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February 05, 2012

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Maroon 5's James Valentine

07/30/2010

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He's the guitarist from Maroon 5 now touring the country with their hit new album

Maroon 5's James Valentine
Q: You went to Switzerland to record your new album Hands All Over. How this album is different from the previous ones you've recorded? - Kadeen Griffiths
A: Well, we had the opportunity to work with Mutt [Lange, music producer] on this one, and Mutt brings 30-plus years of experience making records. So, he had a pretty wide perspective on what it takes to make a song that will connect with lots and lots of people, because the songs and albums he's worked on have connected with millions and millions of people. So, he brought that sort of perspective to what we already do and what we've done on the last records. Also, you know, we have a particular sound and I think that Mutt really helped us hone it a little more. Hopefully with every record we'll get a little better and I think this is our best work so far, and I think a lot of that has to do with Mutt's help.
Q: You had opened for the Stones previously. Do you had a favorite memory from that time? - Audrey Szepinski
A: Yeah, that was an amazing experience! It's still surreal. [Rolling Stones guitarist] Ron Wood, his daughter is apparently a fan of ours, so he took us backstage and introduced us individually to each member of the band, which was really amazing - you know, they each had their own section. So, we got introduced to each one of them, which was incredible. I didn't think that would happen! Just because our dressing room when we did that was out in the parking lot basically. [laughs] But yeah, the best part of it was when Ron went to grab Keith [Richards] out of - I guess he was in make up and hair or something - and Ron went in to grab them. But Keith doesn't like to be disturbed, apparently, and he came flying out of the room and literally stumbled into Mickey, our bass player, and yelled at Ron for interrupting him. He said that he was going to 'shove his balls down [Ron's] throat,' or something to that effect. [laughs] It was amazing - I mean, that's the type of encounter that you want to have!
Q: How did you get your start in music? - Jake Gable
A: Well, my older brother had a basement band, and they would rehearse at my house. My brother is seven years older than me, so as a little kid I would sit on the stairs and listen to them play, then wait for them to leave, so I could go around with all of their instruments. [laughs] Initially, I wanted to be a drummer, but so did my best friend who lived across the street, and his parents bought him a drum set before mine would. So, I had also been interested in guitar, and I finally got one when I was 13 years old. My parents got me some lessons down at the mall in Lincoln, Nebraska, and I've been playing ever since taking lessons ever since! Still take lessons. [laughs]
Q: How did you hook up with Maroon 5? - MaureenK
A: Well, I was playing in a band at college in Nebraska, and we eventually decided to move out to L.A. We'd already started to do well on a regional level when we won this national battle of the bands, so we used the money that we won from that to move out to L.A. to pursue a record deal. Soon after I got there, a friend of mine took me to see a band called Kara's Flowers, which was the band that would eventually become Maroon 5 - that was basically Maroon 5 minus myself. I saw them playing, and they were the best band that I'd heard out there! As soon as Adam started singing I was like, 'Wow, these guys are really good!' So I got my band to open up for Kara's Flowers, which was to benefit my band because Kara's Flowers already had a pretty strong cult following in L.A. and Orange County. But I also just wanted them to see me playing guitar, because I could see that they maybe had a need for another guitarist since Jesse - who's our keyboard player now - was in between guitar and keyboard a lot. I kind of thought that maybe there was a place for me there, and I was kind of not getting along with the singer from the band I'd moved out with, so I was sort of looking for a place to land. Yeah, it ended up working out. Eventually I started jamming with them, and right before they began making what would be our first record, Songs About Jane, they asked me to become a full member, and I had to make the tough decision to leave the other band.
Q: You were friends with John Mayer back in the day, what's your favorite memory of hanging out with him back then? - Sandy
A: Well, we met at the Berklee College of Music. I attended this guitar camp, it was a week-long guitar workshop where you got to take lessons from the Berklee instructors, and that's initially where I met John. It was pretty amazing - back then you could already tell he had a pretty strong personality. I mean, you know, the first time I met him he walked into this dorm room where we were all hanging out. He said, 'You know, I want some Hostess snacks. Does anybody want to go get Hostess Snacks with me?'[laughs] I think that's my favorite memory.
Q: Are there any genres that you'd like to branch out into that you haven't yet? - Kadeen Griffiths
A: Sure! I think that we're always trying to incorporate other stuff. I mean me, personally, I'd like to make more instrumental music - that's a lot of the stuff that really turns me on. I like 70s style fusion a lot, we need to get more of that in the band.
Q: What are your plans when the tour is done? - Tricia
A: Well, you know, when we put out these records, we plan on being out there for a long time. Right now we're doing this tour of the U.S. that will lead into trips to Europe, Japan, and some promotion work. Then at the beginning of next year, we'll probably be going to some other places. And, depending on how the record is received, we'll probably be pretty busy for a while. So, by the time we get off the road it'll be time to start thinking about making another record. That's kind of just the never-ending cycle that we're on - well, hopefully never-ending!

Read more: Music, James Valentine, Maroon 5

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