rockyourlyricsWe continue the series of our interviews with TRAPT (http://www.trapt.com/index.html) represented by their singer Chris.
After the release of their new studio album “Reborn” that happened early this year, the band was in tour all across USA and now preparing an exciting European set of dates.
RYL: Sixteen years of career in 2013; looking back what is the biggest achievement of your career?
TRAPT: I think Headstrong was definitely a defining moment in our careers, as it opened up our music to a lot of people and those fans have stuck with us for over 10 years now.
RYL: And the biggest obstacle? Maybe the time different members of the band decided to leave it?
TRAPT: I can’t say there are too many obstacles in the way for TRAPT. We made the right move in replacing a couple members of the band, so that we could expand our sound and right now we are exactly where we want to be.
RYL: 2013 is an important year for you, you released the sixth studio album “Reborn”; which is the main difference between it and your previous ones? How have you seen your music evolve across the years?
TRAPT: Reborn is an album that takes TRAPT back to it’s roots , but at the same time we grew musically and lyrically, plus I was really able to add a lot of electronic elements that we didn’t have on previous records.
RYL: What is behind the song “Bring It”, first single of Reborn?
TRAPT: Bring It is a song about self empowerment and believing in yourself, no matter what happens. It’s basically an F you to anyone who says you can’t do something.
RYL: and behind “Experience”?
TRAPT: Experience is definitely one of my favorites on the new album and the track has a lot space, ambiance and melody, but at the same time still rocks.
RYL: How is your song-writing process?
TRAPT :A lot of TRAPT songs start with a main riff and then pieces are added to compliment that riff. Sometimes it’s all written on an acoustic and sometimes a song comes from plugging in and jamming on a great riff. Once the music is there, it inspires an emotion and the lyrics come from that emotion.
RYL: As part of the album “Only Through the Pain” released in 2008, we selected the song “curiosity kills”, what inspired you when you wrote it?
TRAPT :Curiosity Kills is about wanting to know the truth, but knowing that truth will crush you. Everyone at some time or another has been told a truth that, when they look back on it, they really could have done without knowing. I just got the hook of the song in my head and then the rest of the song all came together. It’s basically a warning not to look too deep into things that you know will hurt you.
RYL: You are currently touring North America, until now which shows gave you the greatest emotion?
TRAPT: There are so many great shows that we have played over the years. Music Midtown in Atlanta we played twice, so many huge radio shows for so many great radio stations, but the best shows are the ones where we are right up, close and personal with our fans and watching them sing all the lyrics to every song. Such an amazing feeling.
RYL: How is the response of your fans outside USA? Are you going to do a European leg of your tour ?
TRAPT: We toured Europe twice now and want to go back again next year. We are planning it now.
RYL: If you had to choose one thing to change in the life of Americans, what would you choose?
TRAPT: I would like to see Americans be more accepting of others and the differences between them. Tolerance is a good thing.
RYL: Let’s talk about one of your most famous songs: “Headstrong”, written and released in 2002, why did you choose its title? What it meant to you those days? And now?
TRAPT :Headstrong is a statement really. The song basically is a testament to how we feel about life and what we do with it. It’s always going to be the way we want to do things, not the way anyone else wants. It’s about following your heart and never wavering. It means the same to me now that it did 10 years ago.
RYL: It seems you are enjoying quite a lot to do music videos, which was the best so far? Why?
TRAPT: The most fun video we have shot so far has to be Love Hate Relationship. My wife stars in the video alongside me and the chemistry was right on. The song really describes how an intense and passionate relationship can play out and I think we nailed the video to the lyrics in a great way.
RYL: We loved the one of “Love and Hate Relationship”, can you tell us something more about it? Maybe some cool behind the scenes?
TRAPT: For Love Hate Relationship, we spent hours shooting certain scenes in San Francisco and it was a very cold day. S.F. can be like that, ha. We found a perfect apartment/loft to shoot scenes at and then did the performance part of the video in Las Vegas. We really wanted to stay true to the song and make everything really make sense. There are some really cool camera effects that were done in the bridge of the song where everything that my girl didn’t take from me in the first half starts to disappear, while she and I fade in and out. Was a perfect metaphor for the other parts of one’s life that takes them away from their significant other.
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