That band-to-fan connection is noticeably apparent in the album’s
introductory single, “I’m Just A Kid.” The song is as
powerful in its expression of teenage angst as it is ridiculously infectious.
“‘I’m Just A Kid’ is about how it’s hard
to fit in and find your place,” Chuck says. “It’s tough
to meet people who are there for you in the end, people who care.”
Other tracks on the album – like the gutsy “Meet You There”
and the touching “Perfect” – substitute a more atmospheric
and bittersweet energy in place of upbeat punchy hooks.
“I hate the word mature,” says Chuck, “but they’re
just a bit different.”
“NO PAD, NO HELMETS… JUST BALLS” was recorded at producer
Arnold Lanni’s Arnyard Studio in Toronto. The sessions saw Simple
Plan making a pair of trips across the border in order to work with a
couple of musician friends who wanted to be part of the album. First,
the band headed to Buffalo, New York, where they hooked up with Joel of
Good Charlotte, who contributed vocals to “You Don’t Mean
Anything.” In addition, Simple Plan enlisted another friend –
none other than Mark Hoppus of blink-182 – to lay down backing vocals
on the second single and MTV TRL breakout, “I’d Do Anything.”
“We’ve known each other for a long time,” says the
drummer. “We played shows with blink back on their first record
and we stayed friends. Mark’s such a down-to-earth guy. He took
the time to do his track and really nailed what we wanted. We’re
honored to have him sing on our record.”
With a debut album that’s everything they’d hoped it would
be, and some experiences they never could have imagined, Simple Plan intends
to spend 2003 bringing the adrenaline-fuelled tunes of “NO PADS,
NO HELMETS… JUST BALLS” to the kids by doing what they’ve
done from the get-go – hitting the road. And hard.
“First we wanted to make sure that every song was special,”
Chuck avows. “Now we just want to play every day. I said to everybody
that works with us, ‘We don’t need any days off, just book
us.’ We’ll be on the road for two years. This summer we’re
doing our second Warped Tour for this album. That’s so amazing.
It’s like the name, Simple Plan. We just have this simple plan to
go on the road and meet people and make new friends and just see who likes
our band.”
Well plug in a few more Energizers and keep this rabbit movin’
because from the looks of their battered suitcases and oh yea, thousands
upon thousands of screaming fans, this Simple Plan will just keep going
and going and going....
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