Amidst bellows of whales and the smell of diesel and fish a small musical project was born. In the summer of 2008 Patrick Morales took a contract as a marine biologist working on commercial fishing vessels. While working on two different boats The Viking and The Progress he wrote a wealth of new material with a roughly similar theme. Songs about people facing decisions regarding death, love and their last days on earth. And in honor of the boats that helped inspire the stories he chose to name the project The Viking Progress

John independently released his first solo full-length album in May of 2010 with extremely positice reception. Shortly thereafter John combined the musical talents of Josh DeRamus (drums), Kevin Justmann (bass), Wes Kent (electric guitar), and Rebecca Cash (backup vocals/banjo) to give the same power live that is present on the record. John French and the Bastilles were born. In a very short amount of time the band began to play all over the southeast, generating interest and excitement about their music wherever they went. John French and the Bastilles combine powerful acoustic sounds with raw and real energy to create a dynamic music experience. They combine old Folk sounds with modern arrangements that allow their music to be rich, real, and moving.