RANDOLPH HERALD - Randolph band Agree to Disagree gains a name playing punk pop

Randolph —

The night before Zachary St. Paul’s first show with the band Agree to Disagree, he didn’t know the lyrics to one of the songs.

Guitarist and Drew Finnell finished up the lyrics, and e-mailed them to him.

“It was ultimate trust,” St. Paul said of the first show in March.

The band has been together for about two years, with St. Paul joining in 2010.

Prior to St. Paul, 19, of Randolph, who does double duty as a guitarist and singer, the band had a female vocalist.

Bonnie Shaw and guitarist Joe Pina parted ways with the band in the late fall and early winter of 2009, bass player Bobby Magnell, 20, of Quincy, said.

Since St. Paul has come on board, he’s taken to writing songs, as do Finnell and Magnell. St. Paul’s vocals also have cemented the band’s pop-punk sound.

Writing the music is a democratic process. Magnell said one band member will have an idea for a guitar riff and bring it to the group, and it goes from there.

Magnell tends to write music before lyrics.

Finnell works differently. He writes lyrics, and while doing that, comes up with a melody.

St. Paul starts off with both music and lyrics in mind.

If there’s an idea for how vocals should sound, the other members of the band run it by St. Paul to see if it will fit.

“We like the music we play,” he said.

When the guitar and bass parts are written out, the band turns to drummer Steven Kunevich, 18, of Randolph, who gives the song a heartbeat behind the drum kit.

“It’s fun. We have a good time,” Finnell said during a Saturday afternoon practice in Randolph.

The band practices in the basement of Kunevich’s house.

He said he volunteered his house because he was tired of lugging his drums.

With regular practices, the band also plays shows. So far, they have two slated for this summer.

“It feels like we always play in front of new (people),” Finnell said.

He said he used to get nervous before taking the stage, but not so much anymore.

“We just try to put on a good show,” Finnell said.

Agree to Disagree will perform at the St. Mary’s Dance-a-Thon Sunday, June 27, in Randolph, and at Jerky’s Bar and Music Hall in Providence Sunday, July 11.

In addition to shows, the band is hitting the studio this summer to record some tracks for a forthcoming album.