Closer And Closure

(03) Claim That You Care

Kelen's P.O.V:

Preparing for an interview, I stood in front of a tripod and camera and drank some water as I watched the interviewer and his crew get everything ready.

"Hey, I'm Josh from AP, and I'm here with Kelen today" the interviewer, Josh, asked with a smile. "First question comes from Annie in Utah, and that is, do you have a dream tour?"

"Do I have a dream tour? Well, Annie, I don't know..." I trailed off, thinking for a moment. "Well we talk about how much we hate Pearl Jam and I know..."

"You hate Pearl Jam?!" Josh asked with a raised eyebrow, sounding surprised.

"Well yeah, so I guess we just wouldn't want Pearl Jam on a dream tour, that's for sure" I laughed, shaking my head at the thought. "My actual dream tour would have to include... Probably Red Hot Chili Peppers."

"First CD and concert? Asked by Jack from Sydney" Josh asked, laughing quietly at my previous answer.

"My first CD was actually Losing Streak by Less Than Jake. That was the first CD I remember buying myself at a store. My first concert was... Well, I started going to heaps of local shows when I was around 11, they were my first shows."

"Favourite song off of 'What You Don't See?'" Josh read out the next question. "From Dan in Chicago."

"I would have to say All Wrong. I don't know... I know a lot of people who like that song, for a good reason. It has a nice groove to it, so I mean, it's diving into the realm of what you don't see and I guess that means the type of stuff that happens behind the scenes for us five."

"Were you ever told you wouldn't be able to make it?" Josh asked, looking down at the card in his hand. "From Sasha in London."

"I don't know if that was the case exactly, but a lot of people saw potential and said things like 'you can do things' and you know, I didn't think this'd all happen as soon or as quick as it did because it doesn't happen too often for a lot of people" I began, stopping to think about what to say next. "We're going to have fans who are strictly Under Soil and Dirt fans, and we're going to write an album that some people will think is a step up and not equal to that album."

"Who has always been there for you? Asked by Rachael in Kentucky" Josh continued onto the next question, as a familiar group of people came into my view. I realised it was Tonight Alive, and gave a small wave to them.

"Mainly my family, y'know, they've been there for me since day one. Literally since day one - y'know, starting to walk and saying my first words" I smiled at the thought, laughing quietly with Josh. "But for real, they were great. I did have to buy my own gear and all that but I think that's very character building so that was good. It was always 'play as loud as you want but buy your own gear'. That pushed me to be a better player, I think that method is really good."

"This is the last question from Zachary in Melbourne," Josh began. "Was there a worst phase in your life?"

I looked up, getting ready to answer. Jenna shot a smile my way and I returned it. She was only with Whak now and was standing with the interviewer. It made me slightly nervous for some reason, that I guess I'd have to figure out later or just forget about. 

"Worst phase in my life? I don't know. I mean, high school definitely sucked - as it did for almost all of us. I did get sent to boarding schools and stuff so at one point... I'd wander around at lunch with no place to go. I ended up selling candy - of all things - at school and that gave me happiness, I suppose. I then got involved in a program that helped special ed kids, and things were looking up then."