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.
This Friday, Tooth and Nail Records will release June, the sophomore record from Alabama's Make Sure. Singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Joshua Jackson (not that Joshua Jackson) joined TGEFM to discuss the record, his influences and the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! Congrats on the upcoming release of June. What should our readers know about Make Sure, your history and your sound?
Thanks for having me! Make Sure is a project I started in 2017. It's an eclectic project, basically a combination of all the music I like. I like to think in terms of full albums, because I've always enjoyed listening to records and experiencing the musical journey. Some formative influences for me would be My Bloody Valentine, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Smashing Pumpkins and Massive Attack, to name a few.
Let's talk a little bit about “June” and how it came into existence. What was going on at the time that helped kickstart and inspire the songwriting process?
A record that jump started things is Let It Come Down by James Iha. It's not a perfect album, but it stuck out to me because it is unashamedly sentimental, and somehow never cheesy. Somewhere on YouTube there was a comment I saw about that album, and the person said something like, “This album could move mountains with its sincerity.” I thought that sounded like a worthy goal, so I set out to make my own version of that with June.
You've got a single called “Infinite Rail,” an obvious nod to the THPS cheat code. The original game is coming up on its 25th anniversary later this year, so I think the world deserves to know: Why has that game's legacy survived a quarter century? What's your favorite stage/level? Which of your songs do you think would best fit the soundtrack?
Good catch! The Tony Hawk games are a ton of fun. That's the simple reason why they stand the test of time. The ones I played most were Tony Hawk's Underground 1 and 2. They were a big part of my childhood. I remember liking the “Skatetopia” level on Underground 2. If I had to include one of my songs on the soundtrack, I'd maybe suggest my song “Hearing Yourself” because it's pretty fast and kind of punk. Or maybe I'll just use that prompt as inspiration for a new song. Maybe someday I'll land a Tony Hawk soundtrack. That would be cool.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences with the band so far? What's been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
Well, the fact that I'm signed with Tooth & Nail is still pretty bonkers to me. That was certainly unexpected. I've been able to befriend some of my heroes. I remember praying for those things to happen, and then they happened. God is faithful in all things and he continues to surprise me. Things have been unexpected and weird, but in the best way.
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?
A few years ago we played a show with an artist named Will Orchard. I've loved his music ever since. Every time I listen to him, it inspires me in some way. It's creatively put together, and I really enjoy his lyrics. He reminds me a lot of Sparklehorse and Jeremy Enigk. His stuff is definitely worth checking out. So far, my favorite record of his is Old Friends on the Mountain.
What's next for Make Sure?
I'm getting married soon, so that's at the forefront of my mind. After that, I suppose it'll be onward to the next record. I enjoy discovering the identity of a new album. Right now I don't really know what it's going to be, so we'll see where it goes. I'm playing the Audiofeed Festival this summer, so people can come hang out with me there!
Was there anything I missed that you'd like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
That's all I had. Thank you for talking with me!
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/