Maroon 5 In Bangkok - Not A Single Seat Left

[webfact]

Not a single seat left

MANTA KLANGBOONKRONG

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Maroon 5 are back with a new album of songs, and Impact will be jammed

Hot on the heels of the release of their latest album "Overexposed", Maroon 5 has set out on another world tour and will be checking in with Thai fans at their third Bangkok concert next week.

The American pop-rockers led by frontman Adam Levine and featuring guitarist James Valentine, bassist Mickey Madden, drummer Matt Flynn and keyboardist PJ Morton (currently filling in for Jesse Carmichael, who's on hiatus), won Thais over with their previous shows in 2009 and 2011.

Now, with even more hits now their sleeves, especially the recent global smash "Payphone", the band is packing its set list with crowd-pleasers like "This Love", "She Will Be Loved", "Makes Me Wonder", "Wake Up Call", "Moves Like Jagger" and "One More Night", the second single from the latest album.

Valentine chatted with us via email.

How is it going with "Overexposed"?

The feedback has been incredible. It's been amazing when we start to play a new song on tour and immediately all the fans in the crowd know every word. It means so much to us that after the short amount of time the album has been out, we're seeing this response in every city we visit.

What was the main influence in the direction of your new album?

After the success we had from the way we went about working on "Moves Like Jagger", we thought it could work again. So, we called in the team of writers and producers we worked with on that song and decided to open up our way of working to include more co-writes and multiple producers. The result turned out to be great and we're happy we took that chance of trying things differently. We're very happy with the album.

The music industry definitely has a stronger electronic influence worldwide, but we weren't trying to make an electronic pop album. In working with the same team as for "Moves Like Jagger" and other writers and producers who've been recording more modern pop and electronic based songs, it all seemed to fit this time.

Why do you call it "Overexposed"?

We were poking fun at ourselves. After the success of "Moves Like Jagger" and because Adam's face was out there so much through "The Voice", we realised that we may be getting to that overexposed point. So we decided to call it ourselves before others could.

Any comments about the mixed reviews for this album?

Again, we're very happy with how the album turned out. And so far from the reactions at our live shows, it seems the fans are very happy as well. Not sure what the direction we're heading is, but we're excited with where we are right now and looking forward to begin working on another album.

"Moves Like Jagger" was such a huge hit. Did you feel the pressure with "Payphone"?

We felt nervous about following it up, yeah, the same way we felt nervous about following up on "Songs About Jane" and after "It Won't Be Soon Before Long". Because, you never know if you're going to be able to get that lightning in a bottle to strike again the next time. You never know what the fans are going to react to. But once we began working on "Payphone" we knew we had another great hit and once we finished it, all the nervousness about it went away. Once you're done working on a song or album and you feel great about what you've done with it and you're happy to release it, you have to let it go from there and let it do its own thing.

What was it like working with Max Martin?

Max is incredible. Because there were so many writers on all the songs and people in the studio producing tracks, we needed someone at the helm to really make sure that everything was going in a consistent direction. Max made sure that as much as one song may differ structurally from another, that they all had a common vein that followed through the album. He really did make us record this album differently than we had the three previous ones. It was a great experience working with him.

Ten years on and four studio albums, how has Maroon 5 evolved as a band?

Well, we still have the same influences that made us want to make music from the start, so at the core we're the same. However, over the course of the last decade plus, we've developed new influences and musical styles that, combined with the new developments in music's technology and the ever-changing styles of music, as well as the people we've worked with along the way, have helped shape the evolution of the band.

What's the best part of being in Maroon 5?

We get to make music that we love for people who enjoy, appreciate, and love it as well.

NO ROOM AT THE IMP

Maroon 5 performs at 8.30pm next Monday at Impact Arena.

Tickets are sold out.

-- The Nation 2012-10-02

[FarangKenStine]

I'd rather poke a hot stick in my ears than listen to this sonic fructose

[cbrer]

Let's hope Adam can finally afford some tattoo removal then.

[bangon04]

Impact may well be sold out - isn't this a symptom of the fact that so few international bands seem to come to Bangkok / Impact these days - a sign of desperation on the part of concert lovers...

[atyclb]

He's in the right country for tattoos.

[yeeowww]

Absolute mediocre rubbish. I feel very sorry for the ones these days who have no idea or were given the chance to hear great music. Hendrix, Cream, Beatles, etc...

... Meanwhile, the bunch of Maroons laugh all the way to the bank.

[yeeowww]

Absolute mediocre crap.

I feel very sorry for those these days who think this sh*t is the greatest and have never been given a chance to experience real progressive and great musicians / music. Hendrix, Cream, Beatles, etc...

Meanwhile these Maroons laugh all the way to the bank. So sad, so pathetic... and the downward spiral continues...

[atyclb]

Music is subjective. When the Beatles were in their heyday there were old timers that chastised them also.

How many millions of times can one request/ listen to "hotel california" ?

[cup-O-coffee]

Music is for that generation. Otherwise, I will end up sounding like my father. I can appreciate the different generation's attempts, and even like some of the remixes of the oldies, but there needs to be rationale instead of someone telling me that that noise is for people who appreciate art. The word content is important as well, since I believe that lyrics teach behaviors and condone an appropriate or inappropriate group-think. All the best to these young men, as long as their lyrics spread a positive behavior in youth, otherwise..., and I hope they do not forget to wear their bullet-proof vests until the police get there.

[yeeowww]

Music is subjective. When the Beatles were in their heyday there were old timers that chastised them also.

How many millions of times can one request/ listen to "hotel california" ?

Yes, there were old foggies that grumped at the Beatles in their day. But just listening to the best of their best is still inspiring to this day. Proof of the lack of music with any depth anymore is the fact that my niece in her early 20's was asking me if I had any Frank Zappa records she could digitize. They're looking deeper to try and find some things of substance instead of the shallow "candy music" (Katy Perry, Maroon, etc...) that's being dished up these days.

As far as Hotel California, well... Eagles have also always been mediocre crap in my book. I don't understand the rabid attraction other than it's a gauge of the human mentality. Yet Don Henley said in an interview that he thinks they're on a par with the Beatles and Stones. Amazing what an ego will do for you. U2, there's another overrated carnival act. What's the difference between Bono and Jesus Christ?... Jesus doesn't walk around Dublin pretending he's Bono.

Edited October 3, 2012 by yeeowww

[tinfoilhat]

What's the difference between Bono and Jesus Christ?... Jesus doesn't walk around Dublin pretending he's Bono.

me like.

[Metapod]

lol at all the old depressing losers in this thread.

take a seat grandpa before your heart gives out.

[HeavyDrinker]

Sting and Elton John are playing in December for you oldie lovers.

Sum 41 just announced their show here for 6th March (if memory serves me right) for those who prefer things a little fresher...

[thenervoussurgeon]

lol at all the old depressing losers in this thread.

take a seat grandpa before your heart gives out.

Well i am 67 and a grandpa ,i think they are great ,almost as good as snow patrol,i have loved pop music from when i first saw Del Shannon ,backed by a band called the silver beatles ,guess what they turned into ,i've seen the Stones had Bowie at a few of our parties back in the day ,knew Rod Argent well after the Zombies split and they became Argent ,and seen most of the major groups ,like the who ,animals ,ect when they were just starting ,i still love that music and all of it up to now . and when they are burning me or shoveling into the dirt i want the wife to play Breath me by Sia over the loudspeakers ,or Gods away on buisness by Tom Wait ,just to piss the old sod off, God that is.