Hotmail
With 'Idol' far behind, the singer-songwriter and his band mull their sophomore release
By Melinda Newman
Special to MSN Music
Chris Daughtry is cooling his heels. He and his band mates are relaxing in an air-conditioned tour bus at a rock quarry outside of Los Angeles. It's a preternaturally sweltering day with no breeze and no respite from the blistering sun, making the bus one of the few bearable spots.
Daughtry is shooting the video to "No Surprise," the first single for "Leave This Town." Out July 14, the CD is the band's follow up to its 2006 self-titled 19/RCA effort, which is the fastest selling rock debut in Billboard's history. The plot of the "No Surprise" video revolves around a couple whose financial and communication difficulties are causing a rift in their marriage. Daughtry stresses that just because his band has sold a few million records, it doesn't mean he can't relate.
Exclusive video: Watch interviews with Daughtry on "Leave
This Town"
More: Find photos | Listen to "No Surprise"
"People think because we're famous -- or whatever you want to call it -- we don't have problems," Daughtry says. "We go through the exact same personal problems as anybody else."
Daughtry and bassist Josh Paul, who (along with guitarists Brian Craddock and Josh Steely and drummer Joey Barnes) start a club tour Aug. 2, discuss hanging out in hotels with their idols, how they stay grounded, and their baggage.
MSN Music: After the massive success of "Daughtry," what kind of pressure did you feel while recording "Leave This Town"?
Chris Daughtry: It felt like less pressure [than "Daughtry"] until we got the record halfway done and then all of a sudden the pressure started kicking in: "Are the songs good enough?" ... Because we sold a lot of records, now the microscope's on us. Before, in my opinion, they didn't care, because, at that point, there was nothing to follow up: It was either going to do great or not. We [were] hopefully going to sell enough to break even. Then it did really well; we've got to repeat that ... but we tried during the entire time making this album [to not] think about that.
What has been your biggest "pinch me" moment in the last three years?
Josh Paul: Winning the first American Music Award. You know, you sit there watching them your entire life and your other follow nominees are people like Coldplay or U2 or Foo Fighters. You're like, what am I doing in that category with these people? And then you end up winning and you're onstage, accepting this award just like "Wow, OK."
Daughtry: I think the most recent thing besides having a very [casual] conversation with David Coverdale ... he is probably like the best rock vocalist of all time in my opinion ... the other thing that was kind of surreal to me is the other night we're hanging out with [Alice in Chains'] Jerry Cantrell ... and he goes, "Hey, do you mind if I come to your room and I play you our new stuff to see what you think?" And I'm like, "Hmmm, let me think about that." (Laughs.) I'm sitting in my [hotel] room and [there's] fricking Jerry Cantrell here ... [He left and] I was like, "Did that just really happen? Is that real?"
What is the best advice you've gotten?
Daughtry: Basically, never believe your own hype ... there was a time when I started believing it and my wife told me real fast. She could sense that I was changing like ... just the way I walked in a room. I had to analyze it because it's very true. When you're on the road, it's so difficult; you've got everybody doing everything for you. Sometimes, I have to actually stop myself and go, "Who am I?" I'm not too good to carry my own bag, give me my bag.
Many of the songs on here are lyrically downbeat. You don't sound like you're on top of the world.
Daughtry: I think just for myself as a songwriter, it's easier to write about something that's either hurting you at the time or just a really bad experience that you remember. It's always way more inspiring than a good day. Because when I'm having a good day, the last thing I want to do is sit down and write about it, you know ... and, honestly, no one wants to hear that crap. I think everybody tends to think it's about a relationship every time, and it's not always the case. There's other inner struggles; [it] doesn't always have to be a girl. I think a lot of people always go to that place instantly. And then there's other times they hear the songs and go "Oh my God, I hope that Chris and [Daughtry's wife] Deanna are doing OK." And, yes, for the record, yes, we're fine.
Exclusive video: Watch interviews with Daughtry on "Leave
This Town"
More: Find photos | Listen to "No Surprise" | Send us an E-mail
Melinda Newman is a freelance journalist who covers music and entertainment for the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Hollywood Reporter, Performing Songwriter and a number of other outlets. She is a former talent editor and West Coast bureau chief for Billboard magazine.
