The Boys Like Girls frontman took some time after making a trip with the band to MTV to let us find out more about his taste in music.
If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing right now?
Since I was three, I always wanted to sing. But when I turned 10, I developed a habit and I wanted to be a freestyle skier. Like it made you adventurous and you put your neck out every time you did it. By the time I was 15, I just had to make a choice between it and music.
Who did you listen to while growing up?
I was brought up on artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan and The Beatles and then I got into bands like U2 and The Police. Then the grunge moment came and I got really into Nirvana, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots.
What’s the name of your iPod?
Martin Johnson’s iPod.
Most embarrassing artist/song on there is….
The Spice Girls – “Wannabe” or any of the musical theatre that’s on there.
What’s one song you can’t get out of your head these days?
All Time Low – “Too Much”.
Favourite lyrics of all-time?
“Now turn off your lights/’cause I’m not comin’ home/’til I’m delivered for the first time” (The Wallflowers – “I’ve Been Delivered”)
Most awesome concert you’ve ever been to was…
It’s a tie between a Green Day private show a few months ago, Aerosmith when I was 16 years old and Taylor Swift.
One artist you hope to see perform live someday?
U2 and pronto!
Craziest thing a fan has ever done at one of your shows?
There’s a group of fans that told us they are devoted to drive 100,000 miles to see Boys Like Girls shows and make a scrapbook out of the experience. So far they’re at 50,000 miles and have seen about 65 shows I think. We’re pretty pumped to see the scrapbook when it’s done!
What artist do you wish you could collaborate with and why?
It just happened on our latest record; it was great to work with Taylor Swift because she agreed to do it out of the blue and she’s a great musician and songwriter. She added a lot of honesty to the song “Two is Better Than One” and just brought it to life.
If you could keep one album for the rest of your life what would it be?
The VHS tape of Simon & Garfunkel’s The Concert in Central Park my Dad use to play when I was really young.
Define yourself using one word.
Complicated.