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 Chicago-based OK Cool, finds the dynamic duo of Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist bringing an original take on the sounds of Camp Cope. The pair have released their new EP fawn via the band's own label, Take a Hike Records. The Bridget and Haley were kind enough to join TGEFM for another Roll of the Dice interview to chat about the new EP, their influences and what their listening to now.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview and congratulations on the upcoming release of the Fawn EP! What should our readers know about the members of OK Cool and your sound?
(Haley) We're silly little people. We're doing our best. We try to make music that we would want to listen to.
(Bridget) Definitely that. Haley and I have been in numerous bands together (as the rhythm section) up until this point, but this is the first band I've ever sang in, and this was the first time we really stepped into the main songwriting role for a band, and it's been equal parts terrifying and rewarding!
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?
(Haley) All American Rejects was a big musical awakening as a kid. I would go to the library and rent their CDs to add to my family iTunes. I learned their songs on guitar. It was the first band that I felt like I had “discovered” independent from my parents' influence, and it lit a spark.
(Bridget) Green Day, 100%. Hearing American Idiot was the first time I had heard any sort of modern alternative rock music, I think. I was totally in awe of it all – that whole record has so many intricacies, I wanted to figure out how I could make those sounds on guitar. I went and bought the tab for the whole book and just played along in my room for hours.
Nobody can deny the world has been changing drastically over the last few years. Where do you see the future of music, both for OK Cool and also for the scene at large transitioning in light of these events?
(Haley) The post-pandemic world brought our local music scene closer together. It's like, if you're still doing this after the last few years, you must really mean it. I think, overall though, music is becoming more and more digital with Tik Tok making a song a hit overnight. It's hard to know how that will shape music in general, but the focus seems to be on singles and catchy hooks. It's tough to try and play that game, so I think OK Cool will keep making music that we like and just have fun with it.
(Bridget) Yeah, it's really intimidating to be faced with all of these digital “content creator” hats that you seemingly have to wear to even have a chance at making it big. We try our best to put stuff out there and play the game while holding onto the scraps of our dignity and humanity. I don't foresee any TikTok dancing in my future – the public deserves better than to have to see that.
Outside of the music industry sphere, the world has been going through an ungodly amount of shit. How have the political and cultural landscapes of the last few years affected or bled into the music you're putting out?
(Haley) I work for news radio, so the state of the world is part of my every day. “nissanweekends” was inspired, in part, by “digital grief” and how it can suck you in. A lot of these songs were written in the tail end of pandemic times, and the in-between of isolation and merging back into tasks definitely carries over.
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?
(Haley) Teamonade from Ohio is one of my all time favorites.
(Bridget) I think people are really sleeping on The Dreaded Laramie, who are our Nashville buddies that we'll be touring with in the summertime!
What's next for the members of OK Cool?
(Haley) We have a big summer lined up with some yet-to-be-announced gigs and a tour in the works.
Was there anything I missed that you'd like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
(Bridget) Make sure you get caught up on the new music videos we have out – I guarantee it's worth your time!
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/