The Inside Track : Bad With Birds - 'The Ballad of Bobi'

Bad With Birds is a Seattle-based rock band bringing the classic Emerald City sound into the 2020s. With influences in grunge, metal, blues, funk, and punk, Bad With Birds features a groove-heavy rhythm section, bluesy guitar licks over distorted riffs, and soaring vocals. 

“The Ballad of Bobi” (pronounced boh-bee) is featured on our debut EP. It shows the lighter side of the band's hard rock vibe, but still maintains our usual intensity. Bassist Matt Leaver brought the basic riff idea to the group while singer/guitarist Pat Leaver figured out the structure. Lead guitarist Vaughn Rohrdanz emphasizes Matt’s funky bassline by adding funk chords in the chorus, and drummer Wes Hampson provides a powerful and grooving beat that when all combined gives the song its unique sound. 

The band always completes lyrics last. After listening to the newly-created song and being the basketball nut that he is, Pat came up with the perfect subject: professional basketball player Boban Marjanovic! While providing somewhat of an interpretive sense to the rest of the lyrics, the chorus is undeniably about the 7’3”, 291 lb giant of a basketball player. The basketball looks like a “tangerine” in his hands and you better watch out as he’s coming for you with his “flyby block!” 

Enjoy the song, and please check out the rest of our debut EP, Bad with Birds!

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