The basement was a mix of homemade studio and kitchen. A rack of guitars sat in the corner with a drum set to its right and a desk with two computer monitors sat to its left. Behind the computer system hung a large flag with four horse heads looking out at the room. Instead of a television, the TV cabinet held two Fender amplifiers. Pedalboards seemed to pop up from every corner of the room.
“We use this space to record our demos.”
Leo Son, frontman of Boston-based band The Q-Tip Bandits sat in the basement of a house in Brookline, Massachusetts he grew up in.
“We converted this room into a sort of makeshift studio almost a year ago when the pandemic closed everything and we had to find a place to practice.”
The Q-Tip Bandits met at Berklee School of Music in Boston and had gone through a number of different lineups over the past three years since the formation of the band in 2018. Originally a trio called Leo Son & The Q-Tip Bandits, the two constant members have been guitarist Leo Son and bassist Claire Davis.
Maclin Tucker was the next current member to join the group with his trumpet when Leo decided the band needed horns. The band worked as a five-piece with the addition of a trumpet player and a trombone player.
In 2019, Dakota Maykrantz replaced The Q-Tip Bandits’ original drummer. The latest addition to the band was Hoyt Anthony Parquet at the beginning of 2020, answering an Instagram story ad after the band’s previous trombone player left the band.
The nationwide pandemic caused by COVID-19 decimated the music scene across the country during 2020 with music venues shutting down and artists forced to stay inside.
“We learned that our big gig that we had been hardcore selling tickets and promoting for, opening for Flipturn, was canceled, we were like ‘oh god, okay,’” Claire said thinking back to the plans the band had before the shutdown.
The Q-Tip Bandits had scheduled to open for Flipturn, a nationally-touring group from Florida, in April of last year at Thunder Road in Somerville, Massachusetts. The band has not been able to schedule a performance since.
To replace the feeling of playing at venues, the band took up busking during the pandemic.
“The three of us have done it about 10 times,” Leo said pointing to himself, Claire and Dakota.
“We did a little in the fall, we waited the whole winter and then picked it back up as a whole band this spring,” Dakota said.
“As a whole band, it’s really fun. People are really receptive,” Claire chimed in.
A crowd gathers in the North End between Hanover Street and the Harbor. Live music has been scarce for the past year and it is not every day there are horns playing in the street. The Q-Tip Bandits play to a crowd of people walking home from dinner enjoying the brisk early spring evening.
A man who had been dancing and enjoying the show decided to run up to the performers and grab one of the microphones. He had crossed the line attempting to become an impromptu emcee for the band. They needed to get on with the show.
“Hey man, this spot’s filled. We’re not looking for new band members right now.”
In addition to rehearsals for the new album and recording demos of songs, the band put out their first music video for the single ‘Willow’ on Oct. 23, 2020.
The band sat down with the director to talk about the video when the single was first released in the spring of 2019, but plans were not finalized until July 2020. The video was recorded during the last week of August.
The group marched through tall grass, exhausted and sweaty. This part of the video would only be seen for a few seconds, but they wanted to get it right. This shot would take four takes.
“Reset. Go back and do it again.”
Before the start of the pandemic, The Q-Tip Bandits were ready to start recording their debut album. After it was clear that the members of the band would not be going back to school in person, there seemed like nothing better to do than to start planning out an album.
“We didn’t think [the pandemic] was going to go into the summer. So we said let’s plan an album.” Leo explained.
“We started our crowdfunding campaign, we got into the studio to record a single. Maybe by winter we can tour the first single and get hype around the album. Then we can record the rest of the album and by the spring we’ll be touring again and we’ll have the record out.”
Claire sat at a counter in the kitchen area of the basement looking at her laptop while Leo stood with his Telecaster slung over his shoulder, both listening to the demos the band had recorded over Dakota’s phone.
Dakota sat atop his desk in front of the two computer screens nodding his head and tapping his feet. He was listening for ideas he could use for the band’s upcoming album.
“Ooh, that fill was kind of hot.”
Leo nodded in agreement.
“Whenever we go into the studio to record and flesh these out; that’s why I have these,” said Dakota about the demos recorded on the voice memos app on his phone.
“I can listen to them and go ‘oh, that’s a cool idea.'”
The band was still waiting for the day they would be able to get in the studio at Plaid Dog Recording studios in Boston to record the album titled “Melancholy Flowers.”
The Q-Tip Bandits started using the basement as their makeshift rehearsal space at the end of August after drummer Dakota moved into the house in Brookline.
“I moved in and I brought all this stuff with me.”
Dakota’s drum set sits in the center of the room on a carpet next to a standup Kawai piano. Two pillows lay in the bass drum.
“We promised we wouldn’t practice after 10. If we’re being too loud, the people who live on the first floor will let us know,” Dakota aggressively mimed stomping his foot.
Above the set hands a disco ball the size of a cantaloupe reflecting the light from the computer screens. On the wall behind the drums hang dozens of electrical chords for guitars.
“I think another big factor that also influenced setting up the basement was that we used to rehearse at Berklee’s studios. And Berklee studios were closed because Berklee was closed. So we’re like, okay, well, we still need a space to rehearse,” Claire said.
Around the middle of May, the band received a call from Plaid Dog about recording the album.
The project did not get far. Soon Boston had increased restrictions to the point where recording anything in the studio had become impossible.
After Dakota had moved in, the group decided to start recording demos for the album. Taking the time to mull over what the music sounds like. Using this time to focus on what sounds good and what is not needed on the recording; saving time and money whenever they end up in the studio.
“We wrapped them all up by December,” remembered Dakota.
There is no set date for a recording session or a planned album release date. As things stand, the band is looking at possibly getting into the studio to record at the end of May or early July. Feeling pressure from the fans who donated to their crowdfunding campaign and from the expectations of putting out a great album, The Q-Tip Bandits just want to get back to work.
Leo tries not to let the frustration of being held back get to him.
“When we get in the studio, there will be no less magic happening when we’re making the record.”
Claire summed up what the expectations felt like to her.
“I feel like it can’t fall short of perfect because we’ve had so much time to prepare for it.”
While the dates have yet to be set and the frustration and pressure seem to keep building every day, The Q-Tip Bandits do plan to release their upcoming debut album on vinyl.
In the meantime, the band plans to keep up interaction with their fan base through social media. Live streams through Instagram, TikTok videos, even a recreation of the YouTube series “Hot Ones” where each member of the band will answer questions from their fans while eating spicy wings.
The basement of the house in Brookline has served as a sort of headquarters for the band over the past year during the time of COVID-19. It acts as a rehearsal space but clearly means much more to the group than just that. The weekly rehearsals have kept the band close like a family during the pandemic.
Leo stands in front of his amplifier wailing on his Telecaster guitar with Claire right next to him plucking away at her Music Man bass. Her voice echoes through the microphone and fills up the room. The song is called ‘Blue’ and it is going to be on the new album. Maclin plays along with Leo mimicking the guitar with his trumpet. The song ends with each member of the band looking at each other with a connection only musicians have.
“Want to play it again?”
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