There are some bands for whom that works very well and it's no disrespect to them because I'm sure there's something honest and natural about it, but for us I feel like it would be dishonest and kinda disrespectful to that artwork to do that. To be like: "Okay, we're going to go back and only play these songs, even though we have an hour to an hour and a half set and we gotta play more songs, but we'll skimp you on your extra half hour." That's just silly to me.
Patrick StumpThe music that I made in my band wasn't the expression of everything I was into. Bands are based on compromise.
Patrick StumpBetween Prince and my dad's fusion-jazz records, I didn't have a choice in being funky.
Patrick StumpI would love to hang out with Elvis Costello, to see what he's up to because he seems so fascinating to me.
Patrick StumpAdvice? Focus on the craft. Study the greats. Try and understand how and why they made the writing choices they did. Then, start by copying them...just as an exercise. See if you can do similar things. Learn how to write a song like so and so. Then, when you've done that, write a song like yourself. Learn to color within the lines before going outside them.
Patrick Stump