Pop-punk has made its triumphant return to our lives. My Chemical Romance has announced UK tour dates, The Offspring remains “Pretty Fly,” and Simple Plan shows that we’re never too old to embrace our inner child. It feels like the early 2000s again, although for those of us born in the 90s (like me), we’re feeling some aches and clicks in our joints. Regardless, completing this revival is Good Charlotte. "We’re back. We’re genuinely back," declares lead singer Joel Madden. “...the hiatus is over,” adds guitarist Benji.
After a seven-year hiatus, Joel and Benji Madden, along with Paul Thomas (bass) and Billy Martin (guitar, keyboards), have returned with their latest album, ‘Motel Du Cap’. The record encapsulates the raw, riff-heavy energy of their breakout years while also introducing new themes about fatherhood, family, and believing in oneself. We are having a Zoom chat with the guys, both at their homes in LA, discussing the resurgence of pop punk. They reveal that their comeback wasn’t actually planned; it was unintended. “So many people told us, ‘This next wave of emo is back, and you should make a record,’” Joel remembers. “We understood the sentiment, but we didn’t have a record to make back then. We tried to ignore that and wait for the right moment to feel inspired. All it took was a wedding in the south of France,” he chuckles.
That wedding (for their sister) was a pivotal moment. The band hadn’t performed together in over five years but was asked to play a short set by their sister and her fiancé. Performing that night for 30 minutes rekindled their memories of their beginnings. “It was one of our best shows,” Joel reflects. “I can’t quite put it into words, but it made me want to perform again. It had a very garage-like feel; we just went out there without much rehearsal,” Benji notes.
From that point on, the brothers immediately entered the studio with producers Jordan Fish and Zakk Cervin. The first song they created was ‘Rejects’, which became the lead single for the album. “It captured that exact moment when we fell back in love with performing together,” Benji shares. However, unlike their earlier years, the Maddens returned with a fresh outlook. “With our first few albums, we were simply reacting to what felt good,” Benji explains. “As time went on, there were more outside influences: label executives, managers. You want to please everyone, especially the fans, which shifts your focus. Suddenly, you go from being unknown to having a fanbase, and the desire to satisfy them can become overwhelming. That’s just who we are – we enjoy making people happy.”
This authenticity permeates through ‘Motel Du Cap’. Tracks like ‘Dress Rehearsal’ possess an unexpected emotional depth (“When I first heard the rough cut, it moved me,” Benji confesses), while ‘I Don’t Work Here Anymore’ serves as a powerful anthem for self-confidence. “It's really about believing in yourself,” Joel elaborates. “It takes courage, but I feel it’s a vital message for people to hear.” Yet, don't confuse this with a mellow, mature version of Good Charlotte. The riffs are sharp, the energy is palpable, and the essence of ‘The Anthem’ remains intact. “We have more to offer now,” Benji states. “More life experiences, more stories to tell, and we’re really enjoying it.” But what thrills Joel the most is being part of a larger movement. “There’s a new appreciation for heavy music among fans now that wasn’t there a decade ago, and it keeps evolving,” he says. “I predict that in the next five years, we’ll witness new peaks in heavy music, alternative music, pop punk, emo – all subgenres of rock.”
He adds, “We're going to see bands push beyond what most believe is possible. While many say the 2000s were the peak, I think new heights are on the horizon. I see a fresh audience, people who haven’t been exposed to heavy or rock music, only familiar with classic rock or algorithm-driven pop music. They're looking for something more live, organic, and raw – songs that were written with heart.” This sentiment perfectly describes Good Charlotte's new album. Every song is crafted specifically for this project, reflecting a snapshot of their current journey, truly written “at a moment in time for a reason.”
Joel excitedly continues, “We are entering an era reminiscent of the 2000s, but now there’s less genre confinement. Bands have the freedom to blend different styles and experiment. Twenty years ago, if you were a pop punk band between two heavy bands on a festival bill, you'd likely get overshadowed. Today, fans’
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Pop-punk has made a triumphant return to our lives. My Chemical Romance has revealed UK tour dates, The Offspring are still ‘Pretty Fly’, and Simple Plan are demonstrating