“Just A Shout Away” (featuring Brad Divens, Brian Forsythe, Bob Paré & Shannon Larkin)
Single available now on Apple Music (Link)
Every so often, a new band emerges whose history cannot be measured by the number of albums released or years spent on the road together, but by the decades of experience its members bring with them. That is precisely the story behind The B’s. Although the group is only beginning to introduce itself to audiences, its four members collectively represent more than a century of professional musicianship, having performed on some of rock’s biggest stages while contributing to bands that helped shape the hard rock and heavy metal landscape over the past four decades.
Rather than assembling around commercial expectations or industry trends, The B’s grew from a musical partnership that had already proven itself onstage. Guitarists Brian Forsythe and Bob Paré, vocalist and bassist Brad Divens, and drummer Shannon Larkin reunited earlier this year during the Ladders to Leaders II Recovery Benefit Concert at The Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown, Maryland. The performance, organized to support addiction recovery initiatives, showcased the natural chemistry between the four veteran musicians and demonstrated that their shared history extended well beyond their individual résumés. The overwhelmingly positive response to that performance ultimately laid the groundwork for The B’s, transforming what began as a charitable collaboration into a full-fledged band.
For those unfamiliar with their backgrounds, Forsythe established himself as one of the defining guitarists of the East Coast hard rock movement through his longtime work with KIX, helping craft songs that balanced memorable hooks with blues-driven guitar work. Divens developed his reputation as both an accomplished vocalist and an influential figure behind the scenes, fronting the respected metal act Wrathchild America (which later evolved into Souls at Zero) before becoming one of the live sound engineers trusted by many of rock’s most recognizable touring artists, including Enrique Iglesias and Garbage. Larkin’s thunderous playing has become synonymous with Godsmack, where his powerful, groove-oriented style anchored the band’s rhythm section for more than two decades, following earlier success with Wrathchild America, Souls at Zero, and Ugly Kid Joe. Complementing the lineup is veteran guitarist Bob Paré, whose decades of performing alongside many of the region’s most respected rock musicians — including a stint alongside Forsythe in KIX — provide another seasoned voice within the group’s creative foundation.
The group’s future remains unwritten, which is part of its appeal. Whether The B’s evolve into a recording project beyond their recent single “Just a Shout Away,” expand into a larger touring schedule, or remain an occasional collaboration among longtime friends, the potential rests in the rare combination of experience and creative freedom that few new bands can claim. Each member has already built a respected career independently, removing the pressure to prove anything beyond delivering an authentic rock-and-roll performance. Their formation was not the result of a carefully orchestrated industry launch, but rather the organic continuation of a musical connection that audiences had already witnessed firsthand. That authenticity gives The B’s an uncommon starting point and suggests their strongest chapters may still be ahead.
As audiences gather to witness the band’s first appearance this Saturday at Live at Hub City Vinyl in Hagerstown, Maryland, they are not simply seeing another collection of familiar names assembled for nostalgia’s sake. Instead, they are watching the next step in a collaboration that began with a shared purpose and has since evolved into a band with its own identity. For a group whose official story has only just begun, The B’s already possess something many young acts spend years trying to earn: unquestioned credibility, genuine chemistry, and the freedom to let the music determine where the journey goes next.
The B’s
Brad Divens – Lead vocals, bass
Brian Forsythe – Guitar
Shannon Larkin – Drums
Bob Paré – Guitar, backing vocals
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Elliott is a music photographer covering shows in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding area. The highlight of his photography career was back in the early ’90s, when he sold Neil Diamond the rights to his negatives from a show and then purchased a set of tires for his 1979 280ZX during college with the money.