A Dirty Dozen with JOHNNY MANCHILD – March 2025

Photo credit: Madi Rae Jones

According to a recent press release: “Praised for their own unique genre-defying sound that blends emo and alt-rock with jazz and funk along with a healthy dose of theatrics thrown in for good measure, Oklahoma City band Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards will release “Already Over (Smile Honey)” on March 7 ahead of their 2025 tour, beginning on March 27 at The Roxy in LA. Founded by Johnny Manchild (writer, producer, vocals, keys), Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards have morphed into a collective of sorts with as many as ten collaborators affectionately named “the Poor Bastards” in regular rotation, with Johnny Manchild at the helm. The Poor Bastards includes core members Ethan Neel (drums) and Alex Coleman (bass) who will be joining Manchild for the tour and features a revolving touring band. They will be headlining venues mostly on the West Coast with more dates to be announced soon.  Tickets for the tour are on sale now through the band’s website (all dates listed below). From their hometown to the global stage, each release has been a marked discovery not just for the fans, but the Poor Bastards themselves carving a path and pulling together a community of rabidly dedicated fans from all over the world dubbed the “Manchildren” that grows larger every day with fans not only, driving hours across the country but flying in from all over the world to see the band play in the States.  “Already Over (Smile Honey)” will be the first of nine singles to be released this year to satisfy their fanbase bound together by a deep love of music, lyricism, and personal expression.” We get Johnny to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

“Already Over (Smile Honey)” is mostly about the strangeness of the parasocial relationships that can happen sometimes with the listeners. Things seem one way, but there’s things they don’t know or can’t see, and sometimes it can feel like you’re putting on a show to keep up the image of how things look, and how people might want things to be. As far as hidden nuggets, there’s nothing too crazy in this one, BUT… My favorite thing that not everyone might recognize is the saxophone leading into the breakdown section at the end. We fed the sax into an amp and blew it to hell and back with fuzz and tremolo, and it gave us this wicked sound that I blended into the guitar melody. Pretty fun.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I was basically playing music since I could properly form sentences. I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t playing music, or when I didn’t know that’s what I wanted to do. It wasn’t even really a thought or decision, it’s just the way it’s always been for me. I played drums starting around five, and picked up guitar, piano, bass, and recording along the way as a kid and teenager. My first cover band, I was eight, and my first original band I was ten. I always knew that I would be a musician to some degree.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

I’ve picked up so much from so many people over the years. I think the most influential or game changing for me was Nine Inch Nails, funny enough. Trent Reznor is the reason I picked up recording and production, which led me to writing my own songs and experimenting with things more. When “Year Zero” came out, he released the stems and project files for free online, and it was the first time I could dig through and pick apart the little things he did in the songs. It was a huge deal for me as a kid.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I would LOVE to work with Fiona Apple. She’s a huge influence on me in a lot of ways, and I think it would be a blast collaborating. She always sounds like Fiona, but she goes in so many directions with interesting arrangement and production. Who knows what that would sound like, but it would be fun.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Well, I work as a recording engineer in my own studio, so I’m truly never not in the studio. Outside of that, I love to cook, and I read a lot. Most of my time though, I sit in the studio and listen to music, mix projects I’m working on, and write. If I’m not working, I’m tinkering with something or other, learning something about music or recording.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

The easiest way to describe it is Piano Grunge / Alternative. Genres are tough, and honestly, a lot of what I write isn’t on piano lately. I’d describe it as music I like and go listen to it. I don’t really cringe or disagree with anything that’s been said. I’ve honestly pulled from a lot of places throughout my discography, and it’s pretty fair game to compare to whatever. Anything from Sondheim to Dolly Parton to Rage Against the Machine; I can’t exactly say their wrong.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

If anyone is cooking, it’s definitely me. Ethan is the one who’s gonna pick up the guitar. Alex is getting the drinks in, but usually so are all of us. At least a preshow tequila shot to shake off the sleepies.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Brian Viglione, drummer for the Dresden Dolls. He came to our show in Los Angeles last year and met me in the green room after the show and talked about us opening in Boston. That floored me. He’s one of the most creative and theatrical drummers I’ve seen, and that was a crazy moment.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is everything. I have access to something beautiful and expressive, and it’s deeper and more vast than anything I could hope to completely understand or know. I feel like music is one of the ways we can tune in with nature and move frequencies around in a way that moves people and ourselves. It’s a healing tool, it’s magic, and it’s cerebral. It can also be stupid and fun. It can be anything, and it’s all important. If I couldn’t be a musician, I’d be a chef. The same principles apply. You pull something from nature, and you create something that inspires and moves people. It breaks through language barriers, and says something about where you came from. Music and food share a lot of qualities I think.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Do you want $100,000,000? and the answer is yes, yes I do. CONVERSLY… Who’s your biggest musical influence? I don’t want to pick one. You’re pressuring me. Stop pressuring me.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I feel like Covid was a pretty big misstep on my part. Sorry about that, everyone. Huge mistake in hindsight.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Okay so, this doesn’t make sense in regard to the music I write in this band BUT… I might go back to 1999 at Electric Lady Studios when Erykah Badu and D’Angelo were both recording their albums simultaneously. So many amazing musicians making crazy stuff at a crazy studio. Back to back sessions for two awesome records. That would be killer to witness. I know you asked for one record, so I’ll say, Mama’s Gun over Voodoo. But you’re making me choose again, and I resent that. Stop pressuring me.

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Category: Interviews