_Fitz and The Tantrums is ready to make you dance. The group will release a new album, More Than Just a Dream, on May 7 with some fresh ‘80s New Wave pop but plenty of its signature retro soul sound. Staff writer Charlie Shelton spoke to lead singer Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick about life back on the road, and playing at Daryl Hall’s house. _
Diversions: You’ve mentioned before how you felt like the last tour for Pickin’ Up the Pieces was always on the go and you were rushing around. How does it feel to be back on tour for More than Just a Dream?
Michael Fitzpatrick: We actually got a couple months off, which is a rarity for us, but I think we are all just super pumped to get the music out and play new songs. After you play the same songs over and over for three years you are just excited to add some new songs to the mix and excited for people to hear them.
It’s a lifestyle being on the road — it is kind of addictive, you get used to being sort of a traveling roamer, so I think we are all pumped and ready.
Dive: Do you feel like More Than Just a Dream is a shift to the side from what the band was doing with Pickin’ Up the Pieces or is a step forward for the group?
MF: I always view it as more of a step and a half. We didn’t want to make the same record. I think we could have gone and made a very safe record, but no risk then no reward in life. I think we wanted to challenge ourselves and put ourselves out there.
We have evolved so much as a band. Being together for that many years, our musical influences have changed and diversified. We wanted to show everybody that we didn’t have one trick only, and we are a band that evolves. There are still some sounds from the first record on there that people are going to love, and there are some new ones that go into some new places.
But at the end of the dance I think it is the same in that it is great songwriting, and it is going to make you want to dance.
Dive: It does seem like the new songs are crowd-pleasers that will get an audience going. Is your live performance an important part to your focus as a group?
MF: Yeah, it is hugely important. We started playing before the first record was even done. It has really become one of our biggest calling cards.
Dive: Could you see the songs from More than Just a Dream being on more popular radio stations?
MF: Yeah. “Out of My League,” the first single, is already on the radio and is doing really well so that is super exciting. A big part of this first tour is to promote it to the radio stations across the country. I think that all of them could be on the radio and we’ll see if the general public agree with them or not.
Dive: How was it playing at Daryl Hall’s house for the “Live from Daryl’s House” performance?
MF: That was one of the most special days for me ever. He is one of my idols, so to get to spend time with him, sing some of songs and watch him sing some of ours, hang out at his house — he was so nice and generous with us.
You know you talk about has the Rolling Stone thing changed anything, but honestly the one thing that we have done that has been a game changer was “Live at Daryl’s House.” Anywhere that we go in the world we have fans that have been introduced to us through that show, so that is pretty incredible.
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