Molly Rocket Are on a Mission
Ahead of their Stonecutters’ appearance at Lion Arts Factory, alt-rock outfit Molly Rocket chat about their rapid rise, relatability and what’s next for the energetic 20-somethings
Image by @jydnforreal
To anyone looking on, it seems Molly Rocket are well and truly in orbit.
In just two short years, the four-piece have dropped their debut EP Syrup, performed at Groovin The Moo, won an SA Music Award and toured nationally with Northern Beaches band, The Rions. Next, they’ll play Stonecutters this June alongside TOWNS, Pinch Points and Civic.
But according to 20-year-old drummer Joseph Keating, Molly Rocket’s success is a case of right place, right time.
“We finished high school and none of us went to university [except for] Ben,” he tells The Note. “So, we were like, fuck it. Why not? We’ll start a band. Then it just got way out of hand…”
The alt-rock outfit burst onto the scene peak pandemic in 2021. Despite there being a massive question mark over Adelaide’s live music industry, the band made the scene their own. Molly Rocket sold out eight gigs straight after their first show, quickly developing a loyal following from their frequent appearances at Grote Street’s Broadcast Bar.
“We were gobsmacked that we sold out all these shows,” Joseph says. “We were, like, ‘All our songs are three chords. There’s nothing special going on here.’”
But their ’90s-inspired, chaotic on-stage energy and repertoire of angst-driven songs struck a chord. Adelaide was hooked on the band’s jangly grunge noise.
“We played at Jive for Mums Favourite’s ‘Primrose’ single launch [in 2021],” says Joseph. “We were 18 or 19 at the time and these middle-aged dudes kept coming up to us and saying, ‘That was sick, we haven’t seen anything like that in years!’”
It gave Molly Rocket enough confidence to pursue a rock sound that’s non-conforming and unexpected. Or, as Joseph describes it, a noise that’s a combination of ‘an old Superman comic and an old cigarette ashtray’.
“It’s because a lot of our songs are really energetic and fun, but then they’ve got this grittiness to them – like the 90s,” he says.
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Inspired by luminaries like the Pixies, Nirvana and Sonic Youth, Molly Rocket’s catalogue moves between dazed-out party lullabies like ‘Asphalt’, nostalgia-soaked songs like ‘Dive’ and the unravelling noise of ‘Rabbit Hole’.
The track topics are just as diverse. They sing about love and lost youth, isolation in a dystopic universe, a bandmate’s sick dog and even death, with hit track ‘Methany’ loosely inspired by cannibalistic murderer, Joe Metheny.
The drummer says most of Molly Rocket’s music isn’t “really about anything at all”. However, he reckons people find ways to relate to whatever the band plays on stage. “I think it’s something people enjoy – you know, deriving what they want from the song. It’s what you make of it.”
Molly Rocket’s refusal to be put in a box is their secret to success. The unpredictability is infectious. But Joseph says it’s a mentality shared with the city’s up-and-coming scene.
“People were sick of Adelaide not getting the attention it deserves, so they started making killer music,” he says. “Now 16-year-olds are playing heavy and psychedelic rock, and it’s coming out amazing.”
While their debut EP Syrup only hit airwaves in May, the band are already working on their first album in between tours, gigs and their day jobs. “Syrup sounds like old Molly Rocket,” Joseph says. “We’ve got a whole new sound.”
The change in direction is partially due to the arrival of new guitarist Liam Garvey – who’s inspired more by the hypno-groove of Tame Impala than the ’90s grit and grunge. But the band is also keen to experiment with Ben Main as the lead vocalist alongside powerhouse singer Georgie Evans. “We don’t want to fall into mediocracy,” he says. “We don’t want to start writing songs [because] we know they’re going to be a hit. We’re trying to stay authentic.”
Besides, Molly Rocket are just getting started.
“The EP is done, we’ve played some unbelievable shows, we’ve got [The Rions] tour and then Stonecutters…we’re keen to see what’s next.”
See Molly Rocket play at Stonecutters alongside TOWNS, Civic, Mini Skirt and more on Saturday, June 24, at Lion Arts Factory. Tickets are on sale now!
