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.
After having toured with big hitters like Simple Plan, State Champs, As It Is, We The Kings, Tiny Moving Parts and more LA’s Northbound is ready to continue his upward trajectory with the upcoming album Juniper. Prior to the record release, Northbound has joined TGEFM for the latest in our Roll of the Dice interview series. Check it out below.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the upcoming release of Juniper. What can you tell us about Northbound and your sound for readers just discovering the band?
Thanks for having me! I’m Jonathon and Northbound is a project I started back in 2012. I’m a singer/songwriter but the majority of the records are that of a full band. Northbound kind of exists in a semi-hybrid state of a solo project/a band. If you like bands like The Starting Line, Say Anything, or Alkaline Trio, you may dig what I do.
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?
Take This To Your Grave by Fall Out Boy was the record I used to play on my iPod when I was 10 years old and literally imagined myself playing the songs. I remember falling asleep every night with it blasting in my headphones and wanting so badly for that to be me. That was really the album that changed everything for me. I also grew up in Coral Springs when New Found Glory was a local band in the area, so that was a massive influence to me as well.
The new singles have distinct Drive-Thru Records vibes and seem clearly influenced by nostalgia. The scene has seen something of a renaissance in the last few years. What do you see that’s going on out there that has gotten so many people back on this latest wave in the scene?
I think everything is cyclical. First, the 90’s were trending, and now Y2K is having a huge moment. It’s just the nature of trends. I think my generation (I’m 30) is deeply hungry for nostalgia. To people born after the year 2000, the Drive-Thru era is kind of ‘vintage’ now. Which is crazy. I just make stuff that sounds like what was formative for me. It’s what I’ve always loved so I’m not too sure what specifically is attracting people, but I like that it’s happening.
We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
I try really hard to not turn down gigs and heed advice! I regret not moving out of Florida sooner. I love my family and it will always be home but I’m having a bit of a weird experience as a guy who moved to Los Angeles at 29. I spent many years of my career stuck in unhappy situations, in a place that I was intellectually ready to leave but emotionally couldn’t pull the trigger on. My trajectory might be in a different place if I got out of my hometown sooner.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences as a touring musician so far? What’s been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
How much time do you have? There are so many weird, funny, and uncomfortable moments. I’ve spun out vans in the snow several times and somehow didn’t ever crash. I’ve stayed in houses full of people on drugs. I’ve been broken into and robbed twice. Then we got free guitars from Fender after that, which was amazing. I’ve fallen asleep sitting up in a recliner, wearing my boots, for 8 hours. I’ve slept in a van more times than I can count. I’ve met people who are still my closest friends, by chance at shows with nobody in attendance. I played a show in Scotland before I ever played a show on the West Coast. I feel like I’ve lived many lives.
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?
There are so many good bands that don’t get enough love. Boy Don’t Cry, Super American, Speak Low, Noelle Sucks, Woolbright, dba James, Jane Remover, and Slowly Slowly.
Once the world has its hands on Juniper, what’s next for Northbound?
Hopefully getting back on the road to promote the release. I’ve also been experimenting with producing my own music which is a little bit different from other stuff I’ve done, and I’m keen to release that soon.
What do you wish I asked about or that you had more of an opportunity to speak about during this interview?
I think you covered a lot of good topics! I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak on the music at all, no complaints from 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/
