‘Big’ John Bates is a Canadian guitarist and singer from Vancouver, British Columbia endorsed by Gretsch guitars. John plays electric and acoustic guitars along with dobro, banjo and mandolin. The Big John Bates band plays a hybrid style of dark symphonic rock coined as Americana Noir by lead singer and upright bassist Brandy Bones (endorsed by Höfner). They are often compared to Nick Cave and Siouxsie Sioux with Jello Biafra stating of the first EP “Headless Fowl is extremely cool” (and including the band in his Alternative Tentacles catalog).