Four Year Strong

21 December 2009 | 2:05 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Four Year Strong will be bringing their beards and pop punk breakdowns to our fine country once again, this time as part of the 2010 Soundwave Festival. We caught up with Synth man Josh Lyford for a chat.

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Four Year Strong will be bringing their beards and pop punk breakdowns to our fine country once again, this time as part of the 2010 Soundwave Festival.


We caught up with Synth man Josh Lyford for a chat.

Can I grab your name, what you do in FYS and your social security number please?

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My name appreciates the grope, and my social security number is 420-69-1134. (Josh Lyford, synth).


Where are you at this exact moment and what are you wearing?


I am sitting on the couch at my parents beautiful house in Princeton, Massachusetts USA. I am wearing blue BDG jeans a t-shirt that says "wild breed" in leopard print with a howling wolf, a leather clad 80s babe and a ghost flame tribal motorcycle. This is all pulled together by a simple, yet soft, red and black classic winter flannel.


You guys have a headlining tour (Enemy Of The World tour) coming up in January with some rad bands. The Bled, Title Fight, Strike Anywhere and This Time Next Year. What are you looking forward to the most about this tour?


I am looking forward to playing some new songs on this tour, it will be awesome to get to show people some new jams for once!


Who is your favourite band to hang out with on that tour?


I'll give people the benefit of the doubt on this one, reserving judgement for when we actually spend some time with them, but the title fight guys are really nice so i'm sure they'll be great.


I noticed that Shirts For A Cure is presenting it. Are you able to educate people as to what that is exactly and how you became involved with the organization?


Shirts For A Cure is a great cause, we had done a shirt with them awhile back and been in contact with them ever since. We're stoked to have them as a part of this.


You guys will release your long awaited new album 'Enemy Of The World' in March. What can people expect from the record?


I think people will really like it. We're all really proud of it and came out of it with a "we gave it our best, whatever happens next, we're proud of this record" attitude.


I think it's the logical next step for a four year strong record.


And a follow up to that, why did you make us wait so long!?


We've been on tour nonstop since before Rise Or Die came out we hadn't had time to record a new record of originals!


What's it like being on a label (Decaydence) run by Pete Wentz? Do you hear from him much?


Decaydance and Pete are great, we're regularly in contact with him and he gives us his input often and its appreciated. We owe alot of our success up to this point to Decaydance, Pete, I Surrender and Rob Hitt.


You also released the covers album 'Explains It All' earlier this year, how did that come about?


We had been kicking the idea around forever, and finally we had a minute to do it and said, fuck it. This isnt a joke anymore, lets just do it. Next thing you know, Explains It All was released.


Are any of these songs that you covered in old bands when you were growing up?


REACH THE SKY! One of my top five favorite bands of all time and I'm so stoked that we got to cover it.


FYS will play the upcoming Soundwave Festival with a million other awesome bands. What are you looking forward to about the shows?


All I can say is that the last time we were in Oz, it rained almsot every day. The weather better hold up this time!


I'm also excited to piss in Adrian Kelly's shoes.


Any particular bands you are really excited to see?


Really excited to see Set Your Goals again and I hope to catch The Get Up Kids and A Wilhelm Scream!


I saw you guys at The Arthouse in Melbourne last time and it was such an awesome vibe. Do you guys change things up a bit for bigger shows (with bigger stages) like festivals etc?


We try not to think about stuff like that too much. I remember the Arthouse show really well actually, such a good show. I'm sure the stagedive quotient will be way down at Soundwave, but we try to give the same energy wherever the show is. I'm really excited to see alot of 800 degree Australians getting stoked with us New England idiots.


Is there anything you would like to do while you are in the country that you didn't get to do on your first trip here?


We have been strongly considering renting out a boat and a cage and some scuba gear and swimming with some great whites.


Any final words for all the FYS fans wearing Dickies shorts and chain wallets?


Get gnarly, dont get thrown out because of your huge ICP boners.




Four Year Strong play the 2010 Soundwave Festival. For all dates and venues click here. To check out the band head over to their Myspace page.