WE ARE THE FALLEN Singer Says IRON MAIDEN Is 'The Best Band Ever'

Shirley Halperin of the Los Angeles Times recently conducted an interview with WE ARE THE FALLEN singer Carly Smithson. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Los Angeles Times: Coming in as a songwriter when Ben [Moody; former EVANESCENCE and current WE ARE THE FALLEN guitarist/songwriter] is already so successful in that field, how was that for you?

Carly: I was obviously a little intimidated when I first met them, but I've been writing for years. I showed them "Bury Me Alive", which was a song I had written in Atlanta, but I needed a producer to take it to that next level, and they did. They completed the song as I originally dreamed it. When we had our first meeting, I was very adamant that they wouldn't take over. I said, "I wanna write a huge portion of this record," so we all collaborated. It was like this little little factory of people bouncing ideas off each other. Everybody has their place and their part — I mainly take care of melody and lyrics, I leave the music to the boys — and it all works perfectly together. After having them so excited over that first song, it gave me that confidence to continue working with them.

Los Angeles Times: Having been through the music business ringer, and now that the band is signed to Universal/Republic, the same parent company that infamously signed you back in 1999, do you feel like you got a better deal this time around?

Carly: Of course. Back then, I was a teenager and what does a teenager know? Nobody listens to them. I feel like now I'm an adult and in this band, we call our own shots. We're very involved with everything in our career, from our songs down to our album cover. We've all learned so much over the years and have had these dreams of wanting to do this or that, but it was never the right moment. And now, it's the right moment. Our record company has been completely supportive and they've allowed us to spread our wings and fly away. It's amazing. I'm so happy with this label.

Los Angeles Times: What is the biggest change you've noticed in the music industry between your first time around and now?

Carly: Obviously record sales. The whole digital world was just happening when I started. Everything evolves and everything changes. The way people make music nowadays is very different. But with this band, we actually went old school: We had a full orchestra, a choir, the whole record is live musicians. It's very real and organic. Our idea for this record was Tim Burton meets the "Braveheart" soundtrack.

Los Angeles Times: How would you define success for this album?

Carly: To get to make another one. That's what's great about this band; we've all been there and done the whole fame thing, and that's not what we're here for. We're here to be creative and make music. Like Lady Gaga, she puts all her money back into everything she does, she just wants to create everyday, and I think we're the same.

Los Angeles Times: Did you and Ben discuss your version of [EVANESCENCE's] "Bring Me to Life"?

Carly: He kind of chuckled at the whole R&B vibe it. On "Idol" tour, the contestants don't get to produce the music that's played behind them, and that was as rock as it gets. Actually, that was one song I didn't want to sing, not because I don't love the song, but because [at the beginning] I was pitchy as hell! I was afraid and I almost didn't sing it on the tour, but it was too late, the instrumentation was already being done. I wanted to do "Stairway to Heaven" but the [tour producer] said "Bring Me to Life" fits with the rest of the program. It was ironic.

Los Angeles Times: You're playing IRON MAIDEN's "Flight of Icarus" during your set? Why that song?

Carly: The best band ever! I actually wanted to do it on "American Idol" as a ballad, but it didn't work out — clearances and stuff. It's such a great song and has a soaring chorus. Plus, I learned about that story in school. But I just love IRON MAIDEN. My dream duet would be singing "Run to the Hills" with Jack Black.

Read the entire interview from the Los Angeles Times.