Get Your Motor Running With BILMURI

Interview by Kris Peters
In some quarters better known as the former clean vocalist and
rhythm guitarist of Attack Attack!, Bilmuri (Johnny Franck) has
been busily rebranding himself since starting the project in 2016.
Over the course of 14 albums in that eight-year period, Bilmuri has
developed his own unique and effective sound, blending country,
metalcore, pop punk, indie, and electronic influences into
one.
His latest album AMERICAN MOTOR SPORTS dropped in 2024, and the
resulting success of that release has seen him traverse the globe,
before finally visiting Australia for the first time this
month.
With only one show left on the Australian Motor Tour - at The
Roundhouse in Sydney (upgraded from The Metro) - Bilmuri found time
to chat with HEAVY about the tour so far and what he thinks of our
country.
"We put the tour up on sale, and I was like, I don't know if
anyone's going to come out to this," he laughed, "and it sold out
in one day! So it's honestly been wildly beyond my expectations,
and the shows have been incredible. I just love the country as
well, so it's just been great, man. Definitely one for the history
books, at least for me."
We ask about him starting Bilmuri in 2016 and why he decided to
start his own project from scratch rather than join an existing
band.
"Because I'm a selfish, egotistic, narcissist," he laughed. "But
no, to be honest with you, I like having control over everything.
So that was a big thing. I felt like a lot of times I would always
be fighting someone to have something, where it was like I think
this idea is good, and I don't want to have to fight a bunch of
people to do it. I just want to do it. So I think that was like a
lot of the beginning of Bilmuri is just kind of making exactly what
I want to do, how I want to do it."
In the full interview, we discussed the success of Bilmuri's
Australian tour, which featured sold-out shows and enthusiastic
audiences, particularly in Melbourne. Bilmuri expressed gratitude
for the overwhelming support from fans and the welcome he has been
given. He elaborated on his motivations for creating Bilmuri,
emphasizing his desire for artistic control and emotional
expression, while acknowledging the challenges of blending various
musical genres authentically.
He also revealed his creative process, driven by a response to
wanting to keep on the move, and mentioned upcoming plans for new
music and participation in major festivals such as Lollapalooza and
more.


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