April 15, 2026 • 56 mins
On this week's In Service Of, a special hour with 5 Seconds of Summer as Luke, Calum, Ashton and Michael talk with host Steve Baltin about their most recent album, their upcoming tour, how their solo work influenced the band music and their very different choices for best pop album of all time.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey, Steve Balton, and welcome to in Service.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Up this week, I sit down with multiple members of
five Seconds of Summer. We did two interviews of two
guys a piece fascinating stuff, talking about their last album,
upcoming tour, how solo work influences their work together as
a band, and their favorite pop album of all time.
(00:31):
Each member picked one very interesting to hear their choices.
Hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did.
A lot of fun to sit down with them. Who
have I've known these guys for a while. Thanks, Thank
(00:58):
you guys for being here today.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
And it's interesting, Like I was saying, it feels like
everybody is kind of tied to compew, but for you guys,
it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I mean, the record's wonderful, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And I'm sure there's like you know, Luke, you and
I spoke for the solo record and everything, and yeah
there is, Like you know, I've talked to so many
bands about this over the years. When you get a
chance to step away for a minute, it's exciting when
you come back because everybody's kind of learned something new
that they can bring to the table.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Yeah. I think, uh, it's good to see a game.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Man.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Last time I talked to you, I was in a
New York hotel room. So it's good to speak to
you from home when I'm less less stressed. Yeah, I mean,
I think being able to We've been to the band
for so long that sometimes when you're in it, it's
difficult to like, kind of like anything. It's hard to see,
(01:53):
you know, to zoom out and say like and be
objective of it. So being able to do, like you said,
the solo things and be able to not be in
the you know, the band was still going, but like
be able to like not be releasing and touring in
the band kind of for the first time ever. Was
it made us? It made definitely me be able to
(02:16):
like zoom out and go like, okay, the fan of
the band for the last five albums, what do I
want from what I want to hear from us? And
what is it what I wanted to look like? And
how do TO want it to make make me feel?
So that's that's it was super helpful, in way more
helpful than I think either of us like could have imagined.
(02:40):
But that's why the album feels so cohesiven. It feels
so strong and the imagery behind it is so yeah,
it feels like I don't know what the word is,
a really sharp error.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I guess well, And Michael, I'm sure you see this
as well. But I mean it's funny because for both
of you.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You you know, the other thing about it.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Is simply when you get a break from anything, I
don't care how wonderful it is. It's like you you know,
especially in music, where I remember talking about so much
of people you know, going to COVID or coming out
of COVID, and it's like, you know before that, you know,
I remember talking about it with like Jon bon Jovi,
who's been doing this for like one hundred years, right,
(03:22):
and a great guy, but we were talking about it.
It's like you're on the hamster wheel of album tour,
album tour, and you know, you never really get a break.
So when you step away from something, even something you love,
you get to appreciate it because you get to look
at it from different eyes.
Speaker 6 (03:39):
Yeah. I think that's a really good point, Like you
look at it from a different kind of like respective,
and I think, like especially when it comes to music
for us, like I know, just in our case, it
kind of helped us bring new ideas and kind of
like new life to it that. You know, I don't
think the way it everyone's a star looks or feels
(04:02):
would be the same if we didn't If if we
didn't you know, take take a minute to do our
solo projects and stuff like that, because you know, I
just don't know if we would have been kind of
bold enough to sort of make these choices and these
kind of like decisions if we sort of hadn't got
(04:27):
all the other stuff off our chest and kind of
felt like we were coming back together. It kind of
like gives us a sort of sense of like like
I don't know why, it necessarily makes us more bold
And it's interesting because it's almost like the opposite of
when you have nothing to lose.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
It's like when you have.
Speaker 6 (04:47):
Everything to lose, it kind of like just emboldens us
and empowers us to sort of like.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Just make good stuff. It kind of like, I don't know,
it's an interesting.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
We have an interesting dynamic over here and foods us it's.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Fun Well, it's funny though you say that.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I mean, do you feel like you now in a
way with the solo records, you guys got a chance
to kind of grow up because you know, with this,
you're talking about things that were you know, the adult
versions of you were because again, as we talked about,
when you started, you're like seventeen sixteen whatever, you know,
and now you guys have kids, families, you know, some
(05:30):
of you and like you guys have adult lives, and
do you feel like being able to articulate those kind
of gave you a transition to be able to come
into this where it's like, Okay, now people know that
we're not.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Those people anymore.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So it does allow us to you know, like be
who we are today as a collective. It's like individually,
I mean collectively we're so five seconds summer, but we're
not the same people who you know, we're five seconds
the summer when we started.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yeah, definitely, I think, you know, it was interesting to
be able to hear everyone's stories in their songwriting and
in their soulo stuff, and be able to hear however
and else sort of heard it, and I think, like,
you know, sort of saw our whole journey because a
lot of it, you know, it was reflecting on personal experience,
and I think from and the fifth album for us
(06:27):
was like very much in that vein and we were
sort of like it sounds very uh, I don't know.
Actory we were almost like playing ourselves for so long
that it kind of felt nice to on everyone's the
star like break out of that and become a bigger
boulder version of our of ourselves, you know. And it's like,
even even when we're writing solo stuff, like coming into
(06:50):
making something with the band, I'm like, okay, I'm I'm
sort of like I'm good on on my like directly
my songwriting story. You know, obviously we're pulling from personal
experience in the band stuff, but it feels like a
collective a lot of the time, a collective story. And
(07:11):
there was no like, I don't know, me wanting it
to sound a certain way. It has to sort of
sound like I feel like this. It was very much
like I don't know whatever's best for the band, and
it made it so clear what was I don't know,
like that sort of irony in that fun that we
had in the earlier years coming out in this album,
(07:35):
you know, without doing solo stuff and getting sort of
like more for me, like more heavy topics off my chest,
I might have been hesitant to lean into that. I
don't know, I don't know what the word is, like
the fun side, but I just hate the word fun.
It sounds so lame. Michael prayers a better word, but yeah,
I don't know if that makes sense sort of rambling.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
No, it does, and it's funny, you were fun.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
But it's like, I mean, I think at this point too,
you know, forever and I talk about this, I'll always remember, right,
having a conversation with Debbie Harry and Christein from Glandie,
and it was an interesting conversation because we were talking
about the fact that, you know, like it was during
the time. For me, it was during the time, I
mean when Trump was first selected and the first time
(08:21):
I was talking with everybody about being an artist in
that period, and one thing they said, you know, was
that as an artist, you're always reflecting the times. And
for them it was a very like, you know, pointed
decision not to do anything political because their political message
was making fun music that people can be distracted to
(08:44):
and have a good time, you know. And so I
do think that there's like, you know, there's an element
to whatever your beliefs are at anytime, you know that
what's going on in the world, like you know, people
do need fun and they need that escape and they
need a release. So it's interesting you say you hate
that word, but it's like at the same time, I'm sure,
as you know, a band, you guys probably need that
(09:07):
release as well, because it doesn't matter what your beliefs are,
there's just stuff going under the world.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
I think what we sort of noticed over the you know,
last you know, ten plus years of being a band
is like when people come to our shows, when people
come to like our music and our you know, like
whatever culture we have around our band, it's very much
about like it's just about having a safe space and
(09:35):
like it's it's all about like inclusivity and like just
being you know, being authentically yourself.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
You know.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Like even the title of you know, Everyone's a Star
and kind of like some of the concepts we touch
on on the record is like, you know, it's it's.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Very much about.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
You know, like just just being yourself and being true
to yourself, and like a lot of that is like
we want to just have everything kind of feel like
a celebration and sort of feel like you know, we're
we're here to you know, we're here to uplift people
in our art and like we're here to, you know,
make people feel good, not bad in the simplest, simplest terms,
(10:25):
or sometimes they feel bad because it's good.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
I don't know, now, I know what you mean. It's funny.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Do you find because as an artist, you know, the
best work always comes from making music for yourself. So
do you find for you guys that it starts with
the idea of, like you just want to make stuff
that makes you feel good?
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Yeah? Yeah, definitely. I think it's especially I mean, we
have a tendency to, like every album sort of do
a full one eighty flip, and I think that's part
of being in the I don't know, just making music
for these guys, you know, a sixth album. We're doing
this for a long time. We're a pop band. Even
though you know we started as a pop punk rock act.
(11:09):
We really are in the pop space and we find
that so exciting that we can dip our toes into
different genres and sort of bend it and have like
four different writers and players and singers and it's like
such a it takes That's why this album took a minute.
But this this feels like the amalgamation of like five
(11:31):
five albums and fifteen years of learning and playing with
different not an instrumentation and songwriting and feels like the
most five suce thing we have ever made, which is
exciting because only we could put this album out. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Well, it's interesting that you say you're a pop band
that you started one way, and I mean I've talked
about that with a billion artists because I mean, that's
that's Lucia Bars. But it's funny because when you think
of it, right, like who's the greatest band in the
history of the world. Some people say that Zeppelin. Most
people will say the Beatles. The reason I bring this
up at the end of the day, the Beatles were
considered a pop band and yet they did so much
(12:16):
it in eight years that traverse the entire universe. So
it's like popular music is like pop music is just
music that's always been popular. I mean it's so you know,
someone like Prince is one of the greatest pop artists
of all time. It's very different than George Michael, who
was a great fucking pop artist who's very different than
(12:37):
you know whoever. So I mean it's interesting as being
in that space. Do you feel like it's kind of
liberating because you do get to do so much.
Speaker 6 (12:48):
Yeah, I think the cool thing is now in the
like music climate that we live in, is like pop
isn't isn't like a sound anymore. You know, Like pop
doesn't have like a sound that it needs to be.
Pop is just the way that you sort of like
approach your project, you know, and like the way that
(13:10):
you market have people.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Listen to it.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
You know, it's cool that like pop isn't like a
dirty word anymore.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
So for us, like you.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Know, I know, a lot of a lot of artists
and a lot of bands and stuff sort of like
start pop and drift away from it over the years,
whereas I feel like we kind of did the opposite,
where we like started less pop and then like leaned
into it even harder over the years, the more that
we kind of like understood it and understood like what
(13:43):
what you know, what we were trying to accomplish and
achieve and how to do it, and you know, like
what really is the best like the best genre in
the world because it's like you get to like it
pushes you to experiments so much now, you know, like
ten years ago, it definitely was a different story and
(14:04):
it was a little more kind of in a box.
But now like just with the state.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Of music, like the doors are just blown open and.
Speaker 6 (14:13):
You can sort of just like create, you know, the
thing that's super authentic to.
Speaker 7 (14:21):
You.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
And like as long as it translates as you know, authentic,
that's that's the only thing that people really, you know,
care about at the end of the day. And I
think that for us, it's just about like honing in
on on what that is and like Luke said, like
what makes it fives us and you know what differentiates us?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yeah, all right, so obvious questions that I have to
ask for both of you guys. Now, what is like
the definitive pop album, Like for each one of you
guys when you think back to like you know, growing
up like a favorite pop album. As they say, you know,
what is school is that it is so broad and
it's like you know, and I mean the other thing
is now that the way the world you know, you
(15:04):
mentioned like the way it is now and obviously you
know you have like Outcasts and Jula Lipa and you know,
like all these different artists who can play at the
same festival with like a c DC and you know,
genres were always something set up by the industry, like
fans are like, no, fuck that, I'm just gonna listen
(15:27):
to whatever's.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Your what's your pop album? Luke did it so funny
as we're talking about this. When I was when we
were starting pop in my head was like tire Cruz.
That's why I was like, what was that? We're not
a pop band because Tya Cruz is the pop guy.
Now I'm like, is you got up? You're like, oh wait,
the Beatles were the best pop theyd ever lived bro
(16:03):
between the Beatles entire, Yeah, that's topical topical best pop
album ever. Jeez, I don't know that's a I mean,
probably something by the Beatles. But in my when I
was growing up, I think, I mean, this is this
is kind of a crazy take. But I think maybe
(16:26):
like one of the Rihanna albums is like from It's
like a pop girly them all time. Michael, do you
have anything more time? Because I have no idea.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
Mine would be like a pretty typical Michael Lanser where
I'm for some reason my brain is going to enema
of the state.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
I don't know why. I know it's like I know
it's like a lot of.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
People would consider that kind of anti pop, but I
think there's something you know, obviously pop about it that,
like they, to me blank really channeled what it is
to like.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Right pop songs and like have that.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
I don't think of it, but turn it into like
bang is like that someone likes that, someone like me
would fucking that's.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
A good answer. Look it in. You don't think it's
as Daylight dies like kill Switch engage, I mean that shifts.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (17:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
I love the fact that from this standpoint, right from
the outside standpoint, one of you Pickturehanna, one of you
pick you two both of them have interviewed multiple times
in Love So Here. When like when you go and
hear the record, like and when you go back and
listen to your earlier stuff, do you hear those like
those melding together? Because as I talked about with so
(17:44):
many artists, you know, writing is so subconscious and oftentimes
you'll hear something in there later on. Like I always
go back to this great Nick Cave quote, and I
love Nick Cave, and he was saying like a year
and a half later, it'll be on stage and be like,
oh that's what that wasp dude?
Speaker 6 (17:59):
I actually think when somewhere between Blink and Rihanna is
kind of.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Like the sweet spot.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
I think that's exactly where five Star should earn Land.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
That's fucking so funny, dude, Somewhere.
Speaker 6 (18:12):
In that territory I think looks good on us.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
So what is that spot though?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
What is like, Yeah, I'm sure.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
That, Yeah, I think I think it's it's more like
just embodying the things about artists that you love. You know,
like I think, you know, even just as you know,
silly as it is looking at like Blink and Rihanna,
there as references like I actually can I can actually
(18:44):
from the inside like see the things that that that
we do from both of those acts that that kind
of come together to create something great. And what's great
is when you go to ask Ashton and Callum later,
they're going to have a totally different, wild fucking answer
where I bet if you put like the Venn diagram
(19:06):
of all of them like it will it will make sense.
So yeah, I think, like that's just the beauty of
being in a band is like finding finding different things
about like also other artists that maybe you're not familiar
with that somebody else in the band loves and like
like taking a bird's eye view from it and like
(19:28):
skimming and taking interesting stuff because when you're not so
invested in an artist, it's like sometimes a little bit
easier to like take influence from it because you don't
know the artist inside out.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Is that is well? Like is pet Sounds the pop album?
What a people consider that?
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yeah, that's the first.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Album I'll argue until the day I die that. I mean,
the greatest pop song of all time is god Olino's.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
That can't mean I mean no one's.
Speaker 6 (19:56):
Yeah, I mean I don't think Yeah, I don't think
many people would argue with you you on that. I
think that's that's a fucking that is Yeah, that's a
really good one.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Well, let's.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
That's the song, Yeah, song song that rips.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
On the Let's look in Uh, actually good vibrations too,
let's luck in those three? Then?
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Well yeah, I mean, you know, but what's funny is
and it's easy to find a common thread beyond Rihann,
be between Rihanna and linkin eighty two And I don't know,
did you guys see the Rock Hall of Fame inductions
on Saturday or did you see any of its.
Speaker 6 (20:35):
Song a little bit online, kind of like the cliff Notes, because.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Yeah, the reason I asked is it I was talking
with John Sykes, who's the chairman of the Rock Hall
and is a good friend of mine, and we were
doing a story for the La Times.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
And they want to say, what's that and they want
to see it. We'd be honest, We'll take you. Yeah, yes, man, Yes,
Well what I.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Was gonna say, No, it's funny because we're talking about
the common threat between these artists because people are always like, well,
that's not rock and roll. Like when Dolly Parton was elected,
people were like, that's not fucking rock and roll. But
what he was saying was interesting. He said, there's an
attitude that is rock and roll between all of these artists.
And it's interesting when you think about it. Between Rihanna
(21:25):
and Blinkwindy two, there is a threat, and you know,
it is that added that like, just like every great
artist has an attitude of like, I'm gonna do whatever
fuck I want.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
I don't care, and it's funny. That's fine.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
As you've gotten older, this is also comes into play
quite a bit. You know, we talked about, you know,
growing up, but I mean part of it too, is
very simply the older you get. Like Bruce Springsley was
saying about his new movie. You know, they asked him
why he finally said yes to it. He's like, I'm old,
I don't give a fuck anymore.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Man, I respect that answer so much. I don't know,
I don't know if we're ready to say that yet,
but ah, pretty close. Yeah, I think I don't know
you I mean, as you said that, it was like
that the most pop thing that we have ever done
is this album, even though it's kind of it's kind
(22:19):
of like going back to a bit more of like
a punk pop, like punk slash pop, not punk pop,
like a punky like rock dance influence in it, But
the pop thing about it is the marketing and the
way it feels and the way it looks, and the
confidence we have in it. Like even those who keep
bringing up Brian and Blinkinated too, but like those those
(22:39):
two artists and those two albums are that they're so
confident in there, in what it is, and there's no like, oh,
I'm sort of this and I'm sort of that, like
we know exactly what we're doing on this one. And
if that's kind of I don't know. That's just what
I was thinking about when you were talking as well
as listening.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Interests of for you guys, I mean when you think
about playing this out, why you know, and it makes
sense because I mean again, you have the experience too,
like we talked about as doing the solo stuff, you
have these different experiences that you can bring to it.
So it makes sense that it's more confident because you know,
you've just you guys, have pushed yourself further.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
I think like confidence is a really big thing in
like our world now, where like you know, the last record,
in this record, like we just were like very confident
that that's who we were at that point and that
was the you know type of music and like the
(23:39):
exact thing that we wanted to be doing. So yeah,
you know, it just it kind of it kind of
goes into the way that we you know that we
even like carry ourselves in these interviews and then you know,
just day to day life. It's yeah, it is like
it's an attitude thing, I kind of like you were saying,
(24:00):
and like it really is just like when you when
you want something and you kind of know how to
get there, you just figure it out and you have
a you've got like a you know, a destination that
you know. What's nice about doing it in a band,
as you know, as we all know now, is like
so so inspiring to have you know, three other people
(24:23):
who want it just as bad as you by your side,
like getting it with you, you know, which is just
like it's way way more fun than doing it by yourself.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Yeah, for the most part. Oh come on, Yeah, I had.
Speaker 6 (24:40):
To end it on like a bit of a bit
of an like an Australian you know.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
What you're saying.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Yeah, I mean it's it's always an interesting but you
know what's interesting about it is and I mean I've
interviewed some of the most dysfunctional bands in history.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
I mean I've interviewed Actulent, Slash, David Lee Roth and Eddie.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
But at the same time, yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Oftentimes, yes, that is a trip. But what I was
going to say is something Iggy pops out to me
so many years ago. Iggy and the Stooges made an
album twenty nine years after they broke up, and I
was like, why twenty nine years And he's like, because
when you get older, He's like, all the other stuff
just fades away and there is like a camaraderie of like,
(25:29):
you guys are the only ones who understood what you
went through growing up together, because you know, especially in
a band that starts teenagers, like you guys understand each other.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Yeah, I think, and they us Falcons sort of relate
to our exact journey obviously in that I think the
thing that we all realize as we do this no
longer and keep pushing ourselves as we can see how
it's very rare to be important to people and to
(26:00):
hold a place in people's lives. And we know how,
you know, from where we started to be doing this
this many years later, Like we've always sort of known
how special lists even have a foot in the door,
so to be you know, in the door, I guess
now and sort of have people wanting to know when
(26:22):
we're going to play shows, you know, when we're going
to put up music and have that freedom to know
that people are going to like listen to it and
understand and like follow us on our journey is so
special because to get people to care about your art
is difficult.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
So and I think we're supposed to wrap up in
a second, but I was going to say for both
of you guys, then when you're at sun Rose and
you're doing that show in the plaza and there's all
those people freaking out, how gratifying validating whatever it is,
because as you said, especially in this world today where
everybody a span of a beart, you know, the fact
that like.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Still remember and like are so excited.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
Yeah, Like when you when you create something and you know,
we put a lot of time and thought into you know,
ideas and songs and you know events and fucking like
artwork all that shit. Like when you put a bunch
of time into it before you release anything like it,
(27:30):
it can be super super scary because you really go
into it having no idea if you've done the right
thing or if people are gonna, you know, actually.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
Care about it.
Speaker 6 (27:39):
And I think, like what was like specifically amazing about
that that event at the centres that you just mentioned.
They're like it just like that reminder that like we
can create art that people do want to listen to
and want to you know, like be involved with is
one of the like craziest fucking feel links ever. Because
(28:01):
you know, this ship starts as like a mood board
and a conversation over some fucking chicken or something, and
then suddenly you you know, you created this like idea
of rolling up in a pink linen while there's you know,
like it's it's it's crazy how it can all unfold,
and just like knowing that there are fans there who
(28:24):
like support us and want to listen to it and
like have have you know, a good time with it,
it's just like fucking awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Well, is there anything you guys want to add before
we should job.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
Or just so just so we're the best. Yeah that
that's then we're going on to next year. It would
be a good thing on the start to Yeah, that's
a great I.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Started to ask this and they got sidetracked, but very
clearly for each of you one, two, three were dance
or whatever it is, what track from this record are
you most excited to play live?
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Because the other thing that's so interesting, of course, is right,
you have a favorite.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Song on the record and you're like, oh, this is great,
and then everybody else is like, but the song that
you're like, well maybe that'll make the record, everybody else
is like, this is the best fucking song you've ever done.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
What do you reckon? Like what'ses uh for live? I
feel like Number one Obsession will be really good live,
but I'm excited to play. I still feel the same.
Oh my god, me too.
Speaker 7 (29:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Way we agree on something. Did I say your answer
to mess with you?
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Or yeah?
Speaker 4 (29:40):
It's just nice to agree on something finally.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
But you know what, so everybody else could be like, yeah,
we like that song, but then you're like, maybe it's
a song like Ghost.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
You're like that's cool.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
But like you know, audience makes the songs their own,
so the audience can be like, oh my god, ghost
is my favorite live song ever.
Speaker 4 (30:01):
I mean, yeah, that's where what people are gonna say. Yeah,
I think I don't know you just I think the
one that will take on a new life just because
what you're asking is a song called I'm Scared I'll
Never Sleep Again. I think that'll be nice. The crowd
will be loud on that one.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Well, thank you guys for being here.
Speaker 6 (30:34):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
It's funny because I was just talking to Luke and Michael,
and one of the things we brought up was what
is the greatest pop album? And they were saying that
you guys would have two very different answers. So I'm curious,
and I'll tell you why I asked this in a second.
But for both of you guys, what is your favorite
pop album?
Speaker 7 (30:55):
My god, wow, that's such a big question. Uh pop album? Wow?
Speaker 3 (31:03):
When we were talking about based on the context of like,
you know, when you go back at it, like you know,
the Beatles, who were like the most adventurous.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Band were pop.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
You know, there's like pop is just whatever it's popular
at the time, and it's so broad and it's so
you know, it's like in the eighties you have political
stuff like you two.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Was pop, you know.
Speaker 7 (31:25):
Yeah, yeah, I think my answer would be, what's the
greatest pop album? Would be a Radiohead album, which is
you know, pop and Radiohead aren't usually said in the
same sentence, but it.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Would be.
Speaker 7 (31:46):
It would probably be either okay, computer or okay, just
because like when I think of pop for this band,
I think of you know, we've been a band for
nearly fifteen years now, and part of our phailosophy is
to kind of leave no stone unturned and to kind
of like always see and test our boundaries as a band.
(32:10):
And I feel like those two albums for Radiohead, you know,
message wise, in terms of like sound discovery and while
also still saying authentic to the songwriting and to each
membo in the band is what I find really fascinating,
(32:34):
and also, like very it's just such an emotive led
album or albums, so I find there's similar parallels when
we make music and look to like bands who've been
a band for a long long time and still continue
to create great quality music whilst not, you know, repeating
(32:57):
the same things that they've always done.
Speaker 5 (33:02):
That's good answer, cal Thanks Mae, Yeah, mo would be.
I got two ideas. My first idea is probably Channel
Orange by Frank Ocean. I think rhythmically and melodically, lyrically,
I think it really connects to our life in California,
(33:23):
and I guess it's the album that I've repeated the most.
Speaker 8 (33:27):
I've listened to that album over and over.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
And over and over, and it never fatigues, which is
an amazing trait of an album. It's a very hard
thing to accomplish, usually like two or three songs, but
that album in general is amazing front to back and
holds your interest, but also is built upon a lot
of contemporary musicality but true like poetic storytelling with the
(33:55):
mix of melodic mindset. And then my other one was
it was Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox. You know, that album
was popular when I was like fifteen sixteen, and that
was you know, that's an example of modern pop. But
(34:18):
it really resembles a time in songwriting that you know,
had a really clear mission statement and you know, in
some ways, I still think of those songs on that record,
kind of like Locked Out of Heaven and Treasure Moonshine,
(34:39):
you know, yeah, and I think of those songs and
I think, wow, that was That's such a certain point
in time in songwriting in the pop world, and you
would always shoot to have, you know, contemporary shapes that
those songs were making in your own songwriting.
Speaker 8 (34:58):
So the two reference points. But really it's pretty impossible question.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
I mean, again, there's no right or wrong answer because
there is so much great pop music. Although I will
say we were discussing this as well. I do think
Beach Boys, God only knows you cannot argue, is the
greatest pop song of all time. So I do answer
to that. But the reason that it's funny because we
were talking about it and it's like, you know, they
were talking about the fact that this feels like more
of a pop record, and I was like, well, you
(35:29):
know that's interesting because pop is so at this point,
it's such a broad term.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
But it's also they picked.
Speaker 3 (35:38):
Blink, Anema of the State, and a Rihanna record, and
I love, like, you know, when you combine Blink and Enema,
I mean Blink and Rihanna and Frank Ocean, Bruno Mars Radiohead,
and it's like, I think that's what makes a successful
interesting band is when you bring all those elements together.
(35:58):
So for you guys, because like we were finding the
common thread, and the common thread of these as well
is an attitude. There's an adventurousness to every great artist
of like fuck it, We're gonna do what we want
to do and see how it works. You know, like
you said, it's callum, you were saying for Radiohead, it's
like trying to push yourself as a band. So for
(36:19):
you guys, when you hear this record, like, are there
moments that you're really most proud of? I mean, the
whole record's great, but like as an artist, you know,
you always want something more, You're always pushing yourself, but
you have these moments that are like building blocks and
all those building blocks where you hear like, Okay, this
is what five seconds Summer can be because we are
(36:39):
pushing ourselves in this way. You know that is just
like and as we talked about as well, you know,
when you've done solo records, you've taken breaks, you've done
other things, you have new skills that you can bring
to the fold.
Speaker 5 (36:52):
Yeah, I just don't think personally, I don't choose to
endure as much pain for my solo albums as I
do for the band's albums. The band's albums have always
been like a priority, and obviously you respect the legacy
of the group and personally, you know, the bands looking
(37:14):
for enduring songs and the ability to have an amazing
live career, and that all starts with songs, and it
starts with pop, and it starts with being brave and
you have to stand out. And our survivability tactic is
based in exploring our broad influences and being entertaining all
(37:41):
this like fear and worry that people won't like what
you make. I mean, if you're really being diligent and
focusing it on trying to master whether it be production
or lyrics or even just marketing or advertising, or anything
like that. I mean, it would be so silly for
us to think that pop only starts with the songs.
(38:05):
I mean, pop is a mentality and and uh, you
know a way of approaching the conversation with you and
your audience. So like, you know, the way we do
it is is trying to be respectful to what we've
achieved so far, but also we just want to leave
(38:27):
a resounding mark on pop and and have kids one
day look back at us and be inspired by our
moves and and inspired by our courageous kind of nature
having started out where we started up.
Speaker 7 (38:44):
Yeah, I totally agree. I think there's, like, especially what
you said about Ash about like keeping your roots. I
feel like that's something that's so you know, it's it's easy,
it's easy to forget kind of the the foundation of
(39:04):
what you've created. I think like there's a couple of
moments that come to my mind when you ask the
question that just like instantly popped up. Was when we
wrote one of the songs, number one Obsession. The way
the demo was brought about was just me and Ash
playing together. And that makes me, like, right now makes
(39:26):
me smile because that's kind of like everything that was
built on what we have now came from all of
us just kind of playing together in Ashton's bedroom, you know,
and it's it's really nice to know that that's still
a recurring theme and that's still kind of you know,
(39:46):
the basis of you know, the center of us creating
our livelihood and the album is still something that we
used to do from from the very first day. And
also another thing, which is like kind of more of
a personal thing I'll speak about Ash because I'm talking
with him right now, is like it's the moments in
(40:07):
the writing room when you see, like when I watch
Ash think and then he comes out and he says
something that's brilliant, you know. It's like that's more of
a personal thing, like on a deeper level for me,
where you I've really seen you know, well, I've known
Ash since he was seventeen. So it's like a really
(40:28):
kind of beautiful thing to be able to experience someone's
kind of creative awakening and journey and journey and you know,
and reawakening and seeing that cycle all over again. And
especially in this record, I feel like us boys had
to really push ourselves to break break our normal thought
(40:52):
patterns and test our, our comfortability within the music that
we were making, and you know kind of had to
rewrite a lot of things. But again that's like how
that's our philosophy. So yeah, those are the two things.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
So you guys, as you push your boundaries, as you say,
change your thought patterns, what are the moments like on
here are what were the things that you found kind
of stood out? And you know, because one of the
things we talked about too with them is like as
you get older, you just get more adventurous, you get
more comfortable. You know, you're worried that's what other people think,
and it does allow you to free up. And of course,
(41:31):
again going back to like what you know started this conversation,
Every great artist in history pushes themselves and challenges themselves
and it's like, you know, what makes an artist. It's
funny because we're you know, I remember talking not long
ago with Marion Morrison. We were talking about how people
you know, made a big deal about her quote unquote
leaving country. Well again, if you're David Bowie, if you're
(41:52):
Joni Mitchell, if you're Miles Davis, if you're anybody, you've
evolved because you're just your taste change and you want
to put yourself So for you, guys, what are those
moments that really stood out on here where you found
yourself like, you know, the thought patterns kind of changed,
but in a way that it's excited you because another
thing we talked about so much of writing is so
conscious it just kind of comes out. So then you
(42:14):
realize later on, you know, you may not have even
thought about it at the moment, like Okay, this is
something new for us, and then you go back to
it and you're like, wow, this is really cool. It's
very different, you know, and we appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (42:28):
Yeah, I guess every time there does feel you know,
if you're really close to the art and you're really
close to you know what five seconds of summer is
there are echoes in the distance of where you could
go musically, and that you got to then get to
work making your production ability, your writing ability, and your
(42:52):
strategic ability getting that to align with your desires and
hopes and dreams for the band. You know, evolution is
a finessed art form that isn't just by going from
country to pop. It it's really learning how to master
a new lane. Because you know, the evolutions that don't
(43:15):
work are the ones that forget, you know, the.
Speaker 8 (43:19):
True soul of what their fans admire.
Speaker 4 (43:22):
About the group.
Speaker 8 (43:23):
So a lot of this record was like observing.
Speaker 5 (43:27):
The band from afar in our so called like hiatus
and looking at it and going, what are the you know,
what are the attributes that I love about five seconds
this summer? And you know, and where's the band? Where
was it always meant to go? And what is the
most evolved, ferocious version.
Speaker 8 (43:49):
Of the band?
Speaker 5 (43:51):
And taking the time and sitting with that and failing
over and over and over with your songwriting. You know,
I think we wrote well over one hundred fifty songs
for this album and we weren't signed either. You know,
you have to you have to really feel the sensation
of your career sinking to evolve as well. You have
(44:14):
to feel the dark creeping in and and and you
have to feel the pressure of potential failure to evolve.
And I really felt that this time. I really felt
the you know, the dwelling of like, well, we could
just make another pop punk album, or we could throw
(44:35):
it all on the line.
Speaker 8 (44:36):
And I'd much rather survive and thrive than.
Speaker 5 (44:39):
Just skim skim by and release whatever kind of album
that isn't as no shock factor or uh you know,
compositional or genre intrigue. I'd rather, you know, shoot for
something that really solidifies our career and you know, places
(45:02):
us in a spot that we hope and dream of,
which is, you know, when did our sales playing awesome
shows and having a worthwhile contribution to the forward momentum
of contemporary music.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
That's so interesting though, because I'm sorry, I was just
gonna say, We'll wait, Calum, do you have anything to say? No, no, no, no, okay,
I want to cut you off, but I was gonna say,
that's really because you think back to like, right, you know,
it came up when we were having a conversation about
greatest record and you know, I mentioned God only knows,
and it's like you go back to, like, well, that's
(45:46):
what prompted pet sounds, That's what prompted Revolver, his bands
that had a certain sound that were like, okay, we
want to push you a different thing. So for you
Ashton and for you comm when do you guys look
at back as they're like, are there bands that you
really admire over the years with the way they've been
able to grow and it's you start to you know again,
(46:06):
now it's fifteen years and it's like, you know, you
have an idea of like, okay, because when you start
out right you have like your favorite bands, but then
you realize there are a lot of bands that make
like a couple of great records. The bands that can
do you know, thirty years and continue to grow and
change is a smaller group.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
You know.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
So are there those bands that you really admired for
the way that they evolved over the years, and you know,
like that you sort of like see five seconds of
maybe not sounding like but that you look at and
you're like, that's how we want to grow, That's how
we want to push ourselves.
Speaker 1 (46:43):
Is the you know, similar to who, Yeah, maybe I
had whatever the hell it is.
Speaker 5 (46:48):
I only ever mentioned groups that had like you know,
I struggle to look for anybody that's totaled parallel with
our band, and because of the times when in and stuff,
it's pretty incomparable to fifty years ago. But I do
reference Foreigner a lot. I do reference Lincoln Park even
(47:12):
I mean, they've like had such a long career and
so many devastating blows, but so many crucial revolutions, and
it's more a spiritual reinvigoration to be able to tolerate
how heavy the weight is, to push a new album
and a new vision uphill to kind of the apex
(47:34):
point where your fans can see it in all its
glory and not have it be an afterthought. Like you know,
we talk a lot about trying to evolve out of
the place of people enjoying five seconds the summer for
the memory of twenty and fourteen or whatever, in trying to,
you know, evolve our fans to a place where they
(47:55):
love us for all our eras. And yeah, I mean,
it's really difficult to find a band who has had
longevity in this day and age, even in the last
thirty years. It's hard to find. I mean, our band's
(48:15):
fifteen years old, and you know, even the way the
industry works, I don't know if it fully supports long
term acts, I mean, which is a whole battle for us.
We want this kind of dinosaur esque career where we
get to thrive for a long time, but it often
(48:36):
seems like we are slightly enigmatic in the way we
move and have been able to survive.
Speaker 8 (48:44):
And more still only young in my eyes. Yeah, It's
a difficult question.
Speaker 5 (48:49):
It's hard to locate anybody who we mimic or you know,
the only thing that comes to mind now as well
as we often you know, if you want your ban
to survive a long time, you better be splitting things equally.
Speaker 4 (49:04):
I know, bands like.
Speaker 5 (49:05):
Coldplay and you two and stuff, we spoke about them
really early doors, and whatever money we earned is split equally.
Speaker 8 (49:11):
No matter who wrote what, no matter who did what.
Speaker 5 (49:15):
And I actually think that is a critical part of
being able to evolve because everybody has equal stakes.
Speaker 8 (49:22):
And you know, that's a big part of what people.
Speaker 5 (49:26):
Don't really talk about when you know, it's scary to
evolve if you're going to affect the livelihood and if
you get the evolution wrong, you know, you're you know,
it's like putting people's livelihood on the line, and people's
families livelihood on the line. So the way we split
everything equally is very important to the trust and to
(49:50):
going and even having the opportunity at all to evolve
and continue our career.
Speaker 8 (49:56):
If that makes sense, Yeah, yeah, I would.
Speaker 7 (50:02):
I definitely agree on Like, Coldplay was definitely the first
band that like popped into my mind after you said
that and and yeah, yeah, the whole like splitting things equally,
like keeping it very democratic within you know, if you're
through making decisions. You make a billion decisions a day,
(50:22):
so like you need to have, you know, a system
that works. And like this band is is built a
lot of its success from from creating a pretty fair yeah,
pretty fair system, which we kind of like, as Ashen said,
like we got that early dolls from from Coldplayer. I
don't know where we heard it from, but I remember
(50:44):
us hearing that, you know, they split all their publishing equally,
and and I think we just thought that was, like,
you know, a really great recipe for success. And they've
also like you see the live shows that they put
on and the amount that they give back to the
people who support them, and also like how close they
(51:08):
stay to the songwriting process and the soul of the group.
So I think they're they're probably a good shot.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
Did you say sorry?
Speaker 3 (51:18):
But it's interesting you say that, you know, you see
how they get back to their fans. And one of
the things I talked with you know, Luke and Michael
about was the idea of like creating a place to
have fun, but for you guys talk about you know,
like so much of music is just creating the escape
for people, and of course, over the years you hear
(51:39):
these crazy stories of like, you know, people my favorite stories.
I was interviewing an archaeologist who was telling me a
story about listening to the Doors while excavating dinosaur bones
in Hagonya, like literally dragging dinosaur bones by horse while
listening to on the storm. And I relayed this message
(52:02):
to the Doors, who were like, that's the craziest freaking
story we've ever heard. And I'm sure you guys have
heard over the years, like your music getting in all
these weird places. So one, is there that place that
like that story that really stands out to you? And
do you talk about the importance of creating this like
dynamic for fans who like, you know, we were talking
(52:23):
about the sun Rose thing and it's like everybody is
there because five seconds the summer means so much to them.
Speaker 8 (52:31):
Yeah, I think guess, first of all, I mean, we're
in Texas once and we had the opportunity of fan.
Speaker 5 (52:40):
Parents worked at NASA and we lent into NASA and
we got to cruise around private tour, got to drive
a moon rover, and they said guys as a live
stream and you know, in the control room and we
went on, what do you mean. He goes, well, we're
gonna put the ash are up in orbit right now.
(53:02):
They're gonna talk to you guys, and they want to
they want to show you something. And we FaceTime them
and they were playing our song from our second album,
out of Space, in actual out of Space, which was
which was so sick and crazy and beautiful.
Speaker 8 (53:20):
And I have some memorabilia from that.
Speaker 5 (53:23):
I have the patches of those astronauts and the mission
name and stuff, and I have that up in my house.
Speaker 8 (53:28):
It was very cool.
Speaker 5 (53:31):
But then, you know, the second part of the question
mentioning sun Rose, our career really is just fifteen years
of building trust between us and the fans to facilitate
the vision of a good time and to take them
to the highs.
Speaker 8 (53:52):
In a safe way, in an awesome, entertaining way.
Speaker 5 (53:55):
And you know, that's really the main part of our
career is facilitating and hosting people's you know, night to
be free or a night to enjoy our community that
we've built, because that's all this is, you know, it
is creating that. You know, the masterpiece of our life
(54:17):
is us being able to host tens of thousands of
people every night and have them have the best time possible.
And that's like really what our music career is all about.
And that's why you want hit songs to begin with you.
You want to have a beacon that says, come party
to this in this place, in this space, in this arena,
(54:38):
in this ampitheater, and we can have this amazing celebration
of music. But also we have the trust with them
that that's going to be a great experience. So we
just want to keep leveling up in that zone that
you mentioned.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Very cool.
Speaker 3 (55:04):
I know you guys had aren't out so very quickly
to ask me each one two word answer because I
wrapped up with these guys on this as well. One
song from Everyone's Sorry that you are most excited to
play live on the new tour.
Speaker 1 (55:17):
Oh, let's go with.
Speaker 7 (55:22):
I'll say one that we haven't played yet, which will
be the Rocks.
Speaker 5 (55:28):
Oh, great choice from Yeah Mine's number one obsession.
Speaker 8 (55:35):
Yeah. I love that more rock face of the band.
Speaker 5 (55:39):
It feels very true and you know, very coherent with
our original music goals to be honest.
Speaker 3 (55:47):
Cool, Anything you guys were had that I did not
ask you about I'm just just I think we covered
a lot.
Speaker 1 (55:52):
But yeah, no, that was awesome. Thank you, Thanks stupid, very.
Speaker 3 (55:56):
Cool congraysulations on the record. Thank you guys, Bill so
much for being here and out. You're luck at all.
Will see that ship.
Hey, Steve Balton, and welcome to in Service.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Up this week, I sit down with multiple members of
five Seconds of Summer. We did two interviews of two
guys a piece fascinating stuff, talking about their last album,
upcoming tour, how solo work influences their work together as
a band, and their favorite pop album of all time.
(00:31):
Each member picked one very interesting to hear their choices.
Hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did.
A lot of fun to sit down with them. Who
have I've known these guys for a while. Thanks, Thank
(00:58):
you guys for being here today.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
And it's interesting, Like I was saying, it feels like
everybody is kind of tied to compew, but for you guys,
it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I mean, the record's wonderful, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
And I'm sure there's like you know, Luke, you and
I spoke for the solo record and everything, and yeah
there is, Like you know, I've talked to so many
bands about this over the years. When you get a
chance to step away for a minute, it's exciting when
you come back because everybody's kind of learned something new
that they can bring to the table.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Yeah. I think, uh, it's good to see a game.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Man.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
Last time I talked to you, I was in a
New York hotel room. So it's good to speak to
you from home when I'm less less stressed. Yeah, I mean,
I think being able to We've been to the band
for so long that sometimes when you're in it, it's
difficult to like, kind of like anything. It's hard to see,
(01:53):
you know, to zoom out and say like and be
objective of it. So being able to do, like you said,
the solo things and be able to not be in
the you know, the band was still going, but like
be able to like not be releasing and touring in
the band kind of for the first time ever. Was
it made us? It made definitely me be able to
(02:16):
like zoom out and go like, okay, the fan of
the band for the last five albums, what do I
want from what I want to hear from us? And
what is it what I wanted to look like? And
how do TO want it to make make me feel?
So that's that's it was super helpful, in way more
helpful than I think either of us like could have imagined.
(02:40):
But that's why the album feels so cohesiven. It feels
so strong and the imagery behind it is so yeah,
it feels like I don't know what the word is,
a really sharp error.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
I guess well, And Michael, I'm sure you see this
as well. But I mean it's funny because for both
of you.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You you know, the other thing about it.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Is simply when you get a break from anything, I
don't care how wonderful it is. It's like you you know,
especially in music, where I remember talking about so much
of people you know, going to COVID or coming out
of COVID, and it's like, you know before that, you know,
I remember talking about it with like Jon bon Jovi,
who's been doing this for like one hundred years, right,
(03:22):
and a great guy, but we were talking about it.
It's like you're on the hamster wheel of album tour,
album tour, and you know, you never really get a break.
So when you step away from something, even something you love,
you get to appreciate it because you get to look
at it from different eyes.
Speaker 6 (03:39):
Yeah. I think that's a really good point, Like you
look at it from a different kind of like respective,
and I think, like especially when it comes to music
for us, like I know, just in our case, it
kind of helped us bring new ideas and kind of
like new life to it that. You know, I don't
think the way it everyone's a star looks or feels
(04:02):
would be the same if we didn't If if we
didn't you know, take take a minute to do our
solo projects and stuff like that, because you know, I
just don't know if we would have been kind of
bold enough to sort of make these choices and these
kind of like decisions if we sort of hadn't got
(04:27):
all the other stuff off our chest and kind of
felt like we were coming back together. It kind of
like gives us a sort of sense of like like
I don't know why, it necessarily makes us more bold
And it's interesting because it's almost like the opposite of
when you have nothing to lose.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
It's like when you have.
Speaker 6 (04:47):
Everything to lose, it kind of like just emboldens us
and empowers us to sort of like.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Just make good stuff. It kind of like, I don't know,
it's an interesting.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
We have an interesting dynamic over here and foods us it's.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Fun Well, it's funny though you say that.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
I mean, do you feel like you now in a
way with the solo records, you guys got a chance
to kind of grow up because you know, with this,
you're talking about things that were you know, the adult
versions of you were because again, as we talked about,
when you started, you're like seventeen sixteen whatever, you know,
and now you guys have kids, families, you know, some
(05:30):
of you and like you guys have adult lives, and
do you feel like being able to articulate those kind
of gave you a transition to be able to come
into this where it's like, Okay, now people know that
we're not.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Those people anymore.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So it does allow us to you know, like be
who we are today as a collective. It's like individually,
I mean collectively we're so five seconds summer, but we're
not the same people who you know, we're five seconds
the summer when we started.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yeah, definitely, I think, you know, it was interesting to
be able to hear everyone's stories in their songwriting and
in their soulo stuff, and be able to hear however
and else sort of heard it, and I think, like,
you know, sort of saw our whole journey because a
lot of it, you know, it was reflecting on personal experience,
and I think from and the fifth album for us
(06:27):
was like very much in that vein and we were
sort of like it sounds very uh, I don't know.
Actory we were almost like playing ourselves for so long
that it kind of felt nice to on everyone's the
star like break out of that and become a bigger
boulder version of our of ourselves, you know. And it's like,
even even when we're writing solo stuff, like coming into
(06:50):
making something with the band, I'm like, okay, I'm I'm
sort of like I'm good on on my like directly
my songwriting story. You know, obviously we're pulling from personal
experience in the band stuff, but it feels like a
collective a lot of the time, a collective story. And
(07:11):
there was no like, I don't know, me wanting it
to sound a certain way. It has to sort of
sound like I feel like this. It was very much
like I don't know whatever's best for the band, and
it made it so clear what was I don't know,
like that sort of irony in that fun that we
had in the earlier years coming out in this album,
(07:35):
you know, without doing solo stuff and getting sort of
like more for me, like more heavy topics off my chest,
I might have been hesitant to lean into that. I
don't know, I don't know what the word is, like
the fun side, but I just hate the word fun.
It sounds so lame. Michael prayers a better word, but yeah,
I don't know if that makes sense sort of rambling.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
No, it does, and it's funny, you were fun.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
But it's like, I mean, I think at this point too,
you know, forever and I talk about this, I'll always remember, right,
having a conversation with Debbie Harry and Christein from Glandie,
and it was an interesting conversation because we were talking
about the fact that, you know, like it was during
the time. For me, it was during the time, I
mean when Trump was first selected and the first time
(08:21):
I was talking with everybody about being an artist in
that period, and one thing they said, you know, was
that as an artist, you're always reflecting the times. And
for them it was a very like, you know, pointed
decision not to do anything political because their political message
was making fun music that people can be distracted to
(08:44):
and have a good time, you know. And so I
do think that there's like, you know, there's an element
to whatever your beliefs are at anytime, you know that
what's going on in the world, like you know, people
do need fun and they need that escape and they
need a release. So it's interesting you say you hate
that word, but it's like at the same time, I'm sure,
as you know, a band, you guys probably need that
(09:07):
release as well, because it doesn't matter what your beliefs are,
there's just stuff going under the world.
Speaker 5 (09:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
I think what we sort of noticed over the you know,
last you know, ten plus years of being a band
is like when people come to our shows, when people
come to like our music and our you know, like
whatever culture we have around our band, it's very much
about like it's just about having a safe space and
(09:35):
like it's it's all about like inclusivity and like just
being you know, being authentically yourself.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
You know.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
Like even the title of you know, Everyone's a Star
and kind of like some of the concepts we touch
on on the record is like, you know, it's it's.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Very much about.
Speaker 6 (09:58):
You know, like just just being yourself and being true
to yourself, and like a lot of that is like
we want to just have everything kind of feel like
a celebration and sort of feel like you know, we're
we're here to you know, we're here to uplift people
in our art and like we're here to, you know,
make people feel good, not bad in the simplest, simplest terms,
(10:25):
or sometimes they feel bad because it's good.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
I don't know, now, I know what you mean. It's funny.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Do you find because as an artist, you know, the
best work always comes from making music for yourself. So
do you find for you guys that it starts with
the idea of, like you just want to make stuff
that makes you feel good?
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Yeah? Yeah, definitely. I think it's especially I mean, we
have a tendency to, like every album sort of do
a full one eighty flip, and I think that's part
of being in the I don't know, just making music
for these guys, you know, a sixth album. We're doing
this for a long time. We're a pop band. Even
though you know we started as a pop punk rock act.
(11:09):
We really are in the pop space and we find
that so exciting that we can dip our toes into
different genres and sort of bend it and have like
four different writers and players and singers and it's like
such a it takes That's why this album took a minute.
But this this feels like the amalgamation of like five
(11:31):
five albums and fifteen years of learning and playing with
different not an instrumentation and songwriting and feels like the
most five suce thing we have ever made, which is
exciting because only we could put this album out. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
Well, it's interesting that you say you're a pop band
that you started one way, and I mean I've talked
about that with a billion artists because I mean, that's
that's Lucia Bars. But it's funny because when you think
of it, right, like who's the greatest band in the
history of the world. Some people say that Zeppelin. Most
people will say the Beatles. The reason I bring this
up at the end of the day, the Beatles were
considered a pop band and yet they did so much
(12:16):
it in eight years that traverse the entire universe. So
it's like popular music is like pop music is just
music that's always been popular. I mean it's so you know,
someone like Prince is one of the greatest pop artists
of all time. It's very different than George Michael, who
was a great fucking pop artist who's very different than
(12:37):
you know whoever. So I mean it's interesting as being
in that space. Do you feel like it's kind of
liberating because you do get to do so much.
Speaker 6 (12:48):
Yeah, I think the cool thing is now in the
like music climate that we live in, is like pop
isn't isn't like a sound anymore. You know, Like pop
doesn't have like a sound that it needs to be.
Pop is just the way that you sort of like
approach your project, you know, and like the way that
(13:10):
you market have people.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Listen to it.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
You know, it's cool that like pop isn't like a
dirty word anymore.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
So for us, like you.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Know, I know, a lot of a lot of artists
and a lot of bands and stuff sort of like
start pop and drift away from it over the years,
whereas I feel like we kind of did the opposite,
where we like started less pop and then like leaned
into it even harder over the years, the more that
we kind of like understood it and understood like what
(13:43):
what you know, what we were trying to accomplish and
achieve and how to do it, and you know, like
what really is the best like the best genre in
the world because it's like you get to like it
pushes you to experiments so much now, you know, like
ten years ago, it definitely was a different story and
(14:04):
it was a little more kind of in a box.
But now like just with the state.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Of music, like the doors are just blown open and.
Speaker 6 (14:13):
You can sort of just like create, you know, the
thing that's super authentic to.
Speaker 7 (14:21):
You.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
And like as long as it translates as you know, authentic,
that's that's the only thing that people really, you know,
care about at the end of the day. And I
think that for us, it's just about like honing in
on on what that is and like Luke said, like
what makes it fives us and you know what differentiates us?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yeah, all right, so obvious questions that I have to
ask for both of you guys. Now, what is like
the definitive pop album, Like for each one of you
guys when you think back to like you know, growing
up like a favorite pop album. As they say, you know,
what is school is that it is so broad and
it's like you know, and I mean the other thing
is now that the way the world you know, you
(15:04):
mentioned like the way it is now and obviously you
know you have like Outcasts and Jula Lipa and you know,
like all these different artists who can play at the
same festival with like a c DC and you know,
genres were always something set up by the industry, like
fans are like, no, fuck that, I'm just gonna listen
(15:27):
to whatever's.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Your what's your pop album? Luke did it so funny
as we're talking about this. When I was when we
were starting pop in my head was like tire Cruz.
That's why I was like, what was that? We're not
a pop band because Tya Cruz is the pop guy.
Now I'm like, is you got up? You're like, oh wait,
the Beatles were the best pop theyd ever lived bro
(16:03):
between the Beatles entire, Yeah, that's topical topical best pop
album ever. Jeez, I don't know that's a I mean,
probably something by the Beatles. But in my when I
was growing up, I think, I mean, this is this
is kind of a crazy take. But I think maybe
(16:26):
like one of the Rihanna albums is like from It's
like a pop girly them all time. Michael, do you
have anything more time? Because I have no idea.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
Mine would be like a pretty typical Michael Lanser where
I'm for some reason my brain is going to enema
of the state.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
I don't know why. I know it's like I know
it's like a lot of.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
People would consider that kind of anti pop, but I
think there's something you know, obviously pop about it that,
like they, to me blank really channeled what it is
to like.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
Right pop songs and like have that.
Speaker 6 (17:04):
I don't think of it, but turn it into like
bang is like that someone likes that, someone like me
would fucking that's.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
A good answer. Look it in. You don't think it's
as Daylight dies like kill Switch engage, I mean that shifts.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (17:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
I love the fact that from this standpoint, right from
the outside standpoint, one of you Pickturehanna, one of you
pick you two both of them have interviewed multiple times
in Love So Here. When like when you go and
hear the record, like and when you go back and
listen to your earlier stuff, do you hear those like
those melding together? Because as I talked about with so
(17:44):
many artists, you know, writing is so subconscious and oftentimes
you'll hear something in there later on. Like I always
go back to this great Nick Cave quote, and I
love Nick Cave, and he was saying like a year
and a half later, it'll be on stage and be like,
oh that's what that wasp dude?
Speaker 6 (17:59):
I actually think when somewhere between Blink and Rihanna is
kind of.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Like the sweet spot.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
I think that's exactly where five Star should earn Land.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
That's fucking so funny, dude, Somewhere.
Speaker 6 (18:12):
In that territory I think looks good on us.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
So what is that spot though?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
What is like, Yeah, I'm sure.
Speaker 6 (18:22):
That, Yeah, I think I think it's it's more like
just embodying the things about artists that you love. You know,
like I think, you know, even just as you know,
silly as it is looking at like Blink and Rihanna,
there as references like I actually can I can actually
(18:44):
from the inside like see the things that that that
we do from both of those acts that that kind
of come together to create something great. And what's great
is when you go to ask Ashton and Callum later,
they're going to have a totally different, wild fucking answer
where I bet if you put like the Venn diagram
(19:06):
of all of them like it will it will make sense.
So yeah, I think, like that's just the beauty of
being in a band is like finding finding different things
about like also other artists that maybe you're not familiar
with that somebody else in the band loves and like
like taking a bird's eye view from it and like
(19:28):
skimming and taking interesting stuff because when you're not so
invested in an artist, it's like sometimes a little bit
easier to like take influence from it because you don't
know the artist inside out.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
Is that is well? Like is pet Sounds the pop album?
What a people consider that?
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Yeah, that's the first.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Album I'll argue until the day I die that. I mean,
the greatest pop song of all time is god Olino's.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
That can't mean I mean no one's.
Speaker 6 (19:56):
Yeah, I mean I don't think Yeah, I don't think
many people would argue with you you on that. I
think that's that's a fucking that is Yeah, that's a
really good one.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Well, let's.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
That's the song, Yeah, song song that rips.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
On the Let's look in Uh, actually good vibrations too,
let's luck in those three? Then?
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Well yeah, I mean, you know, but what's funny is
and it's easy to find a common thread beyond Rihann,
be between Rihanna and linkin eighty two And I don't know,
did you guys see the Rock Hall of Fame inductions
on Saturday or did you see any of its.
Speaker 6 (20:35):
Song a little bit online, kind of like the cliff Notes, because.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Yeah, the reason I asked is it I was talking
with John Sykes, who's the chairman of the Rock Hall
and is a good friend of mine, and we were
doing a story for the La Times.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
And they want to say, what's that and they want
to see it. We'd be honest, We'll take you. Yeah, yes, man, Yes,
Well what I.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Was gonna say, No, it's funny because we're talking about
the common threat between these artists because people are always like, well,
that's not rock and roll. Like when Dolly Parton was elected,
people were like, that's not fucking rock and roll. But
what he was saying was interesting. He said, there's an
attitude that is rock and roll between all of these artists.
And it's interesting when you think about it. Between Rihanna
(21:25):
and Blinkwindy two, there is a threat, and you know,
it is that added that like, just like every great
artist has an attitude of like, I'm gonna do whatever
fuck I want.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
I don't care, and it's funny. That's fine.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
As you've gotten older, this is also comes into play
quite a bit. You know, we talked about, you know,
growing up, but I mean part of it too, is
very simply the older you get. Like Bruce Springsley was
saying about his new movie. You know, they asked him
why he finally said yes to it. He's like, I'm old,
I don't give a fuck anymore.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Man, I respect that answer so much. I don't know,
I don't know if we're ready to say that yet,
but ah, pretty close. Yeah, I think I don't know
you I mean, as you said that, it was like
that the most pop thing that we have ever done
is this album, even though it's kind of it's kind
(22:19):
of like going back to a bit more of like
a punk pop, like punk slash pop, not punk pop,
like a punky like rock dance influence in it, But
the pop thing about it is the marketing and the
way it feels and the way it looks, and the
confidence we have in it. Like even those who keep
bringing up Brian and Blinkinated too, but like those those
(22:39):
two artists and those two albums are that they're so
confident in there, in what it is, and there's no like, oh,
I'm sort of this and I'm sort of that, like
we know exactly what we're doing on this one. And
if that's kind of I don't know. That's just what
I was thinking about when you were talking as well
as listening.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Interests of for you guys, I mean when you think
about playing this out, why you know, and it makes
sense because I mean again, you have the experience too,
like we talked about as doing the solo stuff, you
have these different experiences that you can bring to it.
So it makes sense that it's more confident because you know,
you've just you guys, have pushed yourself further.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 6 (23:19):
I think like confidence is a really big thing in
like our world now, where like you know, the last record,
in this record, like we just were like very confident
that that's who we were at that point and that
was the you know type of music and like the
(23:39):
exact thing that we wanted to be doing. So yeah,
you know, it just it kind of it kind of
goes into the way that we you know that we
even like carry ourselves in these interviews and then you know,
just day to day life. It's yeah, it is like
it's an attitude thing, I kind of like you were saying,
(24:00):
and like it really is just like when you when
you want something and you kind of know how to
get there, you just figure it out and you have
a you've got like a you know, a destination that
you know. What's nice about doing it in a band,
as you know, as we all know now, is like
so so inspiring to have you know, three other people
(24:23):
who want it just as bad as you by your side,
like getting it with you, you know, which is just
like it's way way more fun than doing it by yourself.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Yeah, for the most part. Oh come on, Yeah, I had.
Speaker 6 (24:40):
To end it on like a bit of a bit
of an like an Australian you know.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
What you're saying.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
Yeah, I mean it's it's always an interesting but you
know what's interesting about it is and I mean I've
interviewed some of the most dysfunctional bands in history.
Speaker 1 (24:59):
I mean I've interviewed Actulent, Slash, David Lee Roth and Eddie.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
But at the same time, yeah.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Oftentimes, yes, that is a trip. But what I was
going to say is something Iggy pops out to me
so many years ago. Iggy and the Stooges made an
album twenty nine years after they broke up, and I
was like, why twenty nine years And he's like, because
when you get older, He's like, all the other stuff
just fades away and there is like a camaraderie of like,
(25:29):
you guys are the only ones who understood what you
went through growing up together, because you know, especially in
a band that starts teenagers, like you guys understand each other.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Yeah, I think, and they us Falcons sort of relate
to our exact journey obviously in that I think the
thing that we all realize as we do this no
longer and keep pushing ourselves as we can see how
it's very rare to be important to people and to
(26:00):
hold a place in people's lives. And we know how,
you know, from where we started to be doing this
this many years later, Like we've always sort of known
how special lists even have a foot in the door,
so to be you know, in the door, I guess
now and sort of have people wanting to know when
(26:22):
we're going to play shows, you know, when we're going
to put up music and have that freedom to know
that people are going to like listen to it and
understand and like follow us on our journey is so
special because to get people to care about your art
is difficult.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
So and I think we're supposed to wrap up in
a second, but I was going to say for both
of you guys, then when you're at sun Rose and
you're doing that show in the plaza and there's all
those people freaking out, how gratifying validating whatever it is,
because as you said, especially in this world today where
everybody a span of a beart, you know, the fact
that like.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
Still remember and like are so excited.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
Yeah, Like when you when you create something and you know,
we put a lot of time and thought into you know,
ideas and songs and you know events and fucking like
artwork all that shit. Like when you put a bunch
of time into it before you release anything like it,
(27:30):
it can be super super scary because you really go
into it having no idea if you've done the right
thing or if people are gonna, you know, actually.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
Care about it.
Speaker 6 (27:39):
And I think, like what was like specifically amazing about
that that event at the centres that you just mentioned.
They're like it just like that reminder that like we
can create art that people do want to listen to
and want to you know, like be involved with is
one of the like craziest fucking feel links ever. Because
(28:01):
you know, this ship starts as like a mood board
and a conversation over some fucking chicken or something, and
then suddenly you you know, you created this like idea
of rolling up in a pink linen while there's you know,
like it's it's it's crazy how it can all unfold,
and just like knowing that there are fans there who
(28:24):
like support us and want to listen to it and
like have have you know, a good time with it,
it's just like fucking awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Well, is there anything you guys want to add before
we should job.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
Or just so just so we're the best. Yeah that
that's then we're going on to next year. It would
be a good thing on the start to Yeah, that's
a great I.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
Started to ask this and they got sidetracked, but very
clearly for each of you one, two, three were dance
or whatever it is, what track from this record are
you most excited to play live?
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Because the other thing that's so interesting, of course, is right,
you have a favorite.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Song on the record and you're like, oh, this is great,
and then everybody else is like, but the song that
you're like, well maybe that'll make the record, everybody else
is like, this is the best fucking song you've ever done.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
What do you reckon? Like what'ses uh for live? I
feel like Number one Obsession will be really good live,
but I'm excited to play. I still feel the same.
Oh my god, me too.
Speaker 7 (29:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
Way we agree on something. Did I say your answer
to mess with you?
Speaker 5 (29:37):
Or yeah?
Speaker 4 (29:40):
It's just nice to agree on something finally.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
But you know what, so everybody else could be like, yeah,
we like that song, but then you're like, maybe it's
a song like Ghost.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
You're like that's cool.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
But like you know, audience makes the songs their own,
so the audience can be like, oh my god, ghost
is my favorite live song ever.
Speaker 4 (30:01):
I mean, yeah, that's where what people are gonna say. Yeah,
I think I don't know you just I think the
one that will take on a new life just because
what you're asking is a song called I'm Scared I'll
Never Sleep Again. I think that'll be nice. The crowd
will be loud on that one.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Well, thank you guys for being here.
Speaker 6 (30:34):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
It's funny because I was just talking to Luke and Michael,
and one of the things we brought up was what
is the greatest pop album? And they were saying that
you guys would have two very different answers. So I'm curious,
and I'll tell you why I asked this in a second.
But for both of you guys, what is your favorite
pop album?
Speaker 7 (30:55):
My god, wow, that's such a big question. Uh pop album? Wow?
Speaker 3 (31:03):
When we were talking about based on the context of like,
you know, when you go back at it, like you know,
the Beatles, who were like the most adventurous.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Band were pop.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
You know, there's like pop is just whatever it's popular
at the time, and it's so broad and it's so
you know, it's like in the eighties you have political
stuff like you two.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Was pop, you know.
Speaker 7 (31:25):
Yeah, yeah, I think my answer would be, what's the
greatest pop album? Would be a Radiohead album, which is
you know, pop and Radiohead aren't usually said in the
same sentence, but it.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Would be.
Speaker 7 (31:46):
It would probably be either okay, computer or okay, just
because like when I think of pop for this band,
I think of you know, we've been a band for
nearly fifteen years now, and part of our phailosophy is
to kind of leave no stone unturned and to kind
of like always see and test our boundaries as a band.
(32:10):
And I feel like those two albums for Radiohead, you know,
message wise, in terms of like sound discovery and while
also still saying authentic to the songwriting and to each
membo in the band is what I find really fascinating,
(32:34):
and also, like very it's just such an emotive led
album or albums, so I find there's similar parallels when
we make music and look to like bands who've been
a band for a long long time and still continue
to create great quality music whilst not, you know, repeating
(32:57):
the same things that they've always done.
Speaker 5 (33:02):
That's good answer, cal Thanks Mae, Yeah, mo would be.
I got two ideas. My first idea is probably Channel
Orange by Frank Ocean. I think rhythmically and melodically, lyrically,
I think it really connects to our life in California,
(33:23):
and I guess it's the album that I've repeated the most.
Speaker 8 (33:27):
I've listened to that album over and over.
Speaker 5 (33:30):
And over and over, and it never fatigues, which is
an amazing trait of an album. It's a very hard
thing to accomplish, usually like two or three songs, but
that album in general is amazing front to back and
holds your interest, but also is built upon a lot
of contemporary musicality but true like poetic storytelling with the
(33:55):
mix of melodic mindset. And then my other one was
it was Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox. You know, that album
was popular when I was like fifteen sixteen, and that
was you know, that's an example of modern pop. But
(34:18):
it really resembles a time in songwriting that you know,
had a really clear mission statement and you know, in
some ways, I still think of those songs on that record,
kind of like Locked Out of Heaven and Treasure Moonshine,
(34:39):
you know, yeah, and I think of those songs and
I think, wow, that was That's such a certain point
in time in songwriting in the pop world, and you
would always shoot to have, you know, contemporary shapes that
those songs were making in your own songwriting.
Speaker 8 (34:58):
So the two reference points. But really it's pretty impossible question.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
I mean, again, there's no right or wrong answer because
there is so much great pop music. Although I will
say we were discussing this as well. I do think
Beach Boys, God only knows you cannot argue, is the
greatest pop song of all time. So I do answer
to that. But the reason that it's funny because we
were talking about it and it's like, you know, they
were talking about the fact that this feels like more
of a pop record, and I was like, well, you
(35:29):
know that's interesting because pop is so at this point,
it's such a broad term.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
But it's also they picked.
Speaker 3 (35:38):
Blink, Anema of the State, and a Rihanna record, and
I love, like, you know, when you combine Blink and Enema,
I mean Blink and Rihanna and Frank Ocean, Bruno Mars Radiohead,
and it's like, I think that's what makes a successful
interesting band is when you bring all those elements together.
(35:58):
So for you guys, because like we were finding the
common thread, and the common thread of these as well
is an attitude. There's an adventurousness to every great artist
of like fuck it, We're gonna do what we want
to do and see how it works. You know, like
you said, it's callum, you were saying for Radiohead, it's
like trying to push yourself as a band. So for
(36:19):
you guys, when you hear this record, like, are there
moments that you're really most proud of? I mean, the
whole record's great, but like as an artist, you know,
you always want something more, You're always pushing yourself, but
you have these moments that are like building blocks and
all those building blocks where you hear like, Okay, this
is what five seconds Summer can be because we are
(36:39):
pushing ourselves in this way. You know that is just
like and as we talked about as well, you know,
when you've done solo records, you've taken breaks, you've done
other things, you have new skills that you can bring
to the fold.
Speaker 5 (36:52):
Yeah, I just don't think personally, I don't choose to
endure as much pain for my solo albums as I
do for the band's albums. The band's albums have always
been like a priority, and obviously you respect the legacy
of the group and personally, you know, the bands looking
(37:14):
for enduring songs and the ability to have an amazing
live career, and that all starts with songs, and it
starts with pop, and it starts with being brave and
you have to stand out. And our survivability tactic is
based in exploring our broad influences and being entertaining all
(37:41):
this like fear and worry that people won't like what
you make. I mean, if you're really being diligent and
focusing it on trying to master whether it be production
or lyrics or even just marketing or advertising, or anything
like that. I mean, it would be so silly for
us to think that pop only starts with the songs.
(38:05):
I mean, pop is a mentality and and uh, you
know a way of approaching the conversation with you and
your audience. So like, you know, the way we do
it is is trying to be respectful to what we've
achieved so far, but also we just want to leave
(38:27):
a resounding mark on pop and and have kids one
day look back at us and be inspired by our
moves and and inspired by our courageous kind of nature
having started out where we started up.
Speaker 7 (38:44):
Yeah, I totally agree. I think there's, like, especially what
you said about Ash about like keeping your roots. I
feel like that's something that's so you know, it's it's easy,
it's easy to forget kind of the the foundation of
(39:04):
what you've created. I think like there's a couple of
moments that come to my mind when you ask the
question that just like instantly popped up. Was when we
wrote one of the songs, number one Obsession. The way
the demo was brought about was just me and Ash
playing together. And that makes me, like, right now makes
(39:26):
me smile because that's kind of like everything that was
built on what we have now came from all of
us just kind of playing together in Ashton's bedroom, you know,
and it's it's really nice to know that that's still
a recurring theme and that's still kind of you know,
(39:46):
the basis of you know, the center of us creating
our livelihood and the album is still something that we
used to do from from the very first day. And
also another thing, which is like kind of more of
a personal thing I'll speak about Ash because I'm talking
with him right now, is like it's the moments in
(40:07):
the writing room when you see, like when I watch
Ash think and then he comes out and he says
something that's brilliant, you know. It's like that's more of
a personal thing, like on a deeper level for me,
where you I've really seen you know, well, I've known
Ash since he was seventeen. So it's like a really
(40:28):
kind of beautiful thing to be able to experience someone's
kind of creative awakening and journey and journey and you know,
and reawakening and seeing that cycle all over again. And
especially in this record, I feel like us boys had
to really push ourselves to break break our normal thought
(40:52):
patterns and test our, our comfortability within the music that
we were making, and you know kind of had to
rewrite a lot of things. But again that's like how
that's our philosophy. So yeah, those are the two things.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
So you guys, as you push your boundaries, as you say,
change your thought patterns, what are the moments like on
here are what were the things that you found kind
of stood out? And you know, because one of the
things we talked about too with them is like as
you get older, you just get more adventurous, you get
more comfortable. You know, you're worried that's what other people think,
and it does allow you to free up. And of course,
(41:31):
again going back to like what you know started this conversation,
Every great artist in history pushes themselves and challenges themselves
and it's like, you know, what makes an artist. It's
funny because we're you know, I remember talking not long
ago with Marion Morrison. We were talking about how people
you know, made a big deal about her quote unquote
leaving country. Well again, if you're David Bowie, if you're
(41:52):
Joni Mitchell, if you're Miles Davis, if you're anybody, you've
evolved because you're just your taste change and you want
to put yourself So for you, guys, what are those
moments that really stood out on here where you found
yourself like, you know, the thought patterns kind of changed,
but in a way that it's excited you because another
thing we talked about so much of writing is so
conscious it just kind of comes out. So then you
(42:14):
realize later on, you know, you may not have even
thought about it at the moment, like Okay, this is
something new for us, and then you go back to
it and you're like, wow, this is really cool. It's
very different, you know, and we appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (42:28):
Yeah, I guess every time there does feel you know,
if you're really close to the art and you're really
close to you know what five seconds of summer is
there are echoes in the distance of where you could
go musically, and that you got to then get to
work making your production ability, your writing ability, and your
(42:52):
strategic ability getting that to align with your desires and
hopes and dreams for the band. You know, evolution is
a finessed art form that isn't just by going from
country to pop. It it's really learning how to master
a new lane. Because you know, the evolutions that don't
(43:15):
work are the ones that forget, you know, the.
Speaker 8 (43:19):
True soul of what their fans admire.
Speaker 4 (43:22):
About the group.
Speaker 8 (43:23):
So a lot of this record was like observing.
Speaker 5 (43:27):
The band from afar in our so called like hiatus
and looking at it and going, what are the you know,
what are the attributes that I love about five seconds
this summer? And you know, and where's the band? Where
was it always meant to go? And what is the
most evolved, ferocious version.
Speaker 8 (43:49):
Of the band?
Speaker 5 (43:51):
And taking the time and sitting with that and failing
over and over and over with your songwriting. You know,
I think we wrote well over one hundred fifty songs
for this album and we weren't signed either. You know,
you have to you have to really feel the sensation
of your career sinking to evolve as well. You have
(44:14):
to feel the dark creeping in and and and you
have to feel the pressure of potential failure to evolve.
And I really felt that this time. I really felt
the you know, the dwelling of like, well, we could
just make another pop punk album, or we could throw
(44:35):
it all on the line.
Speaker 8 (44:36):
And I'd much rather survive and thrive than.
Speaker 5 (44:39):
Just skim skim by and release whatever kind of album
that isn't as no shock factor or uh you know,
compositional or genre intrigue. I'd rather, you know, shoot for
something that really solidifies our career and you know, places
(45:02):
us in a spot that we hope and dream of,
which is, you know, when did our sales playing awesome
shows and having a worthwhile contribution to the forward momentum
of contemporary music.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
That's so interesting though, because I'm sorry, I was just
gonna say, We'll wait, Calum, do you have anything to say? No, no, no, no, okay,
I want to cut you off, but I was gonna say,
that's really because you think back to like, right, you know,
it came up when we were having a conversation about
greatest record and you know, I mentioned God only knows,
and it's like you go back to, like, well, that's
(45:46):
what prompted pet sounds, That's what prompted Revolver, his bands
that had a certain sound that were like, okay, we
want to push you a different thing. So for you
Ashton and for you comm when do you guys look
at back as they're like, are there bands that you
really admire over the years with the way they've been
able to grow and it's you start to you know again,
(46:06):
now it's fifteen years and it's like, you know, you
have an idea of like, okay, because when you start
out right you have like your favorite bands, but then
you realize there are a lot of bands that make
like a couple of great records. The bands that can
do you know, thirty years and continue to grow and
change is a smaller group.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
You know.
Speaker 3 (46:27):
So are there those bands that you really admired for
the way that they evolved over the years, and you know,
like that you sort of like see five seconds of
maybe not sounding like but that you look at and
you're like, that's how we want to grow, That's how
we want to push ourselves.
Speaker 1 (46:43):
Is the you know, similar to who, Yeah, maybe I
had whatever the hell it is.
Speaker 5 (46:48):
I only ever mentioned groups that had like you know,
I struggle to look for anybody that's totaled parallel with
our band, and because of the times when in and stuff,
it's pretty incomparable to fifty years ago. But I do
reference Foreigner a lot. I do reference Lincoln Park even
(47:12):
I mean, they've like had such a long career and
so many devastating blows, but so many crucial revolutions, and
it's more a spiritual reinvigoration to be able to tolerate
how heavy the weight is, to push a new album
and a new vision uphill to kind of the apex
(47:34):
point where your fans can see it in all its
glory and not have it be an afterthought. Like you know,
we talk a lot about trying to evolve out of
the place of people enjoying five seconds the summer for
the memory of twenty and fourteen or whatever, in trying to,
you know, evolve our fans to a place where they
(47:55):
love us for all our eras. And yeah, I mean,
it's really difficult to find a band who has had
longevity in this day and age, even in the last
thirty years. It's hard to find. I mean, our band's
(48:15):
fifteen years old, and you know, even the way the
industry works, I don't know if it fully supports long
term acts, I mean, which is a whole battle for us.
We want this kind of dinosaur esque career where we
get to thrive for a long time, but it often
(48:36):
seems like we are slightly enigmatic in the way we
move and have been able to survive.
Speaker 8 (48:44):
And more still only young in my eyes. Yeah, It's
a difficult question.
Speaker 5 (48:49):
It's hard to locate anybody who we mimic or you know,
the only thing that comes to mind now as well
as we often you know, if you want your ban
to survive a long time, you better be splitting things equally.
Speaker 4 (49:04):
I know, bands like.
Speaker 5 (49:05):
Coldplay and you two and stuff, we spoke about them
really early doors, and whatever money we earned is split equally.
Speaker 8 (49:11):
No matter who wrote what, no matter who did what.
Speaker 5 (49:15):
And I actually think that is a critical part of
being able to evolve because everybody has equal stakes.
Speaker 8 (49:22):
And you know, that's a big part of what people.
Speaker 5 (49:26):
Don't really talk about when you know, it's scary to
evolve if you're going to affect the livelihood and if
you get the evolution wrong, you know, you're you know,
it's like putting people's livelihood on the line, and people's
families livelihood on the line. So the way we split
everything equally is very important to the trust and to
(49:50):
going and even having the opportunity at all to evolve
and continue our career.
Speaker 8 (49:56):
If that makes sense, Yeah, yeah, I would.
Speaker 7 (50:02):
I definitely agree on Like, Coldplay was definitely the first
band that like popped into my mind after you said
that and and yeah, yeah, the whole like splitting things equally,
like keeping it very democratic within you know, if you're
through making decisions. You make a billion decisions a day,
(50:22):
so like you need to have, you know, a system
that works. And like this band is is built a
lot of its success from from creating a pretty fair yeah,
pretty fair system, which we kind of like, as Ashen said,
like we got that early dolls from from Coldplayer. I
don't know where we heard it from, but I remember
(50:44):
us hearing that, you know, they split all their publishing equally,
and and I think we just thought that was, like,
you know, a really great recipe for success. And they've
also like you see the live shows that they put
on and the amount that they give back to the
people who support them, and also like how close they
(51:08):
stay to the songwriting process and the soul of the group.
So I think they're they're probably a good shot.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
Did you say sorry?
Speaker 3 (51:18):
But it's interesting you say that, you know, you see
how they get back to their fans. And one of
the things I talked with you know, Luke and Michael
about was the idea of like creating a place to
have fun, but for you guys talk about you know,
like so much of music is just creating the escape
for people, and of course, over the years you hear
(51:39):
these crazy stories of like, you know, people my favorite stories.
I was interviewing an archaeologist who was telling me a
story about listening to the Doors while excavating dinosaur bones
in Hagonya, like literally dragging dinosaur bones by horse while
listening to on the storm. And I relayed this message
(52:02):
to the Doors, who were like, that's the craziest freaking
story we've ever heard. And I'm sure you guys have
heard over the years, like your music getting in all
these weird places. So one, is there that place that
like that story that really stands out to you? And
do you talk about the importance of creating this like
dynamic for fans who like, you know, we were talking
(52:23):
about the sun Rose thing and it's like everybody is
there because five seconds the summer means so much to them.
Speaker 8 (52:31):
Yeah, I think guess, first of all, I mean, we're
in Texas once and we had the opportunity of fan.
Speaker 5 (52:40):
Parents worked at NASA and we lent into NASA and
we got to cruise around private tour, got to drive
a moon rover, and they said guys as a live
stream and you know, in the control room and we
went on, what do you mean. He goes, well, we're
gonna put the ash are up in orbit right now.
(53:02):
They're gonna talk to you guys, and they want to
they want to show you something. And we FaceTime them
and they were playing our song from our second album,
out of Space, in actual out of Space, which was
which was so sick and crazy and beautiful.
Speaker 8 (53:20):
And I have some memorabilia from that.
Speaker 5 (53:23):
I have the patches of those astronauts and the mission
name and stuff, and I have that up in my house.
Speaker 8 (53:28):
It was very cool.
Speaker 5 (53:31):
But then, you know, the second part of the question
mentioning sun Rose, our career really is just fifteen years
of building trust between us and the fans to facilitate
the vision of a good time and to take them
to the highs.
Speaker 8 (53:52):
In a safe way, in an awesome, entertaining way.
Speaker 5 (53:55):
And you know, that's really the main part of our
career is facilitating and hosting people's you know, night to
be free or a night to enjoy our community that
we've built, because that's all this is, you know, it
is creating that. You know, the masterpiece of our life
(54:17):
is us being able to host tens of thousands of
people every night and have them have the best time possible.
And that's like really what our music career is all about.
And that's why you want hit songs to begin with you.
You want to have a beacon that says, come party
to this in this place, in this space, in this arena,
(54:38):
in this ampitheater, and we can have this amazing celebration
of music. But also we have the trust with them
that that's going to be a great experience. So we
just want to keep leveling up in that zone that
you mentioned.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Very cool.
Speaker 3 (55:04):
I know you guys had aren't out so very quickly
to ask me each one two word answer because I
wrapped up with these guys on this as well. One
song from Everyone's Sorry that you are most excited to
play live on the new tour.
Speaker 1 (55:17):
Oh, let's go with.
Speaker 7 (55:22):
I'll say one that we haven't played yet, which will
be the Rocks.
Speaker 5 (55:28):
Oh, great choice from Yeah Mine's number one obsession.
Speaker 8 (55:35):
Yeah. I love that more rock face of the band.
Speaker 5 (55:39):
It feels very true and you know, very coherent with
our original music goals to be honest.
Speaker 3 (55:47):
Cool, Anything you guys were had that I did not
ask you about I'm just just I think we covered
a lot.
Speaker 1 (55:52):
But yeah, no, that was awesome. Thank you, Thanks stupid, very.
Speaker 3 (55:56):
Cool congraysulations on the record. Thank you guys, Bill so
much for being here and out. You're luck at all.
Will see that ship.
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