We scored an interview with 3 of the lovely guys from one of our favourite bands, Four Year Strong. Good times. Check out all the gossip below, from how Four Year strong formed, to the burning questions you've always wanted to know 'Hayley Williams or Katy Perry?'.
Josh, Joe and Jake answer all our nosey questions;
From the start, How did you guys meet and form Four Year Strong.
Josh – Holy Sh*t, well Me, Alan and Dan, Me and Alan were like 12 so Dan was like 15 or something, I had known Alan for a while, we met Dan when we were a little older, and we started playing music together, and a couple other of our friends from way back then, we all just started a band and people quit and then we got other gentlemen along the way.
Jake – In 2002 or something.
Josh – Yep we’ve been in a band for about 10 years now.
Joe – Yea, you and Alan were on the same block, and then me and Dan lived on the same block and stuff, so I’d just ride my bike over to his house, and we’d practice.
Jake – I’m not even sure how I came into the picture, I just kinda like swooped in.
Joe – Drinking whiskey!
Jake – Yep, a mutual gentleman’s appreciation for drinking whiskey!
The most recent video 'Tonight we feel alive', it’s pretty awesome, we were wondering how much creative input you guys have into you videos and promos.
Josh – On the video we had 100%, so it was pretty much like 'our jam' from start to finish.
ML – So you get involved as much as you can with everything?
Josh – I mean there’s some things that you just gotta trust other people to do, but if its stuff that we are actually interested in then we will, like, any of our art cover work is always us being like ‘…
Jake – ...We’re retarded but this is what we wana do!’
Josh – I know you think we’re stupid but it’s gonna happen! And be prepared for stupidity!
Jake – I’m very surprised that people in the UK aren’t offended by the video, just because, you know, we’re fighting.
Joe – It’s cuz they don’t give a shit!
Josh – I mean you guys have had a lot of wars over the years, so if we hated everybody that went to war with you that’d be..
Jake – Then you’d be America!
Taking your point that the UK have a laid back attitude and ‘Don’t really give a shit’, we think a lot of the UK fans take you lyrics to heart, how do you feel about that?
Joe – I think that’s cool, I mean in the sense where I probably, growing up, took things from music that maybe they weren’t directly intended to mean, but I took them in my own way. That’s kind of sweet.
Josh – I think everyone has does that, I definitely do that, we’re thankful that its our music and people sit there and like ‘Yeaaa be stoked maannn, doiiin’ my homework tonight’ (haha).
As you are probably more than aware, people often get tattoos and such, we’ve seen loads of FYS tattoos is that a bit weird?
All – Yes
Joe – In the grand scheme of things, yea.
Jake – I think its pretty normal to get band tattoo’s
Josh – I think it’s really cool
Joe – Yeah, its just weird, cuz its us.
Josh – When you hear about people getting other band’s tattoos its like, oh obviously, but when it’s your band, you’re like ‘what?’
Jake – Yeah I have band tattoos!
ML – So its pretty normal, but because its you guys its like, slightly weird.
Josh – Yeah I mean, you’d be a dickhead if we were like ‘yeah, you better get our band tattooed’.
What other bands are you rating at the moment?
Joe – On new bands, Title Fight, Fireworks, Set Your Goals, A Loss For Words, Polar Bear Club, definitely, pretty much every band we tour with I end up diggin’. We have a real good time with The Wonder Years.
Josh – We try to take people that we know are going to be good, on tour with us for most parts.
Jake – Make sure you listen to Minus The Bear too, just throwing that out there.
Are there any music collaborations would you like to do?
Josh – Yea, but I’m going to be honest, I’ll speak for myself on this one, I would probably feel outclass with anyone, if any of my favourite bands were like ‘We wana do a song with you’ I’d be like ‘ah f*ck!’
Jake – Collaborate with Snoop Dog!
Joe – We’d rather do it with someone from a totally different genre.
ML – So seriously, we totally think you should, but would you guys actually do something with someone like that?
Josh – Yeah totally, I wouldn’t want it to be like a Four year Strong type band though. Otherwise it’d kind of be pointless.
So if you guys weren’t making music right now what do you rekon you would be doing?
Joe – Maybe on the coast.
Josh – I don’t even know, I’ve been doing this for too long! I’d probably be banging nails kid, sluggin’ bud lights all day
Jake – I’d just still be driving trucks and I’d love it.
What can we expect from FYS in the near future?
Joe – We’ve got a show tonight
Josh – So much more touring still, don’t have a break till like spring. Yup lots of touring. 'TOUR YEAR STRONG.'
Joe – Hopefully the spring will be bring studio time, but it all changes.
Josh's pocket contents
Joe's pocket contents
Jake's pocket contents
ML – We thought you’d have a bit more exciting stuff going on there!
Live in the UK or US
Josh – I’m gonna say US, cuz Massachusetts is my home.
Joe – I’d agree but I do love it here, and if I could have a second home it’d be awesome.
Josh – Yeah if I could do both that would be sweet.
Joe – I enjoy Brighton a lot.
Josh – I’d go somewhere along the coast definitely
Jake – We could hang out with A Ghost Of A Thousand, and Emery!
Loose all musical skill, or never have sex again?
All – Loose all musical Skill!!!
Ugly or Stupid?
Josh – I’m already both! Errr you could get further being attractive as a human! I hate to say it but I’d rather be stupid than ugly, sorry ugly people!
Winter forever or summer forever?
Josh – Summer
Jake – I’d rather it be fall forever.
Joe – Fall would be good but I’ll go with summer definitely
Josh – It would suck to always be in the snow, but I don’t wana answer always summer, if it was only those two options then I'd say summer.
ML - Afraid it is Josh!
Loose your right arm or your left leg?
Joe – Left leg! Then I wouldn’t have to play double bass anymore!
Jake – I think my right arm, probably honestly, It would suck but..
Josh – You could still like Skate, Snowboard and shit,
Joe – and WALK…
Josh – Yea! And walk
Vampire or Werewolf?
ALL – Werewolf
Jake - Cuz Lovell would be a vampire.
Josh – YEA true!
Jake – Werewolf’s are cooler anyway cuz you can go back a forth! You can just be a person and no one would know then all of a sudden the moons out and you’re just like ‘ oh shit guys I gotta go home’
Josh – Vampires have sex with a lot of people, they’re like stylish
Joe – Yeah sex with guys too
Josh – Yeah, you’d be very bi-sexual, which I guess if you are bi-sexual that would be awesome.
Jake – You of all people are talking about not being a wolf right now? (check out enemy of the world album artwork, Josh is surrounded by wolves!)
Josh – Here’s the thing, I know! If it was vampire or a wolf, I would answer wolf, in a heartbeat, but with a werewolf there’s so much pain involved dude! Every month! Its kinda like having your perrriod!
After a big discussion on Twilight and Actors...
If you were an animal would you live in the Ocean or on the Land?
Joe – Definitely on land
Josh – The Ocean would be so cool though.
Jake – I wana live in the ocean cuz I already know what living on land is like!
Joe – But if you’re a mammal that breathes air, you have to come to the surface that just sucks.
Jake – I'd be one of those crazy fish that live well deep and light up and shit.
Star in a musical or horror film?
ALL – Horror film!
Josh – Or a 'musical horror film.'
Katy Perry or Hayley Williams?
Josh – I feel weird answering that!
Jake – Katy perry! Katy Perry is so fine!
Josh – Our friend Chad is with her, soooo… Jennifer Anston is my real answer!
Joe – Katy Perry!
That's a rap! Thanks for letting us interview you guys, its been fun!
We will have all the pictures up from Four Year Strong's latest show at Electric Ballroom, Camden, very shortly... check back soon!
