Dreaming Bull plays King King in LA July 30 and Federal Bar in Long Beach July 31
Dreaming Bull is a duo consisting of Gabe Rowland from East LA and Nic Capelle, who is originally from Western Australia. The duo will be performing in LA at The Mint on Aug. 22.
Rowland’s band opened for Capelle’s in Chicago and the two bonded over a mutual love of, according to their website, dusty, old vintage gospel and lost blues. Their infused music of rock and roll meets jazz and blues with a hint of soul has already been featured on a variety of popular TV shows from USA’s Suits to FX’s Sons of Anarchy.
The OC Concert Guide had the opportunity to catch up with Dreaming Bull regarding their origin, self-titled album and upcoming shows.
OCCG: How did you come up with “Dreaming Bull?” What’s the story behind it?
Nic: Well, Gabe and I met in Chicago whilst my band was touring the States. Our respective bands at the time ended up on the same bill together. Gabe’s from East LA and I’m actually from Western Australia. We ended up hitting it off and Gabe took up drumming duties on one of our tours the following year. We ended up bonded over a mutual love of dusty, old vintage gospel and lost blues. We started sharing music and ideas mostly via email attachment, and eventually decided we had something pretty special.
Gabe: On an ice-cold walk down Irving Park in Chicago, we decided on the style we were going for: heavy gospel influence, a little garage-psychedelic…We always acknowledge those parameters, but the music takes on a life of its own. Once it gets dragged through all the early Van Halen records that are in your gut, it’s going to come out modern.
OCCG: What would you like your fans to gain out of your music?
Gabe: Feel good music that promotes joy and healthy cells.
OCCG: How did you get started with your career? Was there a pivotal moment or was it an ongoing process?
Gabe: Process, process, process, with lots of mild successes, collectively songs on major TV shows like Sons of Anarchy, CSI, USA Networks Suits and Volkswagen and Carl’s Jr. “X-Men: Days of Future Past” commercials and of course…years of touring and tutorials in the lab.
Nic: For me it was always something I loved doing. My mother is a pretty extraordinary painter. She’s always pushed me forward with creative outlets. I too love to draw, make films and create things. But music was the one thing no one else in the family was doing and I just loved it. It was mine. From an early age, when I’d get bored at home I’d go and listen to all my grandfathers old LPs. Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Louie Armstrong, John Lee Hooker, BB King, Harry Bellefonte. My pivotal moment was when I was 21. I’d dropped out of technical school and was attempting a fine arts degree through university. I’d entered my band into a competition put together by Nestle called Nescafe Big Break. We ended up winning $20,000 and we became the spokes people for their national campaign on television and the first band to ever win it. That was the moment I thought I might actually be able to do this for a career!
OCCG: Why did you decide to self-title your album?
Nic: Pure laziness. hehe. No, I think we felt like it was an ode to one of the first tracks we wrote. Gabe had titled it Dreaming Bull. I loved the name. He’s a dreamer and I’m a Taurus. So it made perfect sense. We ended up calling the track ‘Bull Be Coming’. It’s on the album.
OCCG: If you could choose anyone to perform with, who would it be and why?
Nic: For me it’d be Jimi Hendrix or Queens of The Stone Age. QOTSA have that evolution as a band. Josh Homme is pure brilliance and ever evolving. I like their drive to push the boundaries. Jimi is a no brainer. Need I explain? Oh, and James Brown. But Gabe’s already done that!
Gabe: An All-star band: Jimmy Page, Ziggaboo (Drummer from the Meters), Bernie Worrell (Moog /keys for Funkedelic) and Al Green. They would encourage an amazing show from DB.
OCCG: What’s the meaning behind your latest song, “No Use?”
Nic: No Use was one of the first tunes we locked down for the album. We’d originally had four slightly different choruses for it, but managed to distill it into two. Lyrically it’s sort of like our mini biography. The story never dropping your Dream, with the emotional, psychological and geographic need to do something real and fresh, to collaborate and yet remain true to who we are as individuals. Full of all that dirt and old fashioned grime you hear in the opening minute of the track. We followed suit with the album. We’re lovers of all things gospel, bluesy, old and crusty. There are these pockets of vintage goodness pin pointed across the album.
OCCG: What are you most looking forward to your show at The Mint in LA on August 22?
Gabe: Taking people on a wonderful ride, bringing people into the Now, and the now are a beautiful kick in the pants.
Nic: The women of course!! And then second to that, plenty of sweat and booty clapping.
OCCG: What’s next on your agenda in terms of your career?
Gabe: Song placements, larger shows, Jimmy Fallon, and a few award shows.
Nic: Yes! I concur! We just want to bring the crack to the party so to speak. The edge. In a not so U2 kinda way, more in a Funkadelic, James Brown kinda way. Leave people feeling like they went to a sermon but they didn’t know it! Or like that iconic scene in Blues Brothers, James Brown comes out with the Old Landmark and everyone starts dancing like maniacs.