Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) Discusses Signing Candy Hearts To New Record Label

New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert has spoken out in a new interview about his decision on signing Candy Hearts to his new record label, Violently Happy Records. Check out an excerpt from the feature by clicking read more.

"There’s no denying that Candy Hearts have an incredibly infectious sound. When exactly did they catch your ear?
The first time I heard “Tongue Tied,” Steve was playing it on the bus. Then I got the record and became a super fan. I think what I love about the band is that, I feel like the punk rock/emo scene is filled with singers that sound very similar. They go for that one sound. When I heard Mariel’s voice, I was like, “Finally a singer that doesn’t stick to this formula.” She’s got her own sound and a unique sound. I feel like her voice reminds me of the 90’s, which I really love. I love the band That Dog, and when I heard her voice, it reminded me of a few things from the 90’s. You could hear it on the Clueless soundtrack, and I thought that was really cool. I really like her lyrics too. Even something as simple as, “Erasing every comma so all my thoughts collide.” Lyrics like that are so cool and impress. This band, if they got out there, could do really, really well.
You produced the EP this past spring. Did you see them take a big step during it?
The thing about Candy Hearts is that they’re nowhere near their potential. That’s another reason why I wanted to be a part of it. Candy Hearts is still growing as a band and they need to tour a lot and get tighter as a band. I think everyday with Candy Hearts is a step. I don’t think they’re anywhere near their full potential as a band yet. This is a band that I love. It’s not a race to make them popular. We just want them to tour and to be promoted. We’re going to try to get them to as many people as possible."