The band that I was I auditioning for, they were just all like, dreads and stuff, so I did look kind of out of place. But I had learned the material and it sounded cool as f**k when we were rehearsing.
Tony PalermoI mean that's something we're very conscious of when writing. Tempos are very important. Like "Oh we can't play the song too fast because people aren't going to feel it." There's a pulse to a song. You can't play it too slow. We're always trying to find the perfect tempo.
Tony PalermoWhen I joined, they were like "Woah, dude!", because I came right out of that type of playing. But obviously with P. Roach there's more groove. I like doing those slower big fills, but I also like injecting some of that punk rock urgency. But I definitely need to mix it up, because if I was playing all fast fills all the time, it just wouldn't work.
Tony PalermoYou always go in with the intention of playing your best and knowing the material you're auditioning.
Tony PalermoI was still doing the punk thing, but also playing in some indie bands, I had a less crazy hairstyle.
Tony PalermoPapa Roach is actually a band that's great at playing arenas. Not every band is suited for that environment. But besides the huge energy you guys bring, the songs are very grand and anthemic. "Kick in the Teeth" being an example as a song that's made for huge crowd sing-alongs, not tiny little club shows.
Tony Palermo