A Chat with FiveSidedDice (19.07.24)
From pop-rock and punk to alternative rock with some indie-pop tossed in, along with sways from vintage to modern-day styles, FiveSidedDice is not an easy artist to describe. Truth be told, his unconventional pushing of boundaries will keep you astounded even when you think you might have a grasp of what he’s all about. Joined once again by singer-songwriter Roscoe Nefdt, we chat about his new EP Silly Songs For Clever Girls, musical preferences, future plans and Father Christmas.
OSR: We last spoke to FiveSidedDice last year about your EP Letters To The Devil, but you have a new EP out now, Silly Songs For Clever Girls. What can you tell us about this recent addition?
FiveSidedDice: Hey! It’s good to hear from you again. This new release is vastly different to Letters to the Devil, both sonically/atmospherically as well as lyrically. I would say that Letters to The Devil was a much darker and emotive release, whereas this one is playful, childlike, and fun. I wanted to be able to say “Yeah, I Just released an EP of love songs” and then continue watching a Cattle Decapitation music video.
OSR: Probably a bit of a daft question, but I’m curious. FiveSidedDice has released numerous albums over the past few years. When producing an album, is it a quite similar process or does each one bring different challenges and benefits? How do you cope with any new issues you might encounter?
FiveSidedDice: Well, considering that most of the work of FiveSidedDice has been produced in the same flat studio for many years now, you could assume that it’s sort of a set procedure each time. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As I update software and DAWs and upgrade recording gear or musical equipment, I have to learn how to use the new tools at my disposal. There is also the ongoing process of learning how to work various types of virtual studio technology to create certain sounds I wouldn’t have been able to create otherwise. It’s always a fun journey though, and I will continue to do it over and over again.
OSR: Last year, you mentioned that your upcoming plans included some touring as part of Undead Generation and FiveSidedDice. What’s happening so far?
FiveSidedDice: Yes! After I returned to South Africa in June last year, the first Undead Generation tour began straight away, kicking it off in Johannesburg where we performed alongside South African punk legends Fuzigish for a Youth Day show at Sognage. That entire tour was surreal and I felt so happy throughout it. We went on one or two other small national tours and I did several acoustic shows as FiveSidedDice too, as per usual. I don’t want to, and probably shouldn’t, give too much info away, but there is in fact another Undead Generation tour in the works for much later this year, alongside a brand new EP release for the band! Very exciting stuff. More details on that at a later stage, I’ve already said too much. 😁
OSR: FiveSidedDice has been around for 15 years now. What have you learned about yourself as an artist and a person over time?
FiveSidedDice: That’s a big and loaded question. A lot can happen in 15 years. I don’t want to trauma dump or give TMI, but in those 15 years, I had brushes with death, loss, trauma, suicide, depression, isolation, and identity crisis. But, at the same time, I made the best friends anyone could ever have, I made art that was genuine and raw, I travelled a lot, I became closer to my family and loved ones, I loved and was loved in return, and I grew into who I am today. I wouldn’t change a thing. I think, essentially, I learned that the best way to overcome anything is to use your talents to turn pain into art. That way, you not only help and express yourself, but you may also provide catharsis for other people at the same time.
OSR: Have your music preferences changed over the years and, if so, how does it affect the music you make now?
FiveSidedDice: Yes, and also, no. I would say it stayed relatively close to where I was in terms of genres, but then again, I listen to almost every genre under the sun. I have, however, explored deeper into those genres, as well as given many mainstream and pop artists a try, which I may have been too edgy and cool to do so back in the day.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
FiveSidedDice: I’ve heard many times that music is a universal language. It’s true. If something resonates with a person sonically or instrumentally, it will likely resonate with millions of others around the world, often for a subjective reason for each person. If that’s not the most amazing and wonderous thing, then I don’t know.
Music, to me, is an essential part of the human experience. Even if I were deaf, I would still love to simply just watch how it affects others; watch them dance while I just feel the vibrations in my feet or chest, possibly joining them even though I can’t hear the pitches or frequencies. I think it’s a very innate thing, to sing and dance. The greatest thing since sliced bread.
OSR: What is your go-to comfort food?
FiveSidedDice: Buldak Samyang X2 Spicy Noodles, with some stirfry vegetables. Easy. I even named my wifi after those hot noodles at some stage.
OSR: What is your cocktail of choice?
FiveSidedDice: A molotov cocktail…just kidding. 😄 I’m not really a cocktail kind of person. I prefer a double whiskey with ginger beer, or an ice cold beer. Simple like that. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll even put my beer in a glass.
OSR: When and how did you learn the truth about Father Christmas?
FiveSidedDice: Why would you bring up such a painful memory? Hahaha… I was approximately 10 years old or so. It was a lovely summer night in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. I was laying on the floor in our crappy house in Greenshields Park which might as well have been made from cardboard. I was watching The Grinch on a free national channel on our old tiny box TV with a “bunny ears” aerial on top of it. At some point in the movie, I turned to my mom, who was knitting on the couch, and said “Mommy? Is Father Cristmas real?” She took a moment, sighed deeply and just said “…. no.”, after which my heart sank into my butthole and I spent the rest of my first viewing of The Grinch holding back tears with a lump in my throat because I realised that my whole life was a lie.
OSR: What can we expect from FiveSidedDice in the future?
FiveSidedDice: There’s a lot of cool stuff in the works! I already have another new FiveSidedDice EP releasing everywhere on the 27th of July, titled See You in The Mourning. Several of the tracks are already available on YouTube as lyric videos, as I’ve been releasing them one by one every Friday. There’s also 2 other releases coming after that, which will hopefully also be released by the end of this year! As I said earlier, Undead Generation is releasing a new EP this year and touring across South Africa to promote it, which is all very exciting! If anyone wants to keep up with all my shenanigans, and mess, and art they can follow me on any social media platform @FiveSidedDice. Thank you for the awesome interview, and now I need to go re-watch The Grinch while eating hot noodles!
Many thanks to FiveSidedDice for speaking with us. Find out more about him on his Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
