We don’t watch a lot of reality TV but when we do we definitely get invested enough and get bummed when the higher ups overlook the underdogs we usually root for. While the Rock & Roll Rumble is by no means the same as reality TV, the fact of the matter is that the annual competition is reality. And we definitely had some favorites who some would consider underdogs after some lengthy research leading up to our preview coverage. One of those artists was Salem’s own ONE FALL who, being a relatively new band with only a few shows under their belt at the time, managed to win the whole damn thing! And from the performances we saw throughout the course of the Rumble we could see why.
Well, it’s been just over 5 months since those shows and while ONE FALL has been touring their arses off, they found time to record a new EP called Spine First! which drops on October 20th ahead of their appearance at THE FEST in Gainesville, FL on October 27th with some more local shows happening at O’Brien’s in Allston later in the fall. We were lucky enough to catch up with singer/songwriter/guitarist Helen McWilliams recently via email to talk about that nail biting moment on stage at Sonia during the Rock & Roll Rumble finale, the new EP, what’s next for ONE FALL and more:
First off, take us back to the feelings happening the moment your name was called on the stage of Sonia as the winner of the 2023 Rock & Roll Rumble?
Hellen McWilliams: “What an awesome moment – our whole experience with the Rumble was so surprising and so much fun, but that was definitely something special. I will admit that I was very distracted in the moment because I was being showered with champagne, and as a sober person I was kind of freaking out about having a mouthful of booze, so I tried to surreptitiously and respectfully spit it out on the stage without anyone noticing. Then I found out it was non-alcoholic champagne because Anngelle Wood and the rest of the Rumble crew are unbelievably thoughtful and had that option at the ready in case we took the crown. I don’t think I actually processed what had happened until then, haha.”
As a relatively newer band heading into the competition, what does it mean to get that early recognition from not only the fans but also from peers and mainstays of the Boston Music Scene who populated the voting committee?
“It was pretty wild for sure. We decided to participate solely to meet some other bands and get our name out there a little bit. We’ve all been in a bunch of other bands and we know how long it takes for anyone to notice your band exists, so getting to play the Rumble stages for what was, like, our third/fourth/fifth shows in the Boston area was deeply nuts.“
Post-Rumble life has seen a lot of touring out of ONE FALL in addition to the upcoming/just announced debut EP. What have the shows since been like in markets outside of MA and what have you learned as a band while on the road?
“Yeah we really love being on the road together. Having an excuse to go to a bunch of new places and try their regional snacks is probably the best part of being in a band. You definitely learn new strategies every time you head out – every time something goes wrong, you know how to handle it better for the next time it goes wrong. We’ve been so lucky to make some friends who have let us hop onto their bills and the shows have been a blast so far. We really love playing festivals and getting to see bands that we love.“
Do you have any favorite spots to play already and are there any places/states/countries in particular that you can’t wait to get to?
I don’t know if we can say we have favorite spots yet, we have had a blast everywhere we’ve played. Richmond, VA in particular was a blast when we played with ShotClock (who rule) so we are psyched to get back down there this weekend and maybe see some familiar faces. We loved playing Pouzza Fest in Montreal and we are beyond psyched to be heading to The Fest next weekend.
We are super hopeful to hit the UK next year. We want to see Phill’s (Hunt, guitarist) hometown and find out how aggressively quaint and delightful it is.”
The new EP is made up of songs that many who’ve seen you on stage have already experienced in a live setting. How has the finished product, if at all, developed and changed from what was written to the stage and then to an eventual studio recording?
“The big difference is really in the backing vocals – I had a ton of stuff in mind but our first year was such a whirlwind that I didn’t really get to sit down with the dudes and go over backing vocal parts until we went into the studio. The song “Raleigh” in particular has a lot of little details and twinkly bits that are hard to convey live, and it was really cool to hear that song come together.“
Speaking of the studio recordings, we noted how “live sounding” the tracks on Spine First! are. How did you manage to capture that energy from the stage into what will be released on the new EP?
“Oh that’s good! We definitely wanted that, so I hope that’s true. We shared a vision of going for heart over perfection in the execution, and sometimes I had to say ‘Yeah that vocal take wasn’t exactly on the money pitch-wise but I put so much heart into it that I really want to keep it as is.’ I was specifically asking for little weird intakes of breath and “exertion sounds” to be kept in. My pronunciation of the word “heart” was so weird on “Back to the Wall,” however, that I did get convinced to re-record and try to sing it more like normal people.“
The new recording is the first to formally welcome Darren Lourie on bass but you have Kyle Paradis from Oh the Humanity! playing the studio tracks. Paradis, at least for the Rumble, handled live bass filling in for Joe MacFadzen who was on the earlier release last year. Do you feel like you’ve found your person with Lourie?
“Yes, we actually met Darren for the first time when he came to visit us in the studio! So far he is putting up with our nonsense. He’s super talented and fits in with us so well that it feels weird that we didn’t know him before. Definitely looking forward to getting his “voice” on future records.
I really do miss Kyle’s hair flips, though. Darren really cannot compete in that area, bless his heart.”
You have a slew of shows on the slate, hitting VA, FL, and then back to MA in early November in addition to Spine First! releasing on 10/20 (And hopefully, the inevitable pass the torch performance at next year’s Rumble). What’s next for the band in terms of touring, recording, and beyond?
“We’re hoping to get back in the studio ASAP. Got a bunch of songs we’re working on and psyched to start airing them out. We would love to just keep doing what we’re doing, introducing ourselves through local shows and getting on the road as much as we can without, you know, getting fired from our jobs. And hell yeah, can’t wait to pass on the crown next year!!”
Spine First! is out tomorrow (10/20)! We’ve heard it. We love it. We think you will, too. Read our review here and then head here for all things ONE FALL to find out where you can hear the new music first and also where to catch the band live.