- Feb 2, 2018

Meet MADE FOR BROADWAY - New Heights, Same Lows INTERVIEW

All of the bands trying to make it should take a lesson from South African pop punks

MADE FOR BROADWAY. With non-stop hard work and DIY ethics the band's humanity and dedication reminds us that we're all still human...

"In a world so big, I feel so small. Is it worth it at all..."

The "DIY sweat machines", have spent the last 3 years plowing through shows, tours, and headlining events from Johannesburg, SA to Hollywood, CA. They self produced two EP's and two full length albums on their own, and it's impossible to tell that their latest record "New Heights, Same Lows" was recorded in a house.

My first impression of MADE FOR BROADWAY was cruising around on YouTube and arbitrarily clicking on a song. A riff hits that sounds like a cross between Homesick ADTR & Catalyst NFG, and then the lyrics "Fuck faking, Don't get naked" blair out in a stop-beat mixed with gang vocal style.

It's rad to see that pop-punk can still be fresh and a band can still put a new spin on the early 2000's pop-punk era. That song? "Don't Say Goodbye" one of their latest singles from their latest album: "New Heights, Same Lows."

I clicked on this cartoon thumbnail next, called "Parallel Universe" and was pretty captivated by the quality of the music video which totally reminded me of Rick & Morty (with the whole space travel thing.)

MADE FOR BROADWAY definitely has their own unique sound while keeping it in the pop-punk-pocket. I had a chance to listen to their new album and with songs like "Worth It" a song to me about second guessing yourself, something we've all been through, and finding a way to break through that, or a song like "Don't Say Goodbye" which is just a feel-good pop-punk love song.

Starting in 2014, MADE FOR BROADWAY quickly earned favor with local bookers, and photographers with their crazy stage shows while developing a committed fan base affectionately known as #BroadwayFam! With 2 EP's and local tours under their belt in less than a year, the band didn't show signs of slowing down. In 2015 the band debuted their first full length album and self promoted a DIY tour which landed them in Hollywood CA performing at the Whiskey A Go Go and Viper Room.

The band are pop-punk humanitarians of sort hosting themed shows collecting donations for the SPCA, blankets and cloths for the homeless and donations or toys during the holidays all while making it fun for the fans inviting them to show up dressed in PJs for a themed sleepover, to ugly sweater/ holiday costume shows.

MFB has played South Africa's Oppikoppi music fest in both 2015 (featuring: Gogol Bordello/Brand New) and 2016 (featuring: August Burns Red/ Yelawolf). Punk Goes Pop CrashCarBurn Tour 2016 and having both full length albums mixed by Seb Barlow, brother of Neck Deep's Ben Barlow and renowned for working with international pop-punk bands (Neck Deep/As It Is). Most recently the band finished off 2017 with a South African tour with Alien Ant Farm.

Made For Broadway - Seventeen

I had a wonderful opportunity to talk with the guys about their NEW SINGLE Seventeen, how to DIY, the scene in South Africa and the possibility of a full U.S. tour.

TPPD: In all of your videos, you guys seem to have this comradely that’s undeniable. That didn’t come overnight, or even a few years. So question is, how did the band start? Longtime friends become #ForeverMadeForBroadway? BROADWAY: Hahaha. Yeah something like that. Sean and Justin met at high school, they found Brogan in university and the rest is best friends and blood pacts. Tater Tot was new to our crew but now it feels like he has been part of us forever <3
TPPD: You had a crazy 2017, a new album, tour with Alien Ant Farm, album singles, and a shit ton of shows. How do you plan to top the success of 2017? BROADWAY: 2018 has already raised the bar in regards to festival performances, we’ve got two of our South African favourites locked down already, Mieliepop and Lush are gonna be highlights for sure. We’re also supporting Bowling For Soup while they tour SA later this year. so it’s looking dope so far.
TPPD: Any goals for 2018 in mind? BROADWAY: Same goals we got every year pop-punk dad, try and take over the world. :-) 1. Write something that tops NH/SL. 2. Spend more time giving back to our community. 3. Tour the US or UK, even Japan.
TPPD: And anything in 2017 that you didn’t accomplish that you want to knock out in 2018? BROADWAY: Definitely, it would be rad to collaborate with more inspiring artists and writers. We also need to pop out a couple more music videos.
TPPD: There were themed shows that I read about you hosting in 2017. These shows are definitely something more bands should start doing.
The Secret Santa where you raised donations for the less fortunate during the holidays.
The Bad Kitty show raising money for the SPCA
Slumber Party show collecting blankets and cloths for the homeless.
Who’s idea was it for these shows? BROADWAY: As a band we felt it was time to give back more and host shows that could make an impact to our community. We wanted a way to make the shows memorable and the concepts just fell together as we worked through organizing the shows.
TPPD: What has the overall response been to the shows? BROADWAY: Dope AF. It was insane to watch people donate gifts, clothing and food that were easily 3 times the value of the regular entry fee. The most fulfilling part was getting on the streets and giving the gifts to the homeless.
TPPD: Will you continue to do them? BROADWAY: Already working on them for 2018 babaaay! Hopefully building on the success of last year.
TPPD: Do you encourage more bands to put on shows like this? BROADWAY: Definitely, using the shows and your fan base as a platform to do some good is worth the effort!
TPPD: There are some rad giveaways/promos like merch and I saw a Warwick bass. How’d this come about? Was this your idea? BROADWAY: That was insane, we loooove a good give away. We wish we had the budget for a dope bass but that was part of a show we didn’t organize.
TPPD: There are a ton of photos of you guys with fans, the connection you have is pretty amazing. So who came up with BroadwayFam? You or the fans? BROADWAY: Ah yes, the BroadwayFam. We love them so much and it blows our minds anyone would care enough about us to ask for a photo, so we always make a big effort to hang with them as much as we can. Our twitter family coined the #BroadwayFam waaayyy back in the day.
TPPD: I love the video for Together (Parallel Universe). How did you hook up with Michael Robertson and Toon53 studios for the video? BROADWAY: Brogan had done voice overs for a cartoon Mike wrote, he was the voice of a half Cat half Dolphin. Mike is also a fan of the band so it happened kinda effortlessly.

Made For Broadway - Together (Parallel Universe

TPPD: Let’s move to recent music, your album, “New Heights, Same Lows.” I’m fascinated how you made an album sound so fucking tight in a house. It reminds me of the self titled blink-182 album how you went about it.
TPPD: Who’s the brains/engineer behind recording? BROADWAY: That’s our boy Brogi Bear!
TPPD: What DAW/ Interface/Plug-ins are you using? BROADWAY: Logic all day! The plugins and stuff you are going to have to ask Seb Barlow, he was the wizard who made it come to life.
TPPD: Any tips for aspiring “in home studio artists” that you don’t typically see on the average YouTube tutorial? BROADWAY: Take your time, make sure each tone and moment you record is how you want it to sound. Don’t rely on EQ/Editing to save bad recordings. Don’t obsess and fiddle about with what you got. It is what it is and LOTS of yummy sweets and tea.
TPPD: Have you ever thought of making a “How to make an awesome record in your house” YouTube series? (I’d totally watch that.) BROADWAY: Never even thought about that. We gonna steal that idea!
TPPD: Seb Barlow (Ben of Neck Deep’s brother) mixed New Heights, Same Lows. How did that relationship come about? BROADWAY: We were researching who produced our favorite records and came upon Seb through the As It Is, Neck Deep and ROAM albums. Hit him up, had a brief Skype meeting. Saw Ben in the background and freaked out. Three weeks later he was mixing our music.
TPPD: You guys have a new single out for Seventeen from NHSL which I had a chance to sneak peak at before it ever dropped. It follows you on tour with Alien Ant Farm, any memorable moments from that tour that wasn’t in the video? BROADWAY: Hahaha everything that isn’t in the video we shouldn’t really talk about.
TPPD: Another tour you did was the Pop Goes Punk Tour with CrashCarBurn. Other than the covers on your YouTube, did you play any others on that tour? BROADWAY: Yo, so many! Katy Perry – California Girls and Nelly – Hot in Here were two that destroyed on that tour.
TPPD: Is there a “go-to" you like to play on the regular? BROADWAY: Na, we only play covers on special occasions now. We love smashing a Made For Broadway cover here and there.
TPPD: Do you plan to make anymore YouTube covers? BROADWAY: DEFINITELY! Working on a hot Sam Hunt cover right this second.
TPPD: Speaking of tour, you guys did shows in Hollywood a year-ish ago. So when can we expect you back to the states. Perhaps an entire U.S. Tour? BROADWAY: As soon as fucking possible mate. We need to be back on US soil ASAP.
U.K. Tour?

BROADWAY: Oh we would LOVE a spot of tea on tour in the Queen's land.

TPPD: Any thoughts/plans on moving to the states? BROADWAY: That has always been the ultimate goal, that taste in 2015 inspired us to find ways to realistically make a future happen from there.
TPPD: And lastly, I must ask this in every interview, do any of you have kids? (Since I’m a dad.) BROADWAY: Na! only fur babies. <3