Bad Rabbits is used to being different from the norm. From the vast ethnic diversity the band has to the genre lines they continue to break, the group out of Boston has taken steps to differentiate itself from the mass.
The group might be a rock, punk band, but they also have a heavy basis on R&B music, and that can be a daunting title, especially when you land a spot on Warped Tour. Yet Bad Rabbits did just that-and grabbed a hefty fan base as well.
“We weren’t like anyone else on that tour,” bassist, Graham Massar. “A lot of the bands on the tour actually really rallied around us. We made friends with the bands you find on Warped Tour… they really championed us to their fans.”
Since their slot on Warped Tour, Bad Rabbits has taken influences from the other bands and pushed it into their own music.
“It was really awesome to watch these really great bands everyday,” Massar said. “It’s really been great for us, because a lot of them are returning to our shows when we tour across country.”
On May 14, the group is scheduled to release its newest album, American Love.
“I think this one showcases a little bit more of the musicianship, a little bit more of the live element,” Massar said. “We really honed in on the songwriting process.”
Even though the album won’t officially drop until after 11Fest, #Fest-goers should expect to hear new music from Bad Rabbits. Massar said the group will absolutely be playing new music at Saturday’s show.
“Playing the songs live is totally different for us than someone just hearing he tracks on the album. We just add (another) element live. It incorporates a lot more of the rock, punk, hardcore live energy of a concert,” Massar said.
The group brings in a range of influences, and that includes the member’s origins as well. The band mates have ethnic backgrounds from eastern Europe, to Argentina, to India, to Liberia and Ghana.
“It’s one of the biggest parts of our band,” he said. “We all have a different ethnic upbringing.”
For Bad Rabbits, that is one of their defining factors.
“We all kind of bring a different background to the table,” Massar said. “There is a lot to learn from each other and I think that really plays into the music…it’s not like we grew up with the same background or upbrining.”
Follow them on Twitter: @BadRabbits
-Shelby Lum
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