“Well, I think the blues is an essential part of the cultural heritage of the African American community. It’s also music that many later rock, soul, and funk artists owe a great deal to. So it absolutely deserves the attention and respect of musicologists and researchers.”

Boogie Beasts: Shake ’Em On Down

Dirty beats, hypnotising slide, screaming harmonica riffs and plenty of fuzz: all of these will be served by this four-men band from Liège-Limburg-Namur, Belgium. Boogie Beasts translate their passion for (hill country) blues into a most characteristic sound of their own, which has a touch of The Black Keys jamming with John Lee Hooker at a rave in the wee hours of the morning, or Morphine on a psychedelic trip with Little Walter, or even RL Burnside backed up by the young Rolling Stones at a juke joint-gig.  The drive is infectious, the noise is pure filth, yet highly irresistible. The band are: Jan Jaspers (guitar/vocals), Patrick Louis (guitar/vocals), Fabian Bennardo (harmonica), and Gert Servaes (drums). Belgian alternative blues rock band Boogie Beasts released the lead single “Shake ’Em On Down”, from their upcoming album Don’t Be So Mean! – A Tribute to R.L. Burnside, out April 17.

(Photo: Boogie Beasts - Jan Jaspers, Patrick Louis, Fabian Bennardo and Gert Servaes)

Hypnotic and groove-driven reinterpretation of the R.L. Burnside classic, the track stays true to the raw spirit of North Mississippi Hill Country blues while injecting the band’s signature grit and energy. This album is a unique collaboration between artists from both sides of the Atlantic. Featuring: Kenny Brown, Duwayne Burnside, Luther Dickinson, G. Love, Pablo van de Poel and Cedric Maes. “Shake ’Em On Down” is the first taste of Don’t Be So Mean!, an album celebrating 15 years of Boogie Beasts and 100 years since the birth of R.L. Burnside.

Interview by Michael Limnios

What does “Boogie” mean to you? What's the balance in music between technique and soul?

For me, "boogie" is all about groove and that trance-like feeling you get from a raw, hypnotic riff. The first artist who always comes to mind is John Lee Hooker. Sometimes it’s built on just a single riff, or a single chord, but it still has this irresistible drive that gets people moving.

Personally, I value soul and groove far more than pure technique. Don’t get me wrong, the technique has to be there. But I think feeling should always come first in music.

How do you describe the band’s sound, music philosophy and songbook? What keeps a musician passionate over the years in rock, blues?

Our music is deeply rooted in raw blues, especially the North Mississippi hill country style. The band really came together through a shared love for that gritty, hypnotic sound and deep groove, and you can hear it running through a lot of our songs. At the same time, each member brings their own influences into the rehearsal room: rock, soul, funk, hip-hop and more. We’ve never claimed to be a traditional blues band. We just do our own thing, and somehow that seems to connect with a pretty wide audience. As for the sound: we don’t have a bass player. Instead we use two guitars, with one of them covering the bass parts. It gives the whole thing a rough, stripped-down edge.

As for the second part of your question, I can only speak for myself. Blues has been a true passion since I discovered it as a teenager and it has never let me go. The music still captivates me, and I’m always digging deeper. There’s also this incredible chemistry every time we hit the stage with Boogie Beasts, which is addictive and keeps me coming back for more. As long as that spark is there, I’ll keep giving it my all.

“For me, "boogie" is all about groove and that trance-like feeling you get from a raw, hypnotic riff. The first artist who always comes to mind is John Lee Hooker. Sometimes it’s built on just a single riff, or a single chord, but it still has this irresistible drive that gets people moving.” (Jan Jaspers and Fabian Bennardo of Boogie Beasts / Photo by Schneider J-M)

Why do you think that RL Burnside's music legacy continues to generate such a devoted following?

I think it has a lot to do with his hypnotic groove, but also with the honesty and rawness his music radiates. That’s what drew in Jon Spencer, who went on to record an album with Burnside, helping him gain recognition in the alternative rock scene. Iggy Pop, for example, is a big fan. And his remix albums reached a whole different audience, more into dance and hip-hop.

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

This year marks our 15th anniversary, so of course there are plenty of memories and stories we could tell. One show that immediately comes to mind happened a few years ago. We were the headliner at… a metal festival. The lineup included, among others, a death metal band, so we did start to wonder whether we really fit the bill. As the evening went on, we found ourselves quietly worrying if the crowd would be into what we do. As it turned out, we had nothing to worry about. During our set the audience went absolutely wild, something we’d never experienced before. There were even pyrotechnics on stage. And during the final song, every single one of us ended up crowd surfing. Unforgettable.

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

Authenticity. Originality. Sometimes it feels like there’s more and more of the same. Luckily, there are still plenty of artists who manage to surprise us, and hopefully that will continue. Let’s also hope that AI doesn’t take over the creative process, because that would only lead to even more uniformity.

“That’s how other genres emerged as well. Rock ’n’ roll, for instance, grew out of the blues when artists like Chuck Berry started playing it faster and blending in other influences. In that sense, blues will keep evolving, just like any other living musical tradition. The biggest challenge, as I mentioned earlier, is keeping it engaging for a broad audience.” (Jan Jaspers and Patrick Louis of Boogie Beasts, a band from Liège-Limburg-Namur, Belgium / Photo by Schneider J-M)

What would you say characterizes the Belgian blues scene in comparison to other European scenes?

Although Belgium is a small country, it has had a vibrant blues scene since the 1990s, with several bands making their mark internationally. There are also a number of renowned blues festivals that help put the country on the map. Because everything is relatively close by, the scene has developed a strong sense of community, both among the musicians and the fans. Many international artists enjoy coming to Belgium, and it’s nice to see that they often admire the same Belgian musicians we looked up to when we were teenagers.

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

As a band, all we can really do is keep working hard and focus on what we do best. At the same time, it’s important to keep evolving and to stay open-minded. Collaborating with other artists — even from different genres — can be very enriching as well.

Of course, getting your music out there is just as important. That challenge keeps getting bigger, so we invest a lot of time and energy in that too. With Boogie Beasts, we’ve always been fortunate to be booked outside the blues circuit as well, which helps us reach a broader — and often younger — audience.

Why is it important to preserve and spread the blues? How did the blues shape rock and roll?

Well, I think the blues is an essential part of the cultural heritage of the African American community. It’s also music that many later rock, soul, and funk artists owe a great deal to. So it absolutely deserves the attention and respect of musicologists and researchers.

Thanks to the work of people like Alan Lomax, a number of blues artists who had long been forgotten were eventually rediscovered and recorded. I believe the music will continue to live on, maybe not always in its purest form, but through artists who draw inspiration from it.

That’s how other genres emerged as well. Rock ’n’ roll, for instance, grew out of the blues when artists like Chuck Berry started playing it faster and blending in other influences. In that sense, blues will keep evolving, just like any other living musical tradition. The biggest challenge, as I mentioned earlier, is keeping it engaging for a broad audience.

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(Photo: Boogie Beasts - Jan Jaspers, Patrick Louis, Fabian Bennardo and Gert Servaes)