Page 42 - Black Velvet Issue 88

BV88 pg40,41,42_BV88 pg42 02/04/2016 23:42 Page 3

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they must be within themselves. I think it takes a couple so that was awesome. We’ve had a few Breaking
strong person to look at yourself and know… self- of those and that was a happy time I guess for Rules
reflection is really the hardest thing to do and to them. Just seeing everyone smiling up at you re- ‘Rules are made for us to break’,
kind of look at yourself and say, “You know what? ally is worth everything and them singing, it never
I’m not good enough but I’m going to do this and gets old, a room of 1,000 people all singing your Jenna sings in ‘Oxygen’. Black Vel-
get better.” And I think a lot of people find those words back. That’s why you’re supposed to be vet asks Whak about what rules
people really hard to deal with because then it doing all this.” they’ve broken.
“This album for us was a huge
makes them look at themselves and then kind of The band has been helping various charities breaking of rules. We are under such
step back, and then they’ll do something nega- when they can. Guitarist Jake Hardy shaved his
tive. Hopefully one day they will be able to look hair off for the Leukaemia Foundation last year a genre-heavy society, everyone
at themselves and kind of make themselves bet- and also did a trailwalker for Oxfam Australia cares what type of music it is and for
ter and in that way make everything around them where he walked 60 miles in two days with some us, we kind of blew the lid off that
better.” friends. Whak tells us, “All our meet and greets with ‘Limitless’. It took us a long time
to be like this but we finally wrote
Since Whak mentioned his mother, we ask if go towards charity, or half of it, or whatever we
she has been a big inspiration on him – or if any- ended up doing. Each charity is a local one, one songs that we just wanted to write.
one else has inspired him in such world issues. in England, when we go to America there’s one For the other two albums and EPs,
Of course he says yes. “I’ve seen my mom going for cancer, because of Cody’s father and my we had written a bunch of songs, but
through some big changes. Her constant thing grandmother. I think we’re in a position that we we always said, “Maybe this isn’t for
Tonight Alive ‘cause it’s not pop-punk
has been self-reflection. I’ve seen how hard that can help people. We’re really going to take that
has been for her but I’ve seen the person that on. Every Warped Tour we’ve done stuff with In- and it’s not this,” but this time we
she is now, so that’s definitely been a huge influ- visible Children and To Write Love On Her Arms. were like, “If we love this song we’re
ence on me, and Jenna as well. I think we just… Cam and Jenna have done stuff with PETA. As I going to do it and it doesn’t matter
in doing what we’re doing, and hopefully helping said, we’re in the position to help people so we’re what genre it is.” As you can proba-
bly tell, there’s a wide spectrum of
these people, we’re kind of seeing the people going to do it.”
that we need to become to do that and how Now that the band are back on the road with songs on this album. So that was a
strong we need to be to kind of push these peo- ‘Limitless’ under their belts they’re loving every big thing, a big rule breaker for us.
ple on their paths – so I guess our fans are a minute of it. “For everyone, it kind of feels like a Jenna so doesn’t want to feel con-
huge influence on us as well.” rebirth of the band. I’ve been saying it feels like trolled and doesn’t want to feel this
thing on her so she always feels like
we’re starting again. It feels really great to get on
n January, Jenna tweeted about seeing a stage and see how the new songs are going. she’s breaking free of something and
Igirl getting punched in the face by her Everything kind of feels new. It feels exciting breaking away, so that’s why that
boyfriend at Unify Festival in Australia. “Total low again. We hadn’t toured in about six months so it theme comes through a lot on the
life. Nothing is worth that shit. I hope you’re ok,” was kind of nice to miss it. And now we’re back album.”
Tonight Alive co-wrote ‘How
she wrote. Whak comments, “Yeah, that was hor- and have kind of figured out that this is where we
rible. I didn’t actually see that. Jenna saw that. belong so that’s why I think it feels special for Does It Feel?’ with David Hodges.
That was horrible.” everyone.” Whak says, “He was in Evanescence
We ask what bad – and good – things he’s Whakaio, Jenna, Jake, Cam and Matt defi- at the start. He wrote that first album
seen while on stage himself. “I actually hate see- nitely all belong on stage together and their for them and then he’s done a bunch
of stuff for Kelly Clarkson and we
ing people getting dropped, I hate bad security shows are not just special for themselves – but
being really rough with the kids and just pulling for everyone that goes to see them. If anyone’s were very lucky. We kind of got in a
them over,” he replies. “I actually saw someone reading who hasn’t seen them yet, go to a show room with him and it just clicked
dislocate their shoulder when they fell off the bar- – because you’re definitely missing out if you straightaway and he taught us a lot
rier. The security guards weren’t good. That was don’t. just in the way that he works and his
mind works and he was so open. The
horrible. Some of the best things we’ve seen… Visit www.tonightaliveofficial.com for more
We’ve had a few people asking to get married on info. main thing with Jenna, he works re-
stage. The first one we ever had was a lesbian Words and Whakaio Photo By Shari Black Velvet ally well with women, and he really
listened to her and her ideas and
what she wanted to do. We just had
that instant connection. Just doing a
couple of sessions with him taught us
so much to go away by ourselves
and write songs.”
Whak tells us they’ve also written
with Charlie Simpson, but didn’t use
the song.
“We wrote with Charlie Simpson
but we didn’t end up using that song.
I was a fan of Fightstar and his solo
stuff. That was after Reading and
Leeds I think, 2014. We did a bunch
of sessions but we never used any of
the songs. It was more for Jenna and
I to become better writers and learn.
I think when you write with someone
else that you’ve never written with
before they always think way differ-
ently to you. If you get to a point and
go back to your memory, especially
because me and Jenna write so
much together, when you’re with
someone else, they’ll go, ‘Hey, how
about we take this path?’ and you go
down there and it’s a whole com-
pletely different song. I definitely en-
courage everyone to write with as
many different people as you can.
Even if you don’t use the song you’re
going to become a better writer, I
think.”

TONIGHT ALIVE