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Molek FMTaking Back Sunday is Happiness
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Taking Back Sunday hasn’t gone anywhere. Back stronger and louder than ever before with their latest record titled Happiness Is, the band is back doing what it does best with what many consider to be their finest work to date. JUICE talks to Shaun, one of the founding members of the band who’s back for a second stint on the bass.
What’s different about this album compared to your previous work?
I think we had a good amount of time to work on and refine the songs. I think this has made for the strongest Taking Back Sunday release to date. I may be a little biased though.
This will be the second release with the original TBS lineup since you got back together. What is it about this formation that draws the band together to make the music that you do?
I think there is a certain chemistry that I can’t exactly explain between the five of us. The songs come out better than the sum of their parts, I don’t know why!
The music scene has also experienced massive changes with the spread of technology worldwide, allowing for artistes to “make it” through different channels than before. What are your thoughts on the current scene, compared with how it was for you guys breaking in?
I don’t really know how the current scene is, or if such a thing exists anymore. I’m a little older and focused on my family than checking out up and coming bands. When our band started there really wasn’t any sort of social networking except for AOL Chat rooms or something (laughs), and so I’m happy for any band finding success any way they can.
Your latest release is titled Happiness Is. Tell us a little about what happiness truly is to you guys, as well as the inspirations behind the lyrical content of this album.
For me, happiness is being surrounded by great people. I’m very lucky to have a wonderful family, friends and all the people we work with. I can’t really speak about lyrical inspiration because I didn’t write the words. I do know that Adam and John write lyrics that are taken from their life experiences.
How was it like working with Spencer Chamberlain, and are there any collaborations with any acts in the future that we should keep an eye out for?
Spencer was great to work with. He’s a fantastic guy, and a total pro. We don’t have any plans for collaborations in the future. Spencer’s new band Sleepwave is great. I’m also really looking forward to The Menzingers’ new album.
Taking Back Sunday played at *SCAPE, Singapore on Sunday 2 March ’14.
