We managed to pass a few questions to Mayday Parade’s drummer/vocalist, Jake Bundrick.
Elena Blagoeva
We managed to pass a few questions to Mayday Parade’s drummer/vocalist, Jake Bundrick. Here is what he had to say:
For the readers who are unfamiliar with the band, can you please give a brief summary of how it formed? What meaning stands behind the name?
Mayday Parade formed from two local bands in Tallahassee, Florida. Both bands rehearsed in the same warehouse and decided to blend the sound of each band into one. Mayday Parade really doesn’t have a meaning. We came up with the name while watching a parade in Tallahassee.
Where does your musical inspiration come from? What is your music about?
It comes from everyday life. Whether it be a break or the loss of a loved one, things happen in life and we just write about them.
How does it feel playing in Kingston for a second time? Your show last year was sold out, do you like the Kingston crowd?
We enjoy the entire UK crowd. People just love music over here and that’s why we love to come back. It feels great to be back in Kingston again.
Do you guys have any particular ritual before you go on stage?
We always put our hands together, count to three and say Bangarang. It’s what the lost boys said in the movie Hook.
Are you currently working on anything new? What direction are you going for with your music?
We’re always writing individually but we haven’t sat down as a group yet to put together a new record. We won’t do that until January 2013. As far as direction, we just want to write good songs. Those ideas will take shape depending on the feeling they give off.
What’s the funniest band/stage story you’ve had?
Alex was trying to learn how to do an around the world with the guitar. It’s where you throw the guitar around your body and catch it. Someone let him borrow a guitar, because he was too nervous to use his own. He tried twice and failed nearly hitting the back of his head. The third time was the one. Unfortunately the strap ripped in half because of the force and the head of the guitar went straight into the ground snapping the neck and breaking the guitar. It was priceless.
Who was the craziest fan you’ve had and why?
I consider fans who travel to multiple shows, if not every show, are crazy. That’s a lot of dedication to see a band perform the same set every night. Haha
Who’s the ladies’ man in the band?
We don’t really have a ladies’ man in the band. We’re all nice guys who have loving girlfriends. Sorry ladies!
What bad habits do you have? Any quirky ones?
I’m lazy. It comes with being in a band and having a tour manager that does everything for you and the rest of the band. It’s created this terrible habit that I can only break while at home off of tour.
Do you have any tips for our music students who want to make it big?
Write the best songs you can. Be the best musician you can. I’ve been playing drums for over 13 years now and I’m still learning. Know your place in your group. If you’re not any good at writing songs then don’t try so hard to be a lyricist. Focus more on your instrument and making those songs better that way. The worst thing in the world is being a song writer but having to halt your ideas for something not so great. Also, keep your head up. Mentally, it’s a rough industry!