After landing a role as Hannah Montana’s back up band in the Hannah Montana movie, the pop band Days Difference has been kept busy with opening for acts such as Plain White T’s, All Time Low and Owl City. With their self-titled, debut album freshly released in October 2009 and their music video for their first single, Are You Happy filmed, the band rarely has time to breathe. Jeremy William Smith, the lead singer and piano player for Days Difference, had a moment to spare during his vacation to answer a few of our questions. We caught up with Jeremy on how far the band has come in such a short time and what is in store for them in 2010.

Stephanie Mora: Let’s begin with an introduction of each member in the band and what they play?
Jeremy William Smith: Jonathan Smith plays the drums and sings backup vocals. Jeremiah Ricks is our guitar player and sings backup. Micah Ricks plays bass and I am Jeremy William Smith. I am the lead singer and piano player for the band.

SM: Describe how Days Difference was first formed?
JWS: We all met at a school concert. Jon and I were invited by friends. Jeremiah and Micah were playing that night but their keyboardist and drummer didn’t show up and didn’t even call. A mutual friend that knew me, Jon and the Ricks hooked us up and said we could play. We hopped on stage, played a great show together and had amazing chemistry. From there, we formed the band.

SM: Can you tell us the meaning behind the name Days Difference?
JWS: Basically it’s the idea the difference a day can make in your life, for better or for worse.

SM: For people who have never heard your music before, what would you categorize your music as?
JWS: I would say it’s a cross between Coldplay and Metro Station. That’s the best way I can describe it by not going through all the categories, Pop, Indie, American Rock.

SM: Back in July 2009, MT featured DD on their blog and the song Radio Song was put up. Since then you’ve recorded and released your self-titled album. What was the process like? How does it feel to have it out?
JWS: The process of making the album was really awesome. We worked with a lot of different producers and co-writers. It was a learning experience. We got to sit down, help with the writing process and put our thoughts and ideas out there. We really got to see how a great first album is made. That was a two part question wasn’t it?

SM: Yeah. The second part was how does it feel to have it out?
JWS: I’m excited for people to finally hear our music and to have it out and done.

SM: You also filmed the music video for your first single, Are You Happy. What was that experience like?
JWS: That was so much fun but at the same time, the longest day ever. We were touring with the Plain White T’s and flew out to LA one night. We woke up at 8 AM the next morning and had like a fifteen hour day. We picked out all the clothes and actually got to work with a director who knew what they were doing. It was tiring, like you have to rock out as hard as you can for 3 minutes. It was exhausting but I had a blast. It was a lot of fun.

SM: Weren’t you up on a rope for a long time during the shoot?
JWS: I was up on a harness for an hour for the part in the video where the girl picks me up. My arms and legs started getting tingly and they finally let me down. Here’s a fun fact for you. Because of where the harness was located, I had to find something to wear underneath it. I looked around and found some girl shorts and said, ‘Hey! These will work.’

SM: What is your favorite song off of the album?
JWS: It’s a tie between Are You Happy and Falling Into You. I love both of those songs. Just the feeling I got after we wrote both of those, they’re my favorites.

SM: What can people expect from your upcoming or future albums?
JWS: Our future albums... well, the same sound as our first album. The same sound, like Coldplay meets Metro Station because I feel that’s what people have related to. They’re fun songs. They’re meaningful but they’re really catchy at the same time. You’ll keep singing them for days after.

SM: What is a typical day on tour like?
JWS: You wake up, you eat, you drive where ever you’re going, you usually stop to get gas, you eat some more and sleep some more. You go play the show, which is the best part, and then you go and meet all the fans.

SM: What is your favorite aspect of touring and your least favorite aspect of touring?
JWS: For us, we’re touring just us guys. We have no crew, we are our own roadies. We have to unload our own stuff. I feel like I have a split personality, I am a rock star and then a roadie.

Valerie Roder: Like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde?
JWS: Yes, except I don’t kill people, I give them hugs.
JWS: My favorite aspect of touring is playing in front of the audience every night and then meeting the fans. The worst aspect is loading up the gear afterwards and then having to unload it again the next night and the next night and so on.
JWS: Man, I feel like I’m in a courtroom. I answer a question and then I hear typing.

SM: What’s your favorite song to play live, and why?
JWS: My favorite song to play live is Sunrise because of the energy of the song, and we added a new ending that isn’t on the album. We just rock out and the energy of the ending is amazing. I love that part.

SM: Are there any plans for a future tour?
JWS: Right now we are trying to get on some February/March tours but nothing is set in stone yet. We want to try and tour with someone like Demi Lovato or Justin Bieber, or someone who has a huge pop audience. We did some shows with Owl City and the response was amazing. When we came out for our meet and greet, girls who had never seen us play before, ran up to us screaming. It was crazy. If we can get in front of the right audience, people will hear us play and then the response will be great.

SM: Who are your musical influences?
JWS: I love a lot of European bands. Bands like Coldplay, U2, Muse, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley, and even some pop acts like Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and even Britney Spears. I don’t know, I guess I just listen to great music. *laughs*

SM: Describe each person’s role in the band.
JWS: Jon is the business man. I am the rock star, prima donna, lead singer, etc. Jeremiah is the serious one, the motherly, fatherly figure of the band, the one that keeps us in check and Micah is the ladies’ man.

SM: What are your goals for the band?
JWS: We would really love to get a single into the top ten on the radio or get on a huge tour where we can get a lot of exposure, and as a band just make it big.

SM: You have written with Tom Higgenson from the Plain White T’s. What is that like?
JWS: It’s such a blast. He and I have actually become really good friends. We have had 3 writing sessions so far. He is so nice and down to earth and they really are a class act.

SM: Is there anyone else you’d like to collaborate with?
JWS: I’d love to write with Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Chris Martin from Coldplay would be amazing, Lady Gaga and Megan Fox just because.

VR: What would your song with Megan Fox be about?
JWS: Transformers. DUH!

SM: Do you have a dream venue you’d love to play at?
JWS: My dream venue to play is the O2 arena and that’s in the UK but it would have to be sold out if we played it.

SM: Have you ever thought about what would happen if the band or your music didn’t work out?
JWS: What kind of question is that? That’s a terrible question.
SM: Well, you don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to.
JWS:  *laughs* Sarcasm, sarcasm. Music is my passion. I love it and I think I would always try to do something with music. I would make something else happen.
SM: That’s a good answer. Usually people just say, ‘oh, I would be an astronaut.’
JWS: Astronauts are cool but I would definitely do something with music. I would do song-writing or producing and make it happen.

SM: What has been your biggest challenge as a band?
JWS: The biggest challenge of being a band... *laughs* everyday is a challenge, just making it from one day to the next. And finding a group of guys that have the same vision and luckily we have that. We had that from the very beginning.
JWS: Wait, I lied. The hardest part of being in a band is the attention from all the ladies. That’s the truth.

SM: How do you pick singles for the radio?
JWS: We put all our songs on slips of paper and put them in a hat. Then we choose one. We feel that all of our songs have single material.
SM: That’s really scientific and hard work there.
JWS: Yes. This last hat had a lot of Are You Happy’s in them. When there is a song I really like and feel it has single material, I’ll slip more papers with that song name in the hat when the rest of the guys aren’t looking.

SM: What can fans expect from Days Difference in 2010?
JWS: A lot of things are top secret right now, like James Bond top secret. But they can expect a lot of awesome video blogs, a lot of awesome tours, a lot of awesome music. A lot of awesomeness. Did I mention awesome?

SM: Is there anything else you would like to say to the Musiqtone readers?
JWS: Well we like long walks on the beach, starry nights and we hate The Notebook.
JWS: As a band, I would say the most important thing to us is the fans. We love to hang out and meet our fans. We love to chat. Send us a message or comment on myspace (www.myspace.com/daysdifference), tweet us (www.twitter.com/daysdifference) or add us on facebook (www.facebook.com/daysdifference).