Gitarzysta Interview - January 2013

[Caitlyn]

Last month, Taylor was interviewed by Gitarzysta (or Guitarist), a Polish magazine. Firegirl, an admin from Paramore.pl was kind enough to translate the article. The original can be found here while Firegirl's translation can be found here. 

 

 

 

Paramore is a band that exists in the music industry almost 10 years. This years’ Impact Festival star managed to put 3 full length albums out, which didn’t make a big impact on the history of entertainment music in Poland but definitely got a lot of attention in the USA. Fourth album of the band from Tennessee is special for at least 2 reasons. Firstly , Paramore now is an energetic trio and secondly, the sound of their music that we were used to has definitely been changed. What is the final result? Taylor York is here to answer…

 

Michal Lis: In which direction did you want to go with the new album?

Taylor York: We didn’t have a clue at the beginning to be honest (laugh). Before you get into doing something for real you can’t even put together a decent sentence about it. When we were preparing ourselves for working on the new album we tried to write songs that were similar to what you could hear on our 3rd album. We realized however that this wasn’t a good idea so we’ve let ourselves be creative. Now, when I listen to these songs, every single one of them is surprising me cause they all sound differently. I don’t think we were aware what kind of record we were writing until it was done.

 

ML: You said you are surprised by the final sound of the album. What is the idea of this album?

TY: The fact that this is a selftitled album says a lot. It’s a milestone for us that is supposed to separate us from all the things we went through as a band during past couple of years. Now more then ever we are convinced that this is what Paramore was always supposed to be.

 

ML: That’s interesting considering the fact that after I got to listen to some of the tracks I immediately thought that they sounded more like pop , not rock songs. What can we expect from the final product?

TY: Personally, I don’t think that our single (Now) was a pop song. The same with the rest of album. If someone gets that impression, it’s fine I don’t mind it. It depends on what you expect from this album. The sound of it is a result of the place in which we find ourselves now and of our inspirations. You will find on it songs that you can dance to, gospel choir and stringsquartet .I also think there are a few really heave sounds on it and couple of great ballads – that’s an outcome of our diverse musical personality.

 

ML: You mentioned the song “Nowâ€. Why did you chose it to be the single?

TY: We are tied to all of the songs but even during the production we were under the impression that this song sums up all that we have to offer right now. It’s linking our past with our present. We don’t want people to forget that we are after all a rock band.

 

ML: How many tracks are on the record?

TY: There are 17 tracks. 14 songs and 3 bonus tracks.

 

ML: Quite a lot of time has passed since your last album. Did you feel any pressure on the value of the new record after such a long time?

TY: With every new album there is pressure of creating the best one yet. Nobody walks into the studio wanting to record an average album. I hope people will appreciate our work and like this album as much as we do. Time isn’t really an issue here.

 

ML: Can you describe the writing process of this album?

TY: Fist of all we were working in a creative atmosphere. Never before have we experienced that. In the studio there were only the instruments and us. We were open to all ideas that came into our minds and we brought them to life. The cooperation with JMJ helped us a lot. He knew what he was doing so we took a lot from him. Many of those experiments ended up being a part of our record and that’s why it sounds better than anything we ever recorded before.

 

ML : After Zac and Josh left, did you think it might be the end of Paramore?

TY: At first we were very confused. We were really close. We were used to things as they were. Only after a couple of months after the breakup we realized how happier it feels without them in the band. The difference between then and now is that we really WANT ti be in this band and play music together. The less people in the kitchen the more tasty the dish is.

 

ML: Can you tell me what weren’t working in the band before?

TY: Both sides wanted something different. We started playing together when we were kids. The time was passing and we all grew up. Our goals and priorities have changed – you can’t escape that. Zac and Josh didn’t want to be a part of Paramore anymore, there was no point in forcing them to stay.

 

ML: Do you stay in touch with them?

TY: Me and Zac were always best friends. The breakup in our band fortunately haven’t changed that. I can only speak for myself though. Time heels, but everyone needs a different amount of time to deal with it.

 

ML: You lost two musicians, how long did it take to get used to being a trio?

TY: I think we’re wtill adapting to it. I don’t recall any serious conversations about it. We just grabbed our instruments and started messing around. It didn’t take that much time to get used to it. Maybe it’s not that convenient and comfortable but we learn to deal with it. When we play live my brother joins us and everything works out fine.

 

ML: What kind of guitars are you using now?

TY: I still have two customary Jazzmasters from Fender. Recently I've been meddling with their converters and now they sound much better. I use Gibson Midtown with two P90 too, and on this new album I use it a lot. You can also hear there an interesting Rickenbacker, which I found somewhere. About the converters there are already mentioned P90 and Humbuckery.

 

ML: What will you take on tour with you then?

TY: I don’t know yet. We didn’t have the time to think about it yet. I need to check some things before I choose. I don’t think I’ll be changing the equipment I usually took on tour though.

 

ML: Describe the role each one of you play in the band? Who writes the music?

TY: During the writing process for the new album Hayley was responsible for the lyrics I wrote the music. Everything started working out once we sat down together in one room and discussed our ideas. When it comes to the first ideas and structures it was definitely a responsibility put on my shoulders. (laugh)

 

MI: And how did you handle the burden? (laugh)

TY: To be honest mostly I had no idea what I was doing (laugh). Sometimes it’s scary, sometimes it fits perfectly to who we are right now. I try to always come up with something new and not get stuck in one music genre. I was panicing at first but once I realized that I don’t really have a choice I started working and writing the music. At least I hope that’s what I was doing (laugh)

 

MI: Where will you tour this year?

TY: As far as I know we’ll be on tour for 260 days so we’ll be travelling all around the world! I’m not sure were exactly will we go but we will play a show in Poland so I hope to see you soon!