It's refreshing to hear a band bring a raw new energy to this garage-gothic genre, like these cool, creepy cats have with this supersonic shot that will rock your socks off...and maybe scare your pants likewise. Their bare bones, hard-driving musical prowess is matched by their B-movie savvy with such tantalizing tunes as "Bad Girls Go to Hell" (inspired by sexploitation pioneer Doris Wishman) and "Vampire Lezbos". Other standouts include the title track, pure punk exotica, and the beatnik-bongo instrumental "Whiplash". Their take-no-prisoners cover of "Tainted Love" is downright twisted. This CD also has the coolest (if raunchiest) cover in many a moon, front and back, thanks to the participation of the vampy-campy Voodoo Dollz, making it an essential addition to any haunted hipster's collection.

Will "the Thrill" Viharo - Port Halcyon (NOV 2004)

"Big John Bates - Voodoo punkabilly of the highest order. Big John Bates is one of those Vancouver performers that you are more likely to see if you don't live here. Travelling extensively the world over, he's one reason that Vancouver's anything-abilly scene enjoys a great reputation pretty much everywhere but here. Mystiki, Bates' second full length release is a kickass, hi-octane package of evil fun. The only thing you don't get on this album is the live accompaniment of his on stage partners in crime, the sexy burlesque girls of The Voodoo Dollz, but that's why god invented live music."

Red Cat Records (Vancouver JUNE 2004)

It's theatrical, dirty and stripped-down rockin'. Welcome to the dark velvet lounge of the Big John Bates trio. Big John himself has his big 'ol Gretsch humming with retro-rock riffs, but Mystiki is far darker. We're dealing with bad juju here; '59 hot rods and hillbilly debauchery. Bates' riffs are haunting and precise, and atmosphere is heaped into the mix by slap bass lines from sCare-oline and some tribal rhythms from Kermit and Ricardo Calderon. This disc is all about dark fun! It's wildly rockin' in the vein of Chuck Berry and it's campy and creepy enough to set Freddy Kreuger a-dancin'. Standout tracks include Crankenstein, Mystiki, Knockin' Bones and the instrumental Whiplash.

Mike Warkentin - Uptown Magazine (Winnipeg FEB 2004)

The latest band to land on my radar is Canada's own "Big John Bates", or when they're performing live, "Big John Bates and the Voodoo Dollz". Let me explain, the core group, the music makers, are Big John Bates on guitar and vocals, and the gorgeous sCare-oline on the upright bass, the drum position has Stuart "L'il Bastard" Quayle handling the live skin duties. However, also appearing in the live show are the bad girls of burlesque, known as "The Voodoo Dollz"! So you know you're in for a good fuckin' time at a Big John Bates gig. But, let's look at the music shall we?

"Mystiki" is the band's second full-length, their first, "Flamethrower" was released in 2001. The music of BJB is in the rockin', punkabilly vein, but often crosses over into the realm of Quentin Tarantino approved Surf music. At times, you would swear that Big John is the bastard child of guitarist Kirsty "Poison Ivy Rorschach" Wallace (the Cramps) and the "Reverend Horton Heat". There are lots of cool horror themed songs for those of us who like it dark, songs such as; "Crankenstein", "Pure Evil", and "(Waltz of the) Vampire Lezbos" are just waiting to be showcased at your next Halloween bash... or for some of us, on a regular Saturday night. The music is full of deep base tones, howlin' vocals, catchy beats, and it all shows more attitude than Megadeth's Dave Mustaine on a crack-induced bender! The songs that really do it for me on Mystiki, are the slightly faster numbers such as the kick-ass "Bad Girls Go to Hell".

Another highlight of the disc is a cool version of Soft Cell's 80s classic "Tainted Love". I know you've heard everyone cover this tune from Marilyn Manson to Coil, but you've never heard it like this. A joy of a disc, but what we really need from the band is a live DVD, so that those of us that can't catch a gig, can get some idea of what it would be like to witness BJB and the Voodoo Dollz in the flesh.

Urotsukidoji's Pad (FEB 2004)

Exerpt from the 'Zombie Night in Canada' compilation review: Crankenstein by Big John Bates - the best Frankenstein song ever!

J. Pee Patchez - The Nerve Magazine (Vancouver FEB 2004)

Big John Bates is back!!! Not only is his spooky bad-ass self back in all his old hellfire-burning glory, he has cut a disc that is arguably one of the best punkabilly discs in a longtime. I have not heard a greaser disc that is track by track this absolutely brilliant. Think the first Tiger Army and the Cramps Stay Sick. Switchblade-sharp guitar chords with pulsating stand-up bass slaps twist and turn like a gig held under the moonlight at a local cemetary. The werewolves and mummies shake and twirl to the ass-shakin' nightmare of the band's b-movie anthems. The ghouls and zombies drool at the sight of the Voodoo Dollz and Big John Bates' sexy dancers. Mystiki takes the band to the stratoshpere. Or perhaps that would be the lowest depths of hell - if that's the case, then the Devil is a Big John Bates groupie, that's for sure.

Kevlar7 - SLUG Magazine (Salt Lake City DEC 2003)

This CD is chock full of burning tunes like "Crankenstein," "Knockin' Bones," "Pure Evil," "Forked Tongue Baby" and more. There's cool instros like "Whiplash," too. Some guest musicians flesh out the sound of the tri, like Ana BonBon's accordion, Jess James Jr, of Seattle's Spectres on lead git on one tune, Jane Carnahanshell's washboard and Andrew Burdon on trombone. Bates' version of "Tainted Love" is another highlight here. I should also mention the bitchin' cover artwork by Vancouver artist extraordinaire, Jim Cummins (a.k.a. Braineater).

Alan Wright - Cosmik.com (Seattle NOV 2003)

Hot dog! Big John Bates and their latest release Mystiki are showing the world the Canadians know how to rock-a-boogie-baby-oh-boy. Guitarist Big John and bassist sCare-oline took out the witches cauldron, threw an old Gretsch guitar with a dash of Devil sauce in it and conjured a record that takes you on a rock and roll graveyard tour of thunderous stand up bass slappn' rockers, Crankenstein, demonic tiki-torch instrumentals, Whiplash, and reverbed carnival zombified merry-go-round two steppers, Vampire Lesbos. Nice job Bates. From what I've heard, Big John Bates travels with an entourage of scantily dressed vixens known as the Voodoo Dollz whose sole job is to turn audience members into hapless horn dog mush with their lascivious dance and sex pot antics. Great music, half naked ladies, and a chance to meet Mephistopheles himself! Big John Bates provides all this for a frign' five bucks at some north of the border watering hole. Yea! I know a deal when I see one.

Scott - Loojey-Dookey (Brooklyn, JULY 2003)

With the smell of Gasoline and the sound of engines revving, Big John Bates comes barreling off the line with the album Mistiki. Bates sings like a mad scientist pieced him together in the light of arching transistors from parts of Elvis, James Dean, and Vincent Price. The way he pulls the sound out of his guitar on songs like "Shotgun Shack"and "Psycho Garage Blues" is near amazing as if the ghosts of six sting outlaws have taken control of his body. "Take it Off" is a ghost town jazz tune with the haunting howls of lost souls and their cover of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" is an awesome re-envisioning that stays close enough to the original so to bring up old memories and give them a new dark twist. As for the out of this world bass work of sCare-oline, I think I'm in love with this High Priestess of the Low End. Her amazing groove on "38 Caliber Divorce" and the bass foundation she lays down on "Bad Girls Go To Hell" can hold up a stampeding herd of elephants. The way she makes her bass talk leaves me light-headed and all excited. This is a great album and a fun listen with all the players bringing their best to the table. As for Miss sCare-oline, she has left the flat wound stings of my heart humming. Rating: A

Mark Lawrence the IV - In Music We Trust [July 2003 #61]

The man's from Canada and his visual point of reference is Maniac Nurses Find Ecstasy meets those dudes from Mothers Day. He's Big John Bates and his album, Mystiki, is choked with raucous guitar riffs, shot through with whiskey and sex and heaved up with entrails 'n' blood. Apparently, his live act - featuring The Bad Girls of Burlesque - is pure madness and tunes like Crankenstein, Pure Evil, Bad Girls Go To Hell and Vampire Lesbos give us faith in the hype. Also includes a hungover version of Tainted Love.

G.C. - Rue Morgue - [May/June 2003 #33]
(FOUR SKULLS OUT OF FIVE)

Second CD from this Canadian rock'n'roll guitar slinger. This guy has some cool image and a rockin' band. Here's even a sexy and gorgeus female upright bass player, me like it!!! Also, Big John Bates is using on live shows some extra help from the Voodoo Dollzs, two piece burlesque sexy dancers. Me Like it even more!!! Anyway, here we are checking the content of this CD. It's full of strong rockabilly psychosis & rock'n'roll! I liked the first one, but this is way better!! Everything is in right place here. This CD rocks! This beats majority of European psychos, who just try to play 150 mph monster songs. Here's some hooks and ideas in songs! And still this rocks like crazy!!!

Markku Salo - Custom Built Magazine [Vampula, FIN]

A Gretsch slinger from Canada, Big John's debut album should put him up there alongside the likes of the Reverend Horton Heat as a voodoo rock guitar player to watch. 14 tracks of twangin' riffs, killer solos and guitar fuzz with titles like Bad Girls Go To Hell, Psycho Garage Blues and Vampire Lezbos, this includes a blazing cover of Tainted Love.

Scott Rowley, Editor - Total Guitar Magazine [London, UK]

Whoah! Like a blast of arctic air from the frozen north comes Bates' latest rocket from the tombs. How to say this? Plain 'n' simple, this is the best thing he's ever done and the best record I've head in the past year. Toss in equal parts B-Movies, booze, bad women, motorsickles 'n' Big John's dementia and you've got one raucous record that rips it up from one end to another. I'm putting this up there with the Cramps' "Flamejob" so you know where it's comin' from. Highly Recommended!!

Scott Sundberg - Snake in the Grass [Michigan, USA]

This new release has set up camp in my CD player, and is guaranteed to become a determined squatter in your home stereo as well. Their overall improved sound is coupled with some excellent compositions that vary in style and approach. You get some bayou swamp rock, creepy lounge, dirty savageness, and even a spectacular cover of "Tainted Love" that is probably the best I've ever heard. The instrumentals on here are incredible as well. You get an exotic belly-dancing tune, a raging surf-punk number, and a bizarre waltz with smooth jazzy interludes. This band is developing a signature sound that I am really digging. Snatch this one up like a political hostage and make it pleasure you.

Ben - Rock'n'Roll Purgatory [Ohio, USA]