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.
Chicagoland rockers The Brokedowns are preparing to drop their new record, Maximum Khaki, on Red Scare tomorrow, 20 January and celebrating with a release show (tickets) on 28 January at the Burlington Bar in Chicago. Before any of that though, the punks took some time to share some wisdom in the latest Roll of the Dice interview. Take a look to find out more about the band, its future and who they think you should check out between spins of Maximum Khaki.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats in advance on the release of the new album, Maximum Khaki. What can you tell us about the record and what you were listening to between recording sessions?
Although this was a strange time period to make a record, it was fun to make – it felt really low pressure and actually was very cathartic for me to get together with my best friends (especially during the later stages) to get this record finished. Kris wrote an awesome batch of songs and I’m thankful to have been a part of this.
I was listening to a ton of stuff during the making of this album – kinda all over the place, but right now these are in heavy rotation for me:
Meatwave – Malign Hex
Martha – Blisters in the Pit of my Heart
Green/Blue – Paper Thin
Canadian Rifle – Peaceful Death
Marissa Poternoster – Peace Meter
What stood out most to you with this recording compared to 2018’s Sick of Space? What effect on the process does the familiarity between the band and Joe Gac when he records the records?
The main difference would obviously be the pandemic delay… We had drums, bass, and some guitars already completely tracked in early spring 2020 and then everything went to total shit and we just kind of sat on it until we finished it off between winter 2021 and spring/summer 2022.
Gac is just a member of the band now. That’s how it feels and I think it just adds to the fun of making music together. We can set up shop and record just about anywhere and it’s going to be a good time hanging out. It takes the edge off the process and just helps everything come together in a fun/natural way.
The Chicagoland punk scene has had a longstanding reputation for being among the flag-bearers for the scene. How have you faced the pressure of being among the champions of the second city scene over your careers and do you feel like the high standard set before you has helped or hurt your musical growth?
I think all of us feel lucky to have come up in such an awesome music scene, basically since we were kids. There were always shows going on and a community of people doing creative things – many of which are still involved today so I’d say it had a positive effect on our song writing, in the sense that it is inspiring to be around people doing cool/creative things just for the pure enjoyment of doing it. We all just enjoy being together and going to shows and hanging out, and being around other friends that are into doing the same thing, whether that be in Chicago, or Minneapolis, or Gainesville, or wherever. I don’t know if we have ever really felt any “pressure” or anything like that. I think we have gotten really good at looking at our records as a document of a specific time period and not over thinking it too much beyond that – “Here’s a group of songs we made at this time…”
What affect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music?
Well, we did have an actual real-life villain as a president…
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?
Check out:
Wig – Spinning Out
Time Thieves – Space
Dangerous Chairs – Introducing Dangerous Chairs
Now that the world is about to have its hands on Maximum Khaki, what’s next for The Brokedowns?
We will probably play some shows and do some stuff. See ya in the pit!!
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/
