BPMD
{{Short description|American rock supergroup}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{distinguish|EPMD}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = BPMD
| image =
| caption =
| landscape =
| alias =
| origin =
| genre = Hard rock, heavy metal
| years_active = 2019–present
| label = Napalm Records
| spinoff_of = Metal Allegiance
| website =
| current_members = Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth
Phil Demmel
Mark Menghi
Mike Portnoy
| past_members =
}}
BPMD is an American hard rock/heavy metal supergroup. Formed in 2019, the band plays cover songs of classic American rock bands of the 1970s. The band consists of Overkill singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, former Vio-lence and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel, and two members of Metal Allegiance – bassist Mark Menghi and drummer Mike Portnoy.
History
BPMD was conceived in the summer of 2019 when Ellsworth, Demmel, Menghi and Portnoy teamed up to record an album featuring covers of 1970s songs, titled American Made.{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/current-former-members-of-machine-head-dream-theater-overkill-unite-in-new-project/|title=Current/Former Members Of MACHINE HEAD, DREAM THEATER, OVERKILL Unite In New Project|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=April 15, 2020|date=August 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/overkills-blitz-details-made-in-america-project-with-mike-portnoy-and-phil-demmel/|title=OVERKILL's BLITZ Details 'Made In America' Project With MIKE PORTNOY And PHIL DEMMEL|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=April 15, 2020|date=September 27, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/phil-demmel-on-his-collaboration-with-mike-portnoy-and-bobby-blitz-ellsworth-it-was-pretty-rad-playing-with-those-dudes/|title=PHIL DEMMEL On His Collaboration With MIKE PORTNOY And BOBBY 'BLITZ' ELLSWORTH: 'It Was Pretty Rad Playing With Those Dudes'|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=April 15, 2020|date=October 21, 2019}} In a January 2020 interview on The Blairing Out with Eric Blair Show, Demmel revealed that the project would be called BPMD, in reference to three of the members' last names as well as Ellsworth's nickname Blitz.{{cite web |date=January 31, 2020 |title=BOBBY 'BLITZ' ELLSWORTH, MIKE PORTNOY, PHIL DEMMEL And MARK MENGHI Join Forces In BPMD: 'American Made' Album Due Soon |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/bobby-blitz-ellsworth-mike-portnoy-phil-demmel-and-mark-menghi-join-forces-in-bpmd-american-made-album-due-soon/ |accessdate=April 15, 2020 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net}}
American Made was released on June 12, 2020 through Napalm Records and includes ten song covers.{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/bpmd-feat-bobby-blitz-ellsworth-mike-portnoy-phil-demmel-and-mark-menghi-debut-album-to-be-released-via-napalm/|title=BPMD Feat. BOBBY 'BLITZ' ELLSWORTH, MIKE PORTNOY, PHIL DEMMEL And MARK MENGHI: Debut Album To Be Released Via NAPALM|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=April 15, 2020|date=March 25, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/bpmd-feat-bobby-blitz-ellsworth-mike-portnoy-phil-demmel-and-mark-menghi-american-made-album-details-revealed/|title=BPMD Feat. BOBBY 'BLITZ' ELLSWORTH, MIKE PORTNOY, PHIL DEMMEL And MARK MENGHI: 'American Made' Album Details Revealed|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|accessdate=April 15, 2020|date=April 15, 2020}}
Musical style
About the project, Demmel said: "It's all cover tunes from American bands of the '70s. It's called American Made, [and it's got songs from] ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, James Gang, Aerosmith, Grand Funk Railroad — all these cover tunes that we modernized them and not really thrashed them up, but we made kind of metal versions of them."
Discography
- American Made (2020)