Broken Daisies are influenced by 80's, and 90’s rock. Their original indie music is unique – yet you may hear shades of U2, Cranberries, and some say, Tom Petty. They have bluesy riffs, deep lyrics, powerful melodies, and driving drums. With strong musicianship and lively shows, fans are discovering a band that is soulful and fun.
Their Story…
Broken Daisies was formed in 2021 by drummer, Jim Petipas, who had been desiring to get back into a band for over 30 years. In the few years leading up to the band's formation, Jim sought potential interest from Anthony, Renato, Ben, and Stephen and when the timing was right the band came together. The band has been active in Boston clubs and surrounding areas.
In The Works…
The band is currently at Northgate Studio, in Bedford, Ma. working towards a 12-song album of all original music. They just released four singles and two lyric videos, which you can check out and download below! They hope to see you at one of their local shows in New England in the new year ahead!
Anthony Freddura - Lead guitar
Stephen Kaufmann - Bass
Ben Knight - Piano & Vocals
Jim Petipas - Drums & Vocals
Renato Zeppi - Guitar & Vocals
-Interview- (12/29/23)
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name "Broken Daisies" and is there any meaning behind it?
We are a unique band in a few ways. One of us is in our 60’s, two are in their 50’s, one just turned 30 and our fifth member is in his 20’s, which makes us quite an intergenerational band. Some of us are self-taught on their instruments, others are classically trained. A few of us have played in multiple bands and others have less band experience. These differences in age, musical experience and styles have led to our eclectic indie rock sound. Renato Zeppi writes most of the lyrics and music. He brings it to the band, and we all add our touch. In reference to our band name, one of our songs is called, “Broken Daisies.” Renato tragically lost his wife, Sue to the pandemic. Her favorite flower was a daisy. A theme of our music is growth out of brokenness. A daisy is a symbol of rebirth. This is a similar metaphor to From The Depths logo of a Phoenix rising from the ashes!
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
We desire people to take away a message of hope and faith in something bigger than ourselves. There are a lot of cracks in the pedestal of this world. Each of us have gone through, are going through or will go through some pain and suffering. We have a hope in knowing that this is not all there is. The other side of the coin of life is finding purpose in the pain and hope for the future and eternity.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
We have asked many people about our sound and have gotten ambiguous answers. We know it has an indie-alternative rock flavor. Most of us enjoy many different styles of music including classic rock, pop, blues, metal, and country. These influences have helped shape our unique sound.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Great question! All of us love U2 and the Beatles! I was just thinking the other day that it would be cool if Paul and Ringo did a reunion tour with Julian Lennon and Dhani Harrison. The chance of us touring with these bands would be phenomenal. If not, it would be fun to tour with a bunch of local bands of similar or varied genre…. maybe a Boston to Austin Club Tour!
5. How has Covid affected what you do?
Covid was a catalyst of bringing us together. A few years prior to covid I had asked Anthony if he might want to start a band. The timing turned out to not be right for each of our families. Then right when covid was starting I asked Renato if he was interested in joining a band. His whole family, including him, got sick with covid, and his wife lost the battle. A few months after the funeral I said, “Renato this is either a real bad time to start a band or a very good time. What do you think?” He said, “Just what I need!” Many in the band see part of our mission in the band is to support our Renato & Stephen (who is Renato’s son-in-law).
6. What’s your take on the current state of Indie Rock?
About 10 years ago I used to take my daughter, Olivia to a lot of shows. At the time she liked, Bombay Bicycle Club, The 1975, and Two Door Cinema Club among others. I began to like this music as well. Most of these bands fit into the Alternative/Indie vein. We had been calling our genre Alternative/rock, but then a guy came up to us after a show and said, “I really like your indie band!” I see Indie as a great melting pot of the different influences that resonate with Broken Daisies.
7. What's the current music scene like there in Massachusetts?
We have done nine shows over the past two years. Some house parties, and some festivals, but we have mostly enjoyed playing the music clubs. Boston and its surroundings have some great clubs! Many that have been around forever including The Middle East and The Burren, both of Cambridge. We have also enjoyed playing some newer clubs like Taffeta and The Jungle! We look forward to some upcoming shows in Lowell, Ma. at The Overlook and Worthen Attic. We have been very encouraged how each of these venues have been so supportive of new local bands. We strive to be open to different types of venues and audiences to get our music heard, hopefully liked, and all the while enjoying opportunities to play live!
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
The ability to pay the bills in the music business has always been challenging. Current generations might be more into streaming and less into physical product, but it’s cool to see some renewed interest in vinyl! We make minimal money from playing clubs, selling merch and we are currently making nothing from streaming. We are hoping that there might be some interest in our music for movies, radio, and playlists. It would be awesome if we could someday make some money with the band, but in the meantime we are moving forward out of our love for the music, the band comradery and building new relationships.
9. What's next for Broken Daisies?
We have just released four singles and are working on mixing our first full-length album (which we hope to put on vinyl as well)! We are shooting for a Summer 2024 album release. Beyond that we will continue to write new songs (we are up to 28 originals) and play where the doors may open.
10. Any shoutouts?
Yeah, a shout out to Three At Home (www.threeathomeband.com), another local band of friends who have been making music for more years than us. They have been awesome to partner with for a few shows, network and encourage us along the way. Also, longtime friend Tim Bongiovanni the owner and engineer of Northgate Studio (www.northgate.studio.com), Tim is co-producing and recording our first album. We also have held band practice at his studio most Monday nights for the past two years.
