Get Rich, Get Famous, Get Laid - Simple Plan

We politely ask if we can talk about the new record. Pierre enthusiastically responds, “We’d love to talk about the new record!” We ask why they have made such an obvious directional shift from their earlier work. Pierre explains. “We just wanted to make something a bit more interesting for ourselves as musicians, and maybe keep the best elements of what we have done and give it a different twist. Music evolves and it’s only natural for your sound to evolve as a musician.” Jeff adds, “We took this record to places we’d never been to in sonic production. I think because there’s more time between this record and the first two, so we’ve listened to more music. There’s more happening around you and the radio is changing.” We press him on the issue of influence, and whether they feel their sound is dominated by the radio and other artists that are popular. Jeff continues, “I think that when Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Green Day came out with their ambitious records, we weren’t necessarily inspired by them musically, but by their desire to push it further and make grand statements. We wanted to find our own way to do this, without copying what they are doing.”

We enquire as to why they chose this as their self-titled record, when they have two successful albums under their belts. Pierre admits, “It’s a record that marks a new era of what we are doing and we feel really strongly about the music.” We probe them on whether they think the record represents the fact that they are older now than they were, certainly when they wrote the first record, and therefore, do they have different priorities in terms of what they write about? Pierre nods, “But I don’t think we’ve ever lost the fun aspect of what we were doing and a mature record kind of rings that. We were in our early twenties when we wrote the first one and we barely knew how to make a record! And now things have changed a little bit. Well, hopefully it has, otherwise that would be a bit sad!”

It’s rare to come across a band that is ensnared in all the fame and fortune bullshit, yet still able to remain level-headed and down to earth. If you’re a big deal, chances are you’re probably an arsehole. Whilst Simple Plan may not be arseholes, they are obviously lads enjoying the advantages of money, fame and adoration from girls. You only have to take a quick peek at their myspace page to realise this is a daily occurrence (“OMG I luv u guyz! RU single? We’re  made for each other! Hugs and kisses!!!”)! They do seem to be a band genuinely passionate about their music. They even put their own money to ‘good causes’ when, let’s face it, many bands simply can’t be arsed. Maybe they haven’t quite matured, but perhaps that’s their appeal. Those screaming fifteen year old girls, waiting outside the Astoria until the early hours of Saturday morning for one glimpse of their idols, would certainly seem to think so!

The new album is out now. Simple Plan will be touring for the next year and a half. They will be back in the UK for Download festival and a UK tour will follow in December.