M: As the year has just begun, do you guys have any New Year’s Resolutions as a band?

J: Playing SNL has always been something.. and any other Late Night we haven’t played, like Colbert, would be really cool. But SNL, yeah!

But that’s not really a New Year’s Resolution. I feel like it’s just a goal in general. This year though… It’s not really anything outspoken but we’re writing a lot of new music and it just feels like… I mean, I guess I could spill the beans. It doesn’t really matter, fuck it: We’re making a new record. We’re already in the process and it’s going really smoothly and nicely. It’s been really fun, to be honest. That’s like the main thing, that’s the most important. But yeah, [the main goal is] getting this record done.

R: That’s something I wanted to ask because I read that you’ve started to jam a lot more as a band. Did that help the writing process?

J: It helped everything. It’s like a form of communication. When somebody speaks a different language and you’re able to have that connection with them or when you play video games, that’s like a language that people can speak without ever having to talk with actual words and I think music is one of those forms of communications. When you get in a room with people that know how to do it you start talking and then you learn when to be quiet, you know what I mean?! We didn’t do that enough. It’s like a weird magical kind of feeling – It’s so basic but so cool.

M: Releasing new stuff that’s kind of different, is that scary to you?

J: No, we don’t think of it that way, really. We’ve been doing that since the beginning, in our opinion. We’ve always kind of just done what we would like to do and experiment along the way, but still making it ‘pop’, I guess. And I feel like that was kind of always – sorry to go back to it – something that feels good about how we’re writing now and jamming and stuff. Because, as free as we ever were, we still have the idea of ‘pop’ and there’s probably a lot of me always wanting that. And also how we got our start and our first song that really did something for us. I always considered that a fucking pop song even though the world sees it as an alternative rock song. It has always felt like pop to me. And I think once we broke that idea down, too, it made it way better.

M: Is there anything you haven’t tried out yet that you’ve kind of shied away from?

J: Yes and no. I’m trying not to do everything I want to fucking do, now. I won’t have an identity, I wouldn’t know who I am. I know I CAN write all these types of different songs and that’s cool but there’s something that people identify me with when it comes to music, and then there’s other songs that they maybe do not [identify me with] as much and I understand that but also I'd like the people that listen to our music to accept me and what I’m doing. 

R: You think writing music helps you figuring out who you are?

J: Fully. It’s crucial for me, like health-wise, you know what I mean? I don’t know what it’s like not to do it. Ever since I feel like I’ve kind of just done it.

M: Does other media inspire your writing like books or movies?

J: Yeah, probably everything. Kind of can’t help it. Especially nowadays. I have the inspiration-machine constantly on me (takes out his phone). But I think that’s a good thing.

R: If you could support any artist, who would you choose?

J: Like support them as a fan or go on tour and open for them?

R/M: Open for them!

J: Uhhh… (laughs) Nobody ever! (jokes) No, I genuinely think if we went on tour with SZA that would be a cool tour. I like what she does. Rihanna, too, that would be so sick. Weeknd would be dope. And I’m not just naming my favorite things – not that they’re not things that I love, I definitely love all of [them] – but I also like being conscious of our crowds and music. 

R: Are there any conspiracy theories you believe in?

M: Or the rest of the guys?

J: Oh yeah, that’s really a question for them! Probably all of them in a way. Like anybody can lie. We’re all capable of it. It doesn’t matter how powerful or weak you are in the chain of the system. You could be born a liar, some people are just so equipped with that capability and manipulation. I think we all can but some people use it more for evil. I could almost believe anything but also really think everything is just fucking complete bullshit. Because we all need a reason to believe in SOMETHING to give us hope or the idea that ‘I wanna wake up tomorrow and still keep going’ and I don’t know… I’m going too far.

R: So.... there’s a conspiracy theory about you as well?!

J: There is?

R: I don’t think so, but we can make one up now.

J: Yeah, YOU GUYS gotta make one up. 

(everyone laughing)

M: How do you feel about social media? Do you feel you have to take breaks sometimes just because it’s too much [to deal with]?

J: I guess any sensation you’ve felt in your life, the second time you feel it is just never as good as the first time. So the gazillionth time you’ve felt it, to me, is just not as exciting anymore. 

R: It becomes normal.