Where did the name Imagine Dragons come from?
Dan Reynolds: Imagine Dragons is actually an anagram. That means that if you rearrange the letters it makes up a phrase that we initially came up with that had meaning to us. We are sworn to secrecy though about what it is. Our own mothers don't even get to know :)
How would you describe your music?
Dan Reynolds: Our music is probably best described and percussion-driven anthemic electro-indie rock. If we were forced to categorize it more broadly, perhaps indie/rock/pop is a good description.
Which one of your songs represents your band the most?
Dan Reynolds: That's a tough question. They all represent us in one form or another... if we had to choose one today that speaks for the band and our vision, we would probably go with "It's Time". It's a song that really encapsulates our sound and ideology.
What’s your favorite song to perform?
Ben McKee: I really like the way it feels when we perform "It's Time." The stomps and claps just draw me into the performance right from the beginning, and the a capella vocal break really feels amazing, especially when the crowd joins in. When everyone is really on the same page, it makes you feel bigger somehow. It's awesome.
What’s the best part of touring?
Ben McKee: The best part of touring is being locked in a short bus with the band on seemingly endless journeys over the horizon to the next gig. There's something about it that makes us all ridiculous and childish. We tell riddles, play "name that song" with our ipods, or have contests to see who can stand up the longest in the middle of the bus without using their hands. Some of the freakishly tall members of the group occasionally try to cheat by using their head to balance against the roof, but we try not to make too big of a deal about it.
Favorite moment during or after a performance?
Ben McKee: My favorite part of every performance is when Wayne lets loose with his solo at the end of "Clouds". I just step back and watch him go. I'd love to be able to watch it from the audience. He's my guitar hero.
What sets you apart from other bands?
Ben McKee: I think that what sets us apart from other bands is our fans. They're crazy, and it's amazing. Every time we play a show, there are more people singing along with every song. It makes us go even more crazy on stage and there's this energy that builds until you don't know if you can take it anymore. I don't think that we could create that powerful of an experience by ourselves. It comes from everyone being willing to let go and just give in to the music without worrying about judgement or anything else. It makes it so much easier to perform, and we are all incredibly grateful for everybody that comes out to see us.
What would you say was your first lucky break?
Wayne Sermon: We were playing the local stage at the annual "Bite of Las Vegas." Our set was in the early afternoon, to a smallish but enthusiastic crowd. We played, it was fun, and thought that was that. The whole band and our manager left to grab some lunch, and our manager gets a phone call telling us to hustle back because Train had to drop out last minute, and needed a replacement. Needless to say we ordered our food to go and rushed over. We ended up playing for over 20,000 people on the mainstage. It was a huge rush and by far the biggest crowd we ever played for.
What’s in the works for the future?
Wayne Sermon: Our sights are definitely on a full length album. We're writing writing writing, narrowing in on an overall theme for the album, finding out which songs go together and what directions we want to explore. We want a cohesive message and feel to our record - we want to set a high standard for ourselves with our next release. But yeah, we have lots of new material we are super stoked about.
Message to all of your supporters?
Wayne Sermon: We just couldn't do any of this without you. Plain and simple. Thank you.
Thanks to Imagine Dragons for doing this interview, and I look forward to hearing lots of new music from them! Below you can check out the song that introduced me to Imagine Dragons, "It's Time":
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