Quotes from Chad Gilbert

Every record from New Found Glory is a little different. We're a real band that writes songs about our everyday relationships - like, our personal war, not war and government or politics.

I realized music is the most important thing to me and I love writing songs, and I think I had more to say in life.

We had such a huge fan base, they couldn't ignore us anymore. MTV was playing us on 'TRL.' We even did a TRL-sponsored tour that was Good Charlotte and us.

I still get excited for band practice, like I love when we're about to go on tour and we all get together and practice. I'm so excited, it's like the first day of school. You check out everyone's new backpack.

We're hoping that fans who have listened for a while, or only know the singles will be like, 'Damn, man, I didn't realize track 9 on 'Catalyst,' I didn't realize how awesome that song is.'

All our old record reviews were like, 'Oh, these skate punk kids, blah, blah, blah.' And I don't skate, and we're not skate punks.

I always looked up to Billie Joe because every song on Green Day's albums was catchy and good.

I was on a cruise with my grandma when I was a kid. I remember winning $10 on the slot machine.

I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, so those are the values I live by.

If we meet some people that are in love with NFG that are a major label, then we'll sign with them. If we meet people that are in love with NFG that are an independent label - and they have a plan - well, then we'll sign to them. It's completely up to us.

Though we love the big exposure, our true love and passion is for the intimate club shows.

Those who have to struggle with addiction in their lives know the 'you only live once' mentality doesn't really work because you can only do that for so often before you're self-destructive.

If you're in the music to move to Hollywood and be in 'People' magazine dating an actress or dating some Hollywood celebrity, are you into it for that side of it? Are you in it to be a millionaire? Or are you in it because you love it and you like playing music and you like going on tour?

Some of my favorite songs are slow songs, like Guns N' Roses' 'November Rain.'

I know a lot of people feel pressure with their major label sophomore CD and having to follow up their first record real good. Well, we didn't have that pressure, because we have a real loyal fanbase, not a fanbase because we're on the radio, know what I mean?

We did two nights at a place in Southern California that only holds about 500 people. It was really intimate... Everyone was in lingerie... OK, every time someone says a show was intimate, my head always goes there.

I suppose we don't know that much about how the music business operates in the U.K., but from what I've heard, it's a pretty big deal.

One of the most distinctive things about our band is Jordan's voice. It stands out - in a good way for some people and in a bad way for others. But there's no mistaking it. That gives us a lot of room to do what we want musically. With Jordan singing, it'll always sound like New Found Glory.

You think of your first album, when we had no clue what we were doing, we had no clue if people were going to like it or not, we did it because we love it.

'My Friends Over You' has two guitars, but if you listen to us live, it's the same... I know how to hit a rhythm note and play lead at the same time.

In our band, every member has input, but me and Steve do the majority of the writing. We start the songs, the rest of the band help us finish it.

There are parts in albums where I wrote a lot of the lyrics. There are parts on albums where Steve wrote a lot of the lyrics, even albums where Steve did the majority of the lyric writing. Then there were albums like 'Coming Home' where I did most of the chorus lyric writing. But it was always split.

My stepfather, Steve Mallonee, is a retired Miami Beach firefighter, loved and adored by many. After numerous years of heroic work, saving lives through fire and heavy smoke, he has developed a very fatal lunge disease called Pulmonary Fibrosis.

I've got this inflatable Darth Vader that I stole off the roof of a Burger King. I went in and asked the girl at the counter if I could have it, and she said she didn't care, but she wasn't going to get me a ladder or anything like that. So I just kind of pulled myself up there, cut it loose and took off.