Simple Plan adds X-Fest to busy slate

By MARIJKE ROWLAND
mrowland@modbee.com

last updated: July 11, 2008 10:46:29 AM

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Life is simply busy for Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan.

The quintet released its third, self-titled, album in February. Since then, it's been a whirl of tour dates, shows and travel.

The group's rhythm guitarist, Sébastien Lefebvre, spoke with The Bee from his home in Montreal while packing to leave for Spain for three shows in Europe before jetting back to headline X-Fest on July 19. "We play about 300 shows a year. We're pretty hard-working," he deadpanned 20 minutes before leaving for the airport.

Simple Plan broke out in 2002 with its multiplatinum debut album, "No Pads, No Helmets ... Just Balls" and its charting singles "Perfect," "I'll Do Anything" and "Addicted."

The band followed that up in 2004 with its sophomore release, "Still Not Getting Any ... ," and its hit "Welcome to My Life."

The group's first single off its latest release was "Now I'm Gone," a hip-hop-inflected rock collaboration with Danja, a Grammy-winning producer and Timbaland protégé.

Q: How do you think your sound has evolved over the years?

A: There is definitely an evolution. If you listen to our three records back to back, you can tell the band is growing and evolving as songwriters. We just really took our time writing it. It was more important to do something different and special.

Q: How has the music changed?

A: We tried to branch out and do things rock bands don't do. We thought, if we can make it work, we could have something special. We did a lot of experimenting.

Q: You worked with producers from different genres, like hip-hop producer Danja and dance producer Max Martin. How did that work?

A: Everyone wanted to evolve and try something new. But no one knew what it would be. With Danja, the first song came out and was really different and we thought, "Cool, this is what we wanted to do." Finding that sound gave us the confidence to keep doing it.

Q: How have your audiences responded to the new stuff?

A: It's been really good. The fans have been really, really responsive.

Q: Do you approach a festival show different than a regular show?

A: You just play the hits, you know. The songs that usually get the best reaction out of the crowd. Those are the kinds of shows where people walk by and go, "Oh, that's you guys."

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