“I think, what I miss most nowadays from the music of the past is the authenticity perhaps, and the soul of what that music was at that time I am a big fan of the 50s and early 60s R&B, music of New Orleans. Of course things change, but I just miss the spirit of that music at that time.”

Mark Mullins: New Orleans Soundtrack

Bonerama is a force of nature. It is a band that in many ways defies categorization. A funky rock band with brass…a funky brass band that rocks. Pick Yer Poison. Bonerama is a New Orleans-based band that fuses everything that has made that city’s music famous into a genre defying gumbo. The band has taken the best elements of rock, soul, fusion, pop, jazz, funk, brass, gospel and blues to forge its unique sound. Formed in 1998 by New Orleans trombonists Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, Bonerama is now in their 26th year. Currently comprised of Mullins (founding member, trombone, electric trombone and lead vocals), Greg Hicks (trombone and vocals), Chris Butcher (trombone), Bert Cotton (guitar), Matt Perrine (sousaphone) and Eric Bolivar (drums), Bonerama is one of the funkiest and most unique bands to ever come out of New Orleans.

(Photo: Mark Mullins with Bonerama, New Orleans LA)

Equally adept at delivering extraordinary originals or blistering covers of artists as diverse as Led Zeppelin; The Beatles; The Allman Brothers; Jimi Hendrix–even Black Sabbath, Bonerama’s distinctive, inimitable, genuine, one-of-a-kind sound is unmatched, high-energy, fun, dynamic and bold. Over the years, Bonerama has joined forces with many prominent musicians on stage or in the studio such as R.E.M., Little Feat, OKGo, Nicole Atkins, George Porter Jr., The Radiators, Ivan Neville, Galactic and many more. Whoever Bonerama teams-up with gets an interesting and personal take on Bonerama’s style of music infusing a piece of their own genetics into the band vibe of whoever they are joining. Bonerama is a band that truly resides in a class of its own. Its jazzified, funkified, rhythmic and rockin’ brass band music is unequaled and unparalleled. Once heard, it leaves an indelible imprint upon the listener that can never be forgotten.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?

Learning about music and playing music of different styles has opened up my eyes to the world in a much bigger way than if I was an average citizen, no offense against an average citizen. But I feel music has really enabled me to see the world in a different way with all the different styles, influences and great masters of any genre in any race color or creed.

How do you describe band’s sound, songbook, and music philosophy? What is the story behind band’s name: Bonerama?

We don’t have anything specific that we adhere to on our songbook or music philosophy, we play music that we like, that could be rock that could be brass band from New Orleans that could be funk that could be original music, which we have a lot of it’s just an open book and I think a lot of bands these days subscribe to a similar formula, it’s just that we like to play music, that we like. We also happen to be fronted with three and sometimes four trombones and a sousaphone with Drums and Guitar that makes us look a little bit differently. It’s no different to us. This is just par for the course here in New Orleans and we love it and we love playing music, that we have grown up listening to that’s about all that there is to it and we love any new music to.

“Learning about music and playing music of different styles has opened up my eyes to the world in a much bigger way than if I was an average citizen, no offense against an average citizen. But I feel music has really enabled me to see the world in a different way with all the different styles, influences and great masters of any genre in any race color or creed.” (Mark Mullins, New Orleans LA / Photo by Adrian Millan)

Why do you think that the NOLA music legacy continues to generate such a devoted following?

The New Orleans music legacy is undeniable and has a proven track record of fans, authenticity, and record sales. Back in the 1950s, the music that was coming out of New Orleans and it’s studios where the talk of the town and the talk of the country. Top selling records. Everybody was listening to this music and then we had artists like Allen Touusaint following in the footsteps of the originators like Dave Bartholomew and Fats and more, so much great American music coming out of New Orleans so with that to be a musician in New Orleans today, is a blessing and something that we do not take for granted, because the history has such a high standard for us to uphold, if we’re gonna continue to do this on anywhere near a level of what our predecessors did.

Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?!

I’ve been blessed and lucky to have a very rich career, even at my young age. I don’t know if I can put any single one onto a highlight reel, joining Harry Connick, Jr.‘s band in 1990 at the beginning of his success was a big highlight, playing lead trombone on all of his early landmark records, definitely a high point and the interaction with Harry during those years 16 years with him and his great great band… But starting my own band with Mulebone and Bonerama in the late 90s was a high point, perhaps even stronger maybe in a different way the chance to arrange horns for the Last Waltz tribute shows over the last nine years some of which involved the recently passing Garth Hudson from The Band and even Robbie Robinson… I have a lot of highlights. I can’t pin one on anything that is a tough question to answer.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I think, what I miss most nowadays from the music of the past is the authenticity perhaps, and the soul of what that music was at that time I am a big fan of the 50s and early 60s R&B, music of New Orleans. Of course things change, but I just miss the spirit of that music at that time. Maybe I am just on old school kind of guy And that’s fine. Weird to say this this but I miss cutting grass a couple of time to be able to afford to buy the next ELO album.                                  (Marc Mullins / Photo by Scott Leemon)

”The most important lessons, I have learned are how to walk into the rehearsal room and be humble and work together in the best way to make great music. Check that ego at the door, and learn from anybody in that rehearsal room even if you don’t think they are as good a musician as you are.”

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

I’m not sure how to answer that question. music is music. You like it or you don’t. I don’t think you have to associate it with any social cultural thing necessarily. If you’d like it you like it. I just want you to like it and that’s why And how I want it to affect people I never think of the social cultural impacts when I’m writing a song I just like to write music. I like to listen to music. I think most people are probably like that.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

The most important lessons, I have learned are how to walk into the rehearsal room and be humble and work together in the best way to make great music. Check that ego at the door, and learn from anybody in that rehearsal room even if you don’t think they are as good a musician as you are. Cause they probably are better than you anyway. That stuff doesn't even matter. Above that respecting the others that have done musical things that you aspire to do and not be jealous about it. Jealousy is poison and can bring people down. It can bring a relationships down. I have seen this firsthand with some major relationships and it does not have to be like that. Respect one another cause it does not matter how good any of us are, just be as good as you can be and it will all take care of itself like that.

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

New music when possible. Not chasing any generations just presenting the best music we can when possible.

Bonerama Music - Home

(Photo: Mark Mullins with Bonerama, New Orleans LA)