with BRANDED BANDITS

Black Pistol Fire is a Canadian Rock and Roll duo that splits time between
Toronto, Ontario and Austin, Texas. Their wild and energetic sound has been
described as a mix of classic southern rock and garage punk, garnering
comparisons to early Kings of Leon, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The White
Stripes, and Clutch. It's clear that the band's sound spans many different eras
and subgenres, relying on a classic rock and roll sound that has been updated
for our modern times.
 
Black Pistol Fire features Kevin McKeown on Guitar/Lead Vocals and Eric
Owen on Drums. The two have been friends since kindergarten and began
playing music together when they discovered a shared passion for rock and roll
music in high school. The two became founding members of rock and roll trio
The Shenanigans. With The Shenanigans, they recorded an LP titled
Bombshell Baby. After things with The Shenanigans and Toronto got stale, the
two wanted a change of scenery and to try out something new. They then
packed up their instruments and a bag of clothes and headed south. The band
finally settled down in Austin, Texas in 2009 and Black Pistol Fire was born.
 
Arriving in Austin, the two began rehearsing as a duo. While they had
previously done this to write songs for The Shenanigans, there was one crucial
difference this time around: there would be no bass to be added later. They
soaked up all that the Austin music scene had to offer, and their music
developed a more distinctive "southern" sound. Like every good band, they
lived in poverty and survived off a steady diet of potatoes while rehearsing,
writing, and creating new material in a garage they had rented.
 
While playing a local Austin hotspot, Producer Jim Diamond (The White
Stripes, The Von Bondies, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) approached the band
about recording their next record. The LP, simply titled Black Pistol Fire was
released in February 2011. The LP garnered a positive critical response from
publications such as the Austin Chronicle, Pop Music Matters, and the Houston
Press. The band has also seen their music used in television shows such as
90210, Hawaii 5-0, Suits, About a Boy, Grimm Sons of Anarchy amongst
many others. Throughout, they have been touring the USA and Canada and
completed a successful European tour. They have supported the likes of
Weezer, Wolfmother, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Band of Skulls, State
Radio, Shonen Knife, TOO Short, and Lucinda Williams. The band recorded
their 2nd LP in the early 2012 with producer Michael Rocha in Toronto. This
album "Big Beat 59" was released in August 2012. As a pre-cursor to the
album, the band also recoded the 5 song EP "Shut-up!" a tribute to Little
Richard, which was released in May 2012.
 
Black Pistol Fire didn't waste anytime when not on the road and recorded the
follow-up to "Big Beat '59" in earyly 2013. "Hush or Howl" was released in
April 1 2014 on Modern Outsider/RED in the US and Conveyor/Universal in
Canada. The lead single “Dimestore Hearththrob” hit #1 on the FMQB submodern
rock charts in the US. The band gained further momentum during
SXSW where The Huffington Post UK called the band "the next big thing" and
"the most energetic and musically versatile of all the bands playing the
festival". Things just keep on picking up!