Mary Rose Obsession

AND after an extensive judging, narrowing down, and voting process, we're proud to announce that...insert drum roll...MARY-ROSE OBSESSION will be the opening band for the HTZ-FM 25th Anniversary Concert! Their sound and live performances impressed us at the station and your votes crowned them the winners. If you want to check them out for yourself, you'll have to win to get into this exclusive Anniversary show at L3 on November 24th. They'll be rocking, we'll be rocking, and hopefully we'll see you there! - HITZ-FM

GO CANADA GO!!!SUPPORT YOUR CANADIAN MUSIC!!! - Meatus

Alan Cross of 102.1 The Edge's "Explore Music" 5 songs you need to know, Mary Rose Obsession gets the nod.
- Music Critic Alan Cross

"Solid music from MRO - Rock and Roll Report

"Changing the way rock n roll is for the next generation" - Rogers Television

What a week! Despite the warnings, I was nowhere near prepared for the lethal amount of awesome happening all at once during Canadian Music Week. Like every music lover, I had to make sacrifices and miss some great shows in order to be at others, but I can definitely say I am wholly satisfied! From east to west coast, indie to major, hip hop to hoedown, here are the top 4 shows I attended:

4) Mary Rose Obsession at The Ballroom – March 12, 2011

Smooth vocals atop edgy rock riffs combined with catchy lyrics, hardcore fans, and looks that could kill; the guys of Mary Rose Obsession have “next big thing” written all over them …in red lipstick. From their style to their sound, MRO is rebranding rock ‘n roll by injecting the craft with lethal amounts of straight-up sex appeal, making it their main attraction instead of a mere characteristic. Having been recently chosen to represent Toronto in the final round of Hard Rock Café’s annual international Battle of the Bands competition, they were one band I was more than looking forward to seeing again during Canadian Music Week, and I’m so glad I did.

First off, my camera absolutely loves these guys; capturing all of their attitude and personality was so effortless I barely broke a sweat – well, not from working hard anyway! All jokes aside cameras don’t lie, and there wasn’t a single soulless frame in my set. Crowds don’t lie either, and Mary Rose Obsession attracts one of the loudest, best looking crowds I’ve ever seen at a small show, and it’s no fluke either because they know all the words and aren’t afraid to dance.

A solid cover song always helps to make an indie show memorable, and MRO made this particular performance extra memorable with four covers, each one better than the last: Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire”, The Stones’ “Jumping Jack Flash”, Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive”, and a pretty decent rock rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around Comes Around”. “I love watching the expressions on guys’ faces when we play that song,” vocalist David Grandinetti joked about the JT cover.

MRO’s original music is just as diverse as the covers they play, reminding me of Kid Rock one minute, Rage Against the Machine the next minute, and Nine Inch Nails a minute after that, but what makes MRO’s sound fresh and distinct is Grandinetti’s strong rhythm-n-blues inspired vocals. For example, one of my favourite songs, “Wild and Young”, starts out with a cutting electric riff and big drums that would lead you to expect punkish vocals, but they are instead smooth and controlled, accented with as much backup and attitude as the moment requires.

The best part about Mary Rose Obsession in my opinion is how fast they are writing quality new material. After just releasing their first full length in Fall 2010, the guys have already written and are performing a slew of new hits like “Wild and Young”, “L.A. Lady”, and “Sugar Sweet”. Mark my words, if MRO continues to maintain this momentum without spinning out of control, they’ll be topping charts in no time.
- HitsNGiggles

Hundreds of bands around the world have been battling it out at their local Hard Rock Cafés for a chance to perform with Bon Jovi at Hard Rock Calling, a three-day music festival held in London, England. After four weeks of qualifying rounds, the judges at Hard Rock Café downtown have made their decision: Mary Rose Obsession will be representing Toronto in the next round of the competition.

The battles downtown started out strong with a traditional Celtic band, Rogues, being the first to advance to the city finals held on the fourth week. Their incredible musicianship and beautifully executed classic Celtic performance (bagpipes, kilts, and Scottish snare included) were just enough to win over high energy rockers Monday Rose, whose lead singer is fantastic and was the entertainment highlight of the night, doing all but cartwheels across the room.

The following week was even more memorable with an outright killer performance by Mary Rose Obsession that had them sailing to the finals and me sailing to audio/visual heaven. These guys put on a wholly satisfying package deal of a show with their insanely charming stage presence, strong vocals, and heavy hitting STP meets Green Day meets Rage Against the Machine style sound. The crowd was loud and loyal, singing and dancing and chanting their support nonstop.

A Primitive Evolution, a seriously talented prog rock act with a dark theme, easily outshone three other bands during the third week of qualifying rounds, taking the last spot in the city finals. A.P.E.’s impressive and strong visual act includes a team of backup dancers called the Death Girls, two hilarious mascots called the Moops, a smoking hot female bass player, and a maniacal dreadlocked drummer.

The three finalists made for one hell of a diverse final round with each band being so distinguished in their respective genres. The competition was truly equal, the results were very close, and the show was beyond intense! It was one hell of a battle, and after Mary Rose Obsession was announced the winner, they closed the night off with two celebratory songs including an awesome cover of “Wanted Dead or Alive”. Find out more about how to vote for them online in the worldwide competition by going to the Hard Rock Battle of the Bands website linked above. - Lithium Magazine

Yes, this was a battle of the bands but Mary Rose Obsession are much more polished than your high school rock group. They've got a mix of influences all stemming from the popular hard rock genre (I'd put Finger Eleven in with them; a friend likened them to Danko Jones). The stage presence from the two pairs of brothers is impressive and shows that they've been at this for some time, yet still one step away from gaining recognition for it. They have built a small but loyal following and perhaps a win in the next round would not only secure them an opening spot for Bon Jovi in London, England but have that fan base explode too - or at least they'll start getting some rotation on The Edge where they would fit in nicely. Check it out and cheer 'em on, might just luck out and take in their pretty darn entertaining reinvention of Justin Timberlake's What Goes Around..


Best of luck in the finals Wed. Feb 23, 2011 back at the Hard Rock! - VERNACULAR

Canadian Music Week 2011

Smooth vocals atop edgy rock riffs combined with catchy lyrics, hardcore fans, and looks that could kill; the guys of Mary Rose Obsession have “next big thing” written all over them …in red lipstick. From their style to their sound, MRO is rebranding rock ‘n roll by injecting the craft with lethal amounts of straight-up sex appeal, making it their main attraction instead of a mere characteristic. Having been recently chosen to represent Toronto in the final round of Hard Rock Café’s annual international Battle of the Bands competition, they were one band I was more than looking forward to seeing again during Canadian Music Week, and I’m so glad I did.

First off, my camera absolutely loves these guys; capturing all of their attitude and personality was so effortless I barely broke a sweat – well, not from working hard anyway! All jokes aside cameras don’t lie, and there wasn’t a single soulless frame in my set. Crowds don’t lie either, and Mary Rose Obsession attracts one of the loudest, best looking crowds I’ve ever seen at a small show, and it’s no fluke either because they know all the words and aren’t afraid to dance.

A solid cover song always helps to make an indie show memorable, and MRO made this particular performance extra memorable with four covers, each one better than the last: Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire”, The Stones’ “Jumping Jack Flash”, Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive”, and a pretty decent rock rendition of Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around Comes Around”. “I love watching the expressions on guys’ faces when we play that song,” vocalist David Grandinetti joked about the JT cover.

MRO’s original music is just as diverse as the covers they play, reminding me of Kid Rock one minute, Rage Against the Machine the next minute, and Nine Inch Nails a minute after that, but what makes MRO’s sound fresh and distinct is Grandinetti’s strong rhythm-n-blues inspired vocals. For example, one of my favourite songs, “Wild and Young”, starts out with a cutting electric riff and big drums that would lead you to expect punkish vocals, but they are instead smooth and controlled, accented with as much backup and attitude as the moment requires.

The best part about Mary Rose Obsession in my opinion is how fast they are writing quality new material. After just releasing their first full length in Fall 2010, the guys have already written and are performing a slew of new hits like “Wild and Young”, “L.A. Lady”, and “Sugar Sweet”. Mark my words, if MRO continues to maintain this momentum without spinning out of control, they’ll be topping charts in no time.

www.maryroseobsession.com
- Lithium Magazine

Mary Rose Obsession on ET Canada - ET Canada

Is rock still alive?

Plasticized pop stars and three-chord pop-punk dominate the airwaves.

Bands with the soul and purity of classic rockers like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and the power and energy of more modern rock gods like Stone Temple Pilots or Oasis are hard to come by.

Unless you're already acquainted with Mary Rose Obsession.

The band thinks it's time for a rock and roll rebirth, and they would like to be part of the movement. The band is comprised of four Markham-raised men: brothers Christopher and Matthew Bundas and David and Daniel Grandinetti.

Since forming a year ago, the band's been raising eyebrows and packing shows with people impressed with their sound, which draws influences from rock of the '70s, '80s and '90s.

"That era of rock was so good," said Chris, the lead guitarist, explaining that he can't think of a current band out there that will be like the next Rolling Stones.

"Our goal is to create something that stands the test of time," he said.

"We want to create that timeless energy," David, the bassist, explained.

"There's no soul in music anymore," Chris lamented, citing the recent pop-punk and emo explosion.

That's why Mary Rose Obsession hopes to inject their rock philosophy in the scene. Their sound may be on the forefront of a movement, Chris explained. "I look at things like Guitar Hero and Rock Band and all these kids listening to these old bands ... I think the kids are turned on to this kind of sound."

But Mary Rose Obsession doesn't worry too much about attracting the proper demographics, though their fan base, they say, ranges in age.

"The bottom line is we play rock and roll because it's what we love," Chris said.

It's a common thread between the men. "As soon as we started out, we had really good chemistry," Matthew, who plays drums, said.

Chris, David and Daniel are graduates of Brother Andre High School. Matthew graduated from Markville Secondary.

Vocalist/guitarist Daniel recounted the first time they jammed together, working on a song. "By the end of the night, we had the song down," he remembered.

The past year's been a busy one for the band. They've self-recorded and produced a demo in their basement studio and have played gigs at local hotspots like the Drake Hotel and the El Mocambo.

Mary Rose Obsession's music has caught the attention of some high profile fans, including Canadian gossip blogger Zack Taylor. He featured them on his site, hotornotgossip.com.

"We were hot. Not not," Daniel joked.

Mary Rose Obsession's track Fame is the theme song of Mr. Taylor's website zacktaylor.ca.

Mr. Taylor has invited the band to perform at his Winter Bash 2009. Mary Rose Obsession - the only unsigned band on the list - will be on stage alongside artists like The Salads and Fefe Dobson and cast members from Degrassi: The Next Generation tonight at Lee's Palace.

It's a big opportunity for them to network, since the event includes a red carpet entrance and is expected to attract media, the band said. On Feb. 12, the band plays an indie music festival at the Opera House in Toronto. It starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Representatives from Roadrunner Records and Sony-BMG Music Canada will be there, said the band.

"This is what we're working for," Daniel said. The band isn't nervous. "We believe in our music ... no matter who's watching us, it's just fun," Matt said.


http://www.yorkregion.com/printarticle/87447

- KEELY GRASSER

October 31, 2008
MUSIC SHOWCASE: MARY ROSE OBSESSION...
It's hard to find a GOOD Rock N' Roll band these days, but the boys of Mary Rose Obsession have finally brought old school rock back!! Their debut album, Chains to Nowhere, is filled with high energy tracks that will take you on an emotional roller-coaster... Yet another reason to check these Toronto-based guys out!!

Check out their MySpace for more great songs and info - I have no doubt these guys will be rippin' up the rock charts in no time!! - Zack Taylor

John Derringer, Q107 radio personality and celebrity, calls them “a good old Rock N” Roll band” and uses their name in the same sentence as greats AC/DC.

Check out the blog @ www.myspace.com/maryroseobsession
to hear audio clip

- John Derringer

Kim Mitchell, Canadian Recording Artist, “This is one rocking band” and about guitarist Christopher Bundas, “That kid can play guitar!” - Kim Mitchell

Indie Solo .com makes Mary Rose Obsession the pick of the week after their featured date on Dec. 17/2008 - www.indiesolo.com

Pier Dibiase of Metal Work’s Institute of Sound and Music Production “ There is no question as to whether they should be signed, the only question is who is going to sign them first.” - Pier Dibiase

Steve Sexton (Musician and Music Producer to such stars as Anne Murray, Platinum Blonde, Celine Dion, and Bryan Adams) says, “There is no doubt that they have the talent and the musicianship."

- Steve Sexton

my fave rock group right this second in Toronto. It's Mary Rose Obsession! The Grandinetti and Bundas brothers are something! Solid REAL rock n roll that flows thru your spine. These guys are super talented. MTV, VH1, MUCH.........watch out! I met them when they performed at Zack Taylor's Winter Bash 3 weeks ago January 31st. Footage of interview coming soon due to a delay. Trust me, you wanna see this one. They have these two songs, called Rock n Roll Queen and Wanderer. I need to nominate them for a TIMA award this year. THIS IS A BAND!!!! PERIOD!!! ALL CANADIAN TOO.

Kemi Omololu Olunloyo

GO TO:

http://www.hiphossip.com/2009/02/meet-mary-rose-obsession-one-truly.html

TO GET THE FULL STORY ON MARY ROSE OBSESSION - Kemi Omololu Olunloyo