Former FEAR FACTORY frontman Burton C. Bell delivered an unforgettable performance on Friday at Brick By Brick in San Diego. Bell’s solo career began earlier this year, debuting at 1720 in Los Angeles on June 13. He was backed by powerhouse lineup including guitarist Henrik Linde, drummer Ryan “Junior” Kittlitz, bassist Tony Baumeister and multi-instrumentalist Stewart Cararas.
When announcing the Los Angeles performance, Bell described it as a “historic event,” promising a mix of new tracks and classics from his career. The promise was fulfilled with the release of his singles “Anti-Droid” and “Technical Exorcism” this year.
In an interview with Knotfest‘s “Nu Pod” podcast, Bell says that he has embraced a strategy of releasing singles periodically to keep his momentum alive in an era of short attention spans. “In this day and age, the short attention span of the masses is very apparent. There’s this old saying in economics, less is more — supply and demand, less is more. So if you just feed ’em just a little bit at a time, they wanna hear more,” Bell explains. “And that’s where the interest stays. They’re compelled to keep listening. ‘Oh, he’s got something else coming out. Oh, he’s got something else coming out.'”
Bell teased new material featuring guest contributions from Paul Ferguson and Norman Westberg of SWANS. He also expressed excitement about creating a live experience that utilizes the heavy, groovy and dark elements of his career.
Though he’s moved on from FEAR FACTORY, Bell holds pride in his legacy with the band. Now, at 55, he’s forging his path with bold new music while revisiting the highlights of his decades-long career. As Bell himself said, “I’m still Burton C. Bell, motherfucker, and whatever I have they can’t take. So I’m just kind of moving forward and doing new things.”
Watch Bell’s perform “Du Hast” below.
Leave a Comment