So how has your latest album/EP gone so far with fans then?
Lionel WERNERT: Well, I’m the guitarist, leader and composer of Lee O’Nell Blues Gang and decided to form it in 2019. Less than 6 months after, I Made the group enter to studio to record our first album. Gipsy BACUET who is the female vocalist (and also my wife) is the song writer. We had too many things to say since we played music for others during so many years that everything happened very quickly. So « Different Shades Of Love » , 10 original songs was released in sept 2020, just as everyone thought that the pandemic will be over, but… after only 3 concerts, we had to stop till July 2021 here in France. SO as the group was just starting, it was a shame, because we had to start all again… Promotion, radio shows, press etc… So during pandemic, Gipsy and I decided to make a new album and « This is us » was released in Sept 2022. Once again, only original songs, 14 tracks to be precise… And now the adventure can really begin.
Gipsy BACUET: As we are self-produced, without any booking agency or any label, it’s hard here in France to find concerts and festivals. But we succeeded last year, and the fan base is growing up after each concert . Thanks to webzines, blogs, radio shows etc, the promotion is easier and we are air played in many countries in Europe, and also in USA.
Tell us something about the release no one knows?
Lionel: I will describe you the day we received the 1000 copies of the first album ! We were so excited to finally have our first album in our hands. We opened the package, started to put in envelopes the copies that the fans had ordered and exactly the same evening, we learned on the TV news that the whole country would be locked down … That really was like the end for us !
Gipsy: We had invested so much in this project, both humanly, professionally and financially that everything fell apart in a fraction of second. Then, all the planned concerts were canceled as the weeks passed.
Lionel: We really thought about stopping everything. Nobody knows that…
If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?
Lionel: Without any hesitation Eric Gales and Joe Bonamassa. They understood everything from music, they are so talented inventive and original in their way of composing. I think we’ve listened and studied the same legendary guitarists and jaming would be great !
How has your latest release been received?
Lionel: I don’t know how it is going in your country but here in France, French people use to catalog everything. People think they have to analyze your music, they allow themselves to judge your work when most of them are not very knowledgeable and cultured music lovers ! So, most of those people were really waiting for us. As it was a second album, they made their idea about our universe with the first album, and would like to know if the second would be better , equal or worse. But generally speaking we can say that we transformed the essay, and as the first was not very promoted because of what you now know, for most of them, the second album was like a kind of first album !! Haha !
Gipsy: In general we can see that it is very well welcomed by the audience. Some there in France said about our music: « Lee O’Nell Blues Gang, the French band that has all it figured out when it comes to putting some Blues into Rock and vice-versa ».
We had a good relay made bu the French radios, somme very good review too, and it seems that it’s going to be the same over the French borders…
We are very proud of « This is us ».
Can you tell us about the meaning behind the track?
Gipsy: The first album was all about a main theme: the different shades of love , that’s why we named it with a title of one track. Jealousy, passion, disappointment etc…
Lionel: And as we composed and wrote the second during the pandemic, the meaning are more about human relations. Gipsy enjoys writing about how an event is perceived by two people, she likes to play with extremes and opposites.
Gipsy: And Lionel is so good to transpose with his music the atmosphere I write with words. For example, I wrote a song in regards to his father who died 10 years before I met him. I didn’t want this song to be so sad and tearful. I wrote « welcome to the dance of the everlasting tears… », well Lionel decided to put a rumba rhythm inside the song which is blues and with great rock riffs. He succeeds when it comes to mix different styles together…
What tours do you have coming up, and what can you tell us about them?
Lionel: Well, this year we’re gonna play in Belgium for the first time and we are waiting for a little tour in Germany. Maybe someone will notice us in England or somewhere else in Europa and make us tour…
Gipsy: We will play also in France and be the openers for great artists and bands. Ana Popovic or The Cinelli Brothers for example …
What venue are you most looking forward to playing the most, and why?
Lionel: It’s a little club in Belgium but it’s the first step to be known: The Spirit of 66. We are really looking forwards to come there…
What else can we expect from in 2023?
Lionel: Well, the year is just beginning , so we are waiting for a lot of others festivals than those we already have booked. But the most important for us, what we expect from 2023 is a real opening as much as radio shows, webzines, blogs, and concerts out of France. If not, why would we bother to write lyrics in English. Blues Rock must sound in English to be shared and listened by the most people as possible… so we hope to play everywhere we could !
Gipsy: We’ve already received orders from Canada, Cuba, USA etc… it bodes well !
And of course you can follow us, like and subscribe on these social medias:
Site web : https://www.leeonellbluesgang.com
Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU9bcdZ-UVh2_EM83NxyjFg
Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/4uU0QwUeHcEk1e7tsANRjH
Deezer : https://www.deezer.com/fr/artist/107074722
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/leeonellbluesgang/