H R H - I N T E R V I E W S

Frank Pino from Waltham
Interview July 2005

Listen to the interview . . . WMA

Waltham (the band) took their name from their hometown, a quintessential New England factory city nine miles west of Boston, MA, complete with a hard-working blue collar ethic and emphasis on community. Their imaginations were fueled by staple ‘80s teen flicks like Fast Times At Ridgemont High and the early John Hughes movies. The music they bought on Moody Street was their soundtrack to these fantasies, which eventually manifested themselves as Waltham songs: guitar-driven, hook-laden, fist-pumping classics that blend together the best elements of ‘80s rock and the never changing ennui of being a teenager.

When Waltham debuted, the scene was populated by hyper-cynical and painfully introspective post-grunge. The members of Waltham adopted a more upbeat tone and sound, dressing in work clothes that reflected not only their roots and their outsider high-school fantasies, but their commitment. The sound and image that Waltham presented was a complete 180 from the music that was currently clogging the airwaves. Kids and scenesters alike instantly hailed them as daring and fresh, a return to feel-good rock and roll.

The Boston buzz on Waltham was deafening, bringing every major label to wine & dine the band. Everyone agreed the band was great, but the big labels couldn’t fit them into a cookie-cutter marketing plan. Enter Rykodisc. “Rykodisc has a history of working with some of the most acclaimed alternative artists from Boston, including Galaxie 500, Mission Of Burma, Throwing Muses and Morphine, but I’ve always been a fan of the Boston Rock A-B-C’s, too - Aerosmith, Boston and the Cars,” says VP of A&R Jeff Rougvie. “When I heard Waltham for the first time, it felt as fresh, exciting and different as Morphine did in 1993. I admired their audacity and loved the songs immediately.” Waltham was featured in a segment of MTV’s "You Hear It First." Former VJ Iann Robinson is a big supporter. "I like the fact that instead of the usual '60s and '70s garage rock most bands draw from today, Waltham draws from '80s pop-rock," said Robinson. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High-type songs - very anthemic and very cool. Plus they really get into it. Frank sings to the ladies, and every song makes you smile,” he says of the band. We couldn’t agree more.