PropertyOfZack Interview : : Four Year Strong

In celebration of their new release, Enemy Of The World, I am posting the PropertyOfZack exclusive interview with Josh Lyford of Four Year Strong! In the interview Josh answers some questions after their latest release, tours, and a very special prank. Everybody enjoy the read and send out a big thanks to Josh and the rest of the band!

1. For the record, could you state your name and role in the band?

I am Josh Lyford and I play the keys and sing in Four Year Strong

2. You guys just finished your tour with Strike Anywhere, This Time Next Year, and Title Fight. How was the tour for the band?

the tour was amazing, made alot of new friends, and saw some old ones. the shows were all nuts and aside from dislocating my finger and the entire bands neverending sickness, it was a total blast!

3. You’re in Australia right now for the Soundwave Festival, are you guys pretty stoked to start playing shows over there and for being apart of the festival itself?

Definitely stoked, this is actually our second trip down under and it didnt disappoint.

4. Back in July Four Year Strong released Explains It All, being that all the songs were obviously 90’s covers, do you think your fans generally enjoyed the release?

Probably not, I think alot of people were put off by it a little bit.  we made it for fun while working on new songs, i think people were disappointed it wasnt a full length of originals, which is understandable from their perspective.  but now its only a few days until our new record comes out!

5. Was there a reason the band decided to record Explains It All before going into the studio to record Enemy Of The World?

We didnt have time to record the full length, and we had a bit of time off so we thought it would be a nice little treat until then.

6. Enemy Of The World will be released on March 9th, are you getting nervously excited for the release? Fans seem to be having overwhelmingly positive feedback to “It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now” and “Eternal Summer”.

At this point, we’re really happy with the new record, if it doesnt do well, at least we can be proud of it and did our best.  With that said, i hope people really like it!

7. What song are you most proud of on the record?

all of them, i got to do a little more vocal-wise on this one which im excited about, and i really enjoy all of the songs.

8. A few weeks back the band alongside of Pete Wentz, Vinnie from The Movielife, among a few others took a trip to one of the Apple Stores in New York City to make a mock video for “Eternal Summer,” who came up with that idea?

Pete actually, we didnt know anything about it until it was all done, good to have awesome friends!

9. Pete’s been talking a lot on twitter and other sites about Enemy Of The World, does it help confidence wise to have a good friend boasting to the world about just how good your upcoming release will be?

Its really nice, Petes a great guy and he helps us out alot, we all really appreciate it!

10. What will be the main differences between Rise Or Die Trying and Enemy Of The World? The band has had a few years to grow since 2007.

The main thing is we made ROD and have been on the road ever since. I mean that literally, its been about three years of nonstop touring, being home for a month or two a year, we’re a tighter unit. Writing this record we had a really good idea of what everyone brought to the table and what our strengths and weaknesses are.

11. It was revealed a short time ago that Four Year Strong had signed with Universal/Motown, how did that come together and where does that leave you in terms of being a part of Decaydance Records?

We are still a part of decaydance, and we’re still really close with Isurrender, I still talk to rob almost every day.  We’re not the type to leave friends behind or anything and we’re happy to have a couple new ones to help out.

12. A few weeks ago Josh started a whirlwind of confusion for many by blogging about a wizard monkey stealing the master copy of the record, then later a so called review was posted on AbsolutePunk by said wizard monkey. Did you guys enjoy the little prank?

I loved the prank, I wrote that fake review from the perspective of an angry reviewer and then came up with the monkey wizard blog and fake FYS press release after the fact.  I love writing, and I love having fun, I think most of our fans got the joke and appreciated it.  Everyone can have fun at our expense, we figured we could join in on it a little bit at least.

13. After Enemy Of The World is released you’ll be heading out on tour with Every Time I Die to promote the record and then you’ll be playing the first day of Bamboozle in New Jersey. Looking forward to all that?

Of course! we are good friends with ETID so really psyched to go out with those guys.  We have toured with polar bear club before and they are really great dudes, and we just played a show with Trapped Under Ice.  Their shows are fuckign insane and theyre good dudes, also I love their band.

14. After Bamboozle will the band be taking time off before the Warped Tour or will some sort of tour announcement be popping up soon for the time between May and late June?

Believe me, we will be busy as hell as usual, no rest for the weary unfortunately, but we’re happy to get out there and show people the new songs.  we do have a bit of time off lined up, so hopefully that doesnt get filled in, but otherwise, road dogs all the way.

15. Well, thank you so much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Come to a show! check out the new jams, and if you hate us, at least
go to other bands shows and support them and music in general.