Interviews: Plain White T’s

Plain White T’s are back with a new album so we thought it was time to have a catch up with vocalist Tom Higgenson…

Posted Wednesday, 26 November 2008 in

Plain White T’s are back with a new album so we thought it was time to have a catch up with vocalist Tom Higgenson…

You appear to have gone down the pop over punk route this time around…

“If a fan likes you because of the amp you use then they’re probably not a real fan. Our true fans like the band – they relate to the lyrics and their honesty. I write about things I see and feel – even more so than on the last record, which had songs like ‘Hate (I Don’t Really Like You)’. This album is a lot more personal.”

Tell us the story behind ‘Serious Mistake’…

“I was in a relationship and we had our ups and downs. The song ‘Serious Mistake’ is about when we broke up and I did something really stupid that I instantly regretted. I knew that I was hurting the person that I still cared about.”

Are there any songs or lyrics you’ve written that you’re especially proud of?

“I’m proud of the whole album, but especially the song ‘1, 2, 3, 4’ as there’s a certain clever lyricism to the chorus which uses the numbers as words: ‘There’s only ONE thing TO do, THREE words FOR you…’”

Personally we like: ‘She moved her body like a butcher’s knife / Chopping up every guy in sight’. Is this a reference to a partner or a girl in your life?

“It’s about an imaginary girl who is dancing through a club and can’t help but notice that all of these guys are staring at her, then suddenly she talks to me and it’s like. ‘Okay, what’s going on?’”

How pissed off were you when the new album leaked on to P2P sites ahead of its release date?

“That happens to pretty much every album so I don’t mind.”

Were you worried you wouldn’t sell many copies?

“I think if the CD is good, even if it’s downloaded for free, people will probably buy it.”

Did the success of ‘Hey There Delilah’ change the blueprint of what the band had initially started?

“No because it’s an older song. When I wrote ‘Hey There Delilah’ it was a demo along with 10 other tracks. It stood out, but I didn’t try to write a hit – it just worked out that way.”

In what ways did fame / success change you?

“I feel I’m the same person and, if anything, other people’s opinion of me changes. People think of me differently because they see me on TV and in magazines. They think you’re this different person, but the truth is that you don’t change.”

Was filming your TV documentary ‘Meet Me In California’ an excuse to get drunk in Malibu?

“Basically yes. The TV thing came separately as we were already recording the album and our friend was filming us doing that. Malibu was an excuse to party and take a vacation.”

To what extent is the new album, ‘Big Bad World’, a testament to the political climate?

“It was just a good title to use as it wraps up the whole album. There are a lot of worldly ideas though – some songs compare a girl to a natural disaster! ‘Rainy Day’ ‘Sunlight’ ‘Meet Me In California’… they all suggest a worldliness.”

‘Natural Disaster’ conjures up thoughts of Hurricane Katrina…

“Yeah, it’s something that you have no control over – something that wipes you out.”

Where will the future of your sound go? Are there any other types of music you would like to experiment with?

“I don’t think we’re going to stray too far from the catchy, sincere songs we write. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.”

‘Big Bad World’ is out now on Hollywood Records.