ON BOMBING NEVERLAND
Home to many great musicians, Burlington, Ontario's Bombing Neverland is no exception. Playing and singing together since childhood, front man John Fielding and bassist Mike Hanley originally formed Bombing Neverland from the ashes of punk outfit, Out of Options (Fast Circle Records) in 2007.
A line-up change brought on Brad Sumak, formerly of the pop-punk outfit The Spicolis, in 2008; shortly followed by Ricky Babiarz on drums.
Adding a new dimension of aggression and influence to the dynamic of the band, Fielding and Hanley saw their chemistry and knack for melody complimented by the new players.
The four have begun to write their follow-up to the well-received, heavy-weight produced, pop-hardcore-punk record "Gone Belltower" (FMG), to which had an overwhelming online response during it's 2008 release, and on subsequent tours afterwards.
New demo's are to be launched this summer, with the first rough mix being completed at Mississauga's Metalworks this month.
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ON "GONE BELLTOWER"
Bombing Neverland earned the attention and respect of legendary punk producer Ryan Greene (Nofx, Lagwagon, Megadeth), further encouraging them to take the band to the next level.
“It was amazing to have the chance to work with Ryan [Greene], especially as a new Canadian independent band. He has recorded so many of our favorite albums.” says Fielding. However, the opportunity to record an album with such an influential producer didn’t come easy. Between working long hours at day jobs, and selling merch on their self-booked and promoted tours, Bombing Neverland finally raised enough cash to fund their cause. Half a country and 3,500 kilometers later, the band settled in at Crush Recording, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to begin work on their debut record.
Final masters on their dashboard, the band returned to Canada not only with an album, but an ambition to get their new sound into the hands of their fans. The album’s title “Gone Belltower” is a tongue in cheek reflection of the entire process of funding, recording, releasing and touring their debut full length independently.
“A lot of sweat has gone into the making of this record,” says the band, “and we’re just happy to finally have it realized and ready for release. Recording was awesome but we’re excited just to be playing again… especially with the new album on the merch table.”
Largely due to their DIY approach, pressing of “Gone Belltower” was made possible by anxious fans pre-purchasing Bombing Neverland’s first official release direct from the band. “There’s no way we could have done this without the support of our fans”, says Fielding, reflecting on the power of connecting with kids at shows as well as on-line. “We’ve made so many friends along the way, now we can finally give them what they’ve been waiting for.”
