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Simple Plan Foundation benefit event: recap & new album review

Source: Canoe.ca

Even though words cannot describe music like the music does by itself, if you want to check out what the new album is going to be like, make sure to read the article below, which recaps everything that went on on the Simple Plan Foundation benefit event, but also reviews the sample of the new album, that’s been played for the fans in its studio version:

The fourth album by Simple Plan will be released in March or April. During the press conference, where they talked about the foundation that bears their name, the band made the following announcement. “We came back from Vancouver a few days ago, where we finished recording the album,” said the singer Pierre Bouvier. “It’s been long enough, but the work is worth it. We are very happy.”

On the album, Simple Plan talk about “girls, partying, fans, life!”. “Our concept is to put songs on an album. The pieces are quite varied. Even if we say every time the new album is the best, this time, it is thought to be true!” says Jeff Stinco.

“We spent only one year writing,” says Pierre. “We wrote almost 65 songs, to keep only 12.” The quintet worked with producer Brian Howes (Puddle of Mudd, Hedley) on this new album. “He is very meticulous, like us. We spent a lot of time on the songs. ”

Among the new pieces, there is one called This Song Saved My Life, which includes the participation of fans. “We decided to write this song because of all the stories we received from fans,” said Pierre. “They were asked to write to us on Twitter to tell us how our band had changed their lives. And it was inspiring to write lyrics based on the messages.” Twenty-five of these same fans have traveled to Vancouver to record with the group. “We thought it was cheaper than the real singers!” says Chuck Comeau, laughing.

On Sunday at Club Sportif MAA downtown Montreal, fans of the band had the opportunity to hear a preview of this new album. By paying $100 for their entry, guests were entitled to a meal, could participate in an auction, preview the new album and watch an acoustic performance by Simple Plan. All in favor of Simple Plan Foundation.

The event, led by Eric Salvail, Simple Plan raised $125 000 for their foundation. The auction included all sorts of interesting items/experience, including a dinner with the band ($ 2,500), a music session with Simple Plan ($ 2,000) and a round of golf with Chuck Comeau ($ 2,100).

Before the premiere of five new songs from the upcoming album (“Even my mother has not heard them yet,” said Jeff), Pierre Bouvier asked the audience not to record these songs and not to put them on the Internet. “Can we trust you? Keep your cameras down!”

Even if the mix of the songs was not completed, one could realize by the first listen that the band had not lost his talent for designing catchy melodies. Young fans in the attendance even sung some choruses in choirs, which is always a good sign. To close the day, Simple Plan played seven of their songs acoustically, including Shut Up, I’d Do Anything, Welcome to My Life, Love Is a Lie, Take My Hand, Crazy and When I’m Gone.

New Simple Plan album to feature collaborations!

Two days ago, Jeff revealed a pretty surprising news on his Twitter: “Tomorrow, we’re gonna have a really special visitor at the studio. I know, I’m a tease but i can’t say who it is yet.” And as you will find out in the translated article below, Simple Plan are really planning special collaborations featured on the new album.

If it’s a singer type-of collaboration, it would be the second Simple Plan album to include voices of other people than the Simple Plan members: you could have noticed few featurings on SP’s debut album “No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls”, where Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus does vocals on “I’d Do Anything” and the voice of Joel Madden from Good Charlotte can be heard on “You Don’t Mean Anything”.

Check out the whole article (which has been posted on Cyberpresse.ca) revealing the news about collaborations on the upcoming album below:

New plans for Simple Plan

This exclusive photo of Chuck Comeau, Pierre Bouvier, Jeff Stinco was taken two days ago in the recording studio in Vancouver. The five members of Simple Plan are currently putting the finishing touches on their fourth album, which is due early 2011.

Chuck (drummer) told me that the group had not yet found the title for this album but he told me anyway, exclusively, some song-titles that you can find on this new album: You Suck at Love, Astronaut and This Song Saved My Life. To pique your curiosity even more, you should know that Simple Plan will welcome special guests and will present surprising collaborations. Before the release of the album, the band’s fans will have the chance to hear excerpts of the record on November 14th, while the group will be giving an acoustic concert at Club Sportif MAA on Peel Street in Montreal to benefit their Simple Plan Foundation. The tickets are $100 per person. The event is a brunch for the whole family, and certainly for many, a concert that is priceless!

Who would YOU like to be featured on Simple Plan’s upcoming album?

Official words on the current status of the record

The official Simple Plan website was updated yesterday with some words on the recent lack of news. The article says that the guys are currently recording song no.9 and they should be done by early November. After that we can expect few more months of post-production and hopefully the album will come out in the first half of 2011.

You can read the whole post below:

Hello everyone!!

Sorry for the long delay in the world of Simple Plan. The guys do apologize for not posting anything, but they have been working super hard on the album, and are trying to get it done just as soon as they can, while making it the best it can be. They don’t want to let the greatest fans in the world down.

Right now, as I write this, they are working on guitars for song #9. And let me tell you, it sounds amazing!!! You will all be happy you waited for this.
The guys should be done by early November and then will start the next part of the album process, which includes mixing, mastering and finalizing the artwork. Getting everything tweaked for you to see and hear. So for all you SP fans, just a little more patience and you will all be well rewarded!!!

More news coming soon, so please check back soon, and don’t forget about the Foundation show on the 14th of November. If you can make it, you will not be disappointed!, it will be a very special night!.

Article and scan from Alternative Press

In the latest issue of the Alternative Press, appeared an interview with Pierre and Chuck from Simple Plan and also with a very nice photoshoot from this year. The interview focuses on the current state of the music industry – about how the bands are dealing with low sales records, shrinking budgets etc. Make sure to check out the scan from the magazine that Jackie sent us (thanks!):

What was your experience on this spring’s Bamboozle Roadshow like?

Chuck: We hadn’t done a U.S. tour in a long time, and we were definitely curious – maybe a bit apprehensive – about how we would go over. We wanted to see if people still cared, and we were blown away by the response. It was really reassuring. People were stoked and were like, “Where the fuck have you guys been?” [Laughs.]

It’s been two-plus years since your last album. What’s been the biggest change you’ve seen in the industry in that time?

Pierre: Even back as far as 2005, the number of illegal downloads is so mindblowing. But I think albums are becoming like your business card. You put it out there to let people know who you are, and hopefully they’ll come out to a show. You can never re-create or really bootleg that show, which is great. And technology has changed things, too. People can make great-sounding records with a little bit of money and a little bit of gear. There are definitely more bands because of that, and you’ll have a lot more small-to-medium-sized bands instead of huge bands like Pearl Jam and Guns N’ Roses.

With so many more bands, how has the increased competition for listeners’ time and money affected Simple Plan

Pierre It’s a songwriting battle now, and whoever can write the most creative and exciting songs pretty much wins. We’ve always taken a lot of time between albums because we don’t want to release something that’s half good songs and half filler. Maybe nowadays it might be smarter for us to concentrate on few massive singles and filler so we could put out more albums, but we don’t agree with that.

How have you had to adapt to deal with things like shrinking video budgets

Chuck: It definitely makes me sad, because I think we caught the tail end of this great perid where you could be so creative and money was hardly an issue. But now you have to find more ways to be innovative and do things a little cheaper. I don’t think things have really changed for us. From the start, we would spend more than 300 days on the road, playing places like Malaysia and the Phillipines where not a lot of bands went. Now all the bands are catching on and going to those places because they’re all trying to tour as much as possible because album sales are suffering.

Are fans okay with bands turning to sponsors to subsidize tours and videos?

Pierre: I think kids feel that it’s cool unless it impacts the product somehow, but in the past you’d be seen as a complete sellout. Can you imagine Nirvana doing a car commercial? They’d be booed offstage and never listened to again. [Laughs.]

What about social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook? How important are those connections with fans?

Chuck: Very important. Even early on, with our first record, we said we wanted to be the most accessible band out there. I think you have to choose if you’re going to keep the mystique or to be open.

Pierre: We put out a DVD with our first record called A Big Package For You, which was a big, teo-hour thing following us on the road. Now we do video updates on our site and Twitter. I think it’s fun for the fans and us as well, but I think you have to do it. There’s always someone else out there that wants it more than you do.

Sum 41 against Simple Plan… once again

Source: Le Soleil & MTV.com

Simple Plan fans know very well that negative comments against the band are something we just have to deal with because they are not that uncommon. But what IS uncommon are similar comments coming from another band – what more a band from the same country (Canada) and a band that is of a similar music genre. Canadians Sum 41 can’t help it but to spice-up some interviews with negative remarks on Simple Plan from time to time.

You may remember one older video with Sum 41, in which the drummer Stevo Jocz states his opinion on Simple Plan:

“At the end of the day, I would probably rather eat a goat ball than watch “I’m Just A Kid” by Simple Plan. Because, I think their album was called “No Pads, No Helmets, No Balls.”… no goat balls, no any balls. And I would rather eat a goat ball than watch that video or hear that band or hear the name, or even watch the movie, that has nothing to do with the band but they took the name. I wouldn’t watch that movie. I will not watch it. I would rather eat a goat’s ball. Just right off the goat.”

The band has recently performed on canadian Festivent, yes, on the same event that Simple Plan were among the performers as well. Apart from playing the songs on their set, Sum 41 played also a cover version of “Master of Puppets” by Metallica. Lead singer Deryck Whibley said to Le Soleil:

“Do you think Simple Plan would be able to play it?”

And what Simple Plan have to say about Sum 41? In one older Kerrang interview, the guys were asked about this on-going hypothetical fight between Simple Plan and Sum 41 and here is what the SP boys said:

Sum 41 told us they want to give you a “fat lip”. Who would win in a fight?

Pierre: Have you ever seen Sum 41? They are like elves! I would love for any one of them to try and give us a fat lip. It would probably be the easiest fight ever. Deryck [Whibley, frontman] would bring a security guard, and say “Beat them up for me”, because he’s not man enough. I feel bad for those guys…
Chuck: We have always been nice to them…
Pierre: …but they always talk shit on us.
David: He knows that Avril [Lavigne, Deryck’s [ex-] wife] really likes me. We went on tour together, and we spent some time together…
Pierre: I feel bad for him because he had to go sloppy seconds on his [ex-] wife. We like her, she’s friends with us, but her husband is a jackass.
David: He isn’t even five-feet tall!
Pierre: Let’s just say, we don’t feel threatened.
Jeff: Imagine waking up and having to wash that face in the mirror every morning…
David: He is a sloppy seconds troll, that sums it up!

Well.. let’s just hope that on the I-Day Festival in Bologna, Italy, where both of these bands will be performing, Simple Plan and Sum 41 will keep some distance from each other. Just for safety.

Edit

Seems like the news are spreading really fast on the Internet. After publishing this article, such a passionate discussion started (mostly) on Twitter among the Simple Plan fans, that one of the members of Sum 41 responded to this matter. Thomas Thacker (@DUMMYADO), the newest member of Sum 41 tweeted:

For the record, I never talked shit about SP.