Issue 504

Paramore These days you would be hard pressed to find someone who hadn't heard the name Paramore- especially mothers apparently. "There was a lot more moms showing up with Twilight shirts on," claims the band's bass player, Jeremy Davis, when I ask what difference he had noticed in reaction to the band after releasing the lead single for the vampire sensation. The group are currently in the midst of the Honda Civic tour with fellow pop-punk rulers New Found Glory, a tour that Davis says is one of their best. "It's the biggest tour we have ever done in America. It's really exciting; the kids have been really awesome and everything is just going really well." The size of the shows in their homeland is now representative of the their fan base everywhere else in the world, as the band recently finished playing some very big festivals in Europe, including the Reading Festival, which the group co-headlined with pop-punk veterans Blink 182. Touring is something that all of the members in Paramore have grown accustomed to, especially since the release of their second album, 'Riot!' in 2007, as they have hardly stopped. "For the past seven years we've been touring non-stop. There's not really ever any time off and that's something you have to get used to, but it's a blast and its what we want to do and that's why we're still here." The band have taken a small break from touring however, to record their latest release 'Brand New Eyes,' which has spawned five singles and been certified gold, making it the band's most successful album to date. According to Davis the reception has been positive and the band are very satisfied, "It's been awesome. We did everything we could to make this album breathe by itself and create itself naturally, and for all of us it's our favourite record." The group's quest to tour forever continues, making its way to Australia next month, with a headline run supported by Ohio rockers Relient K. Davis claims that fans can expect something quite different to the recent Soundwave appearance that brought the band here last. "The cool thing about this show as opposed to Soundwave is that we get a longer set. We're bringing over all of our production which is gonna big, and I promise it will make the show that much better." With all this time spent on the road playing shows, it's a wonder that Paramore have time to work on, let alone record new music, "We don't really," mentions Davis, "We don't write on the road, we come up with little ideas but nothing is ever solid until we actually get into the studio." Lucky then, that the group can pen hits so easily, a talent that has brought them from virtual obscurity; starting as an unknown band on Pete Wentz's Fueled By Ramen label, to being one of the biggest, most commercially successful rock bands around today. "We came up faster than most people, but its been a lot of hard work. It's a lot of world wide travelling and playing the tiniest venues for nothing. A lot of people have been in bands for longer and worked on things for longer but we have definitely put in more work than most people." The future looks like more of the same for Paramore as Davis explains that the band's crystal ball brings forth only one word: touring. "We're just really focusing on touring. We've got some big tours coming up; obviously Australia then England and some radio shows back home. Hopefully we can also enjoy some time off at home, at least a week in between all of these tours." So there you have it, the life of a popular rock band, made up of suitcases, airports, non-stop world-wide travel and shows in front of thousands of people each night. For Paramore, this is what their day-to-day lives have become, and you could debate could be held as to whether this is a blessing or a curse, but that conversation is best saved for the dinner table with your mum. Paramore will be at the Entertainment Centre on Tue 12 Oct. By Luke Carlino