Young Guns Music interviews Alex Band (English)

A dream has become true. After so long waiting and wishing for it Young Guns Music has been able to interview Alex Band, former The Calling frontman. We talked about his new album, future plans and fans love. Don´t miss it!

- Young Guns Music : Alex, thank you very much for accepting to be interviewed by us. It´s been a long time since you decided to start your solo project. So many years working on it and at the same time being unable to set it off... For an artist and mainly for one as you´re, starting in the music world so long ago, it must be quite difficult to get it on with it. How have you kept on fighting all this time? What has helped you to go on?

Alex Band : It has definitely been a crazy struggle to get to where I am at now. Giving up was never an option for me. Yes, there were days when it seemed like I was never going to get to where I needed to be, but I stayed focused and knew I could make it happen eventually. Knowing I was making the album I believed in helped me to not give up.


- YGM : Is this album exactly what you have dreamt with all this time?

AB : Absolutely! This is the album I fought so hard to be able to make. I poured my heart and soul into each song and I am so proud of the outcome. I was even able to add a few new songs just this year right before the album was released.


- YGM : Which was your first feeling when "Tonight" was officially released? Did you expect so great acceptance among your followers?

AB : I always felt this was the song I wanted to release as my first single and I am really happy I stuck with it. When I first started my promo tour in the US to promote the song I actually heard "Tonight" on the radio that same day and it didn't feel real. I worked so hard and for so long to get to this point that I almost don't believe it's happening. The reaction to the song has been amazing, in Europe it was the theme song for all the World Cup adds!


- YGM : For an artist it must be incredible to see that your work is not released during years but they are still there waiting for it. How much have fans helped you to get there? What´s the importance of Alex Band´s fans in your life?

AB : My fans are the reason I never stopped making music, no matter how long it took me to release it. They all waited and supported me while I worked on this record and finally released it. I give so much to my fans to show them how much they mean to me. It's really neat now to be out playing shows and see so many fans from the past showing up again! It's a good feeling to say the least to know my fans still care and are excited about my solo album, even after 5 years of waiting.


- YGM : You seem to have quite a huge fan base in countries such as Japan or Brazil. For an American artist, did you ever expect your music to reach so far?

AB : I can't say that I expected the majority of the success I had and I am beyond grateful for it. To have fans all over the world is a dream come true. My music has reached people in almost every corner of the world and I hope it continues to.


- YGM : How would you describe your new album? What Alex Band´s fans should expect about what they were used to get from you and what new fans should like about it?

AB : I'd say my album is more anthemic and mature than my albums as The Calling. This album takes you on a journey through my struggles, finding love, and loosing it. It is relatable on every level and really takes listeners into my world.


- YGM : Love seems to be the main subject in your music. Love moves the world? How important is love in your life?

AB : Love is what life is all about. It isn't always easy, but it is the reason we are living. We can all relate to love and loss and I wanted people to feel that in my music. I truly believe love is the meaning of life.


- YGM : Which are the songs from this album that represent more Alex Band´s spirit? Which is your favourite one?

AB : I can't pick a specific song that represents me in particular. I wrote all the songs on the album and they all are from personal experiences and feelings. The entire album is my spirit being told through my songs. Right now, my favorite song on the album is one I added last minute called "Will Not Back Down." I think it's a beautiful sexy addition to the album and playing it live is a blast!


- YGM : Are you anxious to show your album live to the world? Are you planning any world your?

AB : Having lived with this album for the past 5 years, I am more than ready to share it with the world. It's been way too long and I can't wait to keep spreading it everywhere. There are no world tour plans yet, but that is a goal for the future. I think it will all happen in stages.


- YGM : Will we be able to see you live in Europe and in Spain?

AB : I hope so, that's the plan! I currently have a sold out tour next month in Germany/Switzerland/Austria…and I know I will be going to the rest of Europe and of course Spain as well in the near future.


- YGM : Which are your more remarkable memories in music? Who would you like to thank for being there all the way up here?

AB : There are so many amazing memories in my career so far. I think one of my favorite still was winning best new artist at the MTV Awards. I was up agains Avril Lavign and Shakira and many more huge artists…I never thought I would EVER win. But it was voted on by fans, and my fans are crazy supportive! They somehow voted more than anyone else and I won the award! I was sooooo surprised to be called up to the stage and accept it, I had no idea what to say! I think the person I would thank for my career so far over anyone else is my Father. He always supported my music and was behind me 100% through it all from the very beginning when I was taken out of school at 15 and got my first record deal.


- YGM : All these years you´ve performed some side projects. We were for example able to watch you in CSI. How was the experience? Would you like to repeat in a near future?

AB : CSI NY was a blast to be a part of. I hadn't really done too much acting on that level before and I really enjoyed it. Even did my own stunts;) I would definitely do more acting in the future, once I am back home and working on the next album.


- YGM : Besides your music there´s a fact about Alex Band that not many people know and we really believe it´s quite remarkable. You started working with Donate Life and then you started your own Alex Band Donate Life. How would you describe the project for those who do not know anything about it?

AB : Donate Life is the main charity I support and believe in, I even have it tattooed on my arm. It is a charity that raises awareness for organ donation which not many people know about or understand. So many lives can be saved through organ donations, it's about giving life to others once we are gone. Honestly, it is as simple as signing up online at donatelife.net to be an organ donor.


- YGM : How did you get involved in the project? Why do you think in the US it´s so difficult to promote donations? Because in Europe it´s more usual for patients to see it as part of the process while in the US it´s still some kind of taboo.

AB : I got involved when someone very close to me needed a liver transplant and was on a waiting list. I realized from my personal experience with it how much of a demand there is and how many people are waiting to receive organs, some of which never get what they need. I just think there is a major lack of knowledge when it comes to organ donation and people aren't going to support or sign up for something they don't understand...which is what Donate Life is working at changing. The people waiting for organs far outnumbers the amount of actual donors there are in America right now. Something like 90% of Americans say they support donation, but only 30% know the essential steps to take to be a donor. Hopefully, that continues to change.


- YGM : What kind of activities do you perform along the year to promote donation?

AB : I host my own concert every year called Alex Band's Donate Life Rocks, where all proceeds go to Donate Life. I'm pretty much a walking billboard with the tattoo on my arm and talk about the charity at any possible moment. The bracelet line I just created actually donates a portion of proceeds to Donate Life as well which is really awesome!


- YGM : You´ve also got involved in Blackstar bracelet, how was the experience of mixing music and fashion? Did you expect so much success?

AB :Designing a line of bracelets to coincide with my music was a lot of fun. It is something that has never been done before and I think the success of them is awesome. I knew that people would love it due to the fact that there is so much content that comes with each bracelet, not just the song download...and that it is a tangible object you can wear everyday.


- YGM : Taking a look back to the past, you started your music career very young and you got a top hit experience just in the beginning. How do you remember The Calling experience? Was it difficult to digest that your first album becomes a top charter?

AB : It might seem that I had a hit and success very quickly, but it was actually a long process. I was signed at 15 and the record label pretty much forgot about me and wouldn't let me make an album until I was 19. And then it finally came out when I was 20. So there was 5 years there that I worked very very hard writing hundreds of songs and playing many shows in Los Angeles and just waiting and waiting. Once the album finally was released, it took 10 months to make "Wherever You Will Go" a hit at radio in the US. I toured all over the US for those 10 months in a little van and went to every radio station, hundreds of them. It all finally paid off.


- YGM : What has "Wherever You Will Go" meant in your life?

AB : That song means everything to me. It was the song that introduced me to the world. It's the song still today that every single person knows me by…I can sing the first two lines of the chorus and anybody I meet says "Oh yes of course! I love that song!" The song today still is played millions of times all around the world and has become one of the biggest songs in history. Billlboard magazine named it the number one song at radio in the US for the last decade. This is a huge achievement and I am very proud.


- YGM : "Wherever You Will Go" has been chosen as one of best songs ever. How was it composed? How did you got inspiration for it?

AB : I wrote that song when I was only 16 years old! I don't remember the moment I wrote it because it was so long ago! I do remember it was very fast to write and complete, maybe only a few hours. Some of the best songs I write come very quick and easily.


- YGM : Which has been the most incredible memory with a fan? Which has been your favourite moment in a stage?

AB : There have been so many great memories with fans! One time a fan gave me a scroll that was very large, like the size of a big dog. It was one mile long all rolled up! She had worked over one year on it, writing "I love Alex Band" over and over millions of times! Crazy! I still have this scroll in my garage with all my other fan gifts. I keep every fan gift I am given in air tight sealed boxes so they will last forever. My favorite moment on stage was probably playing Party In The Park in London England many years ago. I actually played this festival two years in a row. The audience is over 150,000 people! So amazing! To see that many people sing my songs along with me was one of the greatest experiences of my life.


- YGM : Would you like to say some words for all your fans who are reading this interview, specially your Spanish fans?

AB : To all my Spanish fans, I miss you very much and I am so excited to come back to Spain and perform for you all and meet you all! It has been WAY too long! Thank you for continuing to support me after all these years…it means so much to me. All the love…


- YGM : Thank you very much Alex, we wish you the best.

AB : Thank you very much for all the good questions and for your well wishes! I hope to see you soon! All the love...