(Credit: Tracey Nearmy/EPA)
Actually, one listen to Good Charlotte’s “Good Morning Revival,” the band’s fourth album, bears him out. Instead of three-chord riffs and Hot Topic-approved anthems, the band has shifted to dance beats, synthesizers and even hip-hop, creating a surprisingly strong pop record that would sound right at home on the radio after “SexyBack.” On the eve of the group’s two nights at Madison Square Garden, Madden has a few things to say about his old punk peers, the press, JT and his new love of DJing.
How’s the tour? And how’d you end up opening for Mr. Sexyback?
Great! Actually, Justin picked us for the tour. We’ve known each other for a few years. When our booking agent asked if we wanted to do this, we were like, yeah!
So who’s going to this show?
I think we share fans. It’s also exciting for some of our fans to see us in a different setting. And Justin’s fans are into it. At first, it seems like an odd bill, but it’s not that strange. We’ve added some dance elements to our music, and we’ve always had one foot in the pop world. We’re embracing that side of us now.
Any chance for an on-stage collaboration?
No way. Justin’s show is so orchestrated. But it’s so fun to watch every night.
Speaking of beats and pop music, you’ve been DJing a lot. Are you good?
Yeah, definitely. That definitely contributed to the more rhythmic side of the record. Me and Joel [Benji's twin brother and GC lead vocalist] spent some time in the last few years DJing around the world, and making some great friends in that field, like Junior Sanchez. Guys like that, I really respect them, and it’s great to meet them and get to know them.
Be honest: Are you actually good at it?
It’s... something I do for fun. But, you know, I’ve done sets in hard cities like NYC and Vegas or L.A. and I can hang with the best of them. If I dedicated a couple of years to it, I think I could pick it up. It’s fun.
More importantly—why? You’re in a position to create your own music... what do you get out of playing other people’s music?
There’s no strings attached. In a band, people have such preconceived notions of what you’re doing and what you should or shouldn’t be doing. As a DJ, you can play a song by any person, because you want to play it. There’s no explanation needed.
Your band has taken some hits from the press over the last few years, and been the target of several gossip sites. What was the strangest rumor you ever heard about Good Charlotte?
That we were put together by a record label. I don’t know, that’s kind of a compliment, right?
Do you read your own reviews? Your latest album, for instance, got a wild set of responses—Spin kinda dug it, some web sites called it an abomination, the U.K. press was pretty kind… the opinions were all over the place.
I enjoy the vast scope of opinion. It’s fun, and it’s great to read to a good review. But you can’t get too attached to either good or bad reviews. You kind of have it give each record a few years and then make your own review. Did you make the record you wanted to do, and did you succeed?
How connected or disconnected do you feel from the punk scene, which is really where Good Charlotte got its start?
Not disconnected at all, but maybe a bit removed. Part of it is an age thing—I’d be lying if I said I wanted to be doing the Warped Tour when I was 40 (laughs). I enjoyed it, and I enjoy those bands, but I’ve been in this band for 8-9 years, and my interests change as I get older. I would hope people would be disappointed if we were singing about the same things now as when I was 20. And that’s what’s great about the world Justin is in—there’s a lot of room there to write about different things and try out different styles.
You have a nephew/niece on the way [Editor’s note: Nicole Richie recently announced she was pregnant with Joel Madden's child.] Any words of wisdom you’re gonna pass along?
(long pause) Um, smile?
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