Simple Plan seem to be revealing song-titles for their upcoming album left and right lately! In the interview Simple Plan France did with the members of Simple Plan in Paris, France in September, the boys let it slip that there’s a gloomy and very dark song on the album called “Dream About You”. The members of the band even compared it to “Perfect” or “Untitled”.
Thanks to co-operation of Helene from Simple Plan France, who helped me point out some interesting information from this French interview (that is available in a video form under this paragraph), you can check out the recap below. Also, make sure to check out SPF on Facebook and Twitter.
– Pierre said that they just finished the album (in June) except for maybe one or two songs, and it took almost 2 years: they wrote for 1 year. According to him it’s the best album. Jeff added that this time the record really is the identity of Simple Plan, what they can do is clearer thanks to this album. As long as the album is dynamic with good melodies they can take more new directions and experience some evolution. They define it as “eclectic”. They tried new things and old school things as well.
– Helene then asked Jeff about a tweet that he posted some months ago, saying “What if we recorded the best song of our career but it was really different for Simple Plan. Should we not release it?” and she wanted to know which song he was talking about (now we know he was most probably talking about “I Don’t Wanna Go To Bed”). Jeff wanted the fans to tell him what is “too much different” for Simple Plan, what they should not do. So he mentioned Summer Paradise as an example, they took a risk, they were not sure that it was Simple Plan. Was it a good decision to record such a song and put it in a pop-punk album? Eventually it revealed to be one of their most successful singles in the world. They wanted to try it again for this new album. So we have to be prepared to hear new SP songs that are different. For him, “Boom” represents the album. Pierre doesn’t want to do the same songs all over again, he wants to change and try new stuff. That’s what he did with a new song called “Dream About You” which he defines as “very dark” and “gloomy”. Why limit themselves doing always the same songs? To conclude, Pierre said: “Yes we are Simple Plan, the band that did “I’m Just a Kid”, “Perfect” and “Welcome To My Life” but we are also able to do other things and we wanted to show this to the world.” Then Jeff talks about “Dream About You” again, explaining that it reminds him of “Perfect” or “Untitled” because it’s dark and with the voice and the piano but it is different too.
– About the “Boom” video with all the featurings: Pierre explained that he thought that it was a good idea because many SP fans also listen to the bands and artists that are featured in the video. For them it’s fun to see all their favorite bands reunited in one Simple Plan video. And for them it’s gratifying to see their peers accepted to be in one of their videos. Chuck: it’s cool to mix the old schools bands like New Found Glory and MXPX and Simple Plan who is at the edge of the old school and the “new era”, with the new and recent bands too.
– About collaborations on the album: apparently there may not be any female singers this time around – Chuck only said that they would like to have a woman voice, they can do it, but it’s not really fixed yet. But it’s possible. Seb added that they have to keep some secrets!
– Regarding French versions Pierre replied with a yes. Chuck said that there would be French versions and he confirmed that there would be more than one. But just French versions translated from English. Not French songs on their own. Because it worked very well with Summer Paradise and Jet Lag and they were very surprised of the good reactions of the fans. So they want to do it again on this new album. (now we know about the French version of “I Don’t Wanna Go To Bed”)
– About the new setlist: Helene asked why they decided to start with Jet Lag instead of Shut Up (which has been the intro of their show for a long time, about 6 years). Jeff said that it’s going to change again. And Pierre replied that they have to change, because it’s boring to do the same show again and again for the people who travel to see Simple Plan. But they want to keep Perfect for the end as a tradition. Pierre noticed that the fans don’t want them to change Perfect at the end of the show!
– Fan question from Laura: In Luxembourg, SP played Lucky One, and she asked if this song had any particular meaning for Pierre because he seemed very emotional playing it. Jeff said that it’s probably because he played guitar very very well and Pierre replied that he just had a dust in the eye lol. More seriously, Pierre said that it had no particular meaning or event of his life for this song but he was just in it, on stage. What’s more, for Chuck, every fan can relate to this song thanks to the lyrics, with a moment of their past, and that’s what makes the atmosphere very emotional and they realize how much music can mean to them and the impact that this song can have on fans. Jeff explained that SP themselves had some special moments on stage too, thanks to the fans when they raise paper signs in the crowd during a show. He mentioned a show in Quebec and Levis and the show in Lyon where people raised “Merci”. It’s magical for Jeff and he is fascinated by the “coalition” between fans, how they gathered to surprise their favorite band. They love it.