Plan B: Simple Plan Makes Their Way Back

They had to cancel concerts in Beijing and Shanghai last August due to their lead singer’s throat problem, but only five months later, they are fulfilling their promise to return. In the years since Simple Plan formed in 1999, many pop-punk bands have boomed, ruled, fallen and quit. How has this quintet stayed strong with the same lineup for 12 years? Let’s find out.

Has pop-punk had its day? Do you feel any pressure to react to the trends of what’s popular in music?
Does it matter? That’s the real question. We just write the music we love and try to do it as best as possible[sic]. We don’t worry about genres. You’re one of a few bands that has never changed its lineup

Who are you going to kick out first? Seriously, how have you stayed together so long?
It’s because we all have the same vision for this band and we all feel like doing it for a long time. It’s pointless to break up over something small when you have something so good going on.

What are you listening to right now?
The Middle East, the new Rihanna and the latest from Florence + the Machine.

What are the three best punk songs of all time?
“I Wanna Be Sedated” by Ramones, “God Save the Queen” by The Sex Pistols, “Last Caress” by The Misfits.

What do you think about bands who play pop-punk but dress and tag themselves differently?
Sellouts.

Can you share a backstage secret with us?
We have a good one, but the band will remain anonymous. One of the lead singers made the promoters pick out all of the brown M&Ms from ten bags of the candy because he thought brown M&Ms bring bad luck. All you could hear him screaming was “No brown M&Ms!”
[Yawn – Ed.]

What would you do if only eight people turned up to a gig?
The same thing if 8,000 people turned up. Get our hearts on and give 110 percent. Except those eight people would get to hang out with us after the show.

Would you rather be popular while you are alive or be remembered after you die?
That’s kind of grim. We would like to be mildly popular while we’re alive, and have some people remember me after we die.

Follow the Simple Plan at Yugong Yishan on Jan 6.

Click here to see the January issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo courtesy of the organizer.