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.
Santa Rosa, California’s Decent Criminal is bringing their indie-punk-garage melding sound to their latest record, There’s More to It Than Climbing. The new record, due 19 May, on Diised Records is the band’s fourth full-length. Guitarist/vocalist Tristan Martinez took a few moments to sit down for a Roll of the Dice interview with TGEFM.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the upcoming release of “There’s More to It Than Climbing.” What should TGEFM readers know about Decent Criminal and this record?
Of course; thanks for having us/me. This record represents us better than our past ones. I hope people hear it without knowing much about it or us really.
What album, band, or even, significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
Originally was probably my dad’s tunes, Mott The Hoople, Ian Hunter if I had to name one. “Honaloochie Boogie” is my favorite of theirs. There’s levels of connection to music that started early for both Hunter and I. The communication is raw, and we grew up feeling that that was communication in its purest form.
You guys are touring this year, has the post-pandemic world/mindset affected your attitudes or habits for live performances?
We tour every year, naw, think it’s just motivated us to do what we want with our lives. And this is what we wanna do.
The world has been going through some shit over the last few years. What affect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music?
It’s had little to do with my creative output. We don’t really choose our subject matter. Just choose what to keep.
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 know about?
Shutups, A Giant Dog, Andrew Cashen, Vacation
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/
