Biography
Bugs and Rat’s formed in Quincy around January 2003 in Quincy, MA, a small city outside of Boston. They played their first show the same week as the infamous Great White fire in Rhoad Island, where (venue name) was burned to the ground, the fire killing (some number) of the audience and hurting man others including Great White. Good luck was set upon these boys from the beginning.
Their first album ‘Smart as a Whip’ was recorded at their practice space during a blizzard in 2004 was released on (some record label) in the same year. According to lead vocalist and chief songwriter Shawnie Brando, Bugs and Rats played with a lot of very crappy metal bands for many years until finally finding their noisy contemporaries around 2010. This seems pretty goofy after you hear the music they were creating at the time, a monster noise of , heavy repetitions, vocals resembling a Muppet being ran over by a steam-roller, and locked bass grooves that circle around your brain like a broken-down racecar.
In 2010 Bugs and Rat’s self-released the harsh and brutal ‘Adidas’. Their second album, unlike the first, has a recording quality so loud, flat and harsh that is comes off as hedonistic. It sounds like the band wanted you to work and sift through all of the dirge that was being held up in their heads at the time, all of this work so you can find the gems that are disgustingly simple songs, so pure in their lack of bullshit that one cannot help but double take each track. In the words of Brando, “we were taking a lot of drugs a the time”. After hearing songs like ‘I Hope you get Greased’, you won’t be very surprised.
After Adidas was released, Bugs and Rat’s began playing shows with groups they actually liked, finding their niche in the noise-rock inspired scene around Alston, MA. Playing many house shows with the likes of bands such as Skimask, Arvid Noe and Guerilla Toss, Bugs and Rat’s began to grow via word of mouth due to their extreme songs that were always straight to the point, their full understanding of their sound and lack of experimentation. These guys knew exactly what they wanted to play, and they were playing it.
After Brando kicking drugs, their third album “Get that Fucking Light out of my Face’ was released in 2012. Again self released, the album showed a less -ridden production style, taking in more experimentations this time, resulting in a sound more akin to the post-punk and no-wave bands of the early 80’s. Bug’s and Rat’s went on a successful month long tour after the release. They actually had to print new covers for the album for the later dates of the tour due to how many albums they sold.
Bugs and Rat’s are unquestionably one of Bostons harshest and most powerful bands at the moment. They are currently working on their fourth album, which features contributions from of other Boston bands including Guerilla Toss.
Their first album ‘Smart as a Whip’ was recorded at their practice space during a blizzard in 2004 was released on (some record label) in the same year. According to lead vocalist and chief songwriter Shawnie Brando, Bugs and Rats played with a lot of very crappy metal bands for many years until finally finding their noisy contemporaries around 2010. This seems pretty goofy after you hear the music they were creating at the time, a monster noise of , heavy repetitions, vocals resembling a Muppet being ran over by a steam-roller, and locked bass grooves that circle around your brain like a broken-down racecar.
In 2010 Bugs and Rat’s self-released the harsh and brutal ‘Adidas’. Their second album, unlike the first, has a recording quality so loud, flat and harsh that is comes off as hedonistic. It sounds like the band wanted you to work and sift through all of the dirge that was being held up in their heads at the time, all of this work so you can find the gems that are disgustingly simple songs, so pure in their lack of bullshit that one cannot help but double take each track. In the words of Brando, “we were taking a lot of drugs a the time”. After hearing songs like ‘I Hope you get Greased’, you won’t be very surprised.
After Adidas was released, Bugs and Rat’s began playing shows with groups they actually liked, finding their niche in the noise-rock inspired scene around Alston, MA. Playing many house shows with the likes of bands such as Skimask, Arvid Noe and Guerilla Toss, Bugs and Rat’s began to grow via word of mouth due to their extreme songs that were always straight to the point, their full understanding of their sound and lack of experimentation. These guys knew exactly what they wanted to play, and they were playing it.
After Brando kicking drugs, their third album “Get that Fucking Light out of my Face’ was released in 2012. Again self released, the album showed a less -ridden production style, taking in more experimentations this time, resulting in a sound more akin to the post-punk and no-wave bands of the early 80’s. Bug’s and Rat’s went on a successful month long tour after the release. They actually had to print new covers for the album for the later dates of the tour due to how many albums they sold.
Bugs and Rat’s are unquestionably one of Bostons harshest and most powerful bands at the moment. They are currently working on their fourth album, which features contributions from of other Boston bands including Guerilla Toss.
