I suppose we don't know that much about how the music business operates in the U.K., but from what I've heard, it's a pretty big deal.
I know a lot of people feel pressure with their major label sophomore CD and having to follow up their first record real good. Well, we didn't have that pressure, because we have a real loyal fanbase, not a fanbase because we're on the radio, know what I mean?
I remember Green Day came down and played this South Florida club called the Plus Five. I think I was too young to go - I think I was 12 or 13. It was before Green Day were on a major label, but I loved them because they were this band who were a punk band, but they had melody.
There are parts in albums where I wrote a lot of the lyrics. There are parts on albums where Steve wrote a lot of the lyrics, even albums where Steve did the majority of the lyric writing. Then there were albums like 'Coming Home' where I did most of the chorus lyric writing. But it was always split.
Our music is constantly evolving and changing, and when this band put out an album we always try to offer something different.
Kids don't want to hear the same record. There are a hundred million bands that they could listen to; you want to give them something that they've never heard before.
Fans feel so close to us and can relate to us because not only do we look like the kids at our shows, we're in the crowd with the kids at our shows. We don't create this weird barrier like we're some crazy rock band.
Yeah, we might have a video on 'TRL,' but when you go to the Warped Tour you're going to see us walking around in the crowd and hanging out with kids because we treat our fans like we wanted to be treated when we were going to shows.
I think one of the reasons people are so passionate about our band is because we're so accessible.
If we meet some people that are in love with NFG that are a major label, then we'll sign with them. If we meet people that are in love with NFG that are an independent label - and they have a plan - well, then we'll sign to them. It's completely up to us.
I read comments where our fans say Geffen screwed up 'Coming Home,' they screwed New Found Glory, but that's not really true. Maybe Geffen didn't have the right tools or whatever to get it to the kids, and internally, there were a bunch of changes going on at the label when our record came out, so I don't know if it's anyone's fault.