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 Abruptors are a ska/rocksteady band from Buffalo, NY preparing to release their latest album, Noticeably Cheerless on Asian Man Records. The band took a few moments to answer a couple of questions as part of TGEFM's Roll of the Dice series.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats, in advance on the release of Noticeably Cheerless.
1) I won't call it a ska revival because ska is something that's never gone away, but there is a massive rejuvenation of the scene with The Interrupters, We Are The Union and Dissidente (my personal pick for album of the year, so far). What is it going on out there that has gotten so many people back on their boards to ride this latest wave of ska?
Mike Geraci: Honestly, I'm not sure. One day we were getting laughed at for playing in a ska band, the next it's the coolest thing in the world. But like you said, it never went away. It's been my dream to play ska since I was a kid.
Toni LaMantia: I think social media has a lot to do with it. It puts content in your face that you may not have otherwise thought to look up and then it reminds you that you enjoy it. Then you start looking for more. It also brings people in a smaller community together in a way that encourages more people to get involved.
2) What stood out most to you with this recording compared to 2019's Love & Other Disasters?
MG: Having someone actually produce! The first album was Mike Park saying “Just let Mike (Geraci) do it.” This time he wanted a producer to tell us what to change and, while it was difficult at times, it was definitely for the best to have someone outside the band give feedback.
TL: We became a lot better at our craft, both in songwriting and in performance. Don't get me wrong, I'm super proud of Love and Other Disasters but this album has a level of pizzazz that I think only continuously playing together and collaboration can bring.
3) The world has changed a lot over the last few years. What are some of the biggest changes, both positive and concerning, you've come across in your time within the scene?
MG: On the positive side, it seems like the younger generations are getting back into instruments and wanting to start bands. They're more accepting of people and generally just want to have a good time. On the concerning side, there's still a lot of gatekeeping and negativity from people our age and older. But hey, they'll be weeded out eventually! Ha.
4) 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?
MG: Possibly… On The Cinder, Dead Lounge, Tsunami Tsuprise outta Buffalo. The rest I'm sure you know from around the world.
5) Beyond the release of Noticeably Cheerless, what's next for The Abruptors?
MG: We've got tons! Even more music! We have a three-song EP of newer tunes in the works. We have covers coming out on a few comps, and tons of shows all over – Montreal and Chicago to name a few. New stuff pops up by the day!
6) Final question, and it's a big one … the world really needs to know … is Mike Park honestly as hardworking, kind and sincere as he appears? The romantic in me truly believes everything he works on makes the world a better place, but the cynic inside just can't believe anyone is that pure of heart at all times.
MG: I'll say this, they tell you, “don't meet your heroes,” and I've found that to be unfortunately true a lot of the time. But Mike Park is the kindest, hardest working, and just most genuine person I've ever met. I won't get into detail but he has gone above and beyond for us in ways I couldn't believe.
TL: Mike is quite honestly one of the nicest people I've ever met. I went out to California for a work trip and sent him a message and he was like, “Let's go for a walk,” which I thought was just the most normal and awesome thing. We walked around this cool park in his neighborhood with his wife, saw a bunch of turtles, and I met his children. It was just wholesome and awesome.
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/
