If you have been following SimplePlan.cz on Twitter and Facebook earlier today, you got a little heads up that Chuck and Sebastien were to do a little webchat on Simple Plan’s official Ustream channel, to support the Ma Zone D contest that they are currently holding. The contest, available for Canadian residents is to find people with musical talent and to give one of them $5000 to pursue their career and also $5000 to a charity of their choice.
Because of that, the webchat was done mostly in French. But have no worries if you didn’t understand a thing! Charbel took some notes and below you can now read an English translation of some of the things the guys talked about during the webchat. Also, you can watch the webchat below the recap on a video.
– The guys started off by saying that they had to earn the money in order to start the band, it wasn’t an easy task.
– First submitted question was about tips on composing music. Chuck said that you gotta start of by doing what you love, don’t go with what’s on the radio, don’t copy others, let your idols influence you and create your own sound.
– Chuck said that even if things are getting hard, you shouldn’t abandon everything you’ve worked for, it will make your band stronger in the end
– Next question: favourite song they’ve written. Chuck’s is Crazy/, it always gets to him.
– After that the guys talked about their past jobs: Seb said he had the worst jobs, he started of by cleaning his high school’s gym in order to save up for the band and Chuck worked at his uncle’s library as a cashier when no one else would hire him, then a record shop, and later he would write in the paper about music.
– Seb adds that since earning money was hard at the time for them, they didn’t spend it all on expensive equipments, instead they focused on getting better at their instruments.
– Chuck said their parents really helped them in the start – Pierre’s dad helped them to get a good price on their first van, Seb adds they couldn’t practice in spaces because they would be expensive so they practiced in Chuck’s parents’ basement.
Video streaming by Ustream
At the end of May 2012, Simple Plan visited Vietnam for the very first time, where they took part in a very special concert organised by MTV EXIT, an organization that helps to raise awareness about the issue of human exploitation and trafficking. After the concert the band took a train to the village called Sapa, in Vietnam, where they have been informed a bit more about the issue of human trafficking and also met with a group of local children, for whom they set up a special acoustic performance.
This Monday, November 19th, Chuck and Sebastien from Simple Plan attended the early morning taping of the morning show called “Ca Commence Bien”, on Tele V, where their old friend Patrick Langlois (ex-webmaster of SimplePlan.com/merch guy/photographer/videographer) has been working since this September.