SINGAPORE : After seven years and a string of hits like "Addicted," "Shut Up" and "Welcome to My Life," Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan ditched the tried and tested and showed a different side to them in their third studio album, "Simple Plan."

It was all worth the risk - and wait - as Simple Plan never sounded better.

"When I’m Gone," the first single from the self-titled album gave the band their best chart position in the UK, coming in at number 26.

"For us, it [the song] kind of represents what this band does. I think there are a lot of times when you grow up with the small town syndrome; you get worried about doing something great because you are worried about what other people think, what people will say," said Simple Plan frontman Pierre Bouvier in an interview with Singapore radio station 938LIVE.

"Sometimes you just got to shed that negative energy and just move your a** out and do something... so that’s about seizing the moment and making something of yourself, and not worrying what people will think."

If you happen to catch the music video, look out for celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, a friend of the guys, who was invited to make a cameo appearance. The band has also worked with other artistes in the past like Joel Madden from Good Charlotte and Mark Hoppus of blink-182, but don’t expect a collaboration between Simple Plan and fellow Canadian pop-punk band Sum 41, whose vocalist, Deryck Whibley, is the husband of pop singer Avril Lavigne.

Said Bouvier, "There's always been this kind of a feud between Sum 41 and us. Long time ago, there was a misinformation on some website and ever since then, we’ve never been the best of friends. I think they’re a good band but we don’t seem to get along. Maybe it’s because we went on tour with Avril Lavigne and maybe there were some rumours of some previous fornications... I don’t know."

Simple Plan who is currently on tour in Europe, is more than just about music.

In 2005, the band set up the Simple Plan Foundation, a charitable organisation which devotes time and energy to raise money to help teenagers in need. The foundation focuses on problems such as suicide, drink driving and drug addiction.

"We got involved with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Kids Help Phone. We haven’t had a chance to actually go out there and do more. I want to do more for children’s hospitals," said Bouvier. "The foundation is something that we think is really important... we raised a lot of money with it in the last couple of years and now it’d be time to figure out what we’re going to do with it." - CNA/il


Catch Pierre Bouvier's full interview with Melanie Oliveiro on 938LIVE.