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.
If you have even a passing interest in punk and don’t know Dave Smalley you’ve done something wrong. Dude is a goddamn legend. Whether you know him for Travis Barker tattooing his “Can I Say” vocals tattooed across his collarbone or you’ve been properly introduced to Smalley through his time in DYS, Dag Nasty, Down By Law, All or his current project Don’t Sleep the man stands atop the mountains of influence he’s spread. With Don’t Sleep preparing for the release of See Change, TGEFM was lucky enough to speak with Smalley about the new record, regrets, advice and what’s next!
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! Congrats on the upcoming June release of See Change. What should TGEFM readers know about the record and the songwriting process that went into it?
These songs were recorded at the same sessions as the debut album, but always envisioned as THE second album. So there is a continuity between the two albums, which is really nice. Records as an entirety are all about karma and flow and vibe, and honestly I think this album, See Change, is one of the best flowing records I’ve ever been a part of. Tony and Garrett especially put a lot of time and effort into getting that vibe just right. When I heard it all put together I just said: wow! Put it on loud in the car, and drive like hell.
You guys have all been at this for quite a bit now, what about the chemistry of Don’t Sleep separates this project from your previous work?
I think every band is special and unique, and that is part of why we’re all fans of music in this life – you can crank up Motorhead and then later put on Bob Marley, and they’re both incredible. As parents, it’s kind of similar — you know, you love each child 100 percent, but, it’s also good to acknowledge each child’s individuality and encourage their talents. So that said, Don’t Sleep has a really powerful chemistry — and sound. It is very much a sum of five very distinct parts, each integral to the band. Tom McGrath’s distinct guitar playing and riffs, for just one instance, are ridiculously great, and Jim Bedorf is an insanely talented and exciting drummer. I also really love that this group is essentially founded on a shared deep respect and love for hardcore. The songs that shaped us as kids are part of our DNA, and as a band we’re really respectful of that, and it bonds us. The songs that are coming out of this group, on this album, are exciting.
While this is only the sophomore record from Don’t Sleep, you guys have seen the industry and scene change quite a bit, as the album title suggests. What has changed the most in the scene and industry from your
perspective? What’s been the hardest thing to adapt to and what change have you found to be the most positive?
On a logistics front, the change from physical product to digital is still something that is interesting to me — so many bands have boxes and boxes of unsold, unwanted CDs, but that same band will get tons of listens on Spotify or Pandora or other platforms. I love that vinyl has come back. But in a more spiritual sense, in many ways music is still the universal beautiful constant, regardless of the time or era. As human beings, music moves us all, and shapes us universally, helps us express elation or escape pain. It breaks down barriers and encourages us to rock hard, to love, to recognize we are all part of the human family, and enjoy that shared universe flowing through each person around the world. So the formats and forums change, but the energy and vibes that shaped us, remain.
The term supergroup gets thrown about quite a bit, and Don’t Sleep is certainly a band whose pedigree has earned the title, but how, if at all, does the pressure of your past work play into the songwriting? How do you cope with the high bar you’ve set for yourselves in the eyes of the audience?
Thank you. It’s a great question. I think for me the key is to love what you’re doing, at whatever point in life. And, parallel to that, to love your past adventures too. For me, I will always love DYS, Dag Nasty, ALL, Down By Law, and Dave Smalley and the Bandoleros. Most of those are still vibrant, creative, powerful musical forces in the world, hopefully helping us as individuals to be strong and caring and dynamic — and, just rock! For Don’t Sleep, that’s the key — do we love it? Do the music and lyrics make the world a better place? And, very important, does it rock? You gotta have all three of those.
What effect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music?
None for me — for me, hardcore was always an individual journey. I don’t really like labels and am not part of a team. Having said that, it’s interesting that while lots of people get more conservative as they get older, I feel I’m getting more liberal as I age, and as my understanding of the universe grows. But ultimately, labels and teams just separate us, divide us. I am into whatever brings good people together, lowers barriers, and increases human compassion and love. That’s the focus.
Having attained veteran status in the scene, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
Another great question. There’s a line in the DBL song “Soar” on the album Lonely Town that says: “As I get closer to the end, I see your face/I see my fate/One love could make it all ok/One light to see the way/Lift a cup of regret, drink deep.” As human beings, we all have huge regrets. But, living in that past, or for that matter living in past glories, leads us away from the Present. It satisfies nothing, and leaves only regret or longing, and avoids conscious presence in the Now. I think for me the best answer is: all roads lead us to where we are, and that’s where we’re meant to be. But all roads also bend, dip and rise, so no situation ever stays the same. Hopefully that means our mistakes don’t repeat.
When you each started touring and recording you were all pretty young, looking back now, what advice would you have for the young, up-and-coming acts today?
Believe in your music. Believe in yourself. Believe in each other. All the hard work becomes easier if you have that foundation of trust and conviction. And, really important: for goodness sake, get good at your craft. Whatever instrument you play, get good at it. And, listen to your favorite musical inspirations and analyze why a particular song moved you, why it’s perfect. Become a true musician. Work your butt off.
Are you finding the new Don’t Sleep fans meshing well with the ones who’ve followed your careers for a while? Has the post-pandemic world/mindset affected your attitudes or habits for live performances?
Yeah, everyone seems to dig it. Which is great. Fingers crossed. It’s an exciting time.
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?
My 19 year old son was just staying w me for a couple of weeks, and it was awesome. What was really cool was him educating me, not the old guy educating the younger one. And some of it was about newer groups, like Fontaines DC who are really exciting and unique, but some was about Joy Division or Eddie and the Hot Rods, a band that formed even before a lot of the early great punk groups, but that somehow I had completely missed. So there are discoveries to be made.
Beyond the release of See Change, what’s next for Don’t Sleep?
Hopefully having fun, being creative, wherever that leads us.
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/
