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By Andy Argyrakis Bad New World Anyone who mistakes pop-punkers Plain White T’s for an overnight sensation either didn’t do their homework or wasn’t anywhere near the Chicago underground scene throughout the front half of the 2000s. Not only was the group cranking out a series of indie albums, EPs and compilation appearances, but it was playing as many sweaty VFW halls, basement parities and backyard barbecues as it could book alongside the now-famous likes of Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is… and Spitalfield to name a few... Of course, the world at large is most immediately drawn to the group’s breakthrough single “Hey There Delilah,” which found the most traction last year after a steady build that started with the track’s initial release on 2006’s All That We Needed (Fearless), followed by its very own EP and finally a re-release on the second printing of the band’s official Hollywood Records debut Every Second Counts. “We worked our assess off from the very beginning and started touring when nobody gave a sh*t,” recalls co-founding frontman Tom Higgenson, checking in from an L.A. tour stop. “Our first little demo CD sold about 2,000 copies and, as the years went on, we found ourselves selling 70,000-80,000 records on an indie label to the point where [label executives were going,] ‘Who the hell is this band selling more than most of ours?’ And it’s funny with ‘Delilah’ because we saw the impact of that song way before we even signed with Hollywood…When we asked our fans on MySpace what song they wanted a video for and 95 percent of them said that song. So we thought, ‘Why don’t we kind of release an EP like they used to do for singles?’ and we recorded four new songs and added the video.” SINGLE STRENGTH Outside of topping the Billboard charts, the track hit the same spot on iTunes, logging over three million downloads (a feat that’s only been awarded to handful of songs so far). The whirlwind of acceptance also carried over into the industry, spawning 2008 Grammy nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Though the gang didn’t cash in on either, Higgenson admits walking the red carpet was a surreal experience, while being seated around tons of celebrities still feels like a bizarre moment lifted straight out of a magazine. “At the Grammys, we felt a little out of place because it was our first big album and first big single,” he confirms. “Here were are sitting behind Akon, Ringo Starr is two rows ahead of us and oh, there’s Beyonce! It was seriously a world we didn’t know and we definitely did not feel like we fit in that well, but next time we go, we’re going to be a lot more comfortable.” TRANSLATING STAGE TO STUDIO Though that last statement could read as slightly cocky out of context, the frontman remains remarkably approachable and is simply demonstrating confidence over Plain White T’s’ ongoing musical evolution. Evidence of the group’s exploratory path can be found throughout the brand new Big Bad World, its second Hollywood full-length that finds the fellas leaning in a retro-rock direction over a more immediate sound that aptly captures the explosive act’s live flavor. “People have always said we sound better live than we do on the records and I’ve never known whether to take that as a compliment or not,” vacillates Higgenson. “With this record, we thought more about that idea in advance and wound up recording most of the record completely live as a band. Sure there were a few overdubs, but if you listen really closely to a song like ‘Natural Disaster,’ you can actually hear some bass bleed in the drums, which gives this disc some real personality and retro appeal. Even our name kind of hearkens back to the ’50s and ’60s kind of thing and the harmonies and vocals are very reminiscent of oldies. We tried to look at records from Buddy Holly, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and all those great artists that you could find on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 20 great songs from that era that still sound cool to this day. The playing isn’t perfect because it’s not a machine or mechanical, but there’s a lot of personality on this project.” The guys give additional credit to producer Johnny K (who previously worked with the T’s, plus 3 Doors Down and Disturbed) for helping hone those sounds, coupled with the troupe’s extensive writing sessions on a three-day retreat in Wisconsin during the heart of winter. Logging countless performances on American stages as well as internationally were also important factors that contributed to the players’ confidence in the studio and ability to take more sonic risks than on previous projects. “We loved working with Johnny K, who did our last album too, because he really gave us what we wanted,” explains Higgenson. “It was our idea to go about the new songs this way and Johnny was excited about that even though I’m sure some producers would shun that. We didn’t even use a click track for 90 percent of the album, which could’ve been a disaster, but turned out great.” THE BIG BAD BALANCE Even amidst the confidence in musical content, the 10 tunes still possess a noticeable degree of lyrical vulnerability, aptly summarized in its Big Bad World moniker. On one hand, worldwide fame opened the guys’ cultural horizons, but it also made life feel like it was lived under a media microscope, leaving little time for personal relationships. “While all this was going on, I was trying to sort out a very serious relationship, and I don’t want to say [our success] jeopardized it, but it was definitely taking a toll,” unveils Higgenson, citing tracks like “Serious Mistake,” “Rainy Day” and “That Girl” as semi-autobiographical. “It’s about trying to find the balance between both lives — one on the road where it’s work, work and work, plus turning it on to put on a show — and the other where it’s life on the phone with my girl back home or getting home and having everything stop. Adjusting between both lives is another big theme and the balance between it all is where you get the idea of a Big Bad World.” EYES ON THE PRIZE Despite the tug-of-war, members are keeping a positive attitude steeped in the fact they’ve connected with countless listeners well beyond their old stomping grounds of Chicago suburbs, not to mention the ability to turn a high school hobby into a legitimate career. And as Plain White T’s prepare to unleash their latest offering, there seems to be a dual grounding in wanting to connect with as many people as possible, while refuting the “one hit wonder” tag and subsequently earning rock’s most coveted accolades. “There are a lot of goals, starting with wanting to be doing this for the next 10 or 20 years,” affirms Higgenson. “This is our life and not just a pastime. Now all you have to do is put up a page on MySpace to try to get famous, but we’ve been doing this for such a long time that we just want to keep making music that will touch people and actually mean something to them. We hope to keep writing songs people are gonna love and stay relevant. Our other feasible goals are more material, like getting back to the Grammys and winning or winning an [MTV] Video Music Award, which would also be huge. And of course, the cover of Mean Street, but now we can check that one off the list!” ON THE STAGE: (w/Panic at the Disco, Dashboard Confessional) Oct. 10— Staples Center (L.A.) On the web: plainwhitets.com |
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Copyright © 2002 Mean Street Magazine, LLC |
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