How did you guys meet?
Chris and Tyler were neighbors from Southern California. They were really into music and it was actually their dads who came up with the idea for them to start a band together. And then Chris moved to Utah, and Tyler knew he wanted to play with Chris so he came along to Utah as well. We were all in the same music scene in Utah when the chance for us to play together came about. Brendon was playing bass for a few different bands at that time and was looking for something steady. My band was just about to break up. We’d watched each other play before so there was this kind of music respect between us. And when we finally got to play together for the first time, there was a certain energy to it and we just knew that we wanted to keep playing together. The first documented song we played together was Tidal Waves, which still has a video floating about Youtube.
Who or what are your major influences?
All four of us are all very different, but as a band we like Morrisey, Michael Jackson, The Smiths, Billy Ocean. We like all sorts, really.
How does it feel having your first single “Animal” top the charts?
It feels great! We actually have to pinch ourselves from time to time because it is such a dream. We often have to step back and just appreciate the success it’s achieved. It really is such a blessing. It’s hard to count on something becoming a hit with people, you can only just hope that people will like it and keep requesting for it.
How do you feel about the cast of Glee singing it?
We’re actually really flattered. We’re fans of pop culture in general. And so to have been a part of Glee is just amazing.
How did you pick up drumming?
I initially started out wanting to front a band, so I sang and played the guitar. I only began seriously playing drums when a friend and I would jam together and there would be no drummer, which was a pain. So it all kind of happened accidentally and I picked it up, sort of as a favor, so we could have a better time jamming. It ended up being really fun and I realized that I was better at it than I had thought. It’s become a real passion. I like how physical it is. Drumming is definitely more difficult on the body than playing the guitar.
Which band would you like to tour with and why?
A band from the past would be Fleetwood Mac. We all love the band, and think that it’d be fun. Or maybe Duran Duran. Touring with a band that I grew up with would be really cool. We were actually just on tour with My Chemical Romance. They’re the nicest people! It was like a dream tour. They’re so down to earth and the fans were really kind.
Tell us an interesting tour story.
One of the coolest things that happened was playing at a mall in Canada which had a huge theater attached to the mall. My Chemical Romance actually rented out the theater for an IMAX movie after hours so it was like this huge chill out session with My Chemical Romance, the crew and the band who opened, The Architects.
You haven’t performed in Singapore before, what do you think your fans here are like?
We’re hoping that they’re going to be full of energy. We want them to sing along and dance, basically have a good time with us. We don’t want them to just watch us, because that’d be boring. We hope they’re going to come excited and ready to participate. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
What was the worst performance you’ve had?
I think it was maybe one of our first tours during the fall or winter of 2009, when we first started out. It was at this tiny club and we had maybe only 10 people at our show. Nobody was really interested in us or our music. It was really quite sad.
What is the weirdest thing you’ve had to sign your autograph on?
I signed a kid’s face just last week. It’s crazy. I don’t know why anyone would want to an autograph on their face, but I did it anyway!
Which is your favorite song to perform?
It changes a lot, but right now I really like “Your Surrender.” It’s fun and full of energy. We’ve been opening our recent shows with that song.
