Maroon 5 inspired by hip hop and soul
Tupac Shakur and Marvin Gaye – not the kinds of names you would expect to hear cited as influences for a rock band. However, Maroon 5 have just released their third studio album, ‘Hands All Over’, which is currently riding high in the charts after debuting at number two on the Billboard 200, and according to front man Adam Levine, both Tupac and Gaye were big influences on the band’s latest record.
“Those were two people that did whatever they wanted to do, and artistically, just kind of followed whatever path they wanted to follow," he said. The group has taken a similar approach to recording their new album, which blends a number of different styles together, including rock, pop, funk, country music and R&B.
“If I was upset about something I would turn it into a love song. It would always be a love song that was the model for how I was feeling. So it was just feelings, things I was going through,” said Levine, discussing the song-writing process. “I wrote a lot of lyrics. Just honesty. (That's) the main focus on all of the records, but especially on this one was really raw, kind of truthful, human emotion.”
The band recorded the album with the help of producer Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange, who has previously worked with the likes of Bryan Adams, Billy Ocean, Def Leppard and Nickelback. In an interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year, Levine described working with the veteran producer.
“He worked me harder than anyone ever has. I would come in with a finished song, and he'd say, 'That's a good start. Now strip it down to the drums and start over.' The coolest thing about him is that not only has he been a huge, legendary producer, but he also is a legit, serious writer.”
Prior to the album’s September due date, Maroon 5 released lead single ‘Misery’, which made number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100. The track was accompanied by a video that focused on violence within a relationship, with Levine repeatedly attacked by an ex girlfriend.
Speaking about the video, Levine said: “I don't know if I've ever done anything that deserves a beating like that. Being set on fire and thrown off buildings and hit by cars is pretty brutal. I mean, everyone's done wrong. It's kind of how you deal with those mistakes that's best.”
