Paramore (2010)
Interview Background
This interview really should never have happened. Just months after her biggest hits to date (Paramore’s The Only Exception and her guest appearance on BoB’s Aeroplanes), Hayley Williams was hot property. Despite being the cover star of choice for numerous magazines, Williams was also being understandably selective with the outlets she chose to speak with. Still dealing with her accidental publication of a topless photo on her Twitter account, Williams was trying to focus on music rather than the fact her misstep had led to salacious websites and trashy magazines publishing the photo around the globe. Given her tumultuous year, when a record label representative asked if I would consider offering Paramore a cover story I flippantly suggested it would only be a possibility if I could speak to Williams. In Australia there’s a clear hierarchy when it comes to obtaining interviews, with television, commercial radio and daily newspapers generally snaring the lead singer, while street press fighting it out with independent radio and blogs over who gets to chat with bassists and drummers. I never considered an interview with Williams – during the craziest year of her life, no less – to be available for an interview with me, yet a few days later a sweaty Williams was on the line from LA. She was garrulous and fun, even managing to be philosophical about the fallout from THAT photo. That particular band line-up would splinter months later amid accusations by departing members Josh and Zac Farro that Paramore was being manipulated to become a commercial pop outfit, but the fall-out merely led to their best album to date. Williams remains a resilient and driven artist – and a hell of a nice interviewee.
The following is an edited version of an interview first published in Rip It Up, September 2010.
Paramore - Tangerine Dream
by Scott McLennan
In 2010, the litmus test for pop music achievement isn’t based on platinum plaques, chart-topping singles or global acclaim. Although Paramore singer Hayley Williams has achieved all that and more this year, it’s last week’s appearance of the band’s hit The Only Exception on US television phenomenon Glee that currently has her buzzing.
“I was stoked, man,” Williams admits after completing a spin class in an LA gym. “It’s the kind of show that you never imagine would care about a band like us and so it was pretty cool. I was sitting on the couch and wanted to slap myself because I couldn’t believe it was real.
“Glee have reached out a couple of times on Twitter to ask if we’d like to come by and watch them film, which would be really fun. To me the show is really important right now. Where do you otherwise find music on TV? There’s none. If MTV show a music video it’s only for five seconds, whereas a long time ago you could discover all sorts of music on there. Now it’s Glee that’s really important as it’s putting music back on television.”
It’s not the first time that an incidental soundtrack appearance has dramatically bolstered Paramore’s stocks. The punchy pop punk of the Tennessee group’s 2008 single Decode soundtracked the first Twilight film, earned a Grammy nomination and eventually sold over one million copies. Paramore’s Glee revision has seen The Only Exception, the third single from their ARIA number one album Brand New Eyes, rocket back up the iTunes chart.
“I couldn’t believe it. You kind of figure that their version might do well because every time Glee airs you see their versions on the charts, but our version shot up 100 spots too. I was blown away and really psyched, because it was flattering to think people thought it was a good song.”
Williams’ rendezvous with the upper echelons of global charts has been reinforced by her guest appearance on BoB’s 2010 hit Airplanes. Tentatively stepping away from Paramore for the unlikely collaboration with the Atlanta rapper, its success paves the way for a Williams solo project away from Paramore’s catchy commercial punk. The world is her oyster, but the singer dismisses a solo project being her next chart-conquering move.
“I love being in a band and have wanted to be in a band since elementary school. I don’t really think there’ll be a solo album anytime soon because it just doesn’t sound fun. Maybe when I’m older, because I never want to say never, but I’m really liking what we’re doing now. We’re going to take a little bit of time off next year to recharge and hopefully write a new record, but the only project I want to dive into are things like fashion. I’ve started making clothes on the road and I really enjoy that – it makes me feel great that I’m wearing something no one else has. I’m going to keep dressing myself and if I get good enough at that then I’ll start thinking about dressing other people.”
Paramore’s return to Adelaide will see them perform under far less trying conditions than during this year’s Soundwave appearance, where they played in unrelenting heat while eddies of dust danced across Bonython Pk.
“It was insanely hot and it was so hard not to lean over and puke off the side of the stage. They were amazing shows and I actually remember Adelaide because I kept trying to find shade on the stage and I couldn’t find any! It was killing me! I think Adelaide was also the show where we wore all-black all day in memory of Johnny Cash. We thought it was going to be cool but it was the dumbest idea ever.
“Soundwave was one of my favourite tours we’ve ever done because it was the closest thing to Warped Tour but it was a little more relaxed. The shows weren’t every night and we’d also end up on the beach every night, which was different too. I love Soundwave – I love the sweat and the disgusting grime of it.”
The year hasn’t been without its hurdles for Williams. The perky 21-year-old was the victim of an internet scandal in May when a topless shot appeared on her Twitpic account. She’s since been harangued on Twitter by Christians attempting to save her from a sinful path.
“There are people who have conversations with me all day long and I’m not even writing back to them, but this one [Christian] woman kept sending me the same stuff for days. If you’ve ever been told you don’t know something that you’re very aware you do know, it’s very frustrating.
“I found it very hard as a young Christian to find someone who felt the same way about my faith, so I wanted other young Christians to hear what I felt. I’m tired of hearing Christians make a fool out of themselves in public. I’d rather make a fool out of myself for being imperfect and making human mistakes than by saying that my life is perfect and for pretending it’s exactly the way it should be. I’m not going to say that I’m right and everybody else is wrong.”
As the year enters its closing quarter, has 2010 been the best of times, the worst of times or somewhere in between for Hayley Williams?
“Every year gets better. I can be nostalgic and look back and say 2005 was the best year of my life for the rest of my life, but every year gets better. I can’t even imagine what 2011 is going to be like because 2010 was perfect. Those hurdles were the things that made it great – it made me stronger and I’m a better person now near the end of 2010 than when this year started.”
Brand New Eyes (Warner)
Unpublished Interview Material
When you’re playing out in the sun at a festival like Soundwave, do you get sunburnt?
“I wear SPF every day and it’s always been a big deal to me, so I wear it even when I’m not outside. I’m pretty good in that department.”
Miley Cyrus grew up down the road from Franklin where you grew up – did you ever see Billy Ray down the street at the supermarket?
“No, not really. I think they were already so busy and seeing as he was a massive country star their lives were already crazy by the time I moved to Nashville. I never really saw them and everyone says that I’m friends with Miley, but we’ve probably only spoken five words to each other. They’re just another family from Franklin and so I don’t know her.”
But it seems you are friends with Taylor Swift and she went roller-skating with you for your 21st?
“Taylor’s awesome, man. She deserves everything she has and she’s one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. She’s also one of the youngest doing what she’s doing ever, so I don’t know how she does it. It seems like she doesn’t stop and last time I spoke to her she was doing press for her new album. New album? Where did she get time to do that! I’m super-happy for her and it’s nice to meet someone with their head on straight despite being young.”
You go backstage at Taylor’s shows and there are silk curtains and flowers. You go backstage at a festival like Soundwave and there’s just a bunch of guys wearing black. How do you cope with that – does it change you?
“(chuckles) I think that I definitely have my girlie side but it doesn’t come out too often. Every now and then I put on a dress but I’ve become very used to living the way I live now and I’m comfortable working with a lot of guys.”
On Turn It Off you sing ‘I scraped my knees while I was praying’ – is prayer still important in your life?
“Yeah. My faith is very personal to me, but it’s very prominent and very important.”
This interview really should never have happened. Just months after her biggest hits to date (Paramore’s The Only Exception and her guest appearance on BoB’s Aeroplanes), Hayley Williams was hot property. Despite being the cover star of choice for numerous magazines, Williams was also being understandably selective with the outlets she chose to speak with. Still dealing with her accidental publication of a topless photo on her Twitter account, Williams was trying to focus on music rather than the fact her misstep had led to salacious websites and trashy magazines publishing the photo around the globe. Given her tumultuous year, when a record label representative asked if I would consider offering Paramore a cover story I flippantly suggested it would only be a possibility if I could speak to Williams. In Australia there’s a clear hierarchy when it comes to obtaining interviews, with television, commercial radio and daily newspapers generally snaring the lead singer, while street press fighting it out with independent radio and blogs over who gets to chat with bassists and drummers. I never considered an interview with Williams – during the craziest year of her life, no less – to be available for an interview with me, yet a few days later a sweaty Williams was on the line from LA. She was garrulous and fun, even managing to be philosophical about the fallout from THAT photo. That particular band line-up would splinter months later amid accusations by departing members Josh and Zac Farro that Paramore was being manipulated to become a commercial pop outfit, but the fall-out merely led to their best album to date. Williams remains a resilient and driven artist – and a hell of a nice interviewee.
The following is an edited version of an interview first published in Rip It Up, September 2010.
Paramore - Tangerine Dream
by Scott McLennan
In 2010, the litmus test for pop music achievement isn’t based on platinum plaques, chart-topping singles or global acclaim. Although Paramore singer Hayley Williams has achieved all that and more this year, it’s last week’s appearance of the band’s hit The Only Exception on US television phenomenon Glee that currently has her buzzing.
“I was stoked, man,” Williams admits after completing a spin class in an LA gym. “It’s the kind of show that you never imagine would care about a band like us and so it was pretty cool. I was sitting on the couch and wanted to slap myself because I couldn’t believe it was real.
“Glee have reached out a couple of times on Twitter to ask if we’d like to come by and watch them film, which would be really fun. To me the show is really important right now. Where do you otherwise find music on TV? There’s none. If MTV show a music video it’s only for five seconds, whereas a long time ago you could discover all sorts of music on there. Now it’s Glee that’s really important as it’s putting music back on television.”
It’s not the first time that an incidental soundtrack appearance has dramatically bolstered Paramore’s stocks. The punchy pop punk of the Tennessee group’s 2008 single Decode soundtracked the first Twilight film, earned a Grammy nomination and eventually sold over one million copies. Paramore’s Glee revision has seen The Only Exception, the third single from their ARIA number one album Brand New Eyes, rocket back up the iTunes chart.
“I couldn’t believe it. You kind of figure that their version might do well because every time Glee airs you see their versions on the charts, but our version shot up 100 spots too. I was blown away and really psyched, because it was flattering to think people thought it was a good song.”
Williams’ rendezvous with the upper echelons of global charts has been reinforced by her guest appearance on BoB’s 2010 hit Airplanes. Tentatively stepping away from Paramore for the unlikely collaboration with the Atlanta rapper, its success paves the way for a Williams solo project away from Paramore’s catchy commercial punk. The world is her oyster, but the singer dismisses a solo project being her next chart-conquering move.
“I love being in a band and have wanted to be in a band since elementary school. I don’t really think there’ll be a solo album anytime soon because it just doesn’t sound fun. Maybe when I’m older, because I never want to say never, but I’m really liking what we’re doing now. We’re going to take a little bit of time off next year to recharge and hopefully write a new record, but the only project I want to dive into are things like fashion. I’ve started making clothes on the road and I really enjoy that – it makes me feel great that I’m wearing something no one else has. I’m going to keep dressing myself and if I get good enough at that then I’ll start thinking about dressing other people.”
Paramore’s return to Adelaide will see them perform under far less trying conditions than during this year’s Soundwave appearance, where they played in unrelenting heat while eddies of dust danced across Bonython Pk.
“It was insanely hot and it was so hard not to lean over and puke off the side of the stage. They were amazing shows and I actually remember Adelaide because I kept trying to find shade on the stage and I couldn’t find any! It was killing me! I think Adelaide was also the show where we wore all-black all day in memory of Johnny Cash. We thought it was going to be cool but it was the dumbest idea ever.
“Soundwave was one of my favourite tours we’ve ever done because it was the closest thing to Warped Tour but it was a little more relaxed. The shows weren’t every night and we’d also end up on the beach every night, which was different too. I love Soundwave – I love the sweat and the disgusting grime of it.”
The year hasn’t been without its hurdles for Williams. The perky 21-year-old was the victim of an internet scandal in May when a topless shot appeared on her Twitpic account. She’s since been harangued on Twitter by Christians attempting to save her from a sinful path.
“There are people who have conversations with me all day long and I’m not even writing back to them, but this one [Christian] woman kept sending me the same stuff for days. If you’ve ever been told you don’t know something that you’re very aware you do know, it’s very frustrating.
“I found it very hard as a young Christian to find someone who felt the same way about my faith, so I wanted other young Christians to hear what I felt. I’m tired of hearing Christians make a fool out of themselves in public. I’d rather make a fool out of myself for being imperfect and making human mistakes than by saying that my life is perfect and for pretending it’s exactly the way it should be. I’m not going to say that I’m right and everybody else is wrong.”
As the year enters its closing quarter, has 2010 been the best of times, the worst of times or somewhere in between for Hayley Williams?
“Every year gets better. I can be nostalgic and look back and say 2005 was the best year of my life for the rest of my life, but every year gets better. I can’t even imagine what 2011 is going to be like because 2010 was perfect. Those hurdles were the things that made it great – it made me stronger and I’m a better person now near the end of 2010 than when this year started.”
Brand New Eyes (Warner)
Unpublished Interview Material
When you’re playing out in the sun at a festival like Soundwave, do you get sunburnt?
“I wear SPF every day and it’s always been a big deal to me, so I wear it even when I’m not outside. I’m pretty good in that department.”
Miley Cyrus grew up down the road from Franklin where you grew up – did you ever see Billy Ray down the street at the supermarket?
“No, not really. I think they were already so busy and seeing as he was a massive country star their lives were already crazy by the time I moved to Nashville. I never really saw them and everyone says that I’m friends with Miley, but we’ve probably only spoken five words to each other. They’re just another family from Franklin and so I don’t know her.”
But it seems you are friends with Taylor Swift and she went roller-skating with you for your 21st?
“Taylor’s awesome, man. She deserves everything she has and she’s one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. She’s also one of the youngest doing what she’s doing ever, so I don’t know how she does it. It seems like she doesn’t stop and last time I spoke to her she was doing press for her new album. New album? Where did she get time to do that! I’m super-happy for her and it’s nice to meet someone with their head on straight despite being young.”
You go backstage at Taylor’s shows and there are silk curtains and flowers. You go backstage at a festival like Soundwave and there’s just a bunch of guys wearing black. How do you cope with that – does it change you?
“(chuckles) I think that I definitely have my girlie side but it doesn’t come out too often. Every now and then I put on a dress but I’ve become very used to living the way I live now and I’m comfortable working with a lot of guys.”
On Turn It Off you sing ‘I scraped my knees while I was praying’ – is prayer still important in your life?
“Yeah. My faith is very personal to me, but it’s very prominent and very important.”
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