Courtesy of The Arrival.

Their new song “Locked and Loaded”, which we featured last week, is the sweetest pop your ears have been yearning for since you turned in all your Backstreet Boys and *NSync paraphernalia for something more “mature”. The Arrival’s sound is a hybrid of pop, rock, r&b, and just down right happiness. In preparation of their upcoming EP, Believe the Hype, the guys have decided to debut a new song from the EP on their Myspace every Sunday until its release on April 8^th. We had the chance to chat with The Arrival’s drummer, Hondu Knight.

ALMOST A-LIST: For those people out there that aren’t familiar with your band, why don’t you give them a bit of background in terms of what you’ve been up to, who you’ve been able to work with on your new EP, etc.

HONDU KNIGHT: The band started back in 2005. I wasn’t the original drummer. They did some tours and put out an EP they recorded with Matt Goldman (whose done Copeland, Underoath). They toured on it for about a year and then the old drummer decided to leave. So they all kind of went their own ways and Jeff ended up writing “Locked and Loaded” in the Fall of 2006. In February of 2007, they asked me to be in the band. We demoed some new songs and labels hit us up. Then we took off to NYC and showcased in November, came home, and recorded and produced the Believe the Hype EP ourselves in December. We got hit up to do the Racing Kites Tour and we just decided to bust ass.

AA-L: You guys use a lot of new media to help promote your band, which has definitely proved successful. How do you think this new method of promotion is helping change the underground music scene?

HK: The new way to promote stuff is awesome (e.g. all those online places, absolutepunk.net, you guys, Myspace). Any kind of place where kids go to find bands is amazing because there’s always kids that look for new music. You can sit around and add people all day, and they’ll check it out…whereas if you go to a show, hand a dude a demo, they usually just throw it on the ground because they don’t want to carry it around…I know this because I’ve done it…

HK: And a lot of record people just sit around and search bands all day. We had an A and R from Columbia hit us up…Why?—Because his friend found us on Myspace. So online promotion is definitely the way to go. You can book a tour, sit on Myspace for hours and hit up the cities that you’re going to go to and people will come out because they took 5 seconds to listen to your band. Once kids start biting on your music, it doesn’t stop. They’ll tell their friends, who will tell their friends, who will tell their friends. It’s like a never ending cycle, long live the internet… and the internet also has porn, which is cool.

AA-L: Many mainstream bands today have started out “underground”, and have worked their way to the top. Nevertheless, they are often accused of “selling out”. What do you guys think about this? Is this a concern?

HK: Ah man…There isn’t really anything called the underground. Kids are going to hate you as soon as you sign and start to get big because kids are like, “I want to be the dude that knew of the band first.” Then as soon as you get big, it’s game over. Fall Out Boy is a perfect example…So as long as you continue making music that you love, (f*) them.
HK: But if you’re a band making music that you love and you continue what you love doing, kids should support you no matter what. Who cares how big you get?

AA-L: So who’s your favorite mainstream artist and why?

HK: Um, well my favorite artist of all time is Tupac, no doubt.

AA-L: Favorite song of his?

HK: Um…there’s a bunch. “Thugz Mansion” is a hit. “Only God Can Judge Me” is baller. Everything he did was golden. But 311 is my favorite band of all time.

AA-L: What superpower do you wish you could have?

HK: Is it bad that I’ve thought about this before? …Me and my brother have had this talk a bunch. I wish I could make hot chicks naked when I saw them…like just rip their clothes off.

AA-L: *laughs* Not like see through their clothes? Just rip them off?

HK:Yeah, make them naked. Only hot chicks though.

AA-L: Alright….Let’s flip the script for a second—What’s one question that you wish interviewers *would* ask you? …and you can go ahead and answer it too

HK: Um…who the coolest one in the band is? And that’s easy–it’s me

AA-L: So which guy gets the most ladies?

HK: Ummm…Honestly, not to brag, but either me or Peter. A lot of people think Peter is massively hot. I think he’s ugly and he needs to quit taking all the ladies.

AA-L: So why do you think you get all the ladies then?

HK: ‘Cause Peter tells me. *laughs* Actually it was only like two girls.

AA-L: … I hope they were legal…

HK: *Laughs* I don’t know if they were or not. But we’ll say Jeff gets all the ladies ‘cause he’s got the voice. I think his voice is sexy as hell.

AA-L: You should ask him to sing you to sleep.

HK: Dear Jeff—will you sing me to sleep? Thanks! Your Friend, Hondu

AA-L: Where do you see yourselves musically in the next 5 years? Who do you hope to be touring or collaborating with?

HK: I don’t really know where I see myself, but I want to be making music somehow. I want to be on a bus, touring the country, playing shows every night to kids that love my band…As far as collaborating with? Anyone and everyone! I know the whole band would sh* their pants if we ever worked with Justin Timberlake or Timbaland.

AA-L: Alright last question! Do some shameless self promoting–why should readers check out your music or shows?

HK: They should check out our music because we aren’t a band that’s trying to do everything else. You might like it, you might not…but at least give it a listen. Sure, we could be the worst thing you’ve ever heard, but we could also be the best think you’ve heard. Give it a fair shot. Check out our Myspace, our live show is amazing, we’re uber fun, we play POGS after shows and before shows with our fans…we love meeting anyone and everyone. We’re just normal dudes having fun on the road.

AA-L: Well said! …and major boss points to you guys for actually playing pogs! You guys seem really down to earth and connected with your fans, which is definitely a plus. I’ve met some pretty stank bands that are just like “whatever” about their fans.

HK: Yeah dude we always try to comment people and talk to them. We always give our screen name out.

AA-L: Do you think it’ll be harder to do that though, once you get bigger?

HK: Who knows. We’ll do our best to talk…if I ever get to the point where I’m signing autographs for 5 hours a day, then I’d do it.

The Arrival will be heading out on tour in May. Visit their Myspace for more information and a chance to listen to the new tracks off their EP, Believe the Hype.