I first saw Bay Faction about three weeks ago at Out of The Blue Art Gallery. They blew me away with their sincere and soul-baring lyrics and calm and in-control performance. The trio has just released their first album, a self-titled EP. The release ended up on vinyl after their bassist, Kris Roman, posted their music on Reddit and a fan invested three thousand dollars to have it pressed. On their bandcamp they describe themselves as “post-coital,” and it’s oddly fitting. It’s the kind of music you want to smoke a cigarette or sip a cup of coffee to in your bedroom.
It’s about 1 p.m. on a Saturday in Allston and I’m waiting with Connor Godfrey in his basement apartment for the other Bay Faction members before we head to In House Coffee. Kris the bassist can’t meet us but singer James Mcdermott arrives with his manager, Andrew Moltz in tow. It’s rare that a band this young has a manager, yet here they are— 21 years old, about to embark on their first tour.
Allston Pudding: How did you meet?
Connor Godfrey: Through Facebook.
James Mcdermott: Through like a Massachusetts musicians page. I was like 17 and I was like, “I want to start a band.” I posted and Connor [and Kris] responded.
CG: Were we the first to respond?
JM: First and only. Then we all happened to go to Berklee, it was very serendipitous.
CG: We had a show the first week of meeting. It was at McNeil’s Tavern in Providence with Head North. We were terrible.
AP: So this is your first tour?
JM: Yes. It’s probably going to be kind of a train wreck.
AP: Where are you most excited to play?
CG: The New York show and Atlanta for sure. It will be our first time playing both places.
AP: How long did it take you to write and record the album?
JM: I wrote most of it when I was 18. Writing took a year and then it took two days to record it. We recorded it at Rotary Records, it’s a hollowed out Lutheran church. It’s called Rotary because that was the only thing in that town, a rotary.
CG: And an IHOP.
AP: How are you preparing for tour?
JM: We’re freaking out. We’re still figuring out places to stay. I just don’t know what to bring. I guess we’re camping in Asheville, North Carolina. We’ll hopefully camp in most places. Probably no hotels, just Walmart parking lots because you can park over night. We’re also probably going to die.
AP: What bands are you playing with?
JM: Altopalo in New York, a CMJ after party.
AP: What local bands do you like?
JM: Vundabar, Horse Jumper of Love, Shark Rock and Ginger Sunburn.
AP: What was up with those photos of you covered in fake blood?
CG: It was for a short video to promote the single off our album called “Bloody Nose” so we made fake blood and covered ourselves in it. We were naked mostly to avoid getting our clothes gross. We tried a few different recipes. I think we settled on Gatorade and corn syrup.
JM: We did a glitch video of our friend puking to promote the album as well. He can do it on command, I mean—we paid him though.
AP: What are you doing after tour?
JM: Breaking up.
CG: Playing as much as possible, planning another tour. Planning better. Please buy our album so we can drop out.
Stream Bay Faction’s work on Spotify, Bandcamp or Soundcloud, or purchase their album here.