Boys Like Girls Interview
Emilee was able to catch a quick interview with Bryan of Boys Like Girls at the Warped Tour in Pomona, California on June 29th, 2007 - the first day of the tour.
BD: Bandictionary
BLG: Bryan Donahue
BD: How long did you want to be a musician before you became one?
BLG: I was probably in sixth or seventh grade when I started on my dad's equipment. He played bass and I just picked it up. I loved it and decided that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
BD: Do you have any regrets about choosing to be in a band?
BLG: God, no! What else would I be doing with my life?
BD: If you had to pick one of your songs to call your favorite, which would it be?
BLG: Either "Up Against the Wall" or "Me, You and My Medication". They're the darker, harder, moodier songs on the CD and that's more my style.
BD: Are you going to try to make your shows different every day on this tour?
BLG: Every day, we just go up, have fun, and interact with the crowd, but as far as our set list goes, we'll probably be playing the same songs every day because we're always in a different city.
BD: How do you decide the set list?
BLG: Yesterday and the day before, before the tour started, we had rehearsal days. We just went into a practice space and decided what songs we wanted to play on Warped and in what order. We usually do that before every tour now, to try to keep each tour different and fresh.
BD: Is there any sort of message you try to get across to kids at live shows?
BLG: Just to have fun and enjoy yourselves! Everyone's still young - live life
BD: Which of your songs is the most difficult to play live?
BLG: The most difficult would probably be "Heels Over Head". For me, it's the vocal melodies - those are high parts! It's tough.
BD: What's your favorite city to play in?
BLG: Boston or Providence. Anywhere near home, because it's nice to see our family and friends. It's hectic, but it's always fun.
BD: What's the biggest misconception about the band?
BLG: Because of our band name, we sometimes get MySpace comments from our fans asking if we're homophobic, and we're not. Our band name has nothing to do with that. We're all accepting of everyone.
BD: What are some of the band's goals for the future?
BLG: To play to as many kids in as many places as possible for the time that we're allowed. I mean, we're very lucky to be doing this for a living, so as long as we can do it, then thatÂ’s great.
BD: Who do you feel is the greatest rock band of all time?
BLG: Of all time? The Drive.
BD: What are your non-musical inspirations?
BLG: My dad, for starters. Like I said, he's a bass player and I started on his equipment. And he's my dad, you know? I love him; he's my hero. My entire family, really. They're very supportive of what I do and they love the music and all that.
BD: What are your feelings on downloading music illegally?
BLG: Right now, people do it and nobody really thinks about it. I'm not offended by it, but sooner or later, labels will probably catch up and find a way to find a happy medium. As far as our music goes, though, whether they buy our CD on iTunes, in the store, or download it, as long as they have our record, that's great.
BD: What kinds of thoughts keep you awake at night?
BLG: Well, I don't know, I'm kind of a heavy sleeper. Once my head hits the pillow at night, I'm out.
BD: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
BLG: Global warming. ★
To learn more about Boys Like Girls, go to boyslikegirls.com.
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