BAS is an amorphous entity with the nose of a bloodhound, its only concern sniffing out funky jams. On stage, Britton Seprish, Jackson Tanner, Christian Gibson, Charles Fleming, Brian Tyra, and Hunter Pettis seemingly converge into one organism solely focused on feel and groove. I first saw BAS at the High Rock Music & Makers Festival in Pitts, Georgia, but I would have sworn as I closed my eyes and gave into their energy that I was somewhere close to 1967 San Francisco! I recently spoke with BAS founder and lead singer Britton Seprish about the band’s music and the upcoming show at Grant’s Lounge on Saturday, February 26th!
Could you tell me a bit about the origin story of BAS?
Well, it actually kind of happened as an accident. Hindsight was playing around September of 2020 and needed an opener. I was asked and it was meant to be a solo show– or at least, I didn’t have a band with me at the time. I wound up recruiting three friends, including two of the current members– Charles Fleming and Brian Tyra– to join me and BAS pretty much started that night! I didn’t even, necessarily intend to call the band BAS, but it was just a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing.
What were you doing before BAS started?
I’ve been playing music since I was a teenager and have always been more of a songwriter and guitar player than anything else, and I was just doing that. I did a stint in the military for a while and usually, everywhere I was stationed, I would try to get something going but really got on it when I came back. It’s funny, I actually feel a lot of social anxiety when trying to talk to people out and about, so I tend to communicate my feelings and thoughts through playing my songs on stage.
What are some of your influences as both a songwriter but also a band member of BAS?
Definitely the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic. An interesting one that not a lot of people expect is I’m really influenced by Black Sabbath. As a songwriter, I’ve been deeply influenced by writers like Jason Isbell, and I have a deep love for Willie Nelson. I’ve probably seen him more than any other artist!
How does that dynamic work– being in a band that seems so dedicated to the groove? Do you write the songs and the rest of the band adds to them? How does that process work? Are you protective of your songs?
Yeah, I pretty much write most of the songs and bring them to the band. The band then adds whatever they think will make it better, but it’s usually all focused on a vibe or feeling I wanted the song to have. Sometimes, Charles will recommend adding a bridge or something of that nature, but usually, the songs are functioning when I bring them to the band. That being said, I’m never opposed to the band’s suggestions on what will make the songs better because the music is really what is most important.
Well, speaking of that, is BAS planning on releasing any original music?
Yeah, we’re actually recording a full-length album with Caleb Melvin and it should hopefully be ready by the end of summer at the latest. We might even release a single or two before then.
Nice! What is BAS’s plans for the future? Any goals?
Were pretty much all on the same page that if or when the opportunity reveals itself, we want to go on the road pursuing the music and the dream. It’s always much harder to do than say, but we all would jump at the chance to make a living doing what we love.