intoxicating drumbeat, a methodical bassline and unmistakable melody into a lively, finger-snapping package.
Being in a band again, Gillespie says, possesses a lot of commonalities from his time with Sullen. He still runs into some people that he encountered years ago.
"We have been playing together for about a year," Gillespie says. "It's kind of weird for me going to some of the same venues I used to play in with Sullen. And it's almost exactly a decade I was playing with them. I still see some of the faces, as far as people running the venues."
But while some of the same people are around to the see the band play, Gillespie adds there are some key differences this time around.
"In Sullen, it was very carefree," Gillespie says. "And I was a teenager. We were getting trashed before the shows and just having a blast. But it was amazing -- and I wouldn't change a thing about it. But now that I'm the chief songwriter and everything, there's a lot more responsibility."
"So I'm a lot more focused -- and I've got to find a babysitter for my kid when we have a show," he adds.
To learn more about Black Bears and to hear some of the group's music, click here to go to the band's Facebook page. - River Front Times
Discography
For a listen at Black Bears most recent demo, please listen to the attached or checkout the Black Bears Facebook site.
Photos
Bio
The Band
Black Bears formed in St. Louis, Missouri in the spring of 2011 when singer/guitarists Robbie Caldwell and Adam Gillespie joined forces with the band's rhythm section, a.k.a. "the Black Bears medical team." What led a couple of rookie lawyers to form a band with a pair of resident physicians? Any member of the band will explain that, "it just kind of happened that way."
Dr. Robbie Honey is a radiologist originally from Longview, Texas who plays drums. His drumming philosophy favors a simple kit with a straightforward, no non-sense beat. In addition to playing with several bands over the years, Robbie performed at SXSW in 2007 with Texas favorites Beggar Street Social.
Robbie Caldwell is a criminal defense attorney and native of Memphis, Tennessee. In the courtroom Robbie has been described as aggressive, unorthodox, and effective - characteristics that could just as well describe Robbie's technique as a soloist and songwriter. Robbie had a minor role in the 2005 film "Walk the Line" as a guitar act following Johnny Cash.
Dr. Ron Loch is a radiologist and amateur brewer from Dallas, Texas. A versatile bassist and occasional songwriter in his own right, Ron is one of Black Bears' most valuable assets. Having previously played in bands covered a wide spectrum of genres, Ron has the acutely adept intuition of a seasoned bassist, and excels at bridging the gap between rhythm and melody.
Adam Gillespie is the band's second attorney and only native of St. Louis. Adam's musical past includes performing with St. Louis grunge legends Sullen as their bassist. As a songwriter, Adam creates hooky melodies that best exemplify his voice, which ranges from velvet smooth to occasional falsetto to a Cobain-esque growl.
Black Bears' fan base has grown steadily since their inception and they perform regularly at many of St. Louis' most popular music venues (the Old Rock House, Pops, Schlafly Bottleworks, The Heavy Anchor, Lemmons, and others). Last spring the band spent a weekend in Memphis recording an EP at a professional grade studio, engineered by friends of Ardent Records.
The Music
Black Bears' sound has been described as reminiscent of early '90s bands such as Coldplay, the Red Hot chili Peppers or Radiohead. Black Bears prides itself on its ability to vary styles between songs. A typical set might begin with a catchy dance song and end with a haunting, stare-at-your-shoes ballad featuring spacey guitar and suggestive drums. However, the band's signature repertoire features songs with rock-out vocals and crashing percussions which quickly build into expressive instrumental explosions.
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