YIPEEEEE so guessed how enormous my excitement was when Ian chose me to do a phone interview with Boys Like Girls (BLG) :D It was done last Monday at Livescape Asia in Petaling Jaya.
The office is so cool it doesn't even look like an office. From the outside, it's just a plain-looking one-storey building, which you can easily pass off as a house. They don't even have a sign that says 'Livescape' or something.. Guess they wanna lie low hmmm :O
The inside of the office looks like this. This is the common area, and I even spotted a box of Monopoly (under the TV) ! Working here seems like fun :p I peeped in further and I fell in love with the ambience because it emits a rustic feel to me.
You can see this table from the outside, because directly opposite it are the glass doors. I wonder why did they put the table there because nobody ever sits there :O Anyway, on top of it is a stack of old newspapers which were accumulated over the days, and...
..THIS! :O They have a whole stack of it! (Huuuuge posters I want!)
The phone interview was scheduled to be at 10.30am and I was required to be there by 10am. However, I reached just before 9.30am as I left early in case of traffic jam... (which explained why I had the time to walk around the office hehehe)
Honestly, I was not that nervous - probably because it was only a phone interview so I didn't have to talk to them in person so I know I wouldn't hyperventilate and faint in front of them... - and after going through all 20+ questions in my head (again and again), I sat there with another journalist from some magazine and waited for Marlina.
At 10.20am, (I think) the manager of BLG called Marlina and set up Paul to talk to me first. (OMG!) I was only given 10 minutes' time, so I really felt the pressure to rush through the questions as I see the time ticking away on the wireless phone. There were quite a few questions that I didn't get to ask him :(
One disadvantage about phone interviews is that, most of the time the line wouldn't be very clear, and therefore it will result in mostly muffled sounds, especially coming from someone with a foreign accent. In the end, I actually lost chunks of information and had to make do with those I could get hold of :/
Before doing my research on the band for this interview, I admit that I didn't know much about BLG. I only know a few of their famous singles, which I think are quite good. One thing I like about BLG (which I realised later) is that Paul sounds very friendly and down-to-earth. The feeling I got when talking to him on the phone was like talking to an old friend (from America), no joke! Pretty amazing.
Also, they're a pretty decent band, except for:
1. The name which sounds quite ludicrous to me...
2. The fact that every member has tattoos ALL OVER their body (like seriously?!)
Anyway, putting those aside, I think they're okay. Here's the article that was published in R.AGE on Friday, 6th of July. Check it out! :D
They went on an indefinite hiatus last year, and there were even reports that the band had broken up, but American rockers Boys Like Girls are now definitely back, and they'll be performing here in Malaysia at the Rockaway Festival 2012.
Since their formation, the band - which consists of lead singer Martin Johnson, guitarist Paul DiGiovanni, drummer John Keefe and new bassist Morgan Dorr - has sold over 1.17 million albums and 8 million tracks worldwide.
They're most famous for hits such as The Great Escape, Love Drunk and their duet with Taylor Swift, Two Is Better Than One, but the guys themselves have never really seen themselves as having made it.
"We never really considered ourselves being famous. We just enjoy making music and performing," said DiGiovanni, the band's lead guitarist, during a phone interview with the BRATs on Monday.
But not all was well with the band, as in November last year, the band's original bassist Bryan Donahue was reportedly kicked out of the band, having become too engrossed in his own solo projects. Donahue himself confirmed on his Twitter account that he had been asked to leave the band.
Later, it was announced that Donahue would be replaced by Dorr as the band's permanent bassist, and according to DiGiovanni, things are looking up again.
"(Dorr) has great energy, and a great attitude. He's such an incredible musician and everyone's happy," said DiGiovanni.
The band is now working on its third album, titled Crazy World, which is set to be released sometime later this year.
While making the album, electronic music was fast gaining popularity and that made Johnson, the band's singer-songwriter, "conform to the music norm" and write songs that were more electronic-based.
However, the music did not click with the band, and that was when the band first decided to go on the aforementioned hiatus. During that time, Johnson went to Nashville in the United States, to write some songs with a few artistes there, which is why some of their new tracks will have a bit of a Nashville feel to them.
Fans of Boys Like Girls can expect the album to be a lot different, but still very much them. There will be a variety of instruments, and it will even feature gospel singers on some songs.
DiGiovanni commented: "We are very excited as it is close to coming out. I think Crazy World is our best work ever. It has a Nashville-inspired sound and the music is a little bit more dynamic."
Johnson stated that the song Be Your Everything would be released as the first single. About the song, DiGiovanni said: "It is a super love song, and there will be two different ideas going on throughout the whole song."
It has indeed been a long journey for Boys Like Girls. When asked if he ever thought the band would make it this big, DiGiovanni said: "We never expected anything, and it just happened. It's been exciting, and we're having that unbelievable feeling, and it's amazing.
"I guess we have grown as a band in some ways, including how we spend time together, getting closer and closer with each other throughout all these years. It's really important for the chemistry on stage, and for making records as well."
DiGiovanni says in the future, the band would love to tour the world, performing at places they have never been to; and will definitely continue to make good music while staying true to their style. One thing that Boys Like Girls love about touring is being able to meet fans from all over the world.
It is evident that their fans occupy a very important place in their hearts, as they enjoy using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to connect with fans all the time.
DiGiovanni said:" Knowing that we have so many fans throughout the world, that feeling is really incredible, and the fans are just so passionate."
Boys Like Girls came to Malaysia during the MTV World Stage in 2001, and will be returning on July 12 to perform at the Rockaway Festival 2012 alongside acts like Motion City Soundtrack, The Azenders, Lab The Rat and An Honest Mistake.
"We can't wait to come back," said DiGiovanni. "We had some of the best shows ever in Malaysia. The fans over there are lovely and we're grateful to have them."
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