Ep.33: Before I even hit record on this one, I knew it was going to be special. There’s something about a band built on attitude, grit, and genuine love for their community that hits different, and Black Sonic Revolver embodies that energy completely. In this episode, I sit down with Leon Kenny from Manchester’s underground powerhouse Black Sonic Revolver. We get into the band’s 10+ year evolution, their refusal to chase gimmicks, the chaos and beauty of their live shows, why they embrace staying “under the radar,” and the kind of music-driven friendship and community most artists dream of building. Leon shares wild tour stories, the art that shaped him, the joy in making records for the sake of the legacy they leave behind, and the emotional honesty behind their writing. It’s one of those conversations that reminds you why rock and roll still matters, and why bands like BSR feel like your own secret discovery.

We Chat About:

• How Black Sonic Revolver built a decade of underground momentum
• The unexpected origins of the band name
• Why comparisons to other artists make Leon shy
• The balance between embracing inspiration and refusing to be pigeonholed
• The therapeutic side of songwriting and why inspiration can’t be forced
• The chaos of early shows, including being thrown into a drum kit mid-set
• What it means to build community, not just an audience
• The tension between being an artist and being a content creator in 2025
• How the band captures their live sound on record
• What “success” looks like in the short term and the long term
• The legacy Leon hopes the band leaves behind

About Leon Kenny & Black Sonic Revolver:

Black Sonic Revolver are an underground indie rock band from Manchester, England who fuse elements of 1960’s and 1990’s British guitar music elements in to their psychedelic, garage rock sound. Started in 2013, the band recorded an 11 track album in a friend’s kitchen in early 2014 called “BSR (The Kitchen Album)” before following up later that year with their 10 track, self titled debut, which gave the band nationwide exposure early on, leading to support slots with well known British acts including Cast, Northside, The Others and Proud Mary.

The band’s 2nd album, January 2018’s “Life on a Different Knife Edge” saw a transitional period of the band with a line up change and national tours to support the album. Again, the band had to regroup during the COVID 19 pandemic, again rearranging the line up and releasing the 5 track “Rules EP” in December 2022, as a precursor to the band’s 3rd full length album, 2024’s “For Those In The Know” which is a nod to the band’s followers given their underground status. Hailed by British music critics, featured in the published book “Grass Routes” and well respected by much more successful peers of the British indie rock scene, BSR remain firmly under the radar, which is very much embraced by the band themselves. In 2025 the band has built its own studio and rehearsal space with the view of releasing multiple new albums over the next few years.

Connect with Leon:

Listen to their Spotify

Check out their Instagram

Other Resources:

Follow the OFFICIAL “loves music” playlist on Apple Music: ​​https://music.apple.com/library/playlist/p.4Y0J406i03DQrX

“loves music” playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0qE3kq89oyg3tFNbmRfHEO?si=vopaKQnNS8OHn0r2fFTVBg

Check out the “loves music” podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/loves-music/

Julian on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julian.jones.9484

Julian on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianjones417/

Julian on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@julianjones417

Check out Julian’s book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6QYX6RL

Music Mentioned in this Episode:

Songs:

• Calling My Name – Black Sonic Revolver
• Leave It for Another Day – Black Sonic Revolver
• Future – Black Sonic Revolver
• Live Tonight Sold Out – Nirvana

Albums & Projects:

• BSR (The Kitchen Album) – Black Sonic Revolver
• Black Sonic Revolver (self-titled) – Black Sonic Revolver
• Life on a Different Knife Edge – Black Sonic Revolver
• Rules EP – Black Sonic Revolver
• For Those In The Know – Black Sonic Revolver

Artists & Bands:

• Cast
• Northside
• The Others
• Proud Mary
• Nirvana
• Jane’s Addiction
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• Blur
• Kasabian
• Stevenson Ranch Davidians
• Fosterchild
• Buckcherry
• Fuel