The Brooklyn-based grungy rock band Trophy Wife started their mission in Boston, where they navigated two parallel systems: Berklee College and the city’s subterranean music scene. The band has the chops to rock, and rock they do, most recently on the single “So Hard,” a tune that would’ve lighted up the airwaves back in the heady glory days of modern rock radio. But now, in 2025, you can play it on Nina while you pretend you are a DJ with a sturdy job at a station with a name like “94.3 The Edge.” Read our interview with McKenzie Iazzetta, who makes up the band along with Christian Pace and Michael Martelli, and listen to “So Hard,” below.

What is “So Hard” about?

McKenzie Iazzetta: “So Hard” is about how much you’re willing to compromise to get what you think you want. Sometimes it just seems like everything should be way simpler than it is and it makes me think maybe some people just like to be sufferers.

In Boston, you were involved in both the DIY music community and Berklee College. How did you navigate in and out of those two worlds, which sometimes are seemingly a bit at odds with each other?

I think it was really nice to live away from the college “campus.” It gave us all a chance to have a school experience, but also build our own world when it came to music. We met a lot of our best friends in our wet, crowded basements. 

What’s the best and also most annoying parts of being a band based in Brooklyn?

I guess there’s just so many of us! But that’s also what makes living here so fun. You can’t swing a cat without hitting a band in Brooklyn.

Do you listen to much contemporary country music? What’s a recent country song you’ve loved?

I listen to a lot of country from the 2000s/2010s! I’ve been revisiting a lot of Miranda Lambert lately. I love “Gunpowder & Lead.” Now that I think of it, that song is nearing 20 years old but I stand by my answer. 

How do your songs typically come together? Do you write music on the road? 

We tend to have the skeleton of the song written first by me in my room and then I bring it to Christian and Michael to make it real. Half the time it comes together right there in the first practice and the other half we beat the song into a pulp. I think we definitely come up with ideas on the road! I keep a notes page in my phone where I write every little thought down that I have and being on tour definitely gives me a lot of time to sit with my thoughts. 

You’ve recorded some music at Ashlawn Recording Company in Lyme, CT. Any good stories from any of those sessions? It’s fairly rural, right?

Yes! We recorded there with Charlie Dahlke on his family’s farm. It’s awesome because every morning we get to see goats and horses and pigs, though the pigs do not like to be interacted with. The second time we went there we found out that Michael was some sort of Family Guy savant. We were trying to watch TV after one of the days of recording and he was like, “Oh guys! Let’s watch episode one, season nine of Family Guy. It's the first episode they ever aired in HD!” We were incredibly impressed.

What’s the best worst show you’ve played as a band?

Our first show in Brooklyn in 2022 was at this bar that I’m not even sure exists anymore. There was a huge storm going on and the part of the bar we were supposed to play in was sort of a covered patio situation. Water was fully leaking onto the stage onto the outlets and gear so we were completely ready to get electrocuted. But there was a really awesome performance artist that went on before us and she did a lot of costume changes which rocked. I think we made $12 total.

You can only listen to a single grunge song for the rest of your life. What is it?

We came to immediate agreement that it’s absolutely “All Apologies” by Nirvana duh.