Bryan Paul Bell

Bryan Paul Bell doesn’t know why vampires are drawn to his music; but he’s indebted to them for putting him on the map. His song “Devil’s Gotta Dance” has most recently been on the vampire-themed “What We Do in the Shadows,” and prior to that “The Vampire Diaries.”

Showtime was the first to recognize the appeal of his blues-infused, guitar-driven rock, showcasing the song in the series “Californication.”

 Now, he’s inviting his fans to take an eclectic, unpredictable voyage through his new, full-length album: Midnight on a Dead Man’s Boat. The album’s title is drawn from a recent experience he and his brother had returning the boat of a friend who died sailing in Mexico to its home port in California.

 “Midnight…” opens with a song about his favorite mythological character, the Devil, and how sometimes even human nature can be a little too dark for the Prince of Darkness. From there, he guides listeners on an eclectic voyage through a collection of songs that weave influences from the tapestry of American and British rock. The collection culminates with “Good as it Gets;” Bryan’s interpretation of an oompah band leading a New Orleans funeral procession.

 While the songs are varied, Bryan’s distinctive vocal and guitar style stand as the guiding North Star, ensuring listeners that this is unmistakably a Bryan Paul Bell expedition.

 Bryan began his life of music at the age of seven learning to play on a thrift store guitar. At the time, his family lived in an old delivery van moving from campground to campground across the U.S. The guitar was his constant companion on their travels.

 When he hit the bar scene in his hometown of Bakersfield, California, his refusal to play anything but his original music didn’t hinder the popularity of his band, carving a niche in venues typically dominated by cover bands.

 After surviving a harrowing head-on collision on a remote Kern County highway, Bryan relocated his act to Southern California, where he currently resides, writes, and records in Long Beach.

 Midnight on a Dead Man’s Boat is available on streaming platforms and on vinyl .