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.
Featuring members of Good Riddance and Lagwagon, Cali-punks Versus The World are preparing to drop their next foray into the melodic punk world. The band recently dropped “Roadsick/Roadsick,” the lead single off the recently announced The Bastards Live Forever due to be released on Sbam Records, 26 May. Frontman Donald Spence lent us a few minutes of his time to participate in a Roll of the Dice interview. Check it out here.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the upcoming release of The Bastards Live Forever. What can you tell us about the songwriting process on these tracks?
Where do i start?! We came home from tour after supporting Homesick/Roadsick and Tony and I had songs written for the next record ready to go. None of them seemed that rad. A couple of them made it onto this record after we revisited them and gave them the love they deserved, but we didn’t start writing this record til the pandemic. So a couple of these songs were started three years ago. But during the pandemic, Tony and I decided that we would create a bubble, where his family and my family would isolate, so we could visit each others home and write this record together. We had sent demos back and forth and found, what I think, are the best songs we’ve ever written. But being together in person is the way that we write best. We are a team, and I am lucky to have him.
You guys have all been at this for quite a bit now, what about the chemistry of Versus The World separates this project from your previous ones?
I am lucky to work with absolute professionals that have been in bands that I have been close to and toured with for 20 years. We are all very close friends. We decided to play together based on a chemistry established over years of friendship. We’re all at a point that if something isn’t magical we’re not going to do it. I know that the bands they’re all from share the same bond. We’re lucky that we found this spark outside of our other projects and lives.
What stood out most to you with this recording compared to your previous trips to the studio?
Cameron Webb. We were more prepared for this than any other record due to how much work we put into pre-production. But the minute Cameron and I met we had that thing. That rock and roll thing that you can’t explain to someone that hasn’t felt it. We’ve never been pushed harder. Never had to really take criticism… and never been expected to make art on the spot if something wasn’t working. Ive never had as much fun singing as i had with him.
The term supergroup gets thrown about quite a bit, and Versus The World is certainly a band whose pedigree has earned the title, but how, if at all, does the pressure of the moniker play into the songwriting? How do
you cope with the high bar you’ve set for yourselves in the eyes of the audience?
Thats not a thought that comes into play. We’re musicians that found each other and wanted to make music… just like when we were kids in a garage. We hang, drink, travel, and spend time together. We just happen to have bands you may have liked. If anything there is way less pressure because everyone is an insane musician and knows what’s involved in making records and touring. Less bullshit. More fun.
The scene, and music industry in general, has changed dramatically since the 2005 formation of VTW. What has been the most difficult to adapt to and where do you see things heading over the coming years within the industry and scene?
Well when we started you could make money making records. That just not a thing anymore. People expect that music is like porn. It should just come free when they look for it on their cell phones. That is the new what’s next. Music has never been more accessible but its also never been more free. Make art for art. If you wanna make money. Get a job.
What affect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music?
This record was all personal. All focus was on our immediate life. The world might have been crumbling but I was rebuilding.
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?
I listen to good singers. I like story tellers. Sam Cooke, Willie Nelson, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison, Righteous Brothers. Oldies are my go-to at home. My favorite band is The Hold Steady. I wish I had some small hidden gems for you, but really I’d rather sing my guts out to Hall & Oates than anything.
Now that the world will soon have its hands on the record, what’s next for VTW?
New record, new tours. Finally get to play songs live again. We have a couple videos coming out but really all I care about is singing songs on stage with my friends.
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
Not really. Say hi to us on tour. We’ll be at the bar
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/
