“I want to be king of the jungle, man,” Danny Stevens tells me, laughing. The lead singer of The Audition is referring to being a lion, could he be any animal he wanted, but his ambition is not restricted to the hypothetical. As a musician, Stevens has a lot of drive.
“I’m exhausted right now,” he admits. “I’ve been home one day since January 12.” As we speak, The Audition is in Ohio, waiting to perform with fellow rockers Hit The Lights and Every Avenue on the Spring Break 08 tour. Once that’s over in May, the boys will head over to Europe and then down to Australia, before heading back to the US for the Vans Warped Tour over the summer. By the end, it will be seven months of straight touring.
Good thing they like it. “It’s a really fun tour. It’s weird that you get everybody to get along on the first shot. It’s takes a while usually, but in the first two days we just got along so well,” Stevens explains of his current tour mates. The Audition is also excited for some fun on the Warped Tour.
“We did two weeks two years ago, so we’re looking forward to doing it all this year.” With over 100 bands on the line-up, and a plethora of dates all over the country, there’s a lot to look forward to. “It’s just so much fun to hang out with your boys. It’s like a big summer camp,” explains Stevens.
Stevens began his quest through the musical jungle back in 2003, when he saw a New Found Glory/RX Bandits show. “That was the defining moment where I was like, ‘Man, I love music. I want to do this. This seems like so much fun, and I can’t wait to get out on the road.’” That was in high school, and by the time Stevens graduated in 2005, The Audition had formed out of Chicago. “I joined up and quit school, quit all that stuff, and I guess the rest is history.”
Like a dream come true for Stevens, The Audition supported New Found Glory in Australia last year on their six-show tour. Stevens was thrilled with his idols. “They were so much fun, and so down to earth for all the success that they had.”
The Audition has changed a little since their first album, Controversy Loves Company came out in 2005. “I think we just grew up. We’re all three years older,” explains Stevens. “I was 18 when I wrote the last record. I was fresh out of high school. I’ve seen so much in the last three years. I’ve learned so much. And I think that really shows in our music. We’re not a bunch of kids anymore.”
The band may have grown up, but the new album is still the same brand of radio rock, although critics tend to misconstrue their sound. Many reviews have categorised The Audition as another emo act, but that’s not really the case.
“I think it’s funny,” says Stevens. “Emo bands to me are like Juliana Theory and The Get Up Kids and old Saves the Day. We’re just a straight pop rock band. We don’t really consider ourselves an emo band at all.” He’s not upset with the confusion, as long as the band is doing okay. And since their second album, Champion – which came out in January – has climbed up to number 20 on the independent Billboard charts, what is there to complain about?
The band is not taking the attention for granted. “We just try to meet people and make fans,” Stevens says of The Audition’s agenda. “We want to tour and get out there, and play for as many people as we can and have a good time ultimately.”
Australia is included in that goal. The Audition will be playing alongside their compatriots Story Of The Year at the following shows:
30 May – The Tivoli, Brisbane
31 May – Luna Park Big Top, Sydney
1 June – Billboard, Melbourne (U-18s)
2 June – Billboard, Melbourne (18+)
