Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A Pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Featuring members of Kid Dynamite, Halo of Snakes, Zoloff The Rock & Roll Explorer and Step Ahead, Philly's Crossed Keys took a big step out of their own shadows with the 2019 release of Saviors and are preparing for the release of Believes In You shortly (preorder). Following the release of lead single, “Victim Complex,” TGEFM had the chance to roll the dice and chat with singer Josh Alvarez. Give it a read below.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats, on the announcement of “Believes In You.” Could you tell us a bit about this album and how it came about?
We were already writing a follow up to 2019's SAVIORS when the pandemic hit. After all of the struggles and adjustments to a new world were made, we still had this in our collective back pocket and we weren't about to abandon the songs we had written. Plus we had a whole new host of struggles that informed the music we were writing, so we stayed the course. Slow and steady, as the saying goes. Lo & behold, through sticking to our guns and not giving up hope, the record is ready to see the light of day.
The term supergroup gets thrown about quite a bit, and Crossed Keys is certainly a band whose pedigree has earned the title, but how, if at all, does the pressure of the moniker play into the songwriting? How do you cope with the high bar you've set for yourselves in the eyes of the audience?
I prefer the term “Superb Group”, but that's just me. Pressure never really plays a part in our process, simply because we are all friends first. Mainly, we just want to be as honest and pure with our music as we can be. I hope we set a high bar for ourselves because it's why we push so hard to reach higher with every subsequent release. Being in this band with these people, I've come to understand that if we're pleased with what we make, then chances are, people watching and listening to us will be pleased as well.
You guys have all been at this separately and collectively for quite a bit now. What about the chemistry of Crossed Keys separates this project from your previous ones, and how did this recording session compare to the process for Saviors?
We are all, first and foremost, friends. Our chemistry is rooted in a mutually held love and genuine respect that we hold for each other. The beauty of Crossed Keys lies in the fact that none of us are replaceable, that we couldn't even do this with a fill in player, if you know what I mean. The recording sessions for BELIEVES IN YOU were far different from the sessions that gave birth to SAVIORS. For starters, it's our second release and we learned so much from our first one, like having that experience as our first foray together informed how we moved forward for this one. Also, we recorded the instruments with Dave Klyman and Andy Clarke at Retro City Studios, but we recoreded the vocals seperately with Brian McTernan at Salad Days Studios. When all of that was finished, we sent to whole thing to Steve Evetts for mixing and the back to Andy Clarke for mastering. There were a lot more hands in this pot than there were for SAVIORS, mirroring the growth we've done as a band between both releases.
What is it about music that you are most passionate about? What motivates you to keep writing?
The artifice of music is just the method by which we speak to the world. It's how we state our presence; to both anyone listening but also to ourselves. The thing that drives us, the thing that drives the constant urge to continue creating, is the thing that dials us in to the power that music can have; it's a connection to other people who maybe feel the same things that we do. That struggle with the same things that we struggle with.
The scene, and music industry in general, has changed dramatically since each of you got started. What has been the most difficult to adapt to and where do you see things heading over the coming years within the industry and scene?
Honestly, adapting to streaming from physical media wasn't that bad, it was just an adjustment that had to be made in our approach. The most difficult thing is finding our tribe in a landscape that makes everything broad and uniformly accessible. Finding out who exactly our band is for and figuring out how to play in front of those people. Not sure if we've cracked that nut just yet, but we're hoping that this new release shines a little light on it.
What affect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music?
Well, like the late Howard Zinn said, “you can't stay neutral on a moving train”. We all have had to deal with the rise of authoritarian ideals and conservative exclusionary politics in the past few years. Being a Filipino person in a scene that is predominantly white, I feel like I have the extra pressure of having to bear the weight of representing not only myself but also the voices of other black and brown peoples in this musical area. That, despite the lack of people that look like us here, our voices are still strong and powerful and still here.
Back to the new tracks and new album, what new songs are you most excited to bring to your live performances? What do you want those in the audience to take away from your shows?
Honestly, I'm just happy that we have a larger pool of songs to draw from. These songs, lyrically, came from one of the lowest points in my life, dealing with loss and sadness, but also taking away the hope and love that sustains us. It's how I personally managed to survive.I'm just hoping that people who hear it find some resonance in whatever trials they're dealing with and see the hope I was trying to give voice to.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
One of my favorite records from last year was Forever Sometimes by the band Dear Boy. Our friend Tim Hause‘s new record TIM is really good. I'm really excited about the De La Soul catalogue dropping on streaming services on March 3rd.
Beyond the release of “Believes In You”, what's next for the members of Crossed Keys?
Our plan is to play as much as we can on this record, in front of as many people as we can muster. We're really proud of this record and are chomping at the bit to share it with everyone.
Was there anything I missed that you'd like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
Just remember, with all of our hearts, we believe in you.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed's musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he's self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/