Capital Blues Presents: BB and the Bullets

“An authentic, powerful and generous album, which will undoubtedly place BB & The Bullets among the blues rock revelations of the year.” – Zicazic Magazine, France

It’s been a great couple of weeks for dynamic Whanganui blues band BB & THE BULLETS! 

Currently playing their North Island tour, celebrating the international release of their debut album HIGH TIDE from September, the album has achieved impressive traction across Aotearoa’s music soundscape by entering the Official Top 20 Aotearoa Albums at #12 and #5 on the Independent Music NZ Charts!

Landing on both the IMNZ Charts and the Official Aotearoa Music Charts is a cracking result, not just as independent artists, but also for a blues-rock outfit, demonstrating that it’s a genre that can successfully cross both indie and conventional charts, appealing to both grassroots and mainstream audiences – an outcome that the band is thrilled about.

“It’s a great result! We are so proud to be #5 on the IMNZ Chart. Independent artists are the grassroots and lifeblood of Kiwi music. And there’s only been a few local indie blues-rock albums on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts over the last decade – our mate Grant Haua in 2022, and Troy Kingi in 2016, so we’re stoked to be here and rep the Blues in 2025!”

The tight, three piece blues rock outfit of band members Brad McMillan (drums), Stu Duncan (bass), and Brian Baker (guitar / vocals)  have garnered a reputation for their powerful and moving live performances, drawing comparisons to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Peter Green and Jeff Beck, while firmly putting their own stamp on the timeless medium that is the blues.

BB & The Bullets have released three well received singles to date off the album: debut single ‘Something In The Water’; album title track ‘High Tide’; and their blues-soaked rendition of the Beatles classic ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ which is a huge fan favourite at their live shows. To date, all three singles have enjoyed some excellent blues radio attention, including airplay on Radio New Zealand and around the country, as well as in Germany, USA, and Canada, with ‘High Tide’ charting at #4 on Roots Music Charts in Australia, achieving #1 on the Roots Music Report Blues Album Chart, #1 on the Blues Rock Album Chart and three songs on the Blues Singles chart.

Home country of their label Dixiefrog Records has plenty of great things to say about BB & The Bullets, with Paris Move Magazine giving the album a very favourable review, ranking it as a ‘red heart’ favourite, as has French outlet Zicazic Magazine, and the title track single ‘High Tide’ has made the weekly playlist of Rolling Stone Magazine, France.

“This album proves to be a declaration of love to the roots of the blues, driven by striking live energy and unabashed virtuosity.” – Zicazic Magazine, France

With a well-deserved reputation for their compelling live shows, BB & The Bullets audiences are always wowed by the power and intensity of their performances.

With this chart action, it is evident that the blues scene is alive and vibrant on Antipodean shores, grab your mates and don’t miss your chance to check out a blues-rock experience like no other with BB & The Bullets!