Sometimes friendship and business makes for a messy combination, but for the pop-rock band, Maroon 5, it has proven to be a formula for success.
The band was recently in Barbados for the CHUM-FM concert at Holders, joining the likes of Jennifer Hudson and Susie McNeil. WE Magazine sat down with the group’s front man, Adam Levine, sporting a plethora of tattoos on both arms, along with fellow bandmember, Jesse Carmichael.
Though they had recently arrived on the island, the two showed no signs of jetlag or sluggishness. Perhaps it was the Barbadian sunshine and the tropical breezes, but the two were brimming with an excitement when discussing their latest record, Hands All Over and Rihanna.
“The first thing we said upon getting here is that everyone here sounds like Rihanna,” Levine said smiling. “I hear a bit of her in all of you.” Rihanna played an integral role in the success of Maroon 5 when she paired up the band on the hit song, If I Never See Your Face Again which was nominated for a Grammy.
“Rihanna’s fantastic” Levine said. “It was great working with her, she’s the real deal. Besides being really beautiful she has an amazing voice, and she’s good people. We love her, she’s our girl.” The sentiment was echoed by Carmichael.
While the Rihanna effect worked well for Maroon 5, they’ve proven to be a band that has evolved tremendously over time. Their mix of music and Levine’s vocal prowess have given the group an unrecognizable edge, especially with songs like Misery on their current album.
After releasing their debut album Songs About Jane which contained the hit singles, Harder To Breathe, This Love, She Will Be Loved and Sunday Morning, earning them the Grammy award for Best New Artiste in 2005. Since debuting in 2002, the band has sold over 10 million albums in the United States and 15 million worldwide. Now on their third album, Hands All Over, the band is continuing their chart-topping success.
The group was formed out of their days as students at Los Angeles, Brentwood High School, where Levine, Carmichael, bassist Mickey Madden and drummer Ryan Dusick, actually dubbed themselves Kara’s Flowers. It was after guitarist James Valentine joined that the group changed to Maroon 5. Valentine left the group in 2006 and was replaced by Matt Flynn.
“We managed to maintain our camaraderie and friendship since going to school together,” Levine says of the group’s closeness. “I don’t know how we’ve done it. I guess it’s just because we’re such a tight unit as people, basically all of what we do is like a family, and that’s how we see it. We just kept the right people close to us.”
“I think we’re lucky to have grown up together, all the stuff that’s happened since we were 12 years old and now to see how we have evolved has been great, Carmichael said.
While the group has been likened to musical stalwarts such as Journey and Huey Lewis and the News, they have managed to churn out songs with amazing melodies that stick with you. One thing they do share with those great bands, is a distinctive sounding lead singer in Levine, who is earning the group accolades and cementing their place on the musical scene.
“We’re going on tour, promoting the record, playing songs, getting better with the band and have a lot of exciting things up our sleeve, says Levine. “ I’m doing a reality TV show now in the States, which is kind of strange but I think it’s going to be a great thing for the band.”
