INTERVIEW BY JOE FITZPATRICK
PHOTO AND VIDEOS BY LAURA MURRAY AND LAUREN VERSINO
One of the most notorious pop punk bands in America right now, the men of BROADSIDE have been recording and touring as much as possible across America over the past few years, and they are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They recently filmed a music video for their song “Storyteller”, which will be featured on their split with JULY, and they are also in the process of recording a full-length record. Through pop punk “bromances” and a constant supply of Mexican food, BROADSIDE has become one of the best known bands in the scene, but they still have lots of love for the Virginia music scene. I recently had the opportunity to talk to their drummer Andrew, their bassist Josh, and their guitarist Niles about the bands current projects and what fans can expect from their new music.
I heard the house show that you guys played last week with FAR FROM PROPER, COUNT TO FOUR, BATTLEGHOST, and AUDIOSTROBELIGHT got shut down by the police after your first song. Do you guys like playing house shows despite the potential threat for a noise complaint?
Andrew: For sure! House shows are the most fun and most intimate. It’s usually an all-around good time.
Josh: I think it’s great when kids show up that know each other that are trying to build up their scene and hang out, not just to start fights and wreck shit.
How did your band get started?
Andrew: Jade and myself were living out in Cali, but we didn’t know each other until we met in a band that will remain unnamed. I am originally from Richmond, but I was going to school out there. We eventually decided to start our own band, and we both wanted to move back to Virginia. When we met the other guys, we just wanted to record and tour as much as possible.
You recently filmed a music video for your song “Storyteller” off your upcoming full length with Laura Murray Photography. What was the concept for that, and when will it be released?
Andrew: It’s based around when you are dating someone for a long time and you start to get comfortable in your relationship with them, and when you look back on the good things you realize why you are still together. We shot it at the overlook off [Interstate] 95. The song will be on our split with our friends JULY, but no date has been set for its release yet. The music video should be out within the next month though.
What can fans expect from your upcoming record?
Niles: It will be a much different sound. We have had a few member changes, and this record is gonna be a more fine-tuned sound with heartfelt and honest lyrics. It’s gonna be a lot more rock and less bubblegum. There will be moments that will make you sad and happy and make you smile and want to cry. We really feel it’s a way more mature record.
Who are you recording the your full-length with?
Andrew: We are recording the split with Sam, who is the drummer of JULY, so we decided to record our full-length with him too, but we have not decided whether we are going up to him in Canada or if he is going to come down to us.
Your band has a close relationship with many other bands in the scene, but which pop punk band do you guys have the biggest “bromance” with?
Andrew: That’s really tough. For a while, GIANTS AT LARGE, MAJOR LEAGUE, FOREVER CAME CALLING, and us were a sort of “Rat Pack” (laughs). GIANTS [AT LARGE] are great guys. We did the full U.S. with them, and that was crazy. FOREVER CAME CALLING took us out on their second tour, and those guys are really genuine, no bullshit. We are also really close with WE STILL DREAM. We love those guys.
How do you feel about the current state of the pop punk scene in Virginia?
Andrew: It’s cool but I wish there was more. The scene is pretty tiny, and I wish people were more receptive to it. I think the important thing is to keep pushing get kids out to shows.
Josh: There used to be a huge following and everybody would go out to shows at Alley Katz (currently called Kingdom). Now, our generation is running it and setting up shows. I think it’s great that we can be part of that and put something positive into kid’s lives that they can identify with. It helps guide the next generation to keep the music going.
Are there any bands in particular that you would like to tour with, living or dead, that you have not toured with before?
Josh: Slipknot would be awesome (laughs). But I would love to tour with SAVES THE DAY, NEW FOUND GLORY, and HIT THE LIGHTS. We saw the HIT THE LIGHTS the first time they played at Kingdom, and they were a solid influence on what we wanted to sound like as a band. THE STARTING LINE was a big influence as well.
Niles: I would love to tour with THE EARLY NOVEMBER. They have been my favorite band since I was 15. Or ACCEPTANCE if they ever got back together, but realistically, I think it would be awesome to tour with STICKUP KID. Their new record Future Fire is amazing.
Andrew: For my dream tour, I would love to do a Drive Thru Records Takeover Tour with their old line up. I would cream my panties over that (laughs). But as far as a real tour, I would just love to play with all of our friends, JULY, GIANTS AT LARGE, IN COURAGE, just have a big fest party.
You guys should set that up for real. I would totally go to that.
Josh: 2014 (laughs).
As a band, which do you prefer more: tacos or pizza?
Andrew: Tacos by far—hands down. I never really understood the whole obsession between pop punk kids and pizza. I mean pizza is cool, but we have a Mexican in our band so we usually go for tacos or burritos.
Are there any other bands or musicians from Virginia that you think others need to hear?
Andrew: IN COURAGE, BATTLEGHOST, GWAR, RANDOM HOLIDAY, RACE THE SUN, STRIKE ANYWHERE, COWABUNGA, AVERMAN, LAMB OF GOD, DOWN TO NOTHING, and many more. We support ‘em all. We just like rock and roll.
Do you guys have any last words or final thoughts?
Andrew: Just a huge thanks to everyone that has supported us. Go to local shows and support your scene. Also, thanks to THE DOMINION COLLECTIVE for what you are doing for this scene.
For more information on BROADSIDE, follow them on Twitter and “like” their Facebook page.
