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.
Boston’s Future Teens inserted themselves into the album of the year conversation with September’s Self Help. The near-flawless record from Triple Crown Records, flaunts vulnerability and catharsis over delicious morsels of bummer-pop melodies. TGEFM was lucky enough to get a few moments with the band for our latest installment of the Roll of the Dice interview series.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the release of Self Help, not trying to kiss your ass at all but I’m really digging this album. What’s been the response you’ve gotten from live crowds thus far?
Daniel: Thank you so much for listening, glad you’re digging it! The response to the album has been amazing and tour was everything we could’ve asked for and more. It’s especially special to be able to bring along bands we love to play for our fans and have them fall in love with their music too. Truly a dream come true.
Obviously, we are all going to have our own takeaways from the new album, but what is the lyric or moment on the record that you are most proud of?
Amy: We had a lot of fun recording “Going Pains,” the last track on the record. It was a fun challenge to try and arrange a quieter, more intimate song. Definitely a special moment recording it and it seems like people have responded well to it!
What stood out most to you with this recording compared to 2019’s Breakup Season?
Colby: The biggest difference was that we all got to be in the same room recording at once. It let us make changes in real time and get the songs to where we wanted them to be. We also got to work with a producer named Andy Park on this record which was an incredible experience.
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?
Daniel: Hard to pinpoint exactly but the past few years have certainly changed our perspective in many different ways. We were so non-stop with touring in 2019 that we hardly had time to write much-less be healthy. Being home for so long gave us a ton of time and space to focus on ourselves and our own mental health which I hope is reflected in the songs.
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?
Amy: Love this question!! Besides Rat Tally and Camp Trash (who we just got to tour with). We’ve been loving Big Nothing, Cavediver, Wild Pink, Lady Pills. So many great bands right now it’s hard to remember them all.
Now that the world has its hands on Self Help and you’ve completed your first headlining tour, what’s next for Future Teens?
Daniel: Next step is to play the cities we didn’t get a chance to on this run. More tour dates coming soon…!
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/
