# Night Beats

Night Beats are an American psychedelic/garage rock band, formed in 2009 in Seattle, Washington.
The band currently consists of lead singer and guitarist Danny "Lee Blackwell" Rajan Billingsley as the only permanent member. Founding member drummer James Traeger has only played intermittently with the band since 2016, original bassist Tarek Wegner left in 2014 and his replacement, Jakob Bowden, left the band sometime in early-mid 2018.

## History

Danny "Lee Blackwell" Rajan Billingsley had previously fronted various bands in his hometown of Dallas, Texas including The Old Explosives, White Light Fever and Medicine God Box. With White Light Fever, who were initially called Japanese Auto Clinic, he released debut album Heavy Knife Blues in 2007 and the band were reportedly courted by Columbia Records. A second album Count All Your Father's Wealth was seemingly abandoned. He also worked with The Tempers, playing live with the band and contributing a guitar solo to one track on their debut album Vol. 1.
Raised Catholic and Hindu, Billingsley moved to Seattle to study comparative religion at the University of Washington. Leaving Dallas, which he saw as "a wasteland of music", he founded Night Beats in 2009. Named after the Sam Cooke album 'Night Beat', the solo self-recorded Street (Atomic) EP was released that year via Holy Twist Records. After trying out a couple of different lineups, he asked high school friend and former B.B Mercy drummer James Traeger who was studying in Austin, Texas to move to Seattle to join Night Beats. After working together as a duo for a few months, they recruited bassist Tarek Wegner in January 2010 and played their first gig in March of that year at a house party in Seattle. Wegner, originally from Tacoma, Washington, had previously played with The Drug Purse and Paris Spleen.
Night Beats toured extensively early on, completing multiple North American tours during 2010 and were signed within weeks of self-releasing the H-Bomb EP. Picked up by Chicago's Trouble in Mind Records (Ty Segall, Fresh and Only's, Hex Dispensers, etc.). The re-release of the EP topped several college radio charts competing with other Artists' full-length efforts. (September 6, 2010)
On June 28, 2011 the band released their self-titled debut album via Trouble In Mind. They also released a split EP with The UFO Club on the Austin label The Reverberation Appreciation Society. A split single with TRMRS was released in June 2012 via Volcom Vinyl Club.
On September 24, 2013, the band released their second album "Sonic Bloom" via The Reverberation Appreciation Society. They toured North America, Europe, Israel, South Africa and Australia in support of the album.
In late 2014, Tarek Wegner left the band. With no announcement regarding his departure, it only became apparent when new press shots were released with a different bassist. Shortly after he released an EP entitled "What Colors Last" via Burger Records featuring the now deceased musician Joshua Vega and the full length self released album "Soul Fuckers" in 2015 along with a west coast tour with Tomorrow's Tulips.
In 2015, the band signed to London-based label Heavenly Recordings and released their third album "Who Sold My Generation" in January 2016. The album featured Black Rebel Motorcycle Club member Robert Levon Been on bass, who also co-produced the album. The band recruited Jakob Bowden to tour the album.
In September 2016, the band embarked on a UK/EU tour without drummer James Traeger. Throughout 2017, drummer Evan Snyder toured with the band. Through a US tour supporting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 2018, Jonah Swilley played drums with the band. Traeger's absence from tours hasn't been commented on or acknowledged, but was rumored to be temporary. In May 2018, the band embarked on a tour of Spain and France, with Evan Snyder again replacing James Traeger on drums. Evan Snyder continued to drum for Night Beats until 2020. Bassist Jakob Bowden left the band in 2018 and was replaced by Los Angeles musician Sam Thorne. In July 2018, the band (Rajan Billingsley and drummer Jonah Swilley) performed as a duo at the Social in London, England.
On January 28, 2019, the band released their fourth album Myth Of A Man. The album was recorded by Billingsley with producer and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach. For the sessions, Billingsley was backed by a cast of old time session musicians who had worked with the likes of Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin. Perhaps explaining the absence of founding member James Trager, bass player Jakob Bowden, drummer Evan Snyder and bassist Sam Thorne, the official press release states that the album was "written during a particularly destructive period of the band"
In late 2020, Blackwell signed Night Beats to Fuzz Club Records. Outlaw R&B, the fifth Night Beats studio album was released on June 4, 2021. A live album, Levitation Sessions, was released via The Reverberation Appreciation Society in August 2021.
In 2022, Danny teamed up with Carolina Faruolo (ex-Los Bitchos) to release the Tropicalia influenced album Monte Carlo on the Seattle based Suicide Squeeze Records. He also has a collaborative project called UFO Club, with Christian Bland from the band the Black Angels. Notably, the song "Right/Wrong," was the official song of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival in 2022.
On April 12, 2023, it was announced that Night Beats sixth studio album Rajan on Suicide Squeeze will be released in July.

## Band members
### Current

* Danny "Lee Blackwell" Rajan Billingsley - Vocals, lead guitar

### Former

* Tarek Wegner - Bass
* James Traeger - Drums
* Jakob Bowden - Bass
* Evan Snyder - Drums
* Sam Thorne - Bass

## Discography
### Studio albums

* Night Beats - 2011 (Trouble In Mind Records)
* Sonic Bloom - 2013 (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
* Who Sold My Generation - 2016 (Heavenly Recordings)
* Myth of a Man - 2019 (Heavenly Recordings)
* Outlaw R&B - 2021 (Fuzz Club Records)
* Rajan -2023 (Suicide Squeeze Records)

### Singles/Splits/EPs

* H-Bomb 7" - 2010 (Self-Released)
* H-Bomb 7" - 2010 (Trouble In Mind Records)
* H-Bomb EP (iTunes) - 2010 (Holy Twist)
* Night Beats/UFO Club Split 10" - 2011 (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
* Night Beats/TRMRS Split 7" - 2012 (Volcom Entertainment/Resurrection Records)
* Night Beats/ Her Cold Cold Heart - 2018 (Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS])

### Compilations

* Get Wyld! Vol. 1 - 2010 (Holy Twist)
* Portable Shrines Magic Sound Theatre Vol. 1 - 2011 (Translinguistic Other/Light In The Attic)
* Sailor Jerry Vol. 4 - 2011 (Sailor Jerry Rum)