The Bayonets, comprised of Brian Ray, Oliver Leiber and Lucrecia Lopez Sanz, will release their new single Argentina on Friday.
Brian Ray is known for his work as a rhythm, lead and bass guitarist with Paul McCartney and alongside Etta James; Oliver Leiber is a songwriter and producer who has built his reputation through writing with artist include Rod Stewart, Ke$ha and The Corps; Lucrecia Lopez Sanz is also a member of the Argentinian band Nube 9. She contributes lead and harmony vocals to the band’s sound and plays guitar on their live performances.
The LA-based trio are often rounded out by a revolving roster of musicians who have previously included Adam MacDougall from The Black Crowes on keys, Davey Faragher from Elvis Costello’s band, and Scott Shriner from Weezer.
The concept began in 2011 as, as Brian Ray explains, “The Bayonets was started by my friend Oliver Leiber, the son of Jerry Leiber of Leiber and Stroller fame. His father famously wrote ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘The Boardwalk’, ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Poison Ivy’, ‘Stand By Me’…Anyway, the apple didn’t fall far from the talent tree with Oliver, and he’s been my favorite collaborator and best friend for some twenty years now.
“When it came time to write some more solo music of mine, Oliver said ‘why don’t we do a band instead?’ And I said ‘great, okay let’s go!’
“Our approach is kind of original to “original rock’n’roll”. Real humans, real time, real studio, real instruments. I don’t want to make music alone in a computer, y’know? I’d rather do it with a group of people – you have a laugh that way.
“It’s Oliver, Lucrecia, and I along with a revolving cast of characters, including but not limited to Adam MacDougall from The Black Crowes on keys, Davey Faragher from Elvis Costello’s band, Scott Shriner from Weezer, and it’s just a lot of fun. It’s raw, it’s rock and roll, but it still has a pop hook sort of sensibility”.
Argentina is accompanied by the B Side Post Apocalypso. Both tracks were written and produced by Oliver Leiber and Brian Ray with vocals from Lucrecia Lopez Sanz and Brian Ray.
Image of The Bayonets courtesy Mj Kim
