The boys of Crown the Empire triumphantly returned to the Warped Tour stage for the third year in a row. While they might be some of the youngest musicians in the festival lineup, their experiences on the road helped mold them professionally and artistically. Just in time for the release of their third studio album Retrograde, the band graduated from the smaller stage onto the main stage, demonstrating that dedication and appreciation yield success.

Myspace caught up with Crown the Empire’s vocalist Andrew Velasquez and drummer Brent Taddie to talk about personal growth and how they kept busy at Warped Tour this summer.

What was it that inspired you to become a musician?

Andrew Velasquez: I think it was just out of pure necessity. I didn’t do any sports or extracurricular activities at all growing up, so finding something that motivated me to want to create was a huge deal. Probably around middle school or high school was when I was turning into a piece of shit and doing things like getting angry for no reason. You know, typical teenage stuff. I’d always wanted to get into music. I had a babysitter at the time who had a boyfriend involved in the Warped Tour world, and he introduced me to a bunch of music. I got a bunch of weird, eclectic emo things like Green Day, the first Fall Out Boy album and stuff like that.

Brent Taddie: There was a lot music in my family. My uncles played in bands and things like that. I went to a KISS concert when I was super young and was able to see them side stage putting on their equipment. They were almost scary before I saw them in person, but being able to see them as actual people made me realize I could do this for a living. It seemed so surreal, but ever since I kept thinking that it was a possibility and I continued to strive for that. 

How has your relationship with Warped Tour evolved over the years?

Velasquez: It’s awesome! This is our third year. Before our first time joining the tour, being here was the end-all-be-all goal as far as a young band’s aspirations go. It was the “Warped Tour would be the best thing of all time” kind of thinking. Finally becoming a part of it was an achievement or milestone for the band, but at this point we’re in the group and we’ve done it. We’re basically Warped Tour pros at this point.

Taddie: It’s cool to be one of the main attractions on Warped Tour this year. When we first started, we were on the Battle of the Bands stage. Now we’re being talked about and included in signings and things like that, so it’s great.

Andrew Velasquez

Which song is most meaningful for you to play live?

Velasquez: “Hologram” for sure for me, just because it’s brand new and we put a music video out for it. People are becoming more familiar with it, and it’s really starting to pick up. I love playing new songs

Taddie: I like “Zero,” which is also a new one and the first song we play live. I always like our first song no matter what because the energy felt upon immediately walking out is always a different kind of vibe than the rest of the set. 

Which bands have you been most excited to watch grow alongside you at Warped Tour each summer?

Taddie: We’ve done Warped with Issues before. They’re awesome guys.

Velasquez: I See Stars is one. They’re just around the same age, and we’ve seen them mature a lot. They’d always be late on our club tours and it was funny because we understood what it was like to be a young band, but to see them come into their own and really doing their thing is really cool. Since we’re closer in age, we can talk as musicians and be like “Yo, be real with me, is this bad?” We’ve earned that respect from one another, and that’s come from us being friends and touring together so many times.

Brett Taddie

What’s one of your guilty pleasures?
Velasquez: I don’t feel guilty about it, but I’ve been chasing a lot more chicks. I’m recently single and have been motivated all summer by just chasing girls around. It’s always pretty fun, and I haven’t gotten to do that in a while

Taddie: I play Magic: the Gathering. I don’t really tell a lot of people about that, but I like to play that a lot.
(Velasquez: “You don’t just play it, you’re really good!”)
Taddie: I’ve played since I was a kid, and it’s always been something that I’ve been passionate about. If we have a Friday off, that’s usually when the tournaments are, so Hayden [Tree] and I will sneak off and play a tournament. It’s pretty fun.