Q: Compare your state of mind from before you recorded "Ocean Avenue" to when you recorded "Lights and Sounds".

A: Before I recorded "Ocean Avenue", we had a lack of material going in, so we had a lot of writing to do when we got into the studio, we were trying to get things right and not trying to do something that's already been done. Coming into "Lights and Sounds", we had months of pre-production and you know, getting prepared for the record before it was even time for it to be recorded. So I was mentally a lot more prepared and a lot more at peace with myself to go into the studio.

Q: What were you doing when Pete and Ryan went to write songs for the new album in New York?

A: Oh, we were all writing. I mean, Pete and Ryan went and wrote in New York but we all flew in every now and then to put our two cents in and kind of made it blossom.

Q: What was your reaction when you first joined them and saw what they were doing?

A: The second I heard it I fell in love with the songs. I knew they were gonna turn out to be something really great. It was a different form of writing, cause we haven't written like this, I mean, ever. It was the first time we'd written this way, where Ryan and Pete moved to New York and started getting the melodies down and then we all went out and we put the tracks together. When we did "Ocean Avenue" we were all in a mountain house together for like three or four weeks, living together like the Real World house, and we basically made the circle go around that way. So it was a way different style of writing that we've done on this one and it felt a little more comfortable, cause we were all going our separate ways and we could all come to peace with ourselves and kinda relax away from the road.

Q: Do you guys ever look at some bands and try to do the opposite of what they're doing?

A: I'm a strong, firm believer that you should definitely be an original with whatever you do musically. I think that a lot of bands these days like to emulate other bands that are out there, and I'm a firm believer in gathering ideas. I started playing when I was two, playing jazz, and all I've done is just incorporated what I've learned into what I play now. So as far as writing music, I don't look at a particular group and try to do exactly what he's doing. I may take an idea and in my head change it around a little bit or take an idea and learn from it.

Q: Has your varied musical background influenced the band's style?

A: When I was 2-years-old the first drumset I ever sat behind was [iconic jazz drummer] Max Roach's kit. That's as far back in jazz as I go, and it's definitely grown to impact my way of playing now. My jazz background, my metal background and all this kinda comes into play in our songs, which you won't really hear if you listen to the whole package and try to put it all together, but if you listen to each part, each piece individually, you can kinda hear the difference - where we came together, where we collaborated and where we each came from.

Q: In your opinion, who's the hardest hitting drummer out there and who is the most technically gifted?

A: Hardest hitting? That's a good one. I have to say probably two for that one. I'm gonna say Joey Jordison from Slipknot for sure and then Travis Barker. Technically gifted? Carter Beauford from Dave Matthews, for sure. Actually, I take that back. Tony Royster Jr - he's a new, up and coming drummer, I think he's got some chops behind him. He's taken a style that has been flavoured already and he's re-seasoned it (laughs).