Seth Jude Richard has a personal music history beginning with a Cajun-French music introduction from his grandfather, to working with Underoath‘s Aaron Gillespie on Richard’s Layden and the Lion and even touring with punk legends Ten Foot Pole. Now under the moniker S/J, he has released the single “Carry On The Name” via Thousand Island Records ahead of the release of Black Magnolias. TGEFM was lucky to sit down with Seth for a Roll of the Dice interview to discuss the music, parenthood and his influences.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congratulations on the upcoming release of “Black Magnolias!” What can you tell us about yourself, your sound and what makes you tick?
I Guess the first thing I will say is I am in LOVE with Bruno Beaulieu. The owner of Thousand Islands Records. I waited to do this interview today bc it is his Birthday! HAPPY BDAY BOSS MAN!!! I am a pretty simple guy, stuck in my ways. I don’t ask for much. I like my books and my loves. That’s about it. My sound comes from a long line of country and cajun music influences. Although I grew up when punk was really cool I still had all of those influences in me. It never left. Now I feel is the appropriate time to let it all out. I am not depending on music anymore so that is very freeing to do whatever I feel.
Let’s talk a little bit about how Black Magnolias came into existence. What was going on at the time that helped kickstart the songwriting process?
My little sister had just passed away and I basically never came out of my studio. My youngest son would spend most of this time locked in there with me. Between him and the music I was in this zone I had never been in.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
Lucero (Ben Nichols) and Chuck Ragan no doubt. These guys have successful bands but also do their own things that are way different.
We’ve all got a few, 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?
It’s hard to say I really regret anything. I am the guy who looks and things like, It happened the way it had to. So I could grow from it or something could grow from it. But in this game trust is a big thing for me. I have put my trust in a lot of people and gotten burned many times. It makes me look bad and also ruined relationships for me as well. So id definitely say I wished I had always just stayed independent and kept my trust in myself.
“Carry On The Name” sets the roadmap for your son. Obviously it can’t be easy to raise 2 sons with a touring schedule like what you keep. What is the example you hope to be setting for your sons? What advice do you have for the parents in the scene?
You know I was absent for most of there early lives and I have to give credit to their mom as she is one tough woman. She has kept the fort for many years and im so grateful for that. Especially when I first started and had no support.
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.
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/
