Boogie Beasts – Don’t Be So Mean!
A tribute to R.L. Burnside
Boogie Beasts – Don’t Be So Mean!
Format: CD – Digital
Label: Donor Productions
Release: 2026
Boogie Beasts celebrate their 15th anniversary and 100 years of R.L. Burnside with new album ‘Don’t Be So Mean!’
This year, Belgium’s alternative blues rockers Boogie Beasts turn 15 — and they’re celebrating in style. The timing is perfect: it also marks 100 years since the birth of R.L. Burnside, one of the band’s greatest inspirations and a true legend of North Mississippi Hill Country blues.
To honour both milestones, the band is releasing a brand-new collaborative album — a tribute to R.L. Burnside.
Don’t Be So Mean! goes beyond a tribute. It’s a unique collaboration bringing together artists from both sides of the Atlantic who share a deep love for Burnside and Hill Country blues.
The album features three Mississippi musicians who once shared the stage with Burnside. His son, Duwayne Burnside, lends vocals to two tracks. Longtime guitarist Kenny Brown — Burnside’s right-hand man — also appears on two songs. Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars, ex–The Black Crowes) adds his signature slide guitar.
From Philadelphia, G. Love brings a smooth hip-hop twist to “Shake ’Em On Down.”
On the European side, Boogie Beasts are joined by Pablo van de Poel of Dutch psychedelic rock trio DeWolff, and Belgian garage rocker Cedric Maes (The Sore Losers, The Sha-La-Lees), each adding their own distinctive energy.
With Don’t Be So Mean!, Boogie Beasts return to the roots of their sound — gritty grooves, hypnotic riffs, and the untamed spirit of Hill Country blues — while staying true to their wild and uncompromising style.
Boogie Beasts about “Going Down South”, second single from the album Don’t Be So Mean!
One of the most iconic tracks by R.L. Burnside, built around that hypnotic, repetitive riff. We’ve added a driving dance groove underneath as a nod to his remix albums. When Pablo van de Poel, singer and guitarist of the Dutch trio DeWolff, first heard the base track, his immediate reaction was: “Delta disco!”
Jan and Gert have known Pablo for years, going back to when their former band played several shows supporting DeWolff in the Netherlands.
While DeWolff isn’t typically associated with hill country blues, Pablo clearly has an ear for it, and a few records by R.L. Burnside sitting in his collection. He didn’t hesitate for a second when asked to join this tribute.
He contributes backing vocals (falsetto) and a great guitar part, adding an extra layer that gives the track a distinct psychedelic feel.
Website: https://www.boogiebeasts.com/
Tracks:
01. Jumper On The Line (3:55)
02. Going Down South (3:49)
03. Skinny Woman (3:44)
04. You Got To Move (3:55)
05. Peaches (5:07)
06. Shake ‘Em On Down (3:38)
07. Poor Black Mattie (3:26)
08. Over The Hill (2:37)
09. Fireman Ring The Bell (4:04)
10. Snake Drive (3:10)
11. Alice Mae (4:14)