In some of Boston’s mustiest basements, Rosie and the Rosies can be found breathing new energy into local punk crowds. Contributing to the city’s fuzz-filled scene is just one of the goals the band has, and lately the guitar-driven trio—vocalist-guitarist Rose O’Malley, bassist Steve Volante, drummer Jeff Balter—has been setting many new projects into motion, including the fantastic Meat Valet EP, a collection of punk jams that erupt out of the group’s Bandcamp page.
To record, the band headed out to Volante’s farm in Needham; out in the woods of the grounds, the three holed up in an abandoned house. “It was really fun, but the only weird thing was we all were playing in different rooms,” O’Malley says. Usually it’s a collaborative process. This new setup with layered guitar tracks was a fundamental part of producing the EP’s grinding sound.
The Boston basement music community has been a major influence for the band. The three can’t speak fondly enough of their Boston punk pals, citing bands like The Monsieurs and The Channels as some favorites who utilized the same full-fuzz sound as Rosie and the Rosies, helping the band define the kind of stage presence it wants to have.
O’Malley loves focusing on sound and feeling when writing with the band, since it lends a natural power to meticulous, crafted songwriting. “The way I play guitar in this band is unlike any other band I’ve played in,” she explains. “It’s very cathartic. More than in other bands, it’s like a fluid thing where my emotion and everything I’m feeling while playing just happens.”
When the band’s old drummer moved to New York, she scouted new drumming talent from its Needham scene. Her choice, experienced drummer Balter, adds dimension to the project. “He’s played in a bunch of different bands, and he’s incredible,” O’Malley says. “We’ve only played two shows with him, so I’m really excited for people to hear us with him … It’s definitely on another level than we were before.”
PAINTED ZEROS + SLIGHT + ROSIE AND THE ROSIES + BIG BUCK HUNTER. THU 10.22. OUT OF THE BLUE TOO ART GALLERY, 541 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE. 9PM/ALL AGES/$5-10. OUTOFTHEBLUEARTGALLERY.COM.
