You’re currently out and about half way through The Misadventures Tour headlining in support of your new album, Misadventures. How has the tour been going for you guys and is there anything fans should look forward to if they are attending an upcoming show on the tour.
This tour has been great, the fans have been responding to the record really well. We were surprised that each show the fans are singing along to the record already and the album was only out for a couple of weeks before the tour actually started.
Collide With the Sky came out four years ago, and that is the longest gap you’ve had between albums. Why did it take so long to release Misadventures?
Part of that was because we broke up the writing process to tour, Vic also had to leave the studio at a certain point because he was not really feeling inspired where he was at writing and ended up traveling around the country, staying in different places. Places like Los Angeles, San Diego, out in Big Bear, He went up to Seattle and that was where he actually finally found his inspiration and finished the record out there. He was having a difficult time writing lyrics for this record.
So you guys went into the studio with no lyrics?
We went in with 11 tracks, 2 of which didn’t really seem to fit so we wrote 2 more track while we were there and finished instruments, the rest of us left cause we usually leave Vic alone to record his vocals as he likes to be alone when he records them. During that time he was just trying to write the rest of the lyrics and it just wasn’t working so we ended up having to do The World Tour with Sleeping With Sirens and then Vic went back to the studio after then to do some writing and then we did Warped Tour all summer and we just kept getting split up and kind of just kept getting pushed back and back.
Speaking of your new album Misadventures, which debuted at #4 on Billboard’s Top 200 Charts. What is the meaning behind this album title?
Misadventures was named after all of the Misadventures we had trying to make the record. Nothing really went as planned, we thought we were going to just go in there and knock out the 11 songs that we had and that just didn’t work. Even when that was done, tours came up that we couldn’t say no to and we kept splitting up the process and then you know Vic having to travel around to try to find inspiration until he could finally you know get what he wanted for the record to make it feel right. There was just a lot that kept happening in between that kept interrupting that process so that is why we called it Misadventures.
There are 11 songs on the album and you already have three out as singles. Were there any specific reasons you chose these songs “The Divine Zero,” “Texas Is Forever,” and “Circles” to be the first ones that fans heard after four years? Do you feel they best showcase the album?
Yes, Definitely does. I think that there is an even enough spread between those three songs that kind of show a little bit of everything that we do as a band at this point. “Texas Is Forever” showcases the really fast stuff that we like to do, then “The Divine Zero” has got that mix and also got that heavier kind of break down type of thing in there and then “Circles” does not have any of that type of stuff and its pretty much all singing and little bit more mellow the all of the others. Those 3 songs are like a blend of everything on the album and that is why we chose to release them.
The entire Misadventures album seems like it was created to be played live, all the songs filled with such energy that just makes you want to move.
That is something that after we first started touring, We would even adapt songs live. We would extend parts or change parts and things like that cause we wanted them to be more exciting live. Now every time we go into the studio, even if we have songs fairly written and laid out. We will still sit down and jam them out live together to make sure they feel fun and exciting live cause you want to make sure that when the songs are all finished that it is actually fun to go up there and play them live and definitely dont have to make any changes down the line.
You recently released the song, “Circles” which we’ve heard is about the Paris Attacks. What made you guys want to release a song regarding the 2015 Paris attacks?
I mean Vic was the one writing the lyrics to that one too, so that was all him and his idea. He basically said that it was a story that hit him heard when he heard it. He couldn’t really get that weight off his mind so while he was in Seattle he decided to write about that topic and he said that it all kind of came to him really quick and he also said the way he wrote it, he tried to kind of write a story inspired by it instead and tried to make it a more positive and uplifting about two friends helping each other in a situation like that, to help each other escape something that terrible.
When you announced the Misadventures Tour, it sold out incredibly quick. Did you expect that to happen as quickly as it did? (Literally sold out in seconds)
Yeah we didn’t really know what to expect about this tour cause it was kind of a risky move and saying were only going to play this new album, as a lot of people want to hear old songs. So we weren’t really sure how many people were going to wanna come see this show. So we were really surprised with how well it did and how quick it happened and it has been amazing so far.
What was the reason behind the decision of playing the album front to back on this tour?
The idea was to come back to touring a little different as we have been playing older songs for a long time now. We just figured we would try this cause our fans have been so hungry and on us for new music for so long now that we were like lets just give it all to them all at once. Lets have a one time tour playing the new album in its entirety.
You won best guitarist back in 2015 at the APMAS, and this year the APMAS is just around the corner and you guys are up for song of the year with “The Divine Zero”. How do you guys feel about being up for Song Of The Year which is a pretty high award?
It’s pretty cool, so far we have had at least one member in the running for something every year the APMA’s happened. So yeah it is pretty exciting to have the band up for Song Of The Year.
Although you do hit mostly all of the major cities, it is a pretty short tour compared to all of your other tours. Why did Pierce The Veil decide to do this?
It was just really the way it got routed and because of the type of tour we didn’t really know what markets to hit and things like that. I think we just tried to hit as many cities as we could and we also have other tours after this that we have to get ready for. We are going to South America and things like that.
This year in the fall, Pierce the Veil celebrates 10 years together. What does that mean to you and did you ever think the band would reach the success they have reached today? Do you think you’ll have any upcoming 10 year anniversary tours?
It is crazy, this is like only the second time we have been asked the question and the first time we were asked this we really haven’t even realized that. We were kind of surprised by it and the success it has been a long road. It has been a slow climb to where we are now and it is just exciting to see what is going to happen after this record. I don’t know about a 10 year tour, as we really haven’t gotten that far i guess. We haven’t really thought about it.
Maybe something like A Flair For The Dramatic tour in 2017?
Yeah, That would be cool.
If you had to choose one song off of Pierce The Veil’s entire discography to debut your band to a new fan. What song would you choose and why?
I would say Dive In which is the first song on the record. And we all kind of feel that, that showcases everything that we do as a band, we feel like that shows a little bit of each piece of Pierce The Veil. IF we had to pick just one song.
Whats in store next for Pierce The Veil after Their U.S. Misadventures Tour?
South America, We will be touring a lot on this record for the next year and half and we will be everywhere so hopefully we get to see all of our fans this touring cycle.
Anything you like to say to your fans that I have not mentioned in this interview yet?
Thank you guys for the support and thanks so much for supporting us so much and we cannot wait to see you guys at the shows. Come out here and sing along with us at the Misadventures Tour!
See you on Friday in Philadelphia at The SOLD OUT TLA.
Sweet! See you then!
Get Misadventures now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/misadventures/id1090576630
Catch a Pierce The Veil Show:
6/17 — Philadelphia, Pa. — Theatre of Living Arts
6/18 — Norfolk, Va. — The Norva
6/19 — Atlanta, Ga. — Masquerade
6/21 — Houston, Texas — House of Blues
6/22 — Dallas, Texas — House of Blues
6/24 — Mesa, Ariz. — Nile Theatre
6/25 — San Diego, Calif. — Observatory North Park
6/26 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Mayan Theatre
