"With this record I feel the theme is about being confident with your relationships whether its shitty or positive."
Pop punk never changes it's stubborn catchy Americanism's. Good pop punk is very hard to find. Wannabe bands trying to make their "imprint" on our UK scene is very annoying. Those bands usually feature a lead singer with an American accent, but is actually from Devon or something.
We all know and love New Found Glory in some form or another. They came back in '09 with 'Not Without A Fight', their new album which is full of their jolly tunes. Altsounds.com managed to grab an exclusive phone interview with lead singer Jordan Pundik............
FG: “Not without a fight” sure is classic New Found Glory. Yet, it seems to me that you were coming up with new sounds on Coming Home and Tip of the Iceberg. Were you not tempted to produce an album more similar to those records?
JP: I personally loved what we were doing on Coming Home but this record shows we are comfortable with being who we are. I think Coming Home was New Found Glory but more slowed down and a bit more soppy. We are just so excited about this album because for me New Found Glory has always been about being a live band and every song on this album we can play live and kids are going to go crazy!
FG: Is there much difference between bringing out an album now compared to 10 years ago?
JP: Oh yeah definitely, you know 10 years ago we were selling out of boxes to our family and friends and if we sold 500 CDs we would be stoked.
FG: How was it working with Mark Hoppus again?
JP: It was awesome working with Mark! I love the guy to death. He’s been a fan of New Found for a really long time and we have toured with Blink and it was a really comfortable environment, even though we didn’t know the future of the band [because we basically recorded the album without a label]. It was still really comfortable and so funny [really funny] every day.
FG: Did he talk about Blink 182 reforming?
JP: No, nothing at all. I only just found out a couple of days before everyone else found out because I bumped into Rick DeVoe (Blink and New Found Glory’s old manager) and he told me about it.
FG: How about Blink and New Found Glory touring together once again?
JP: I definitely would, I think it would be really fun especially now because the last time we played together was in 2001 [ 8 years ago] and since then we are an older, different band and have gained many more fans. Yeah. Us and them together would be insane especially here in the States [I think].
FG: Which songs on the new album do you have a particular soft spot for or are looking forward to playing live?
JP: Well, we have already been playing 3 or 4 songs off the new album at our shows and they have been going down so well. It's awesome.
FG: How do you decide which songs make the set list and which ones don’t?
JP: Well we have been touring for a really long time now and its based on were we are and we know which songs go down well. There will however, be times when there is a kid holding up a sign with a random song on it that we haven’t played in years and we’ll play it.
FG: I have been to your shows every time you are in the UK and my absolute favourite songs are Taken Back by You, Doubtful and Situations but they never get played at your live shows! Why? And what’s the chance you could play them when you are next at Nottingham Rock city?
JP: Well we will play songs that we haven’t played in a long time and completely destroy them! It’s still fun.
FG: So you have released 3 CDs within 2 years and are about to go on another massive tour. Do you ever get a holiday?
JP: Erm, well not really! We’ve just finished a tour in Australia and Japan and got back home 2 days ago. I’m home for 2 weeks then we’ve got a 2 month US tour. Then I’m home for another 2 weeks then we head for Europe and the UK! Then I think I’m gonna have July off!
FG: Sounds just so, so hectic.
JP: Yeah!
FG: I’ve been playing the fight game on MySpace and watching the videos on YouTube, whose idea was it? Is it purely for promotional reasons or do you simply enjoy watching your band wrestle?
JP: (laughs) We all wanted to do it! Especially Chad who is a big fan of UFC, and it was all so much fun because we all got to be thrown around and had training sessions with Boss Gruten and Harvey.
FG: Do you still like to play video games whilst on tour… any recommendations?
JP: (laughs) Yeah… it’s a good way to chill out because you get a lot of down time during the day. I’ve been playing the latest ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Gears of War II’
FG: Lego Star Wars?
JP: I haven’t played much yet but Chad has and he says it’s awesome. I’ll tell you what I have been playing a lot of….I’ve got and Nintendo DS and have been playing Lego Batman. I got stuck on a part on Lego Star Wars so I went out and got a DS!
FG: In ‘truck stop blues’ I am guessing it is about finding relationships really tough whilst touring, is this mutual feeling throughout the band or one persons view in particular?
JP: It’s a combination of everyone’s. Everything we write is based on what’s going on in each others lives and I think that’s why kids can relate to it so well. With this record I feel the theme is about being confident with your relationships whether its shitty or positive. In every relationship there is always going to be a battle to make the relationship work whether its with your family or your friends, significant other or whatever it is and that’s what I think these songs are about. So yeah, its about everybody and things that have been going on in the last couple of years but without naming names or being too specific
FG: I really like how New Found Glory stick to smaller, more intimate venues but do you have any ambitions to fill out stadiums?
JP: (laughs) You know it’s always nice to play in front of a lot of people but at the same time there is pro’s and con’s to both. Playing in an arena is amazing because you can actually put on a huge rock show and play to tons of people. At the same time playing at smaller venues is awesome too because its sweaty, kids come on stage and there is crowd surfing. I get the mic out and crowd surf while singing. So when we do do the bigger shows we try and bring the club vibe to the arena so me and Chad will have the spotlight on us and we’ll run out…it’s a lot of fun.
FG: Would you like to add anything to conclude this interview?
JP: Yes, just that we will be out there in the UK pretty soon playing shows and Bayside will be supporting. And just thank you to everyone for supporting us for so long, I mean we have been to the UK so many times now its like a 2nd home
We all know and love New Found Glory in some form or another. They came back in '09 with 'Not Without A Fight', their new album which is full of their jolly tunes. Altsounds.com managed to grab an exclusive phone interview with lead singer Jordan Pundik............
FG: “Not without a fight” sure is classic New Found Glory. Yet, it seems to me that you were coming up with new sounds on Coming Home and Tip of the Iceberg. Were you not tempted to produce an album more similar to those records?
JP: I personally loved what we were doing on Coming Home but this record shows we are comfortable with being who we are. I think Coming Home was New Found Glory but more slowed down and a bit more soppy. We are just so excited about this album because for me New Found Glory has always been about being a live band and every song on this album we can play live and kids are going to go crazy!
FG: Is there much difference between bringing out an album now compared to 10 years ago?
JP: Oh yeah definitely, you know 10 years ago we were selling out of boxes to our family and friends and if we sold 500 CDs we would be stoked.
FG: How was it working with Mark Hoppus again?
JP: It was awesome working with Mark! I love the guy to death. He’s been a fan of New Found for a really long time and we have toured with Blink and it was a really comfortable environment, even though we didn’t know the future of the band [because we basically recorded the album without a label]. It was still really comfortable and so funny [really funny] every day.
FG: Did he talk about Blink 182 reforming?
JP: No, nothing at all. I only just found out a couple of days before everyone else found out because I bumped into Rick DeVoe (Blink and New Found Glory’s old manager) and he told me about it.
FG: How about Blink and New Found Glory touring together once again?
JP: I definitely would, I think it would be really fun especially now because the last time we played together was in 2001 [ 8 years ago] and since then we are an older, different band and have gained many more fans. Yeah. Us and them together would be insane especially here in the States [I think].
FG: Which songs on the new album do you have a particular soft spot for or are looking forward to playing live?
JP: Well, we have already been playing 3 or 4 songs off the new album at our shows and they have been going down so well. It's awesome.
FG: How do you decide which songs make the set list and which ones don’t?
JP: Well we have been touring for a really long time now and its based on were we are and we know which songs go down well. There will however, be times when there is a kid holding up a sign with a random song on it that we haven’t played in years and we’ll play it.
FG: I have been to your shows every time you are in the UK and my absolute favourite songs are Taken Back by You, Doubtful and Situations but they never get played at your live shows! Why? And what’s the chance you could play them when you are next at Nottingham Rock city?
JP: Well we will play songs that we haven’t played in a long time and completely destroy them! It’s still fun.
FG: So you have released 3 CDs within 2 years and are about to go on another massive tour. Do you ever get a holiday?
JP: Erm, well not really! We’ve just finished a tour in Australia and Japan and got back home 2 days ago. I’m home for 2 weeks then we’ve got a 2 month US tour. Then I’m home for another 2 weeks then we head for Europe and the UK! Then I think I’m gonna have July off!
FG: Sounds just so, so hectic.
JP: Yeah!
FG: I’ve been playing the fight game on MySpace and watching the videos on YouTube, whose idea was it? Is it purely for promotional reasons or do you simply enjoy watching your band wrestle?
JP: (laughs) We all wanted to do it! Especially Chad who is a big fan of UFC, and it was all so much fun because we all got to be thrown around and had training sessions with Boss Gruten and Harvey.
FG: Do you still like to play video games whilst on tour… any recommendations?
JP: (laughs) Yeah… it’s a good way to chill out because you get a lot of down time during the day. I’ve been playing the latest ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Gears of War II’
FG: Lego Star Wars?
JP: I haven’t played much yet but Chad has and he says it’s awesome. I’ll tell you what I have been playing a lot of….I’ve got and Nintendo DS and have been playing Lego Batman. I got stuck on a part on Lego Star Wars so I went out and got a DS!
FG: In ‘truck stop blues’ I am guessing it is about finding relationships really tough whilst touring, is this mutual feeling throughout the band or one persons view in particular?
JP: It’s a combination of everyone’s. Everything we write is based on what’s going on in each others lives and I think that’s why kids can relate to it so well. With this record I feel the theme is about being confident with your relationships whether its shitty or positive. In every relationship there is always going to be a battle to make the relationship work whether its with your family or your friends, significant other or whatever it is and that’s what I think these songs are about. So yeah, its about everybody and things that have been going on in the last couple of years but without naming names or being too specific
FG: I really like how New Found Glory stick to smaller, more intimate venues but do you have any ambitions to fill out stadiums?
JP: (laughs) You know it’s always nice to play in front of a lot of people but at the same time there is pro’s and con’s to both. Playing in an arena is amazing because you can actually put on a huge rock show and play to tons of people. At the same time playing at smaller venues is awesome too because its sweaty, kids come on stage and there is crowd surfing. I get the mic out and crowd surf while singing. So when we do do the bigger shows we try and bring the club vibe to the arena so me and Chad will have the spotlight on us and we’ll run out…it’s a lot of fun.
FG: Would you like to add anything to conclude this interview?
JP: Yes, just that we will be out there in the UK pretty soon playing shows and Bayside will be supporting. And just thank you to everyone for supporting us for so long, I mean we have been to the UK so many times now its like a 2nd home
