Roll of the Dice: 6 questions with Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards

Features, Interviews, Roll of the Dice

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.

& the Poor Bastards have amassed an impressive following through the Internet, garnering more than 20 million streams across cyberspace. Now, following Rapture Waltz, the fourth album release, Johnny has joined us for our roll of the Dice interview series.

Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the release of Rapture Waltz. What can you tell us about yourself and your sound?

It's a blend of all the stuff I'm into, which also is always changing and going back and forth. Generally, I write around piano as my main writing instrument, but that changes when I feel like it as well. I was a jazz performance major in college, with my instrument being percussion, so there tends to be some influence from that through the music. I grew up with grunge and punk, so that's at the heart of it underneath all the nerdy stuff.

What have been some of the most memorable moments (most unexpected, weirdest or best) you've experienced as musicians?

One of my most memorable experiences was during this duo tour we did with piano and drums in March 2023. We were on a six-week tour, and Ethan and I were somewhere in Georgia I think. There was this beautiful dam, and all this signage for the Army Corps of Engineers. We parked and hung out for a bit and met this lake dog that one of the kayak rental shop owners had. Ethan took a picture on the disposable while I was pissing on a tree. It was beautiful.

We've all got a few. What are your biggest regrets: A gig you turned down, advice you didn't take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?

My biggest regret really is that I didn't let myself get involved with other projects during the first four or so years of this band. I was really tunnel visioned, and that helped get things moving, but I think I suffered as a musician in some ways because of it. I think it's important to keep playing and working with other people to grow as a musician and writer.

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?  On the flipside to that one… Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about?

Ben Folds really was a catalyst, but not as a pianist. I heard him and I was like, man this guy doesn't have an especially amazing voice, but he fucking rocks anyway. It made me feel like I could write and perform even if I didn't love my shitty voice. I think Green Day was as well when I was really young, because Billie Joe Armstrong's lyrics were the first that I ever found myself sitting down and analyzing as a child.

As far as bands people should check out, I have been loving The Dirty Nil. They're from Canada, recently moved to LA I think, and they aren't that big yet. I think these dudes rock and I would love to tour with them at some point.

Not to put the cart before the horse, what's next for now that the record is in people's hands?

I'm going to tour, tour, tour. Covid put me in a box for years, just like everyone else. I wanna get out and meet fans, and perform in cool venues, and see the cities I've never been to. So expect lots of that. I've got plenty of material to work through as far as recording goes, so I'll be getting to that sooner than later.

Was there anything we missed or that you'd like to put more focus on?

I just wanna say thanks for listening, thanks for the interview, and I hope you all like the new record. See you on tour!