Buckshot Bebee

Merchants of Youth, the new album from Buckshot Bebee & the Secret Boyfriends, sounds like the musical lovechild of Mark Bolan and Debbie Harry - with Ziggy Stardust and Suzi Quatro serving as Godparents. Allo 70's glam-rock kitsch, glitz and glamour, the 11 songs on the album - wich was produced by Andrew Aldridge - regale the listener with a punk pomp majesty that is a genuine as it is genius. for those that might not know, Buckshot Bebee is the musical alter-ego of local fashion designer Lynn Bebee: and her Secret Boyfriends are comprised of a who's who of local talent including Gene Champagne, Paul Cameron and Greg Brisco. Top Tracks: all of 'em. One of the year's best. - Hamilton Magazine

Lynn ‘Buckshot’ Bebee has been making music in Hamilton for two decades. She came to local fame fronting the Poisoned Aeros but as that band would self–implode, Bebee explored collaborating with Lori Yates and Chris Houston in the supergroup dubbed the Evelyn Dicks but seemed to be content with the irregular live gig, as she channelled her artistic bent into her burgeoning fashion career as co–owner of Blackbird Studios (with Kerry Wade). Fashion has offered many new experiences and artistic ventures but for Bebee, there was no getting away from making music again, and when she found some ‘Secret Boyfriends’ to make it happen, Buckshot Bebee was singing again. Three years in the making, Buckshot Bebee now returns with her most confident and competent recording to date, Merchants of Youth.

“I have to perform — I’m happiest when I’m on stage,” confides Bebee. “I love theatre and music, I’m trying to let it go but I can’t. I had taken a couple of years to get balanced with Blackbird and to figure out where I was going with that and now we know where we’re going but with idle minds, you start writing and the music just starts coming back.

“After a while, I had a lot of songs ready to record and I was looking for players,” adds Bebee. “I knew Andrew [Aldridge, Toronto transplant who had played with Sarah Slean, the Wild Strawberries and more until a few years ago relocating to the Hamilton area] was a really good guitar player and one day he showed up at Blackbird Studios and I played some of my songs for him acoustically and said I wanted to make them sound more like Queen, Thin Lizzy, Mott the Hoople. I wasn’t sure if he would be interested in something like that and then he showed me his Queen tattoo and we immediately connected. I was taking things more seriously, and I knew I needed really good players and I needed someone who was going to be able to bring it to a place that we could record and that was Andrew.”

Gathering Aldridge on guitar, Greg Brisco (Dinner Belles) on keyboards, Gene Champagne (Killjoys, Junior Achiever) on drums, and Paul Cameron (Race, Downboy) on bass, Bebee swirls Bowie and Blondie into her musical palette and paints a colourful take on arty ‘70s glam and kitschy ‘60s girl groups for the modern age with a distinctly dramatic flair all her own.

“I get all of those references but this album is a whole bunch of genres mixed together but it has some continuity as an album,” says Bebee. “I didn’t set out to make a conceptual record but you could see that. It is story telling for sure. I’m a songwriter first so these were tales from the street. It’s not as heavy as the Aeros. I wouldn’t classify it as a rock record but more of an Adult Contemporary Alternative record or even a pop record.”

Produced by Aldridge and mixed and mastered by Nick Blagona “Merchants of Youth” is thoughtful rock and often easy to dance to. Bookended with the ‘messed up suicide’ of the early ‘70s Bowie–esque “Mad World”, “Merchants of Youth” offers some punk tinges that harkens back to the Aeros in “Let Go Van Gogh” but channels Freddie Mercury’s high drama in “Final Farewell”, an Ian Hunter swagger on “Loveless”, the camp fun of the New York Dolls on the Darcy Hepner horn filled “Coma”, the modern femme fatale a la Debbie Harry on “Sorry Eyes” and more. Whatever colour she chooses, in the end it’s her inimitable style and grace that paints many a picture into a cohesive collage. With plans afoot to take the show on the road, Bebee promises long–time fans won’t be disappointed with the live show developed for the new songs.

“I am getting older,” reasons Bebee on the album title Merchants of Youth. “I’ve been in the music industry for a long time and I’m also in the fashion industry now so I know how both of those industries cater to the young. I just wanted people to know that we are merchants of youth but you have to keep in mind that we do get old and you will change from your high gloss photos. The whole merchants of youth theme is about a materialistic world but there is more out there.

“I don’t think you’re ever too old to rock and roll,” adds Bebee. “I definitely want to reach a larger audience. Touring is good for music because I like to perform. The record that you hear, I can do this live but I have to build a bit of a show. I just can’t get up on stage and just play. If you’re going to come and see my show, you’re going to see a show. I want to develop it and get bigger and just do it – I’m happy then. I’m really proud of what we’ve done so far. This is a killer record that’s really well produced and I think there are some strong stories that people will be interested in. This is who I am, an artist, at work and at play, and I finally feel settled with that. I don’t feel I have to accomplish anything more, I just have to keep doing what I’m doing.” - View Magazine