Nikki Nailbomb of Molly Rhythm

It isn’t every day that a band releases an album post-humorously.

The bands record label, Little Rocket, states that the group are on a hiatus. But if you listen to what Nikki Nailbomb has to say – it would seem more terminal. “Molly Rhythm was the perfect storm” says Nailbomb. Adding “There’s a lot to it. I also only have my own biased opinion” further adding to the feeling that the end is nigh. “Nine years in a demanding and expensive lifestyle in a country that doesn’t give you health care is not an option for everyone. This country’s government doesn’t give a fuck about that. And that’s not fair.”

Ironically enough, this comes shortly before the release of what may well be the group’s best effort. Perhaps a break and some time apart is what is need for Molly Rhythm to regain their… rhythm. I never said all my puns were good.

Molly Rhythm enjoyed some great moments right here in Montreal. One of those playing the main stage outside at Pouzza festival in 2018. The exorbitant crowd that were really enjoying the set would soon witness carnage, though. During the performance, Elissa Janelle Velveteen, the other vocalist in the band, climbed atop a speaker. And fell off. Smashing her face into the stage. A collective hush came over the crowd. Yet, to my amazement, Velveteen got up and kept going. Blood everywhere. It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen at a concert. And I’ve seen some shit.

I asked Nailbomb to recall what she remembered from that gig. “That was Elissa” replied Nailbomb. “On the last song, too. She played till the end, and since she liked to do that kind of stuff, I didn’t think it was as bad as it was. Because she got up so quickly But she got a really good amount of stitches.  She got off stage after spraying the crowd with blood and started to finally graciously accept ice and hold her face closed.  Lori helped her and went with her to the hospital in the ambulance and Jeff fronted the bill until we got home.

“The joke has always been, she can’t die! She climbed a lot and never fell before.”

On April 20th, Molly Rhythm’s third album will see the light of day. It may well become their final release, but time will have the final say on that front. The way Nikki Nailbomb laments, though, leads me to think there may yet be life in Molly Rhythm. “The music was becoming more adventurous and I loved it so much. We even have unfinished songs that rip” says Nailbomb. “They haunt me.”

See also : Tony Salador of Hood Rats

“We have always had a few members in and out. We had lost our very fast drummer Collin, who we were writing with. For Zach, our expert engineer. We focused a bit more on environmental hypocrisy for this last album.” Interesting choice of words, wouldn’t you say.

One of the highlights of Molly Rhythm, is the way Nikki Nailbomb and Elissa Janelle Velveteen provide duel vocals. Switching back and fourth between the two. “Elissa and I have been working together on songs since high school” explains Nailbomb. “We usually go with whatever inspiration hits first.  Sometimes we will bring forth a riff and a concept and play off each others inspiration. If someone else or the band starts to jam on a cool part and we get inspired, we pull out our composition notebooks or Google documents of lyrics. Or if we both like the same part, we each get a verse on it. And if we don’t, it’s pretty easy to decide who does what based on that.  We never forced anything I don’t think. It just came so natural. So did all the harmonies. We really liked what the other one created.”

As well as the new album, is a new music video. One shot in Montreal at Pouzza fest. The video, for the track “Fossil Fuels”, was filmed largely in Montreal – at the Foufounes Electrique and at the now defunct Katacombes. Further showing to what level the band gelled with the city of Montreal. “That was a secret show I believe” said Nailbomb. “We’ve made a lot of friends there in Montreal. It was so nice to play music to people who dig it. And we were dying to play Foufs, we saw so many great bands there. It’s a great venue.” Some might go as far as to call it the Canadian CBGB’s. If account for the role it has played for the Montreal Punk scene, then it does somewhat equate to its New York counterpart.

Nikki Nailbomb has been working on music away from Molly Rhythm. Quite a bit it would seem.

Nikki Nailbomb & The Amorphous Blob Orchestra

“The Amorphous Blob Orchestra is a super-group of musicians. Many in bands already, that came together to play my new record ‘Tyrannical’at first. Then Bern The Bastards songs, and we will be continuing on to be the back-up band for each other. “We have many members from Molly Rhythm, including myself and Bern The Bastard. Jeff Sward on tenor. Jon Rossi still on guitar and Zach Brown still on drums and recording. Zach’s partner Heather Rosenfeldt on all the cameras and other tech. We’ve got Pilot on trombone, who sings and plays guitar when she’s not blobbing. Liz Cisco who is a rapper and lead singer of Meganow.

“Caleb Ray Walker on bass, who I’ve been working with musically simultaneously for maybe 15 years now. In bands like Party Show, Idiot Boy and Karma Bat – the first band that Elissa and I were in together. and Jaime Parker from Alpha Rabbit and Meeko Brando to name a few, who has been adding the xylophone. But can also play everything else.  We have more people and more equipment then ever before, and we are keeping our chops up. We are also planning on one day doing songs with other various singer songwriters who don’t have a backup band yet.”

I wonder what all these people will be doing in their spare time! Hot diggity.

“I’m also putting together a folk blob orchestra. With my pals Skelly on upright bass. Caleb on banjo and Tim Garofalo on guitar. Jaime on xylophone, me on mandolin, and more. With the same mentality where we will be featuring each others songs. And I’m also putting together a small fast three or four piece punk band with Caleb and Collin, Molly Rhythms old drummer, where we just play my solo songs fast and heavy.”

Forget what I said about free time, then.

Nikki Nailbomb & The Amorphous Blob Orchestra were scheduled to play this year’s edition of Pouzza fest. As was Elissa Janelle Velveteen. Of course, those plans were blown to pieces by the COVID-19 pandemic. As was Pouzza fest and every other music festival, more or less.

“Yeah we definitely are thrown for a loop, but the plan is we’re gonna be there next year. Stay safe everyone, and work together, we are losing fellow humans as we speak.”

Molly Rhythm’s “Dark Matter” is available for pre-order now. The official release date is April 20, 2020 – through Little Rocket records.

 

Contributors