Today we’d like to introduce you to BOMBSHELL. They and their team shared their story with us below:
BOMBSHELL first came together in early 2020 in Battle Creek, Michigan, consisting originally of guitarist Scott Wagner, bassist Doug Brown, and drummer TJ Allen. Wagner and Allen had a band together in high school and decided to reunite and begin anew in late 2019. In February 2020, they were introduced to Brown and, under the name Legal Limit, began to work on original material Wagner had written a few years prior. Unable to perform due to the pandemic, they spent some time searching for a vocalist, but after being unable to find the right fit, vocals were taken over by Scott. In May 2021, the trio held their first performance in the basement of Gatos Bar and Restaurant in Battle Creek. As the months passed, the search for a permanent vocalist continued. In August, Brown approached Chelsea Austin, a coworker, after noticing a microphone tattoo on her right arm. Despite having no prior performance experience, she was an immediate fit and became the fourth member of the band. In December, the group performed at The Token Lounge in Detroit. This would be the final show with Allen, who would depart to be with his family. The following month, drummer Gabe Keese joined. in the spring of 2022, Austin, now working as a tattoo artist, decided to step away to focus on her work. The band then brought in vocalist Brittni Burnett to take over. Austin was present at the first performance with Burnett and decided to rejoin the band and share lead vocals. Around this time, the band designed stage makeup for themselves in order to stand apart. Now as a five-piece group, work began on recording a demo, which was done entirely independently with no outside assistance in the barn that functioned as a rehearsal space. The six-track demo was released onto streaming services on Christmas Eve, 2022. In spring of 2023, the decision was made to rebrand, and the group’s name was changed from Legal Limit to Bombshell. They continue to perform as often as possible and are actively working on new material. They also seek to start a music festival in Battle Creek and are working on securing funding.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Having officially formed in early 2020, the pandemic prevented any kind of performance from taking place for the first year or so. It was a frustrating time, being so anxious to perform but having no open venues due to the dire circumstances. Finding our vocalist was challenging; a few people were auditioned, but none seemed to be a good fit for the musical style. When Scott took over the role, he had no singing experience, so focusing on doing his best vocally while also maintaining lead guitar was stressful and limited the range of music that could be played. General challenges that everyone faced was balancing our personal lives with our day jobs and the band all at once. Money has always been tight, and time has always been limited, so we’ve had to adapt and compromise to keep everything in balance the best we can. Throughout these past couple of years there have also been personal emergencies that have put things on hold every so often, between deaths of loved ones, severe injuries, unemployment, the occasional health crisis, and even temporary homelessness. Living in Battle Creek also provides its own set of challenges, as there is only one real music venue here. Other nearby places that host live music are either unwilling to bring in someone new or have dialed back their operations since the pandemic. We play fairly often in Detroit, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, and Mount Pleasant, but with gas prices so high, it can be very costly to do so. Forward progress is a slow uphill battle, but we press on because we love what we do. To us, this band is worth every challenge it brings.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We are a hard rock band from Battle Creek, Michigan. Our musical style follows a mix of bands that have influenced us, such as KISS, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, Metallica, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin. We play a wide array of covers spanning several decades, of which a favorite of ours is “What’s Up?” by 4 Non-Blondes. First and foremost, we are an original band. Guitarist Scott Wagner had written a handful of songs while in college a few years ago, and these have been the standard catalogue thus far. Some of these songs were recorded as a demo and released onto streaming platforms in December 2022. We continue to work on new material whenever the inspiration strikes.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
One of the biggest lessons we have learned is that anything can happen at any time. There may always be something to prevent you at the last minute from making it to a show. Or conversely, new opportunities may present themselves without warning, and these are opportunities to jump at. We’ve learned that as with all things, appearances can be deceiving where venues are concerned. Some places we’ve played have been large and spacious with a great reputation, but the show was poorly managed, and nobody showed up to see it, just as some places have been small and shabby looking, in seemingly dangerous neighborhoods, but the show goes off without a hitch, and the crowd has been very receptive and energetic. You never really can tell until you’re in the moment. Overall, our biggest takeaway is that nothing is promised, things change constantly, and life comes at you fast, so the best thing we can do for ourselves is just to be there for each other. This band is a team, a family. If we have nothing else, we will always have each other’s backs.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bombshellbcband
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bombshellbcbandofficial
Image Credits
Take A Shot Photography
