SouthFlorida.com | Teen Link South Florida

Metro Station is coming to South Florida Tuesday, April 15, to play at Club Revolution. To get ready for the show, Teenlink reporter Carli Saldsman interviewed Blake Healy of Metro Station via e-mail about the band.

1. How did you come up with the name "Metro Station"? Any special meaning behind the name?

Mason just happened to see a sign for a metro station and asked Trace if he liked that as a band name. We had all been trying to come up with names, but we were most excited about that one. We later realized how well the name fit us. We all met in LA within a couple years of moving there, so it was interesting how our paths crossed. It's just like how several paths come together in a metro station.

2. Who was the first member of the band? Do you think Metro Station would not be in existence if Trace and Mason never met on the set of Hannah Montana...why or why not?

Trace was the most persistent at getting the band together. We all have such different personalities that I don't think any of us knew what to think of each other at first, but Trace was very good at helping us realize what we had. Each of us has something unique to offer the band so we work really well together. If Trace and Mason hadn't met on the set, none of this ever would have come together like it did. They started writing some songs together that really impressed me so when they found me on MySpace it was the perfect fit.

3. Do you think much of the bands fame has come from having a band member (Trace) being the half brother of Miley Cyrus? Why or why not?

When we first started, nobody really knew the connection. It was important to us to feel like we were accomplishing things on our own. It may have even hurt us a little when we started visiting alternative stations because I think people were aware of the connection by then and they were more skeptical because of it. I think it started helping us when we went to pop radio, because they're playing Miley's songs and it's an interesting story. In the end, it's helped us more than it's hurt us.

4. Why was Metro Station created in the first place, any particular reasons? How long have all of you been together in the band? Were you named something else before you came up with "Metro Station?"

Trace and Mason started writing together and they just started coming up with great stuff immediately. Trace wanted me to join because they wanted a synth player and I was producing stuff with another band. The three of us have been together for a year and a half now. We added Anthony a few months later so that our live shows would sound better. I don't really remember what ideas we had for names early on, but Metro Station has been our name from almost the beginning.

5. How old were each of you when you realized you loved music and wanted to be in a band? How old are each of you now?

Anthony had been playing in bands for several years before Metro Station. I had been interested in music since I was probably twelve, but I never knew exactly what I'd do with it until after I moved to LA and tried out other music related jobs. At some point I decided to put all my energy into writing and recording music because I wanted to be a musician, and it was a year later that we started the band. I know Trace and Mason have been interested in music for a really long time because Trace used to tour with his dad and Mason's parents were both singers.

6. Do you guys write your own songs? Where did the ideas for "Shake it" and "Kelsey" come from? What is each of your favorite tracks Metro Station has recorded?

We do write our own songs in different combinations of Trace, Mason, and me. Mason wrote Kelsey about a relationship he was in. He was actually reluctant to record it because it was so personal to him. When I heard it I knew we had to record it, so Trace and I ganged up on him and talked him into making the demo with us. Mason also came up with the hook for Shake It. We all wrote the rest of the song together. Ideas for songs come from all over the place. Sometimes it's what's happening in our lives, conversations we have, other songs, or any other number of experiences. All of us love Tell Me What To Do. It just makes me feel good to hear that song.

7. What do you hope for in the future?

We want to take this band as far as it will go.

8. Any definite plans regarding the band and/or your personal lives? A tour?

Right now our plans are to tour behind this album as long as we're having success with it. We're on tour now with Saves The Day, we have a co-headlining tour planned immediately after this one with Forever The Sickest Kids, we're touring with Good Charlotte and Boys Like Girls this summer, and in the fall we're talking about heading to the UK. We're pretty busy for quite some time.

9. What are your inspirations? Favorite artist?

Trace's favorite band is Blink-182 and it was pretty crazy when we met Tom DeLonge at the Woody Awards. Mason's favorite group is Simon and Garfunkel, Anthony's favorite band is Depeche Mode, and I love anything that's 80's inspired with synthesizers and good melody. The stuff that inspired the sound of the record the most was probably bands like Depeche Mode, The Faint, Shiny Toy Guns, and The Postal Service. We were going for an electronic/dance/pop sound.

10. What you guys do in your downtime? Favorite hobbies?

We mostly just play music and hang out on the bus. I spend a lot of my time working on new music when I can. It's surprising how much of our time is filled with shows, interviews, and other things related to the band.

11. To all the teenagers out there, what is your message?

I would just say to set clear goals for yourself, believe in yourself, and you can accomplish anything you want.