For the first time, when the members of Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer began creating their sixth album, they already knew what it should look and feel like.
“When you see something in your head, it's inspiring,” says guitarist Michael Clifford. “You're not shooting in the dark, like, 'I wonder what it'll be like?' You have an idea and you can steer the ship there.”
The result was “Everyone's A Star”, which was released on November 14. This is probably their most meta album yet. The 12 tracks (plus four bonus tracks on the deluxe edition, released November 17) talk about fame, self-destruction and “boy band” culture they have from time to time rejected and have been hugging since the group formed in 2011.
The album is less about the personal inspiration that defined their previous hits and more about “unity,” says bassist Calum Hood – fitting for a band that is still around after each member has released at least one solo album.
Below, 5 Seconds of Summer discuss new aspects of their sound, preparing for the “Everyone's a Star!” world tour. and the “incredible” characters featured on their latest album, their first in three years.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
When you sit down to write a new album, do you think about what you've written before, the themes you've created before, what goes into the story you're going to tell on the new album?
Calum Hood: That's definitely not the only conversation we have at the beginning of every album. We don't all sit together and say, “Okay, what have we accomplished?”
I feel like we've lived so much life in this band that we intuitively know the different paths we've taken. And it's very much an intuitive guide: going into the process of creating a new album, learning what's going on in everyone's lives, and seeing where it collectively wants to go.
What song did you start with?
Luke Hemmings: Obsession #1 was the first. And it was like, “Okay, this feels like it fits the bill.” It was very similar to 5SOS, bringing back a bit of that punk rock and garage spirit, but the lyrics were very attractive, although I think they were very ear-catching.
And this was the one who needed to be defeated for a while. It seemed like a good plan moving forward because it takes a minute to figure out what the next album will sound like. It's like you're groping in the dark for a while, especially since the last album had a very specific sound and feel. We like to challenge that on the next album by trying to do a complete 180… (and saying) what would it be like if we did the opposite?
What's this new sound?
LH: Sonically, there's a lot of dance elements to it, like New York and London, Cassius, Prodigy, those dance acts that still feel like they have something raw about them. And only 5SOS could do this mixed (with sound); ironic, ironic lyrics, but there is great wisdom in it. It has a bit of social satire and self-deprecating humor. The sound is a mix of the pop rock, punk and garage band we started out with, but with some dance elements thrown in as well.
This sounds confusing as hell. (Laughs.) So I don’t know.
Sticking to the signature 5SOS sound, but with this album being all about fame – could you have written this album at any other time in the band's history?
Michael Clifford: I don't think so.
I think we're finally old enough – we're not old, sorry – we're young enough. We did it for a minute, not too long, but we did it a little bit and were able to understand a little more, just put things into perspective. I think it was extremely important for us to have that point of view in order to create an album that has those kinds of themes.
And like Luke said, trying to turn everything on its head and try to do the opposite of what we did last time, I think that's what really excited us about it.
This was the first time we actually created an album knowing how we wanted it to look and feel. We had some idea of the theme and the feeling we wanted it to evoke. So it became much easier and inspiring to do this. When you see something in your head, sometimes it's more inspiring because you're not shooting in the dark and thinking, “I wonder what this would be like?” You seem to have an idea and you can drive the ship there.
These themes of fame and sometimes the dark side of fame, what was it like working on it with the same band you started with almost 15 years ago?
Ch.: It's definitely a cool feeling. These guys are the only three that can truly resonate with my life path over the last 15 years. I get great comfort from this. And this is different from our last albums, where many of the songs are thematically very personal. It's a very personal approach and that's how we start songs. But this album felt bigger—it had a unified theme, and conceptually it felt really fresh and new. And it definitely does a lot of healing subconsciously.
Thinking about what it will be like to tour, how do you guys feel?
LH: I feel good. Our last show “Five seconds of summer show.” it felt like we'd discovered our full evolution, or near-total evolution, as a band by condensing the skits around our 10th anniversary. It was more about approaching it as fun rather than just… (going out), recording some songs and playing as a band. But there was multimedia, and the boundaries between video, and then the image on the screen and the stage were blurred. It was really fun and I felt like the show was the most “ours” ever.
So this time, since the characters that are on this album have their egos a little more inflated, the show will reflect that. The people with the big heads in “Phone Busy” – these guys make the show. They're driving and they're a little crazy.
MK: They have some damage.
LH: (Laughs) It will be like the 5SOS show we did, but on steroids.
MK: Not even steroids.
LH: What's crazier than steroids?
MK: Nothing appropriate to say on the TODAY show.
Ch.: No, no, this is in the spirit of the Green Goblin.
LH: So, if Green Goblin was fifth. Does this make any sense? (Laughs.)
Sounds like a very meta album. So you essentially play characters?
MK: I don't know. It's not as heady and narrative-driven as this, but sometimes it ends up getting closer to the concepts – and as Calum was saying – rather than going into the meaning of the song and saying, “Does this resonate with me personally?” It was more like, “Do I have a place in this story that we're trying to tell, how can I make it happen?” Instead of trying to make something too narrative. We will always be ourselves. We're just ourselves in an alternate universe.
LH: It's like a bigger version of ourselves and we're together again. Especially after doing separate solo things, now together – we are so super, super 5SOS I think.
Ch.: SuperSOS.
MK: The conversation we had behind it was: we are our best, biggest versions of ourselves – well, I'm the best, biggest version of myself when I write my solo music – but also when I write band music. So They the best versions of themselves when they are in a group.
LH: This is confusing reading. (Laughs).
Ch.: I agree, you are not the best version.
MK: No, I said yes.
LH: You're not the best version right now. (Laughs.)
Another general question. The band is 14 years old and will be 15 next year. How does it feel to reach this milestone? … Is there anything you could have told yourself 15 years ago?
LH: When we first started, we told people we were going to be a band for 10, 15, 20, 30 years. And that's it, when you're 16 and 17, they're like, “OK, cool,” because usually the life cycle of a boy band is short. It's like a butterfly or something.
MK: I think Ash has something to say too.
Ashton Irwin (medium hair and makeup): What? …Don't talk to me while I'm doing my makeup.
LH: You can rightfully quote this.
I don't know if I'll say anything (to my younger self). I would maybe just give him a soft drink. A cheeky pat on the back might be nice.
Ch.: Maybe a foot-long Subway sandwich. That's enough.
LH: We've been telling people for a long time that we were going to be a band, and I'm really glad we did it. We have a freaking amazing fan base that allows us to change and evolve and experiment with new sounds and looks and everything, and I still feel the same. And it's crazy to be someone else's Obsession #1 still. Sometimes I just feel like I'm walking ghost.
MK: Can I have a drink stones?
