While Beirut is mired in the throes of war, a homegrown band that blends dusty Americana and the pulse of Lebanon shows the city’s resilience. Led by frontman Nader Mansour and guitarist Eddie Ghosn, The Wanton Bishops were forged in the furnace of resistance, their origins stemming from a sudden fracas nearly a decade earlier. In a battered but broken city, their music, like Beirut itself, hums with the same stubborn refusal to be silenced.
In an interview conducted amid the growing threat of Israeli bombardment and displacement in the capital, Nader talked about preparing for an international tour – including a stop in India at the Bandlands 2024 music festival in Bengaluru – as well as the worst-case scenario. It also includes being prepared for. It may sound corny, but it almost seems fitting for a band whose journey began where all good stories do – with a fight.
“It actually involved a two-fight fight,” Nader says, laughing. “There was one eddie [Ghossein] There is a scuffle outside a club where I used to perform. I jumped in and took most of the beating, as middlemen usually do. A few weeks later, I found myself in another fight – completely innocent, of course – and Eddie bailed me out of jail. And thus, a hurt and battered friendship was formed – a friendship that would soon grow into one of Lebanon’s most dynamic musical acts.
Nader Mansour from the Lebanese band, ‘The Wanton Bishops’. Photo Credit:
As Nader explains, their partnership was to develop into much more than a few drunken brawls. The Wanton Bishops, despite their curmudgeon origins, took their name from an unlikely literary source. “It’s from the Marquis de Sade,” Nader says, half embarrassed, half proud. “The word ‘wanton’ – it’s about violence for no reason, just pure anarchy, which felt appropriate. AD added ‘Bishop’ to create balance.
The Wanton Bishops’ sound is a chemical fusion of original Delta blues and the unmistakable heart of Beirut. But calling it a balanced mix would be misleading, Nader admits. “It is not balanced. It’s a complete illusion,” he says. “It’s a battle of identity, where you know where you come from, but then the internet opens up the whole world. I connected with the blues through that digital window, but I’m still a product of Lebanon.
His words hang like a burden he’s not sure how to lift. He explains that the band’s music is less an attempt to balance cultural influences and more a reflection of his personal identity crisis – a struggle he lets the audience witness in real time. “It’s like a chef cooking in front of people,” he quips. The analogy sticks. What Nader and Eddy present on stage is raw, often raw, but always honest.
Nader says honesty is the band’s North Star. “I will never format my music for radio. I will never do what I think people will like. I just feel it and do it. “I’m making music that I want to hear but can’t.” It’s a philosophy that has paid off not only in the local Beirut scene, but also across international borders, as the band quickly grew a following. Are. From small clubs in Lebanon to tours in Europe, Turkey and now India, The Wanton Bishops have carved an impressive niche for themselves as they float into the global consciousness.
And yet, despite their growing international success, there is always a shadow looming over the band’s work. Beirut has seen it all, periods of constant conflict, periods of blissful peace and everything in between. But right now, the city is at a standstill. “We are doing nothing except hiding. Ready to run away at any moment,” says Nader.
This feeling of weakness is pervasive in daily life in Beirut. “I usually buy two or three cans of sardines a week. Yesterday, I bought 50. This is a thought you keep in mind when you are in battle. Hoarding resources and keeping your devices at maximum charge at all times is probably taking a toll on him. He says, “On your nervous system, it’s not a comfortable situation. No one is ready all the time.”
In just two weeks, more than 1,030 people have been killed, including women and children, in the renewed conflict. Israeli attacks have forced more than 200,000 people to flee their homes and displaced thousands more into neighboring Syria, turning the city into a terrifying liminal space between survival and destruction. “Are we protesting through music?” Nader pauses, then answers. “We protest simply by existing. Not giving up is enough resistance.”
This is a serious thought. Yet, despite their modesty, it cannot be denied that The Wanton Bishops are part of a larger wave of Lebanese artists who are making waves on the global stage, at a time when the world is turning a blind eye to reasons far from music. always has its eyes on Lebanon. “It was never intentional,” Nader says of its international reach. “But being an export product of Lebanon, whether you want to or not, you take your country with you. ” Now he has realized the responsibility. “Sometimes I feel like the tourism minister, inviting people to visit whenever there is no war,” he jokes.
The band’s global appeal has surprised even Nader himself. “When we got our Spotify roundup last year, I was shocked. Fifteen million people listened to our songs – that’s five times the population of Lebanon!” The geographical spread is even more amazing. “We’ve got people in China who sit in bed in Beirut feeling sad and listen to songs I write. That’s “That’s the power of the internet.”
As The Wanton Bishops prepare for their performance at Bandlands 2024, Nader is reminded of his last visit to India. “We performed at the NH7 Weekender and met some amazing people, including Bangalore band Swaraatma. We collaborated on a song that time, and we are looking forward to working with him again this time.
Before concluding, Nader revealed a small personal goal for this visit to India. “Last time I bought a sitar, but I never learned to play it. This time I’m hoping to find something smaller, more manageable, something I can really master. Spoken like a true bluesman – always searching, never satisfied, but still enjoying the journey.
Beirut is burning but the resolve of the bishops has never been brighter.
Bandlands 2024 is scheduled for November 23 and 24. Tickets are now available exclusively on BookMyShow.
published – October 15, 2024 05:11 PM IST
