Paramore - Hayley

Interview Date: February 03, 2010

Associated band: Paramore


This year Paramore is returning to Bamboozle to headline the Saturday show. What's the most exciting aspect of being part of a huge festival like Bamboozle?n

HAYLEY: I feel like we've grown up with Bamboozle. We really started touring in 2005 and we played the first Bamboozle that spring... to about 100 people, which was HUGE to us. Each year, we've moved up a stage and played to more and more people. If you would've told me our name was going to be at the top of the bill in 2010, I would've laughed or maybe punched your lights out. Headlining this year, to me is like graduating high school or something. I mean, I never went to graduation but... whatever.

What separates Bamboozle as unique from the other festivals you have been a part of?n

HAYLEY: It just feels youthful and cool. It seems to embody what most of us kids that are into music actually want. Not to mention, last year, there was a circus monkey riding a dog like it was a horse. You don't see that too often.

Since the lineup this year is a bit different from your normal tours, are you excited to see anyone in particular at Bamboozle? n

HAYLEY: I actually started playing drums when I was 9 because of Zac Hanson... So I think I'll be front and center for their set.

The fall tour was referred to on your band's site as an intimate-venue-size tour, which in Boston translated to a 3000-capacity venue. Is Paramore at the stage of comfortably playing arenas in the future? Is it overwhelming to think Paramore played the Shira Girl stage on Warped Tour a few years ago and now can headline a festival like Bamboozle?n

HAYLEY: Honestly, we were planning on the tour being a lot more intimately set than it ended up being. Some of the shows were moved up to bigger venues... and at first, when I realized that some of the shows were much bigger than originally intended, I was bummed. But once you're on the stage and you realize that some of those kids would've been turned away at the door, it just doesn't matter anymore. And as far as playing arenas and all that goes, bring it on! I think back five years ago, and I can't believe that we've come this far. It doesn't make a whole lot of a sense. We're still a bunch of losers. I think I might dress just a tiny bit better now... but really. It's all the same. We'll play wherever there are a few guitars, drums, and a mic.

You have a video shoot coming up, and Hayley posted asking for people to send in Valentine’s Day cards for the shoot. How will those be integrated into the video, and do you have plans for more singles/videos after this upcoming one?n

HAYLEY: We just shot the video for \"The Only Exception\" a few days ago. Our friend Brandon Chesbro directed it. He shot The Final Riot for us and has been a friend of ours forever. When we were coming up with the concept, I had this idea to incorporate Valentine's cards to sort of represent the dreamy, giddy, sort of oblivion that I associate with being in love... It just didn't seem right to get a bunch of generic cards from wherever. Our fans made the most gorgeous cards. I'm having all four massive boxes of them shipped back home so we can figure out something cool to do with all of them.

Has your band considered doing an EP or anything at all this year, or is it too soon since Brand New Eyes came out a few months ago?n

HAYLEY: We've only ever put out one EP, in 2006. It's called 'The Summer Tic.” We covered a song by one of our favorite bands FAILURE and released a b-side and an alternative version of our song, \"Emergency.” That was one of the coolest things we got to put out ‘cause there weren't many, and we started selling them on Warped Tour that summer. I'd love to do that again. We have the songs for it. I mean, I'd want to write more... but we could probably do it with what we have now.

If collectively the band of Paramore could have a New Year’s resolution, what do you think it would be?n

HAYLEY: Eat more Captain Crunchberries!

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Thank you for taking time for this interview. See you at Bamboozle!n

HAYLEY: SO STOKED! See ya there.