Hailing from Ocala, Florida, A Day To Remember has taken heavy metal to the next level by entertaining Pop Punk into the mixture. While on tour with Devil Wears Prada and at the same time enjoying the release of their 3rd album Homesick, frontman Jeremy McKinnon took time out to call Planet Loud for a phone interview.
Planet Loud – You guys are up in New York right now? What’s the weather like? Any snow?
A Day To Remember – No snow but it’s been really rainy and kinda depressing for the last 4 or 5 days pretty much straight.
Planet Loud – This tour that you’re currently on, The Sweet Brag Tour, is taking you across the country with Devil Wears Prada, Sky Eats Airplane, and Emarosa. When did the tour start and how has it been going so far?
A Day To Remember – The tour actually started in Plano, Texas for a little festival that they usually do down there throughout the year and been kinda going up the east coast. The tour’s been amazing so far. Most of the shows have been sold out and I hear that most of them will be. So hopefully we’ll see how that goes.
Planet Loud – Any crazy shit happen on tour so far?
A Day To Remember – Nothing too crazy. I mean we’ve had some mishaps up at the Canadian border but we’re all fine.
Planet Loud – With this tour, you’re also promoting your third album, Homesick, which was just released a few months ago. For the fans that might not have heard the entire album, how would you say it sounds compared to your previous two?
A Day To Remember – I think we tried to take what we already did and make it more structured and heavier at the same time. We tried to make every effort to take our music to the next level. I think Homesick is a better, more cohesive version of what we were already doing.
Planet Loud – Who actually had their hands in helping to produce this album and did you find it more challenging to create this album? Any difficult steps along the way?
A Day To Remember – We did pre-production with Chris Ruby, Andrew Wade, and Jason Lancaster. We had Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) produce the entire record and then Adam D (Killswitch Engage) mixed the record. So we had a really awesome team working with us but then again at the same time, this is definitely the hardest record we’ve ever made because we didn’t take anytime off to write it. We didn’t take anytime off really to do anything but actually record it. So we wrote everything on the road on Warped Tour last year and on the New Found Glory tour which is where Chad produced everything. It was definitely a learning experience and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Planet Loud – This album has gained increasing popularity with the fans and not to mention climbing the charts. What do you feel has attributed to it’s fast growing success?
A Day To Remember – You know, I think a lot of people are already excited about our last cd and I think we’re just in the right place at the right time. I think we’re writing a record that really means something to us and I think that shows on cd’s. I’m proud of this cd and I think kids are already stoked on it. Definitely from the response, I’m guessing people feel the same way.
Planet Loud – In the last 3 years, you’ve put out an album each year. You guys have a lot to say and share with the world. Where do your writing influences come from?
A Day To Remember – To be honest with you, from when we were younger. We listen to a little bit of everything so it’s not like any specific stuff. We’re just a bunch of kids that use to go to hardcore shows that really liked pop-punk as well. When we were forming a band, we couldn’t decide what genre to be. Each of the band members wanted a little of something different and the end result is what we have.
Planet Loud – Being from Florida, what was the scene like just starting out and how difficult was it to get a deal?
A Day To Remember – It wasn’t really that difficult. We had a few bands from Ocala and surrounding areas that played bars a lot. We had a pretty good scene with a bunch of local bands. We had at least 3 venues to play at but that was back when I was younger. Bands like Seven Star from Ocala and Underoath was originally from Ocala and they just took on Tampa as their home town because their original frontman was from Ocala. There was definitely a scene and there was definitely people coming to shows. So it was pretty much a hardcore scene and we just wanted to play pop-punk with it.
Planet Loud – Off the topic, what was the reason behind covering Kelly Clarkson’s song Since U Been Gone?
A Day To Remember – You know, it was actually just a joke. I mean we had been sitting around for a year just touring and we were talking about how we hadn’t done much when it comes to like Myspace. Back then it was how ever many songs you had on your player was it. Everybody’s talking like we haven’t put up anything new in awhile and I’m just like well it’s not like they have the new cd so it’s not like they’re going to be excited if we just put up another new song from the record we already have out. I was talking about recording just like a cover song and off the wall. Something that people wouldn’t expect and would take them by surprise. So we thought about Since U Been Gone, a cool pop song. And to be honest with you, it kinda like embodied what we were trying to do with our new cd. It was like a test to see if people would be stoked on the direction that we were going playing with our music. It was outstanding and we never intended to play it more than a few times live. But it’s something that kids want to see every time we play.
Planet Loud – Any other songs that you would like to cover in the future?
A Day To Remember – Well we actually just did a cover for Punk Goes Pop 2 and it’s The Fray Over My Head and you can check that out. It’s on our myspace.
Planet Loud – Speaking of myspace, who actually runs it for you guys?
A Day To Remember – Our tour manager does for the most part.
Planet Loud – What kind of messages do you receive from fans on myspace?
A Day To Remember – We have a lot of fans that write us all the time about how we’ve helped them with lyrics and stuff. We get a lot of people that are just really stoked on what the records mean to them. I try to write the lyrics from an honest perspective and it’s about everyday situations. I’m just to the point and talk about everyday stuff. I think a lot of people can relate to that so it’s cool because we get a lot of messages from people that say our music helped them which is really awesome.
Planet Loud – That’s kick ass. Now in June, you’re on the Warped Tour playing every show. I know ADTR was on Warped last year, what do you expect to see this year in 2009?
A Day To Remember – It’s going to be amazing. I had a really good time last year and like I said, we were writing on the whole thing so it was a pretty stressful time. I’m pretty excited to just be able to hang out and watch a bunch of awesome bands and hang out with my friends.
Planet Loud – What are some of the bands that you’re excited to see on 2009 Warped?
A Day To Remember – Less Than Jake for sure. Less Than Jake is from Gainesville which is 30 minutes away from where we live. Less Than Jake was a really big part of all of us growing up so I mean we’re stoked to see those guys. I haven’t seen Underoath since Dallas left the band so it’s going to be sick to actually see him with Spencer for the first time on Warped Tour. So it’ll actually be fun to just hang out with everyone.
Planet Loud – One big party. Now this interview here is for Planet Loud out of the United Kingdom. Coincidently, after Warped your next tour will be starting in October in the U.K. What do you feel is the major difference between the fans and the concerts in the U.K. as opposed to the states?
A Day To Remember – I think that people in the U.K. are kinda starved for bands cause I mean there’s not as many bands over there or places to play. For the most part, American bands don’t get to go over there as much so every time we’ve been over there, things have just went really well. People have always been excited about our band over there so it just seems that people appreciate music a lot more and they’re really excited to come and see you live.
Planet Loud – Who’s going to be on the tour with you over in the U.K.?
A Day To Remember – All I know is Bring Me The Horizon. Other bands haven’t been announced.
Planet Loud – What are some of the bands that you’d like to tour with that you haven’t had the chance yet?
A Day To Remember – Blink 182 for sure. Let me think, there’s not many left. I don’t know man. I’m cool with whatever. I like tons of music. I’d like to tour with Hit The Lights. I like that band. Maybe All Time Low.
Planet Loud – Are you writing any material for a future album?
A Day To Remember – Yeah at all times. I write always so I mean I’ve been working on stuff on this tour. We actually have a few ideas. I plan on writing constantly this year and we’ll see when you’re ready for another album.
Planet Loud – Anything you might do differently in a future album?
A Day To Remember – You know it’s definitely way to early for me to say what we’re going to do with albums. I’m just writing what comes natural right now. As the year progresses, we’ll see what happens.
Planet Loud – Any plans on what you’ll be doing after the tour in the U.K.?
A Day To Remember – Well nothing is set in stone but we’re thinking about doing a headliner in the U.S. and around December we’re hoping to be able to go back to Australia. Pretty much busy all year.
Planet Loud – Checking out your tour dates, you’re pretty much booked the entire year. I mean that’s amazing. Do you guys ever sleep?
A Day To Remember – It’s just something that we’ve gotten use to over time and we love what we do. We’re just having a really good time living it up ya know.
Planet Loud – Jeremy, is there anything else that I might not have touched base on that you want your fans to know either about you or A Day To Remember?
A Day To Remember – Nothing more than come see us on the Devil Wears Prada Tour and if you can’t make it out to that, we’ll be playing all the Warped Tours so hope to see you guys out on tour.
Planet Loud – Jeremy, I appreciate you taking the time out for this interview.
A Day To Remember – Thanks for having us, man.
Interview by Scottydawg
