{"id":34282,"date":"2018-04-09T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2018-04-08T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=34282"},"modified":"2018-04-02T08:03:47","modified_gmt":"2018-04-01T22:03:47","slug":"sebastien-lefebvre-of-simple-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2018\/04\/sebastien-lefebvre-of-simple-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"S\u00e9bastien Lefebvre of Simple Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\u201c\u2026I think that hopefully the fact that the songs are good has something to do with it, aside from that I think something that we\u2019ve noticed over the years is whenever we\u2019re very, very personal with a song that\u2019s when people can relate to it the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Release: Multi-platinum Canadian pop-punk legends SIMPLE PLAN will bring their \u2018No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls\u2019 15th Anniversary World Tour to Australia in April for a special run of East Coast dates. With a slew of awards a mile long and over 10 million album sales globally, this is going to be a MUST SEE for any Simple Plan fan. Rolling Stone recently named \u2018No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls\u2019 in their Top 50 Greatest Pop Punk albums of all time<\/p>\n

Our old mate, Seb gave us a call while on holidays at home in Montreal to talk about Simple Plan\u2019s return to Australia for the anniversary tour, memories of the debut album, why people attached to it, why they\u2019re just the nicest guys around, and much more.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been about four years since we last chatted backstage at Warped here in Sydney, so let\u2019s catch up. How have the last four years been for you?<\/strong>
\nThey\u2019ve been great, I think we\u2019ve been to Australia one other time since then on the \u2018Taking One For The Team\u2019 tour when that last album came out in 2016, and then we\u2019ve just been busy ever since. 2016 all year was the \u2018Taking One For The Team\u2019 tour then 2017 we basically did the anniversary tour all year as well, so we\u2019re very glad to be bringing that to you guys.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re heading back to see us on the 15th<\/sup> Anniversary of \u2018No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls\u2019. So tell us how will these shows play out?<\/strong>
\nThey\u2019re gonna play out basically like the album plays out, we get on stage we play all the songs, we have a great time, there\u2019s a couple of moments in the set where everybody goes completely mad, it\u2019s great, and then we come back and play a few more hits and everybody is filled with a lot of amazing emotions but the most prominent one would probably be nostalgia which is great, it\u2019s a great feeling to have at a show. If you\u2019re a Simple Plan fan and you\u2019ve seen us before you know we still play two or three songs from the first album but now you get to hear all of them, so it\u2019s just good times for everyone.<\/p>\n

When you have to go back and revisit the album in full what was it like playing songs may not have played for a long time?<\/strong>
\nSurprisingly it was quite easy because here\u2019s the thing about that album, when we used to play shows back then we had to play all the songs so it just took us a minute to remember them but muscle memory we had played them all before, so it kinda came back very quickly. I think we booked a week of rehearsal and then two days in we were like \u201calright, we good\u201d *laughs* what do we do with the rest of the week? Then we just started playing live and that was a lot of fun. It was good but at the same time it really does take you back, as you\u2019re playing songs you can remember something that happened at a show fifteen years ago when you were playing that song, so it\u2019s a lot of emotion when we\u2019re on tour with that one.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look back; what is your fondest memory of releasing this debut album back in 2002?<\/strong>
\nI think it was just that every time did something it was the first time we did it, you know like that album marks our first tours, our first travel overseas, our first decent opening slots, our first sold out shows, our first gold records, our first late night talk shows that we played. Everything was just so new that I remember back then we used to have little meetings because we didn\u2019t know, so we\u2019d sit down with our manager or with Chuck because Chuck is basically the band manager and he\u2019s like \u201cOK, so this and that is going on in Australia and this is going on in Asia\u201d and then he\u2019s like \u201cYou guys should be happy, like you would tell us if this is great, you should be happy right now\u201d *laughs* so it\u2019s like \u201cOK then I am happy, thank you very much\u201d<\/p>\n

What do you think it is about these songs and this album that people attached to so much?<\/strong>
\nThat\u2019s a very good question, I think that hopefully the fact that the songs are good has something to do with it, aside from that I think something that we\u2019ve noticed over the years is whenever we\u2019re very, very personal with a song that\u2019s when people can relate to it the most. For instance \u2018Perfect\u2019 is absolutely about band guys telling their parents they want to be in a band and dropping out of school and that became the song that people related to the most and one of our biggest songs because everybody can see themselves in the situation where they\u2019re disagreeing or not even disagreeing but wrongfully assuming their parents are disappointed you know and that just stirs up the well what do I do now kind of emotions and it\u2019s sorry I\u2019m disappointing you blah blah and that just connected with people, so I feel that the honesty there and hopefully the catchy melodies as well as the songs and I\u2019d say just the early 2000\u2019s was just very strong for this type of music as well.<\/p>\n

You talk about bringing back a memory of a song but are you good with face? Are you seeing people that you may have seen fifteen years ago come back now?<\/strong>
\nSometimes yes, sometimes no, it does happen sometimes you spot someone in the crowd and it\u2019s like I feel like I know you but then most of the time I\u2019m mistaken and say \u201chey we\u2019ve met before\u201d and they\u2019re like \u201cNo\u201d, \u201cWell OK , this is the first time we\u2019ve met then\u201d *laughs*.<\/p>\n

So over time it\u2019s easy to say what\u2019s changed within a band, but what would you say is the one thing that\u2019s stayed the same in your time together?<\/strong>
\nA lot of it has stayed the same; I think that the way that we are with each other and the way that we are on stage I think that stayed the same. Obviously I think we play better now, we\u2019ve got fifteen years of getting together on stage so that part I think we\u2019re better, but just the way that we are and the way we make fun of each other and we give each other the look and just how we are when we\u2019re with each other travelling on a plane or in a van or just like shooting the shit before a show. I feel like at this point fifteen years in I don\u2019t think that\u2019s ever gonna change so yeah that\u2019s the way we are.<\/p>\n

I also think you guys are up there as the nicest guys I\u2019ve spoken to and nicest band around, so that\u2019s something to keep up as well.<\/strong>
\nOh thanks very much, obviously we\u2019ve got our parents to thank for that, and other people say about other bands oh this guy turned into an asshole when he joined the band, probably not, maybe he was always an asshole and now you just see it more. I feel like we just keep each other in check as well, as soon as somebody has a bit of a rockstarish type request everyone comes down on them so hard that they\u2019re not to deviate from the simple first tour mentality I think that\u2019s always just gonna stay with us, that DIY thing where we\u2019re kind of in charge, we do our own thing, we don\u2019t overdo anything, we\u2019re just very low key and try and be as low maintenance as possible and obviously try to be nice to our fans, they\u2019re basically the reason why we\u2019re still here and why we can do this tour fifteen years later. So we\u2019ve always tried to be accessible, we always want to meet them, hear their stories and all of that.<\/p>\n

So, we had a new album back in 2016, are there plans for newer music sooner rather than later?<\/strong>
\nThat is the plan, yes, right now we\u2019ve obviously got a couple more places to go on tour, but we just started a little bit of time off now, we don\u2019t have any major tours until the Australian one so we\u2019re sort of getting a bit of rest, I\u2019ve already started working in my studio and I\u2019m sure the other guys have as well and just trying to come up with some ideas, see what sticks, see what doesn\u2019t and we\u2019ll get to it more officially in the next few weeks or next month or something like that.<\/p>\n

What does the rest of year have in store for the band?<\/strong>
\nHopefully this is the plan, as soon as we start writing things go amazing, every song that we write is great so we\u2019ll head in the studio quite quickly because we love to take a little less time between albums. However everybody wants to see this anniversary tour so we have to take a little break from writing to travel to come see you guys and other shows this year here and there which will be fun because there\u2019s always shows to play here and there, but that is the plan, we\u2019re gonna try to focus on writing and recording and the album I think that\u2019s the theme for this year.<\/p>\n

So what do you still enjoy about being in Simple Plan?<\/strong>
\nI don\u2019t know I\u2019m kinda over it, no, no, I\u2019m kidding. We love getting on stage, we\u2019re still all friends we love getting on stage together and playing shows together and obviously some bits of it have gotten a bit harder since we\u2019ve all got families but I think there\u2019s no way that anybody could do this job if it\u2019s not fun. I think it can take a lot from you as far as physically you know we\u2019re not eighteen anymore so jet lag hits us a bit more *laughs* I\u2019ll be in top shape when we get on stage for our shows in Australia. For me it\u2019s all about having fun doing something that you love and right now this is my job, this is my career, but this is also a nice way for me to have a good time so I\u2019m just travelling with my friends and basically going to cool cities and I don\u2019t know anybody could think that sucks. *laughs*<\/p>\n

I have to ask, how\u2019s David?<\/strong>
\nHe\u2019s been dealing with a tough year so he\u2019s been taking a lot of time to rest and stay at home, he\u2019s going through a very difficult depression so he\u2019s just slowly getting out of it, and he\u2019s still in the band obviously so don\u2019t start any rumours but he and us felt it was better to stay home and rest instead of getting on a hectic touring schedule all year that was extremely busy. At the moment he\u2019s just making sure he feels good.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s left to do that you haven\u2019t yet had the chance to do?<\/strong>
\nI think the main thing is to just stick around, keep being relevant, keep being a band and I think that\u2019s a challenge that comes with us for every album but luckily we\u2019ve been able to keep going as a band and if this year proves anything it\u2019s that we can do that, we can still be a band and that\u2019s amazing and I think that\u2019s the one thing we all have in common, as long as we can keep it going and as long as people care to see us we\u2019re gonna keep coming to see you guys and keep making albums and then playing shows. Aside from that there\u2019s a few places that we\u2019ve never gone to play some shows that I\u2019d like to see, I\u2019d love to go to Iceland although maybe I\u2019d just love to go there on vacation and not play shows, *laughs* but I\u2019d love to go back to South Africa we\u2019ve only been there once and had a great time, I\u2019d love to go back there. So a little bit of travelling but mainly if we can keep writing songs, have a number one worldwide smash hit, that would be an amazing thing to achieve, but for us just to stick around is a very fulfilling way to be in this band.<\/p>\n

So what I do with everyone is I get them to look ahead to the future, so finish this sentence for me. By the end of 2018 Simple Plan will\u2026 <\/strong>
\nBe riding around in flying cars, I think that\u2019s what Back To The Future predicted anyway, right? *laughs* NO! By the end of 2018 Simple Plan will release some new music, that\u2019s what I\u2019m hoping for, maybe not a full album, maybe not anything but hopefully by the end of the year something will be out, that\u2019s what I\u2019m crossing my fingers for, don\u2019t put that on the schedule, don\u2019t put a date on that, don\u2019t go crazy on the fan sites that\u2019s just what I\u2019m hoping for.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

SIMPLE PLAN | 2018 TOUR DATES<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

With Special Guests Stateside + Eat Your Heart Out*<\/strong><\/p>\n

Presented by Destroy All Lines & Chugg Entertainment<\/em><\/p>\n

AUCKLAND<\/strong>
\nThursday 19th<\/sup>\u00a0April \u2013 Powerstation (All Ages)<\/strong>
\npowerstation.net.nz<\/a><\/p>\n

GOLD COAST<\/strong>
\nSaturday 21st<\/sup>\u00a0April \u2013 NightQuarter (All Ages Event**)<\/strong>
\noztix.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

BRISBANE<\/strong>
\nSunday 22nd<\/sup>\u00a0April \u2013 Eatons Hill Hotel (All Ages)<\/strong>
\noztix.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

MELBOURNE<\/strong>
\nMonday\u00a023rd\u00a0<\/sup>April \u2013 Forum<\/strong>
\nticketmaster.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

MELBOURNE<\/strong>
\nTuesday 24th<\/sup>\u00a0April \u2013 Forum\u00a0<\/strong>SOLD OUT<\/strong>
\nticketmaster.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

NEWCASTLE<\/strong>
\nThursday 26th<\/sup>\u00a0April \u2013 NEX\u00a0<\/strong>
\nmoshtix.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

SYDNEY<\/strong>
\nFriday 27th<\/sup>\u00a0April \u2013 Big Top Luna Park (All Ages)<\/strong>
\noztix.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

*Supports not playing Auckland show<\/em>
\n**Minors must be accompanied by a Responsible Adult<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> Montreal, Quebec<\/p>\n

Band members: <\/strong>Pierre Bouvier \u2013 vocals, Chuck Comeau – drums, backing vocals, David Desrosiers – bass, backing vocals, S\u00e9bastien Lefebvre – guitar, backing vocals, Jeff Stinco – lead guitar<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.simpleplan.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Forthcoming release:<\/strong>\u00a0‘No Pads, No Helmets\u2026Just Balls’ 15th Anniversary Tour Edition (April 6 – Warner Music Australia)<\/p>\n

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