Interviews with Hayley Williams and Paramore: Editor's Cut
Here are the complete transcripts of my interviews with Hayley Williams and Paramore before their concert last March 9, featuring dialogue not included in the final print. These uncut versions features the guys talking about Avatar's crappy acting, Hayley on other bands' break-ups, and what happens when a writer brings a Paramore fanfic to a Paramore interview...
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Credit given to the Philippine Daily Inquirer's March 13, 2010 issue where these interviews were first published.
Hayley Williams' solo interview (over e-mail)
When you’re writing songs, which comes first: the melody or the lyrics?
Hayley: I like to write all the melodies and lyrics to music that is at least half-way complete. Once I get started it's such a blur that I can't tell you what is first. I wanna say it's usually lyrics. It really irks me when the melodies and lyrical phrases don't fit just right but I also don't like re-writes... the best songs just happen.
You’ve been classified as a “pop-punk” band. What are your punk influences?
Hayley:It's funny we get classified as anything specific when our influences couldn't be any more spread out all over the place. I would say out of the 5 of us my influences, especially on [our album] Brand New Eyes, would've come mostly from punk music or post-punk and hardcore bands. Right now, I can't get enough Operation Ivy or The Impossibles, who are both punk bands that have a ska thing going on at times. As a band, our punk influences are more focused. Bands that came out of the post-hardcore/emo scene. Like Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World-good melodies and raw passion. There's so much good music to draw inspiration from, it's hard to answer this question.
You cancelled a 2008 European tour for personal reasons, and nearly disbanded. What lessons in resolving conflicts did you learn from that point in your career?
Hayley:It's more important to be open-minded, love people with all their flaws... and just to enjoy every second. Cause you can't get em back.
Fallout Boy recently broke up, and there are rumors that The Killers cancelled their Asian tour because of band problems. What is your opinion on these news, and how do they affect you?
Hayley:It doesn't affect us. Any more than our issues affected any other band. It is sad though- the fact is we're crazy kids that love music. When you enter the music business it's bound to get hard. I'm just happy we're still here.
You penned two songs for the Twilight movie. Why did you skip the second film? Will you be back for the third? And, are you a Twihard?
Hayley:Josh and I wrote "Decode," and "I Caught Myself" was a collaborative effort on everyone's part. We skipped the second film because we had our own record to write and promote. Being a part of the whole phenomenon was such a good time. Yeah, I really loved the books! And they definitely helped me pass the time on some long flights to and from the UK.
Describe your fans. For example, how different are they from Twilight fans?
Hayley:Our fans are nuts and our crowds are always really diverse. They're passionate, super energetic, and for the most part just want to have a good time, like us. I like seeing young kids in the crowd and then seeing a couple in their teens, or even an older man or woman. The cool part is that no matter what age or who they are they all know the songs and are all totally into the shows when we come to their town.
Since you guys are so young, do you think of a future outside of Paramore? Like getting a normal job?
Hayley:Most of us never gave ourselves to chance to fail. There is no back up plan, just music. That's the way I like it. There are other things that interest me, but music is what I love and what we're all good at.
What’s the best junk food you’ve ever had on a tour?
Hayley:We eat so much cereal. Our favorite is Captain Crunchberries.
The youth of the 90s listened to rock music that was characterized as full of “angst.” In the past decade, they’ve been listening to rock music characterized as “emo.” Why do you think there has been such a shift in popular rock culture? And, why do you think adolescents are more “emotionally vulnerable” (emo) than “angry” (angsty) nowadays?
Hayley:I don't think there is much of a difference other than the fashion statement that is associated with what we now know as "emo." I think that the fact that people actually refer to themselves as "an emo" is so ridiculous. You wouldn't call yourself "an angst" would you? All music, whether angry or vulnerable, should be emotional. "Emo" just means emotional. We're no different than the youth of the 90's... some of us just wear tighter pants.
The popularity of your music is a testament to how much most of the youth empathize with it. What can you say is the main emotion in your music, and why do you think your audience shares your experience with the music? (from fan James Alcantara)
Hayley:It depends on which record we're talking about but I think there has always been a lot of anger and frustration in what I have to say. It's my way of getting out all the negativity, so I can clear my head and remain a positive person in regular life. As a band, with our songs, we have always wanted to allow people the chance to find some kind of hope in all of the insanity that life creates.
So, what do you get when you let your heart win?
Hayley:Peanut M&M's and root beer.
* * * *
Sit-down interview with Jeremy Davis (bassist), Taylor York (guitarist), and Zac Farro (drums)
It’s really hot out there. How could you walk around with those caps?
[group laughs] Taylor: We do it all the time, man. I think we got sick of doing our hair all the time so it’s an easy way to be lazy, and just deal with the heat.
Jeremy: I don’t really notice it on my head anymore.
Taylor: I notice it when I start sweating beads down my face.
Jeremy: I feel like I would sweat like that anyways.
Oscar season just finished. Did any of the movies you were rooting for win?
Zac: I didn’t even get to see [the Oscars].
Taylor: I know Avatar won a few awards, and that movie was amazing. I didn’t really see a lot of movies this year, so I didn’t know what to expect.
Zac: I thought Avatar was cool, I think the acting was pretty crappy, but I think the cinematography and stuff was [great] prior to what I’ve ever seen in a movie.
What made the acting crappy?
Zac: I didn’t think it was the best acting in the world [chuckles] but I don’t know if I was really into the movie when I saw it. I liked Sherlock Holmes a lot; I think that did really well.
Josh is getting married. Does it make you think about handling bigger responsibilities or settling down? How does it affect the band, knowing some of you are growing up really fast?
Jeremy: I don’t think that’s going to affect what we do, or our passion for [music] in any way. When you’re young you think, when you grow up, settle down, get married and have a family, it’s not like you can’t have the same job and passion, and not be able to tour. I don’t think it’s going to change anything [pause]. I don’t know - [turns to bandmates] - what do you guys think?
Taylor: It makes you think for sure. It’s interesting growing up on the road. The thing is, we learn the same things that people that go to college do-it just looks different. A lot of kids our age are getting married, and our friends getting married makes us think, and we definitely want to settle down but I don’t think that means stopping what we love doing, you know. But, man, we’re so young, we’re not trying to think too much about it. We’re living one day at a time.
Jimmy Eat World played at the wedding reception of Blink 182 guitarist Tom DeLonge. Who would you want to play at yours?
Taylor: That’s a good question. The sky’s the limit, like we can do whatever?
Yeah, you could time travel and pull musicians from the 70’s or 80’s if that’s your thing.
Taylor: [laughs] I’d probably have a friend’s composer, his name is Ian Tearson. I’d probably have him play at my wedding.
Jeremy: Yeah. That’s pretty good. That would rule, actually.
Taylor: I know, so romantic.
How do you guys relax on the road?
Taylor: Pretty much the best way to relax is doing nothing. We went to the pool yesterday and sat out and did a bunch of cannonballs. But honestly, we’re pretty boring. We just kinda like to hang out however we can. Being surrounded by people all the time and always having something to do something on a schedule, the best way to do it is just to do nothing together and hang out.
Jeremy: Or get off on your own somewhere. If there’s a beach, walking around on a beach, or hopping on a bike and going somewhere. It depends on where you are, like over here, we’re not used to so many beaches and stuff. Places you can go by the water, somewhere peaceful where you can really get away from it all for a second.
Taylor, you’re the newest band member, and your brother Justin is touring with you now. How was the band in taking you guys under their wing?
Taylor: It was amazing, man. I knew Zac and Josh, I went to a new school and they were some of the first friends I met, and I’d known Jeremy and Hayley for a really long time as well. Thankfully I had a history and friendship with everyone already, but they were amazing. They’d already gone through a few member changes so I was a little nervous to see how they’d treat me-but they were super accepting and I felt like I was a part of [Paramore] since Day One. Yes, it’s been awesome, it’s kind of felt that same way with Justin. We wanna make him feel welcome and like he’s a part of it for the season that he’s with us.
There was a rocky period after your album Riot!. You guys felt you had issues you weren’t discussing with each other, like growing up together. Do you feel success came too fast, and you were forced to mature faster than you were comfortable with?
Jeremy: In a lot of cases that’s true. Like, we didn’t get to finish school the right way and stuff-
Would you want to go back to school?
Jeremy: I finished school. When you’re on the road and trying to finish school, you don’t have the motivation every day for school work. It’s not the most fun thing to do. In a lot of cases we had to grow up and be mature, dealing with adults whether it’s the label or management [group laughs emphatically] and a lot more. You really don’t have a lot of time left to just be a kid and grow up. I think, even when you’re 40 or 50 you’re still growing up, every day you’re learning something new. You know, I think we’ve handled that well, considering the fact that everyone was so young.
Is your creativity also affected by what happens in the band? For example, after Josh and Hayley broke up, was there a No Doubt vibe going on that influenced your music?
Taylor: Absolutely. I think part of the reason we’ve seen any sort of success is people can relate to our music. We write from our hearts, experience and an honest place where things actually happened so, absolutely, we write about our lives as a band, and Hayley writes about instances individually, and a lot of the songs on the new record [“Brand New Eyes”] are directed at things that have gone on in the past few years. Hayley lays it out on the table and it has to do with the breakup or our band not getting along-it’s all there.
Would any of you guys sing your own songs?
[group laughs] Zac: Probably not!
Taylor: We like to write our own music but none of us really… sing [laughs].
Everyone in the band has to deal with each other, so maybe you can answer this: what’s Hayley like during “that time of the month?”
Taylor: When-what?
Jeremy: When she’s on that time of the month.
Taylor: Oh. [laughs]
Jeremy: Every girl gets a little moody and a little cranky. I don’t think she’s as bad with most girls-you know exactly when they’re on that time of the month! With Hayley it’s kind of like on and off-it’s kind of silly.
Taylor: The good thing about Hayley is that she’s a girl on the road but she realizes that and is really sensitive to us. She’s really good about keeping her distance when she’s kind just being a girl.
Your fans care about what happens with the band, and one way they address that is writing fan fiction about you. Here’s one “fanfic” where Hayley accepts a proposal to New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert. How do you feel about fans addressing band issues, other than in fanfic?
Taylor: It means a lot that fans feel connected to us and care about us, and that means the world, because that’s what we want. We don’t want them to feel like we’re unattainable because we’re just like them. We’re all normal kids but somehow we got lucky when we picked up a guitar. The struggle is that when kids start saying what we’re doing in life is wrong and they kinda have opinions about our life, when they know our music and connect to our music but they don’t really know us personally, they don’t know what’s going on in our lives. You just can’t read too much into it. We love that they care so much about us, they can see when we need time off. To a degree they do know us really well but when it comes to our personal lives and decisions they don’t really know the full story. No matter who you are, people are gonna say things, so you can’t let it affect you, know what I mean?
Would you like them to know the full story?
Taylor: In interviews and stuff we kinda tell what we’re comfortable telling. We want them to know us but everyone has parts of their lives they don’t want everyone to see. We have our own personal lives and friends at home that we want to protect them and their stories.
* * * *
Credit given to the Philippine Daily Inquirer's March 13, 2010 issue where these interviews were first published.
Hayley Williams' solo interview (over e-mail)
When you’re writing songs, which comes first: the melody or the lyrics?
Hayley: I like to write all the melodies and lyrics to music that is at least half-way complete. Once I get started it's such a blur that I can't tell you what is first. I wanna say it's usually lyrics. It really irks me when the melodies and lyrical phrases don't fit just right but I also don't like re-writes... the best songs just happen.
You’ve been classified as a “pop-punk” band. What are your punk influences?
Hayley:It's funny we get classified as anything specific when our influences couldn't be any more spread out all over the place. I would say out of the 5 of us my influences, especially on [our album] Brand New Eyes, would've come mostly from punk music or post-punk and hardcore bands. Right now, I can't get enough Operation Ivy or The Impossibles, who are both punk bands that have a ska thing going on at times. As a band, our punk influences are more focused. Bands that came out of the post-hardcore/emo scene. Like Sunny Day Real Estate, Jimmy Eat World-good melodies and raw passion. There's so much good music to draw inspiration from, it's hard to answer this question.
You cancelled a 2008 European tour for personal reasons, and nearly disbanded. What lessons in resolving conflicts did you learn from that point in your career?
Hayley:It's more important to be open-minded, love people with all their flaws... and just to enjoy every second. Cause you can't get em back.
Fallout Boy recently broke up, and there are rumors that The Killers cancelled their Asian tour because of band problems. What is your opinion on these news, and how do they affect you?
Hayley:It doesn't affect us. Any more than our issues affected any other band. It is sad though- the fact is we're crazy kids that love music. When you enter the music business it's bound to get hard. I'm just happy we're still here.
You penned two songs for the Twilight movie. Why did you skip the second film? Will you be back for the third? And, are you a Twihard?
Hayley:Josh and I wrote "Decode," and "I Caught Myself" was a collaborative effort on everyone's part. We skipped the second film because we had our own record to write and promote. Being a part of the whole phenomenon was such a good time. Yeah, I really loved the books! And they definitely helped me pass the time on some long flights to and from the UK.
Describe your fans. For example, how different are they from Twilight fans?
Hayley:Our fans are nuts and our crowds are always really diverse. They're passionate, super energetic, and for the most part just want to have a good time, like us. I like seeing young kids in the crowd and then seeing a couple in their teens, or even an older man or woman. The cool part is that no matter what age or who they are they all know the songs and are all totally into the shows when we come to their town.
Since you guys are so young, do you think of a future outside of Paramore? Like getting a normal job?
Hayley:Most of us never gave ourselves to chance to fail. There is no back up plan, just music. That's the way I like it. There are other things that interest me, but music is what I love and what we're all good at.
What’s the best junk food you’ve ever had on a tour?
Hayley:We eat so much cereal. Our favorite is Captain Crunchberries.
The youth of the 90s listened to rock music that was characterized as full of “angst.” In the past decade, they’ve been listening to rock music characterized as “emo.” Why do you think there has been such a shift in popular rock culture? And, why do you think adolescents are more “emotionally vulnerable” (emo) than “angry” (angsty) nowadays?
Hayley:I don't think there is much of a difference other than the fashion statement that is associated with what we now know as "emo." I think that the fact that people actually refer to themselves as "an emo" is so ridiculous. You wouldn't call yourself "an angst" would you? All music, whether angry or vulnerable, should be emotional. "Emo" just means emotional. We're no different than the youth of the 90's... some of us just wear tighter pants.
The popularity of your music is a testament to how much most of the youth empathize with it. What can you say is the main emotion in your music, and why do you think your audience shares your experience with the music? (from fan James Alcantara)
Hayley:It depends on which record we're talking about but I think there has always been a lot of anger and frustration in what I have to say. It's my way of getting out all the negativity, so I can clear my head and remain a positive person in regular life. As a band, with our songs, we have always wanted to allow people the chance to find some kind of hope in all of the insanity that life creates.
So, what do you get when you let your heart win?
Hayley:Peanut M&M's and root beer.
* * * *
Sit-down interview with Jeremy Davis (bassist), Taylor York (guitarist), and Zac Farro (drums)
It’s really hot out there. How could you walk around with those caps?
[group laughs] Taylor: We do it all the time, man. I think we got sick of doing our hair all the time so it’s an easy way to be lazy, and just deal with the heat.
Jeremy: I don’t really notice it on my head anymore.
Taylor: I notice it when I start sweating beads down my face.
Jeremy: I feel like I would sweat like that anyways.
Oscar season just finished. Did any of the movies you were rooting for win?
Zac: I didn’t even get to see [the Oscars].
Taylor: I know Avatar won a few awards, and that movie was amazing. I didn’t really see a lot of movies this year, so I didn’t know what to expect.
Zac: I thought Avatar was cool, I think the acting was pretty crappy, but I think the cinematography and stuff was [great] prior to what I’ve ever seen in a movie.
What made the acting crappy?
Zac: I didn’t think it was the best acting in the world [chuckles] but I don’t know if I was really into the movie when I saw it. I liked Sherlock Holmes a lot; I think that did really well.
Josh is getting married. Does it make you think about handling bigger responsibilities or settling down? How does it affect the band, knowing some of you are growing up really fast?
Jeremy: I don’t think that’s going to affect what we do, or our passion for [music] in any way. When you’re young you think, when you grow up, settle down, get married and have a family, it’s not like you can’t have the same job and passion, and not be able to tour. I don’t think it’s going to change anything [pause]. I don’t know - [turns to bandmates] - what do you guys think?
Taylor: It makes you think for sure. It’s interesting growing up on the road. The thing is, we learn the same things that people that go to college do-it just looks different. A lot of kids our age are getting married, and our friends getting married makes us think, and we definitely want to settle down but I don’t think that means stopping what we love doing, you know. But, man, we’re so young, we’re not trying to think too much about it. We’re living one day at a time.
Jimmy Eat World played at the wedding reception of Blink 182 guitarist Tom DeLonge. Who would you want to play at yours?
Taylor: That’s a good question. The sky’s the limit, like we can do whatever?
Yeah, you could time travel and pull musicians from the 70’s or 80’s if that’s your thing.
Taylor: [laughs] I’d probably have a friend’s composer, his name is Ian Tearson. I’d probably have him play at my wedding.
Jeremy: Yeah. That’s pretty good. That would rule, actually.
Taylor: I know, so romantic.
How do you guys relax on the road?
Taylor: Pretty much the best way to relax is doing nothing. We went to the pool yesterday and sat out and did a bunch of cannonballs. But honestly, we’re pretty boring. We just kinda like to hang out however we can. Being surrounded by people all the time and always having something to do something on a schedule, the best way to do it is just to do nothing together and hang out.
Jeremy: Or get off on your own somewhere. If there’s a beach, walking around on a beach, or hopping on a bike and going somewhere. It depends on where you are, like over here, we’re not used to so many beaches and stuff. Places you can go by the water, somewhere peaceful where you can really get away from it all for a second.
Taylor, you’re the newest band member, and your brother Justin is touring with you now. How was the band in taking you guys under their wing?
Taylor: It was amazing, man. I knew Zac and Josh, I went to a new school and they were some of the first friends I met, and I’d known Jeremy and Hayley for a really long time as well. Thankfully I had a history and friendship with everyone already, but they were amazing. They’d already gone through a few member changes so I was a little nervous to see how they’d treat me-but they were super accepting and I felt like I was a part of [Paramore] since Day One. Yes, it’s been awesome, it’s kind of felt that same way with Justin. We wanna make him feel welcome and like he’s a part of it for the season that he’s with us.
There was a rocky period after your album Riot!. You guys felt you had issues you weren’t discussing with each other, like growing up together. Do you feel success came too fast, and you were forced to mature faster than you were comfortable with?
Jeremy: In a lot of cases that’s true. Like, we didn’t get to finish school the right way and stuff-
Would you want to go back to school?
Jeremy: I finished school. When you’re on the road and trying to finish school, you don’t have the motivation every day for school work. It’s not the most fun thing to do. In a lot of cases we had to grow up and be mature, dealing with adults whether it’s the label or management [group laughs emphatically] and a lot more. You really don’t have a lot of time left to just be a kid and grow up. I think, even when you’re 40 or 50 you’re still growing up, every day you’re learning something new. You know, I think we’ve handled that well, considering the fact that everyone was so young.
Is your creativity also affected by what happens in the band? For example, after Josh and Hayley broke up, was there a No Doubt vibe going on that influenced your music?
Taylor: Absolutely. I think part of the reason we’ve seen any sort of success is people can relate to our music. We write from our hearts, experience and an honest place where things actually happened so, absolutely, we write about our lives as a band, and Hayley writes about instances individually, and a lot of the songs on the new record [“Brand New Eyes”] are directed at things that have gone on in the past few years. Hayley lays it out on the table and it has to do with the breakup or our band not getting along-it’s all there.
Would any of you guys sing your own songs?
[group laughs] Zac: Probably not!
Taylor: We like to write our own music but none of us really… sing [laughs].
Everyone in the band has to deal with each other, so maybe you can answer this: what’s Hayley like during “that time of the month?”
Taylor: When-what?
Jeremy: When she’s on that time of the month.
Taylor: Oh. [laughs]
Jeremy: Every girl gets a little moody and a little cranky. I don’t think she’s as bad with most girls-you know exactly when they’re on that time of the month! With Hayley it’s kind of like on and off-it’s kind of silly.
Taylor: The good thing about Hayley is that she’s a girl on the road but she realizes that and is really sensitive to us. She’s really good about keeping her distance when she’s kind just being a girl.
Your fans care about what happens with the band, and one way they address that is writing fan fiction about you. Here’s one “fanfic” where Hayley accepts a proposal to New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert. How do you feel about fans addressing band issues, other than in fanfic?
Taylor: It means a lot that fans feel connected to us and care about us, and that means the world, because that’s what we want. We don’t want them to feel like we’re unattainable because we’re just like them. We’re all normal kids but somehow we got lucky when we picked up a guitar. The struggle is that when kids start saying what we’re doing in life is wrong and they kinda have opinions about our life, when they know our music and connect to our music but they don’t really know us personally, they don’t know what’s going on in our lives. You just can’t read too much into it. We love that they care so much about us, they can see when we need time off. To a degree they do know us really well but when it comes to our personal lives and decisions they don’t really know the full story. No matter who you are, people are gonna say things, so you can’t let it affect you, know what I mean?
Would you like them to know the full story?
Taylor: In interviews and stuff we kinda tell what we’re comfortable telling. We want them to know us but everyone has parts of their lives they don’t want everyone to see. We have our own personal lives and friends at home that we want to protect them and their stories.