Brooklyn-based trio Gooseberry isn’t just your average rock band. Comprised of Asa Daniels (vocals, guitar), Will Hammond (bass), and Evin Rossington (drums), they bring an eclectic blend of influences to their music, spanning from grunge to prog-rock, Beatles-inspired melodies, and even a bit of punk. Their wide-ranging sound, as Asa points out, makes them hard to pin down, but that’s exactly what makes them stand out. “I think we’ve been through so many different versions of rock that we can just be like, rock. I’m fine with being a rock band. I know what that means,” he explains.
Gooseberry’s formation is as quirky as their name. “We used to have another guy in the band,” Evin recalls, “and he worked at a restaurant where they served a gooseberry risotto.” After weeks of battling potential names like creme fraiche and dog people, they settled on Goosberry—albeit reluctantly at first. “Some people like it,” Asa jokes, adding that a U.K. radio host “absolutely hates our name. Sorry, Bryn.”
The band’s songwriting process is a mix of experimentation and live performance feedback. “A lot of the music starts with messing around on guitar, piano, something… and then we take it to another level in the studio,” Asa says. Their recent album features songs battle-tested on the road, evolving as they were played in front of live audiences. Will highlights this constant evolution: “What you hear on the album might sound a little different than what you hear if you see us live. So check us out live.”
Despite their musical influences and humorous origin story, Gooseberry isn’t afraid to dive into the technical side of their craft. Asa, a Scrabble tournament competitor in his youth, loves to layer his lyrics with nuanced references. “I want people who care about the words, who care about figuring out the world of a song or a record, to feel like it was worth it.”
For a band drawing inspiration from acts like Nirvana and The Beatles, while embracing the modern world of 2024, Gooseberry’s sound is a unique amalgamation of the past and the present. Their first single, “Kikiyon,” sets the tone with grungy intensity, while tracks like “Cherry Blossoms” venture into more melodic, Beatles-esque territory. “We’re never bored,” Asa admits. “One day we’re working on a ballad, the next it’s a big prog-rock thing with a drum solo.
Their creative energy isn’t confined to the studio. The band constantly experiments with their live sound, ensuring no two performances are ever quite the same. “Even past the time we’ve recorded these songs, they sound different in some ways because we keep messing with them,” Will adds. And when you see Gooseberry live, they promise to keep you on your toes—whether with their music or perhaps a Scrabble game after the show.
As they continue to hone their craft, Gooseberry remains unapologetically themselves, a band that is as comfortable leaning into their influences as they are pushing beyond them. Whether it’s through their playful personalities or their constantly evolving sound, Gooseberry is a band that’s impossible to pin down—but that’s exactly what makes them so exciting to follow.
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