“There’s two things in Allston: there’s music, and then there’s rats”: an interview with Photoshoot.

From the drummer splitting his skull after a show sponsored by Spirit Airlines, dressing as Limp Bizkit for Halloween, revealing ex-girlfriend tees during a “Chief Keef summer”, Photoshoot has seen it all. 

Started in 2019 by childhood friends Donovan (bass) and Leo (lead guitar), the band has seen multiple changes and venues. With Patrick (drums), Jacob (guitar and backing vocals) and Robby Rushing (lead singer) — which they found on Facebook Marketplace — they finally feel complete.

The release of their new EP, Furnace, has the band feeling ready for more insanity that feels natural in a city like Boston.

We stopped by their Watertown apartment to learn more about them, their music and the wild times they’ve had along the way.

So, how did Photoshoot start?

Donovan: So Leo and I, we went to high school in Waltham High. We became friends with this kid, {former bandmate’s name} and we started a project called Sweet Relief.The other name was The Volunteers. I think we honestly should have gone with that one. But we released, like, a 5 or 6 song EP and {Former bandmate} kind of gave, like, an ultimatum. He was like, “ look, in two years, I’m going to go to California to pursue music. You guys can come with me or, you know, stay here and keep doing what you’re doing.” And so that band kind of just fizzled out. Fizzled out because, like, Leo and I were pretty committed to, like, staying in mass and stuff. Covid then hit. So the band started to take formation. 

Where did the name come from?

Leo: We were trying to come up with a band name on Snapchat and just. We couldn’t think of anything. I think Don just got into photography or something, or Ana [another former bandmate] maybe got into photography, and I was like, you two like photo taking photos, photo shoot. That’s it. Done, done. We did go through, like, a couple of phases of thinking about changing the name.

Jacob: One was Photochute, but it was spelled. P-h-o t-o-c-h-u-t-e.

Donovan: At one point. We were feeling really strongly about Menino, like the Mayor Menino, formerly of Boston. But we didn’t wind up going with that, and I think it probably would have been for the best because, like, I don’t know what his estate would think of us using the name. For a punk, you know, punk alternative band. 

You guys are a very classic Boston punk alternative band. So, where do you think the influences came from?

Leo: I can grab them right now dude. (Leo gets up and walks to a different room)

Donovan: Dinosaur Junior!

Jacob: Vunderbar!

Robby: Yo, grab the Video Days.

Jacob: Let’s bring out the real goats in the room!

Donovan: (sarcastically) Chet Baker in Paris. I know Dinosaur Jr. is a huge one.

Robby: (Sarcastically) Chet Hanks Christmas album.

Donovan: Absolutely Vundabar. A little bit, not now as much.

Robby: I mean, we all know…Sunny Day Real Estate. Sunny Day Real Estate and Title Fight, I think are the big two.

Leo: Yeah, yeah. There we go, baby! 

Leo walks back into the room holding two vinyls over his head: Diary by Sunny Day Real Estate and Shed by Title Fight.

Donovan: I mean, it’s funny because, like, our individual influences are crazy. Like, if you had a collective of all the stuff we listened to as a five piece, you’d have like two fucking terabytes of music.

Donovan: It’s cool. Like, we all have, the group that we have now, everybody comes from different backgrounds, but all the interests in music do overlap and intertwine in a way that the sound can be a lot, like pretty cohesive.

Did you all meet through the band or from somewhere else?

Patrick: My sibling got into the band and then I met them. I met Don and Leo through them, and then Jacob. We met through… Through the scene.

Jacob: Robby, We got off of Facebook marketplace. 

Reporter: Marketplace?

Robby: Yeah. Like all these guys are from up north. I’m from Florida. I came, I was going to school at Suffolk University.

Leo: Go Rams.

Donovan: You know what time it is?

Robby: Yeah, go Rams, #ramily. I auditioned for like, one of the only, like, music groups on campus. It was like. The Common is like this cover band at Suffolk University. And they play sweet child of mine and stuff like that. 

Jacob: No hate! No hate!

Robby: Definitely a different group. And then I got a callback, and then they just wanted me to sing, And I showed up and it was like me and like six other girls. So I was like, okay, it’s probably going to be a different direction here and I didn’t make it. And I was like, so bummed because I was like, you know, new to Boston

Leo: (Impersonating Robby) It’s over!

Donovan: That was your shot.

Leo: (Still impersonating Robby) My music career is over!

Jacob: NOOOO, NOOO!

Robby: So I immediately went online. I was emailing wedding cover bands. I was in places I had no business being. I was like a week away from going and jamming with some 40 year olds over in Cambridge. Like, it was so dire. I was actually in talks to, like, be a roadie. I would be like, a backup bassist and they sent me, like, a set list. And first it’s like Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande.  I would be making so much more money though. I ended up posting on this Facebook group that is also vast majority 30-35 plus, people being like, oh, we need someone to fill in on bass for our wedding, this wedding cover or whatever. Um, and I’m like, (Kid voice) Hey, I’m 19, I go to Suffolk University, I play bass, I like this kind of music. I’m just looking for some project to join.

Donovan: (Also kid voice) Long walks on the beach, just some long walks on the beach.

Robby: (still kid voice) Even if you don’t need me in a band, but just someone to take me under their wing and show me the scene. And Leo… Leo hit me up. He commented. He said, “yo, hit up my line for real, for real.”

Leo: And he did hit up my line.

At least compared to other bands that are in the scene right now, what’s setting you guys apart from everyone else?

Jacob: Awesomeness.

Donovan: Our affinity for Lego.

Robby: Our handsome lead singer.

Donovan: I would say that, like the dynamic of having it be four instrumentalists and then one just like one vocalist. There are a few bands, but it’s not it’s not common.

Robby: I always thought it was goofy before… And I still think it’s goofy, but I remember, like, practicing, like in my, like, crappy cover band in high school and being like, “Can you imagine just showing up to a practice and all you do is sing? Like, what is this?”

Donovan: Even the older stuff from the punk scene, like Black Flag, like Henry Rollins is like, kind of like one of the best front men who was just a sole vocalist from that particular scene, too. But like, yeah, I don’t know. That was inspiring to me. And I was like, you know what? It doesn’t it doesn’t really fucking matter. And ultimately, none of this shit matters like whoever plays what in the group, whoever, you know, like, we’re just making music and having fun with it. 

Jacob: A lot of bands in the scene also have like a, a defined image that complements their music, but I feel like we’re kind of the opposite, where we just write music and we’re just like, here’s the fucking music

Where did the name of the EP come from?

Leo: Furnace was the name of the song.

Robby: So, furnace. Oh my God. It was so hard coming up with a name for the EP. It was always like one of those things [where] four people would agree, and then one person wouldn’t. And then it was like, okay. And then it was like a new idea would come and then it would be a different group of four would be like down.

Patrick: Rats, rats, rats!

Jacob: It was so bad!

Robby: Pat came up with Rats, Rats, rats. And me and Jacob were like—

Jacob: I will quit the band 

Robby: out of the band.

Patrick: There’s two things in Allston: there’s music, and then there’s rats.

Robby: The way I imagine it is like this cultist, nudist, satanist,  little hoopla, but like, it’s supposed to, like, represent a mosh pit, and the lyrics of furnace are all like, kind of about basements and house shows. And when it’s not cold out, it gets really hot in those basements. So we just figured that that song was kind of the best one to take from the four titles of the songs and just throw it on the EP title.

Why should people pay attention to Photoshoot?

Jacob: Still growing. I feel like every practice we have it’s like, “dude, I wrote this new thing. Check it out.” And it’s completely different. 

Donovan: I think the creative direction is a lot clearer than it was a year ago. We were talking about promotion and trying to find our core audience and stuff. It’s tough because if you ask any marketing major what the most valuable demographic is, it’s 18 to 24. And I was saying to Jacob, [that] I want to promote our music through channels that might honestly be more of interest to like teenagers, because as we get older, our music is already in a solid direction creatively. We’re going to continue to refine it and improve. Like, I feel like we’re on the upswing of where we’re going to peak. 

Patrick: We’ve been here for a few years at this point and we’ve gathered a small audience and I think a reason to keep listening to us and, you know, paying attention to us is we’ve finally gotten our toolbox all together and how we want it. I think the music we produce is better, and I only think we’re going to go farther and farther up at this point.

Leo: And we also give money on stage.

Donovan: Yeah, we hand out hundreds of dollars. Hundreds of dollars at every show. Free money. We give out beer. Uh…What else?

Robby: They’re paying for my tuition actually.

Donovan: We have a bowl of car keys that we just, we throw those out. People come out of our shows with Kias, Audis.

Leo: Our show is just like the Oprah Winfrey show. Check under your beers!

Jacob: And you get a pack of cigarettes! And you get a pack of cigarettes!

So what’s next?

Donovan: Music video. Two singles. We have two other songs that we really want to get out that we’ve been playing in the rotation.

Patrick: What songs?

Donovan: Not the same, First or Last.

Patrick: First or Last? We don’t even have lyrics.

Jacob: Yeah we do.

Patrick: We do?

Jacob: Yeah, 100%.

Leo: You played that song live.

Donovan: We played it, dude.

Patrick: Oh, yeah!

The band has shows planned in the Boston area for late March with dates still being announced. You can stay updated on new music and more through their instagram account @photoshootband and their website.