Badflower is an American rock band founded in Los Angeles, California. The band is composed of singer/guitarist Josh Katz, lead guitarist Joey Morrow, bass guitarist Alex Espiritu and drummer Anthony Sonetti. The band is signed to Big Machine / John Varvatos Records and was named Artist of the Week by Apple Music after the release of their EP Temper in 2016. Their debut studio album, OK, I'm Sick, was released on February 22, 2019. Their second album This Is How the World Ends was released on September 24, 2021.
History
Formation and indie label releases (2008–2014) Badflower's earliest incarnation, the Cartunes, formed in 2015, when music school students, Northridge CA born Josh Katz, and Gilroy CA transplant, Joey Morrow, met at their Hollywood CA apartment building. The pair moved in together, and began writing songs for their 5 piece band. They released a self produced EP in 2011 but after losing their bass player and rhythm guitarist, reformed as rock band Badflower, recruiting Espiritu and Sonetti to round out their ranks. They played several shows in Los Angeles including a weekly residency at The Key Club and gained attention from satellite radio personality and former NSYNC member Lance Bass. After a performance at The Troubadour, opening for Kongos, the band signed with former independent record label Hundred Handed and began recording their first music release.
Major label signing and Temper EP (2015–2016)
Badflower released their debut single "Soap" via Hundred Handed records on March 4, 2015, and debuted its music video on Loudwire the same day. Shortly after the release the band flew to the United Kingdom to support Australian pop duo The Veronicas and played to sold out venues including London's Heaven. Then, upon returning home to the US, the band headed straight back on tour to play several showcases in Austin, TX for SXSW and South by So What?! in Grand Prairie, Texas supporting Circa Survive. A demo version of the band's song "Animal" was also used in record label executive John Varvatos's show during New York Fashion Week. The band was then flown out to New York City to showcase for Varvatos and head executives at Republic Records with the prospect of making a deal. After the performance, the label immediately began negotiations which included a buy-out from their previous deal with Hundred Handed.
Impatient with the negotiations, the band took it upon themselves to begin recording an album in their garage. On March 10 the band signed with John Varvatos / Republic Records. When the conversation about making an album began, the band confessed they had already begun making it in their garage and submitted a nearly complete version of "Temper" to the label. To the band's surprise, the label loved the self-produced collection and began preparing to release the unanimous favorite, "Animal," as the first single. "Animal" was premiered on Guitar World website and released on September 1, 2016. Following the release of the single, the band performed across the US in support of Billy Talent on the "Afraid of Heights" tour in September, 16. While on tour, the band gained attention from active rock radio stations and top programmers for iTunes and Apple Music.
The band's debut EP, Temper dropped on November 4, 2016 and Badflower was named Apple Music's Artist of the week. "Good, Old-Fashioned Rock n' Roll May Have Just Made a Modern Comeback," declares Nylon Magazine Active and Alternative rock radio began spinning "Animal" regularly and was added by stations such as SiriusXM Octane and was voted #1 on KROQ locals only for multiple weeks in a row. iTunes named "Animal" among the best rock songs and Temper among best rock albums of 2016. A few songs from Temper were also featured on Spotify's most streamed music playlists including New Music Friday Following the buzz, Badflower was asked to headline KCRW's School night in West Hollywood, CA on December 19, 2016. The band recruited friend and Big Bang Theory actor Johnny Galecki to join them on stage to close the show. On December 31 "Animal" entered into the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and peaked at number 28. In addition, by March 2017 their single "Animal" from Temper had cracked at 1 million Spotify streams and as of 2018 has garnered them over 2,000,000 streams. Soon after the release of Temper EP on December 12, 2016, Badflower began touring to promote the release.