RIOT! goin' on for Paramore
TO echo the infamous Blondie slogan, of which their fans have referenced on home-made T-shirts, Paramore is the name of a band.That's despite foxstrel frontwoman Hayley Williams stealing the limelight like a fame-based Grinch. With her orange and yellow hair resembling an exploding can of Fanta, the 18-year-old has been crowned emo's queen.
Deemed the second sexiest woman by Kerrang! readers, she's Paramore's reluctant focal point; its face, its fantasy figure.
Even the group's industrious PR apologies that "I'm sorry, your interview's going to be with main guitarist Josh," when Hayley is struck down by throat complaint - which suggests the record company hasn't been burning the midnight oil with £3 V-necks and fabric markers, attempting to fashion their own 'Paramore is the name of a band' sartorial masterpieces.
Still, for the band's male contingent, it's wince-inducing. "There are some times when we guys get jealous," admits axeman Josh Farro, 19.
"Like Kerrang! magazine, we all wanted to be on the cover, but they only wanted Hayley. We want the whole band to be represented and when that doesn't happen, and it's just Hayley, it's a let down.
"I'd say she gets more upset about it than we do. She hates being the centre of attention all of the time.
"Her vision is for us to be a band. She's not a solo artist and doesn't want to be seen as one."
In a Venn diagram with 'emo' on one side and 'pop' on the other, the intersection would be Paramore, bridging the gap between My Chemical Romance and a Hollyoaks: Late Night Special version of Avril Lavigne.
"Well, we don't like comparisons to Avril Lavigne or Kelly Clarkson," bristles Josh.
"First of all, they're both solo artists and, secondly, they don't write their own songs. And Hayley is not like them and doesn't want to be in pictures by herself and doesn't want to be seen by herself.
"We're a band. We started off in a completely different grassroots way. We toured in a small van with crappy equipment, playing to five people every night."
Talent shows
Paramore began life performing in school talent shows. Brothers Josh and Zac (aged 16, drums) had been jamming together for years and met Hayley when she moved to their school in Nashville, Tennessee, four years ago.
Bonding over a love of emo-pop outfits such as Jimmy Eat World, Death Cab For Cutie and Sunny Day Real Estate, they recruited her on vocal duties, before storming their way into alternative kids' charts. Completed by bassist Jeremy Davis, 22, they were signed to the influential Fueled By Ramen label after merely one show on the Warped tour.
However, they insist they don't feel any affinity to fellow fringe-fanatics such as Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco.
"With Panic!, and Fall Out Boy, they've got this clique going on," says Josh. "From the beginning, we didn't want to be part of that. We wanted to do our own thing. We feel like bands like Panic! wouldn't be big without Fall Out Boy talking them up. We don't want to have to rely on another band for our success. We want to make it on our own or not make it at all."
Their assured debut, All We Know Is Falling, staked their claim for superstars-in-waiting: a collection of cattle-prod songs that were equal parts emotion and pogoing enthusiasm, capturing the 2005 emo zeitgeist in a firm headlock.
RIOT!
For follow-up album, RIOT!, they sought to push the connection with fans further. Indeed, rollicking lead single Misery Business is a song that has its origins in a message Hayley posted on the band's Live Journal page, asking her fans to post what they were ashamed of.
"The song is about a girl who ruined one of our friend's lives with sex, using her sexuality to get what she wanted," elaborates Josh. "And it really affected us, watching him crumble.
"So, when Hayley wrote Misery Business, she posted online how she wanted to encourage our fans not to be scared to say what you feel or what you're ashamed of, because once you do, you're setting yourself free."
Josh continues: "We had a huge response. There were some people that were embarrassed of using drugs, drinking, or sleeping around or having gay sex. Everything, really.
"There were a few parents who replied, ashamed of how they raised their kids."
Internet shame show-and-tells aside, the committed Christians ("there are allusions to our faith in there but they're veiled in metaphors - we'd never push it down anybody's throats") have gained legions of rock disciples, inspired by their mantra of love and faithfulness.
"Kids are getting more and more crazy every day," chortles Josh.
"It's getting to the point where Hayley can't walk around without being bombarded by fans, which is cool, but at the same time, it's definitely weird because we're only teenagers."
At their raucous gig in London's dingy Underworld venue, dedicated Paramortals were handing Hayley roses.
"That's pretty normal in the UK," laughs Josh. "Here, they give us gifts but not really flowers."
Paramore's new single, Hallelujah, is released on Monday, September 3. They play Academy 2 on the same night. myspace.com/ paramore . RIOT! (Fueled By Ramen) is out now.
*The Tennessee band are also performing a free acoustic gig in the HMV store today. Showtime starts at 5.30pm. Wristbands will be available only from HMV on Market Street from 9am on Monday onwards. Maximum of one pair of wristbands allowed per customer.
Are you going to the gig? Tell us what you thought afterwards below and/or post your own review by entering our Reviewer of the Month competition.
Published: Thu, 09 August, 2007
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