Artists You Should Know: Broadside
Broadside continues to re-define musical genres and perfectly march outside the pop punk realm; The Richmond natives blend soulful vocals from singer Oliver Baxter with an instrumental powerhouse found in guitarists Niles Gibbs, Josh Glupker and Dorian Cooke to heart racing beats delivered by drummer Andrew Dunton.
A Light In The Dark resonates with all ages and reminds listeners of a hopeful underlying message of survival. The band may have missed a few radars before, but after releasing an impressively catchy album with Old Bones and several large tours, it’s clear that they’re leading the musical journey to take over and bring their own style.
Q: What was the writing process for Old Bones?
BS: We went in to the studio with a handful of rough demos recorded and random ideas pieced together. We all sat in the studio for days during pre-production and basically tore all the demos apart and rebuilt them with Kyle Black (producer). When we started recording we had a skeleton of a song but it gave us room to experiment with different ideas until we had something we all liked.
Q: A Light in the Dark’s powerful perseverance message resonates within minutes of listening. What was direction you wanted to go with the music video and how does the song resonate with you?
BS: The way ALITD has come in to fruition was so organic. We were close to finishing the record,but still had this interlude that needed vocals. Ollie just asked if he could freestyle the lyrics. I [Andrew] still remember the exact moment, the studio was dark only lit by Christmas lights and he stepped to the mic and just let go. It was such a strong emotional vibe in the studio I don’t think any of us said anything for minutes haha. So when it came time to do the video we wanted to have something the represented a vibe we got when the song was written.
Q: What are some lessons you’ve learned as an artists so far and what are some future goals?
BS: I [Andrew] have learned never to put a timeline on anything and just let it happen. This business is so unpredictable that expecting anything by any certain time is unrealistic. Just keep pushing. As far as goals, I would love to be able to travel the world playing our music and meet as many people as I possible can.
Q: A lot of fans and outlets have labeled you as a pop punk band, was that always your musical direction and do you see it evolving to something else in the future?
BS: All of us grew up listening to early 2000’s pop punk IE: Drive Thru era so I’m sure it shows in our music. As we are getting older we are all branching out with our musical taste but don’t think we will stray too far from our sound.
Q: What’s the story behind the contagious song, Coffee Talk?
BS: The song is about being with someone and enjoying their company so much you are content with anything and everything you do.
Q: Where did the band name originate from?
BS: We all liked a one word band name and we didn’t want a name where you would hear it and automatically categorize it in a genre.
Q: Storyteller has remnants of a lot of classic bands, What are some musical influences?
BS: A lot of early pop punk, we all listen to a lot of hardcore bands and Hip Hop haha so we pull from a little of everything.
Q: We have seen a few of your live shows and that crazy energy from the stage is unforgettable. What are some pre-show rituals to get you that motivated?
BS: When we play live, all of us are having the time of our lives. We usually stretch, some of us drink adult sodas, and get hyped to play.
Q: You just also released an action-packed video for Come & Go and that looked like an intense roller derby, how hard was it to film while skating?
BS: Oh man, this video was so much fun, yet so scary to film. All of us except Dorian didn’t know how to roller skate that great, so we were all scared to death. The roller derby girls were no joke. We were really getting our asses kicked out there but they were so nice and fun to work with. Shooting the performance while skating was something I could honestly say was a first. Trying to focus on playing the song right while trying not to bust your ass, but yet still keep up with the camera was a challenge.
Q:Why should a new listener check out broadside?
BS: All our music is honest and comes from real experiences. We want you to connect with us and feel something when you listen to our music. Then come see us live and have a blast with us. We are a group of dudes that like to meet people, hang out, and have fun.
Broadside was originally published on Lines in a Song
