Paramore: Getting to the Top the Old Fashion Way?

Ever since the “unforeseen” success of their headlining single “Misery Business” from their album “Riot!”. Is Paramore here to remind us the “good old days” of punk rock and getting famous the old fashion way?


By: Vanessa Uy


Ever since their MTV debut via the single “Misery Business” aired on our local MTV affiliate, I thought that our local MTV Asia affiliate had mistakenly aired a circa 1989 power pop / punk video of a talented young band. I thought good bands like Paramore only exists15 to 20 years ago. Maybe I’m listening to 24 bit 192 KHz sampled Punk Rock reissues for far too long. Now that almost all of the under 25 “punk rockers” already knew them (I just turned 11 and I only discovered Paramore back in August 2007), here’s a much needed refresher course for the uninitiated. Named after a friend of the band mother’s maiden name Paramore is a Pop Punk (Power Pop?) band which hails from Franklin, Tennessee. Also after finding out that Paramore means “secret lover”, the band chose it. The band’s vocalist and primary center of attention is Haley Williams. Their current line-up by this time of writing includes lead guitarist Josh Farro and his brother Zac Farro on drums and bassist Jeremy Davis. Since today’s MTV – based music is primarily a visual medium the other members of Paramore can only be appreciated by ear because of the band’s “hot” vocalist.

Paramore was already busy “paying their dues” in the touring circuit since 2005. By April 2005, the band already signed to a record label. Then Paramore released their debut “All We Know Is Falling” in July 24, 2005 reaching #30 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart. Later in that year, Paramore was featured on the Shira Girl Stage of the 2005 Warped Tour. In 2006, Paramore released an EP titled “The Summer Tick”. Their first night on the Main Stage was at their hometown show of Nashville. Paramore’s first US headlining tour began on August 2, 2006 to a sold-out audience with support from This Providence. With this under their belts, Paramore was voted “Best New Band” by the readers’ poll of “Kerrang!” magazine.

By the start of 2007, Paramore was named by NME (is this the same NME circa-1980?) as one of ten bands to watch out for in the magazine’s “New Noise 2007” feature (the band Girlschool used to be on that list back in 1980!). In addition to this accolade, the band played an acoustic set for the grand opening of a “Warped Tour” exhibit at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame that opened in January. The dress worn by Paramore’s vocalist Haley Williams for the “Emergency” music video was also put into the exhibit (Queer Eye alert!). And by the recording and release of “Riot!” around June 2007, Paramore already mastered the ropes of studio and live- gigs. By December 7, 2007 CNN ran a news feature about next years Grammy nominees lists Paramore as one of the Best New Artists.

To me, it seems like new bands that seek fame and recognition via the old fashion way i.e. “paying their dues” on the touring circuit and in the studio seems to scare the hell out of MTV’s current incarnation – or is this just endemic in MTV’s ASEAN franchise? Aspiring bands should be exposed to young and gifted talents like the band Paramore in order to end this endemic batch of major label crap (and surprisingly young “talent”) that only current “Media Pirates” seem to cherish because they can earn money from it.