New Found Glory offer closer look at puke-filled video, reveal new details about upcoming album
[Photo Credit: David Bean]
Depending on how you look at it, “Happy Being Miserable” was New Found Glory’s funniest or most disgusting music video ever. Either way, the first single from their upcoming ninth album Makes Me Sick and its Stand By Me-inspired music video got a lot of people to pay attention. Now, New Found Glory are giving us an exclusive look at how the video came together in all its vomit-inducing glory, which you can check out below.
You’ll have to wait until April 28 for Makes Me Sick, but in the meantime we caught up with guitarist Chad Gilbert to chat about fans’ reactions to the new track, their upcoming tour and details of the new album.
“Happy Being Miserable” was fans’ first taste of the new album. What was the reaction?
The reaction was awesome—better than I had hoped for! With a lot of diehard fans and a big arsenal of albums, I expected it to take time for new music to be embraced and accepted, but this was fast! [We] heard a lot of feedback how [fans] were excited to hear something fun in music again and how they needed it. [We saw] a bunch of comments about how the lyrics really hit home, and I also saw that the song has already made us new fans.
How does “Happy Being Miserable” fit in with the rest of the songs on the album, and what made you choose it for the lead single?
Whenever New Found Glory release a new album, the first song we put out always is the transition track. It shows elements of what's to come on the new album but still brings something from the old. So the synth element we added and the melodic side of the chorus are just a little appetizer of what's to come!
What was the most surprising part about making a music video where the concept is everyone throwing up on each other?
I wish throwing up was always that fun! It was a hard video to shoot. A lot was us focusing on not laughing during the takes. Just eating the pies during the pie contest scene was hard to do without cracking up. The sounds Ian [Grushka, bass] was making while eating had the fans that were there feeling sick.
Read more: The 10 most influential bands of pop punk
Were there any repercussions from the raw egg?
You know, if there were any repercussions from the egg we couldn't really tell because Jordan [Pundik, vocals] has a permanent case of the runs, regardless.
When we talked to you about the album last year, you said it had your most accountable lyrics and fun music. Can you tell us what some of those topics you delve on specific songs are?
One of the songs on the record is called “The Sound Of Two Voices.” It's one of my favorites on the album. The chorus says, “I don't want what I want/Because what I want/It just might kill me.” I went to a show and the singer of a band was talking to their fans from stage and said, “Hey, do what you want in life to make you happy,” and raised their beer. It struck a nerve with me because if someone in that crowd was a recovering alcoholic, then that's the last thing they would need to hear, because what they would want is to drink to be happy. But they might have destroyed their lives from it. The song is about thinking more and knowing that maybe what we think we want for ourselves isn't always what's best for ourselves. Being vulnerable to your weaknesses. Not being afraid to have limitations that are good for you.
What are your favorite songs on the album?
It always changes, but currently my top three are “Barbed Wire,” “The Cheapest Thrill” and “The Sound Of Two Voices.”
You are embarking on your 20th anniversary tour next week, where you'll be playing some of your early albums in full. Can we expect to hear any brand new material, too?
You can definitely expect to hear “Happy Being Miserable.” Once the album comes out you might hear more, but the album won't be out until the end of this tour. This tour will be making people aware of it. Then future tours we will jam more for you. ALT
