Page 38 - Black Velvet Issue 89

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here’s an arena-worthy ballad on ‘Black like, ‘Argh, I wish I came up with that song,’ or ‘I so it’s really hard for us to pinpoint what kids
TLines’ called ‘Letting Go’, but Brooks wish I could get a song that sounds like that’ or might have to do these days when they’re com-
says that they didn’t have to let go of too much something, and because we all write in this ing out of their garages and trying to play shows
when going in to this new chapter. “I don’t think band, I think that you definitely get that envy, that for the first time. I’d imagine it’s very close to
that we have really let go of too much, except jealousy, but that also pushes you to be a better what we’re doing now in that when the world
for maybe it’s not as poppy. I think the way that songwriter or musician. It works as a really good changed so quickly with social media and with
we do our lyrics, the way that we structure songs dynamic for this band.” digital streaming and all of those new avenues,
when they’re not always exact to what you might There can be some conflict involved when I can imagine that you can do a lot more just
expect, like you might not get your third chorus every member of the band is writing the songs, from a computer, like we do now as a profes-
but you might get something cool at the end that however. Brooks tells us, “Sometimes you’ll be sional band. We do everything from a computer
you didn’t expect - those things have always the only guy... like there are times where there because you can reach your audience from
been something we’ve done, but we’ve slowly are songs that the whole band are into and pretty much anywhere that way.”
moved away from the more poppy aspect. Well, you’re vice versa or you know there’ll be that guy Technology has also changed the live expe-
when I say poppy I mean a little bit more bub- or maybe just two guys that aren’t quite into it rience, and a lot of bands incorporate new tech-
blegum-y. We did less of the major feelings yet, but it does work really well with having five nology into their shows, but Mayday Parade do
songs and we went more towards the dark side of us who write and we also delegate the whole things differently. “One great thing that’s always

and more minor stayed constant is
side which I love. that kids still want to
I’m not sure if we’re see you play live
letting go of any- and when it comes
thing as we go to technology in that
though, I think it’s regard, I kind of
just that we’re ex- shun a lot of the
panding what we technology. When
do, while retaining we play we don’t
the right to go back play with tracks, it’s
and do whatever just whatever we’re
we want on old doing on stage is
sounds too.” what you’re going to
The first track hear. So I think
on ‘Black Lines’ is that’s cool too be-
called ‘One of cause in a new digi-
Them Will Destroy tal world you’re
the Other’, and it trying to retain this
features Dan real thing that is the
Lambton from Real band, really, and
Friends. “I would you can do what-
say that Real Friends’ sound was definitely an thing with votes, so by the end of it, it’s truly what ever you want on a record but when it comes to
influence with it,” Brooks tells us. “There wasn’t the majority likes as opposed to being so one- live I think people want some honesty.”
any writing that they did with us though, it was sided if it was one guy running the show or
written with the five of us in the band and then something. So yeah, it can be tough but that’s a o wrap things up we ask Brooks what
because I think it was so inspired by bands like part of that process too of getting the best out of Tsong he thinks fans can most relate to
Real Friends, we thought it would just work re- us.” on ‘Black Lines’, and what his personal favourite
ally well to have his voice on the track. It’s cool song is. “My personal favourite is ‘Letting Go’
because they were labelmates. You know, we’re ayday Parade mention technology in probably,” he says. “But that’s because I’m more
both with Fearless and yeah, it just made sense M‘Keep In Mind, Transmogrification Is A into the softer stuff. Well, I think it goes both
to have that sort of camaraderie because maybe New Technology’, and Brooks reckons that tech- ways but I do think that I’ve realised that this
we’ll lift their name up a little bit and maybe nology has changed the experience of being in band does so well without ballad-y type tracks
some of their fans will come and check out our a band a lot. “I know right before we had really that right now that’s my favourite. But you know
music and that’s always a good thing.” broke as a band and really even as we were that can change. ‘Letting Go’ has also had prob-
In energetic fan favourite ‘Keep In Mind, breaking, going out and flyering shows was a big ably the best response from fans but then
Transmogrification Is A New Technology’, Derek thing,” Brooks tells us. “We prided ourselves on ‘Transmog’ (‘Keep In Mind, Transmogrification
sings about selfishness and envy. Brooks says our hard work ethic and how we would go out Is A New Technology’) has as well. I think be-
that he’s seen a lot of instances of selfishness and hit crowds. We would go to schools and tween that, ‘Letting Go’ and ‘One Of Us’, it’s
and envy while being in a band. “I think we all stuff and we were able to pull kids more so from been a really strong one for the fans.”
do that, but that’s also, I think, a big part of the the footwork we were doing, but as things have Visit www.maydayparade.com for more info.
natural competition that drives our band to be progressed of course it’s a different world for us
successful. Because I think that if somebody because we’ve made it now, if you know what I Words By Carissa Thorne
else writes a song and it’s really good you’re mean. Like we’re past having to do it that way
MAYDAY PARADE