Lisa: Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Music Box Top Ten, today's special guest is Infinite. And thanks to you guys we broke a record, with the highest amount of votes. We received over 1.5 million votes! That's amazing, we have some other records made on the chart also. So here we go, here are the first five videos....
Lisa: Hayden makes a record by having
THREE videos in the countdown. His third is in the top five making quite a jump. Without further adieu, here are INFINITE!
(Eric talking during the interview)
Lisa: Our special guest today is Infinite, the biggest band in the world, the most critically acclaimed.
*Crowd applauses*
Lisa: Hello, you guys are enjoying huge success of the charts, and winning many awards. Do you ever feel pressure to keep up the momentum?
Greg: There's always the pressure of following up on success, whether it's something as little as selling over a thousand copies of your debut single, or as massive as reaching the top position of a chart. But, when you get to such an acclaimed position as this, and excuse me for not sounding modest, it can get a little overwhelming. I always think it's best to just not look back on past successes; it's important to treat every new release as if it's your first, one that could make or break your band.
Lisa: Your music video “Vague Impressions” is doing well on the countdown. However, it has stirred up a bit of controversy because many think it alludes to suicide, but you quickly dashed that; can you tell us what was the inspiration behind the music video?
Eric: I've always been very interested in the way culture can control our lives, sometimes even more so than governments. So, I pictured a world where this is taken to the extreme; a simple word on a television screen can influence your mood for the entire day. This would be great if it was a word like 'Euphoria', but something out of a nightmare if it was 'Worthless'. Basically, the result of the latter would be suicide. It's a bit of a graphic idea, which is why we shot it as a black-and-white cartoon. The video isn't meant to be about suicide, but more or less about the effects of media on our collective consciousness.
Lisa: So we know you guys have three releases coming out sometime this year, an EP, a fourth album, and a fifth. Can you give us some information about the yet to be titled fifth album, and the inspiration behind the change in sound?
Greg: The fifth album is going to have a strong focus on electronica, and drum-and-bass rhythms. Eric's been spending quite a bit of time finishing up work on the 'Dividing Divinity' album with Jason Smith, so there's been some days where it's just Matt and I in the studio together. Because of that, we've come up with some great rhythm tracks together, and the album is going to be representative of that. Other than that, you'll have to wait and see what it'll sound like.
Eric: When writing Dancing about Architecture, I was inspired by the crowd singalongs at stadium gigs. No matter what the lyrics are, people aren't going to sing them en mass unless it's carried by a catchy melody. I'm not bitter, it's just a fact of life. So, I wanted the album to have a separation between the lyrics and the music, almost as a representation of passive-aggressiveness; there can be these really angry and cynical lyrics, but they'd be hidden beneath a really peaceful atmosphere of acoustic guitars.
Lisa: In each album, you guys change your sound, what’s behind this innovation? And do you ever fear that you may cross the line where you guys sound completely different from your other works?
Eric: You can't stay in one particular sound or niche for too long, otherwise you fall behind. That's always been a fear of mine; the risk of sounding obsolete. I mean, it's even happening now; with the recent return of PANIC! and Quarantine, why would people even need Infinite? So, we need to reinvent our sound, or evolve from past successes, otherwise we're just running in circles instead of sprinting ahead.
Greg: I think there's always the characteristics that make a tune distinctly our own. There's always a heavy focus on lyrical themes and the underlining meaning behind every sonic texture. So, while the visible skin to our sound may change, the skeleton will always remain.
Eric: That's so wonderfully morbid, Oldson.
Lisa: We all make mistakes, and have regrets. Despite the fact that you guys storming the world, do you ever wish you could’ve done something different?
Eric: I wish there would've less focus on me, and more on the group as a whole. Back when Infinite first started, I was very much in the phase of my life where I mistook myself for the center of the universe. So, my antics were self-centered, and not really about the music. Of course, nowadays I'd just like people to listen to our songs, but I suppose the past has stuck around to haunt me. People think I'm this really egotistical rock-star, and I'd like to think that it's not true. Matt's just as vital to the inner workings of any Infinite song as I am, and I wish more people would realize that.
Lisa: At this point in your careers, where do you see yourself five or ten years from now?
Greg: I think it'd be very nice to still be making records, but with a different mentality. You don't want to write music as a 35 year old the same way you did when you're 25. So, if the future involves the three of us, still together and still making music, but in a more matured and evolved manner, I'm perfectly happy with it.
Matt: Y'know U2's most recent tour, where they made 700 million dollars? Yeah, I want Infinite to do that. Fuck modesty.
Lisa: As usual, we have a user submitted question. This one comes from Jake from Los Angeles, U.S. and writes, “Hey guys, what is your favorite thing about being a band, and your least favorite?
Eric: My favorite thing would have to be the support. It'd just be terrifying to make music by myself, and I don't know if I even could. When you're in a band, you're with people who are able to say, 'that's awful' to the things you're making. If I did something on my own, it'd just be the most pretentious, overblown thing, so I'm glad Infinite prevents me from sinking to that level.
Greg: I've always enjoyed the-
Eric: My least favorite thing would be working with Greg Oldson.
Lisa: And our final question from an audience member.
Audience member: It’s so cool seeing you guys do your thing on stage, when you started the band, did you ever have doubts that you will be successful?
Eric: I tried not to show it, but yes, there was always a nagging doubt in the back of my mind. For the first couple years after high school, Infinite wasn't making it anywhere. In fact, until the release of Blue Nebula, I don't think anybody outside of Teignmouth even knew we existed. It was a dark time in my life, and I'm so grateful to our fans for getting us through it. Thank you all so much for taking the time to listen our music.
