A Mission Hill-based band is getting hands-on support from a small-scale Jamaica Plain-based label.
Designer, a “noise rock” band comprised of Berklee College of Music students that live in Mission Hill, plays “really tense, fun, noisy music,” according to drummer Rory MacMurdo. The band signed with Bufu Records soon after forming about six months ago.
“I highly recommend Designer. They have been opening for really big bands in the noise rock community such as Guerilla Toss, Black Pus, Japanther and Party Animal,” Bufu co-founder Ben Katzman told the Gazette.
“He [Katzman] heard things he liked in our music and we liked his attitude. He’s a very supportive guy. He cares a lot about people being able to express themselves,” MacMurdo told the Gazette.
Designer’s most recent release, “Kalvin & Kline,” totaled 50 copies of a four-song EP on cassette tapes. The first printing sold out in two weeks and “Kalvin & Kline” is on its second printing.
“I know it’s only 50 copies, but for us, it’s really fun. It’s new to us. It’s cool to see that we can make something that makes people feel good, and see them want to help you out and give you money,” MacMurdo said.
As for releasing music on cassette, MacMurdo said, “It’s not old-school. It’s more fun. We release most of our stuff online as well, but it’s more fun to pop a tape into a player and look at the artwork.”
Designer has toured to support the yet-to-be-titled new release.
“You got to keep going. What else are you going to do? You got to keep pushing yourself. You can’t ever stop,” MacMurdo said. “We just want to go everywhere and be as honest with ourselves as we can and rock out. There’s no plan B.”
Bufu is a do-it-yourself (DIY) label, run by friends on a shoestring budget.
“We book our own shows, we get our bands on to as many shows as we can, we help put them on tour, we dub our own cassettes, make our own CDs, order our own records,” Katzman said. “We love putting out the music we love whether it’s punk, folk, noise rock, hardcore. As long as we love it, we’re down to put it out.”