| Could you begin by stating your name and what you do in the band? Hayley: Hey, I’m Hayley and I sing. Josh: I’m Josh and I play guitar. So you just got off Warped Tour and being veterans of Warped for two years now, how do you feel the crowd has changed from the first year to this year? Hayley: I think that the first year people were just trying to figure us out, we were on a really small stage and we had a lot to prove. This year was great because I feel like everyone was super enthusiastic and we had a great time. It was more like we fit really well this year, because last year we felt like we were really tagging along. It was great and we had a blast. Why has the band decided to start wearing matching stage outfits instead of just regular everyday outfits? Josh: Well, we wanted to step up the live show, because we figure every band out there these days wears jeans and a t-shirt or cut off shorts or vans. So, we decided that we might as well give the fans their money’s worth and put on a show and actually look decent. How did you come to be on the Sound Of Superman Compilation and how why did you decide to do an acoustic cover of the Foo Fighter’s “My Hero?” Hayley: Basically, we were in Orlando recording demos and just random stuff that we had been writing when we got a call from our A&R dude and he was like “Yeah, I was just on the phone with some guys working on the Superman movie and they would love for you guys to submit a song.” So we thought about it and like what song should we do? Then they had told us that it had to a cover, so that helped obviously, so it was a lot better than just writing a song really quick. So, we chose “My Hero”, because we thought it would fit the movie really well and it is such a great song to and we are really big fans of the Foo Fighters. We had fun doing it! Why did you decide to record the Summer Tic Tour EP? Will any of the three new songs be on the new record or will they remain exclusive to the EP? Hayley: I think that we really wanted get something new out since there was a lot of stuff leaking and there were a lot of fans interested in the extra song that was put on the Japan release of our record [“Oh, Star”]. We felt like we owed it to the people who had been around a while to give them something new that they had not heard and also give them something that people could not get really easily. We put “Stuck On You”, which is another cover by a really great band called Failure. I don’t think we would be here if it wasn’t for Failure. So, we put that on the EP mostly for ourselves since we loved it so much. We added “This Circle” and “Oh Star” as well. I think most of the songs will just stay on the EP. “Oh, Star” was on the Japan release so obviously that’s out. So, I think we will just keep it there. In your new version of “Emergency” that appears on the EP you add some screams, is this any indication of where you will be taking Paramore’s sound in the future? Josh: No I don’t think so. It was just kind of a thing that was spur of the moment since we were in the studio and we decided it might be cool so we tried it and it was alright. But were not actually going for that sound. In your new song, ”Breathe”, it seems like you have started to mature vocally and gain more control over your voice, have you been working to do so and can we expect more of this on the new album? Hayley: That actually is really funny since that is an old song that Josh wrote and brought to us when we first started writing and that was probably around the time that we recorded “Hallelujah” and “This Circle”, but man I think my voice has definitely changed and I think goes back and forth depending on how healthy I am and being on the road it is really hard to maintain a super healthy sounding voice. I hope that the new record shows off that side of my voice more and the vocal parts to songs that we are writing are definitely more freeing to my voice then the stuff that’s on…[pause] All We Know Is Falling [laughs]. I can’t even remember the title, but I am really excited for the new material and I think you guys will really like it. As you guys develop age-wise and musically, are fans of Paramore going to see new direction different from AWKIF for the new record? Hayley: Totally. Josh: Yeah, I think it definitely will be. It’s hard to describe, because we only have a few songs written out and it’s definitely different, but there still Paramore. I think that everybody is going to really like it. Hayley: I think there will be a lot of people that will be surprised by it. As far as the music that Josh is writing it does sound a lot more mature. I think he has learned so much about music in general and I am so excited. The record in general I think is just gonna be the kind of record that grabs people by the collar. You have done a lot of acoustic recordings and performances of songs, where there be some on the new CD or a possible Acoustic EP in the future? Hayley: I dunno. Josh: I don’t think we have ever really thought about that, but I think there probably will be since people seem to love Hayley with an acoustic guitar and love hearing the band acoustically. So, I am sure we will do something, but right now I think our focus is just the next record. Will the other guys ever get to do vocals? Hayley: [Laughs] I dunno, probably not. Josh: If anybody probably Zach. Are there any plans in the works for a DVD to be released with the new record? Hayley: We hope so, we really want to. We don’t have a lot of footage right now or what we have is lost and scattered, but we definitely want to have a camera with us during recording and possibly the first couple of tours we do for that record. It’s going to be great! Overall, what are you most excited about for your next recording? Hayley: I’m ready to discover more sides of our bands and show fans and other people different sides of us. I think we will be learning a lot about ourselves during this process. How do you guys feel about the Meet and Greets on this tour? How does it affect band to fan relationships? Will you be continuing these on future tours? Josh: I think there great. I think kids really enjoy them and we don’t sit behind a table or anything so it’s not like they can’t get to us. I think they really like it an we really like it, because we get to know some of our fans. It’s not just “sign that” and leave. I think in the future tours if we’re doing a heading tour we’ll try to do it. Do you get a lot of obscene comments from some male audience members? Do you jokingly play them off or do you call them out? Hayley: It’s both. I think you can definitely tell when people are just joking and looking for attention and I just try to play off of what I hear. We have not really had it this tour, which is surprising since we are up there for so much longer than before. I think that the past year, and this sounds really weird, but it’s almost like you have to train your audience to know. Because if you don’t tell them that you want respect and you don’t show them that you deserve it then there not going to give it to you. I feel like it’s gotten a lot better, but I usually play off of it, but if people are being really rude I’ll spit right back at them. It just depends how they are acting about it. How did you get involved with the charity “To Write Love On Her Arms?” Would you like to explain it for readers have never heard of the TWLOHA before? What is your involvement? Hayley: [To Josh] Do you wanna talk about it? Josh: No, it’s really your area. Hayley: [Laughs] Ok! Well, I came across it through a friend who sort of works for it now oddly enough and she thought it was really cool and she lived in Orlando, which is where it started. She was like “You should really check this out!” So I went to there My Space and it really grabbed a hold of my heart and I have this connection to it. I’ve met Renee who it kind of revolves around. We met her at Cornerstone and we have become really good friends. Basically, the whole thing is to treat or help encourage people who are fighting depression and are fighting the symptoms of it. A lot of people, especially our age, deal with so many things in life and it causes so much stress and I don’t think it is something that you should be ashamed of and you should come out and ask for help. Obviously, it also deals with cutting, which is like a symptom. It is an epidemic and a lot of girls are doing it now and it is really sad. We kind of wanted to get the message out and I have been wearing there shirts and almost every night you see a kid wearing a shirt and supporting the cause. It’s so great! Do you have any funny stories from this tour so far? Hayley: We did buy a dog yesterday! I don’t know how funny that is, but her name is Nicky. Josh: We were at a mall yesterday and I was looking through the pet store and I was just like “We should get a dog.” So, I asked Ronnie our Tour Manager and he said sure. So, we all pitched in and got one. Hayley: Yeah, it is going to take a while for us to pay it off, but it’s still worth it! I feel like she is one more thing that brings us closer. We have had fun taking care of her already. I can’t wait to just watch her grow up! Is there a band that you still see and still get really excited about or nervous around? And look up to, like some fans do you? Hayley: Yeah, sometimes, but the cool thing is that we are treated so well, We have met so many respectful people that give us the same respect and we feel like we don’t deserve it. Like Underoath, since day one, before we were doing anything has been so supportive and respectful of who we are. Not only whom we are as people, but also musicians and loved on us. It is great to have that comradery. A fan named Kay would like to know if you have gotten any cool presents while you have been on the headlining tour and if you remember who gave them to you? Note: She gave Hunter a custom Jones soda for his birthday, so she is a little curious! Hayley: We have gotten a ton of stuff on this tour. Josh: We got a drum game sort of like DDR and it is a video game and it has a drum pad and it is really cool. We have gotten cookies and it has been a long tour and I can’t even remember! Hayley: People are really thoughtful, we have a lot of inside jokes with our fans. Like different nicknames we have given each other that our fans have picked up on and they will give us things that have to do with it. Like, they call me Sponge Bob sine I have a gap in my front teeth and so we will get a bunch of random Sponge Bob stuff. Some guy gave me this really beautiful journal with bible verses and encouraging quotations. I think it is really cool since it is something you can use and you never forget that person. I love our fans. Anything you would like to add for readers of For The Sound [dot] com? Hayley: Thanks for checking us out! Josh: Yeah, thanks for your support. |