Mark Rowan recently sat down with Paramore's Zac Farro (drums) and Josh Farro (guitar) to talk about being brothers, being 16 years-old, being Michael Jackson, and being… on steroids?
All We Know Is Falling came out a bit over a year ago, what have you guys done as far as the next album goes? Zac Farro: Weâve written a couple songsâ¦
Josh Farro: We started writing it and weâre just taking our time. Making sure the right songs come out at the right time. Itâs a slow process, but weâre getting there. We are planning on recording it in November or December.
What is it like for you two guys, as brothers, to be in a band together? Zac: It sucksâ¦no itâs awesome. I donât think I would be in this band if my brother wasnât in it.
Josh: Weâve been playing together for so long, if one of us wasnât in the band it would just be hard to comprehend I guess. We love each other so much⦠[laughs]
Whatâs it like spending your summer vacation from school on tour? Zac: You really donât know what summer is and what winter is, except for the cold and hot. Because everything is the same; weâre touring all the time.
Josh: Sometimes I wish I could go on an actual vacation, but then I realize I can go to a different city everyday. I get to experience all that in one summer, but a lot of people donât even get to explore their own country.
How do your parents feel about you being 16 and touring "some of Americaâs most dangerous places like New Jersey"? Zac: Well I was born there, thank you very much. [Semi-awkward laughs] They know weâre safe with our tour manager and heâll look out for us. Iâm always with my older brother. They wouldnât let me do it if my older brother wasnât here.
Josh: Iâm very strong so nobody could really mess with us⦠[laughs] No, they are cool with it. Just whenever weâre about to play a dangerous city they will call and be like, "Just be careful, donât walk around by yourself."
Do you think itâs funny that you guys are so young and headlining this tour? Zac: I think itâs really strange. The first day we pulled up I was like, "These dudes are like 22-23 opening up for our band. Iâm 16." Itâs kind of weird; theyâve been working on this for a long time. Not to say that we havenât been. Weâve just started really young. It just totally feels like we donât deserve it, but weâve worked really hard so.
If you two were in the Jackson 5 who would be Michael and who would be Tito? Zac: [laughs] He would be Michael because I couldnât do that.
Josh: Zac can actually dance a little bit.
Zac: YEAH RIGHT!
Josh: Better than me, dude. Iâm so white. I have no coordination whatsoever. Youâd be Michael, you would be.
Zac: Hayley would be Michael. [laughs] And Iâd be Peterâ¦I donât even know if thereâs a Peter, but Iâd be him.
Josh: Alrightâ¦Peter Jackson?
Zac: Heâs famous isnât he?
Josh: I think he directed Lord of the Rings.
With the recent steroid scandals in every field of sports, would you like to make any admissions about improving your music through the use of steroids or human growth hormones? Josh: Oh my god. [laughs] Well, we use those all the time, especially Hayley, because weâre working on getting really big and putting on a better show.
Zac: Steroids are the way to go.
Josh: We couldnât do it without them.
Would you like the thank steroids for your quick rise to fame? Zac: Yes, thank you so much. Weâre sponsored by them.