The Memphis Chapter, in conjunction with the GRAMMY Foundation, hosted a GRAMMY SoundChecks with New Found Glory on Nov. 5 at the New Daisy Theater. In addition to watching the band perform a concert soundcheck, students participated in a question-and-answer session with the band, with topics of discussion including touring in the United States and Europe, the recording process, and being signed to a major label and subsequently parting ways.
When asked about the band's thought process when making albums, guitarist Steve Klein said, "[The records] capture what's going on in our own lives, that's what makes them real." Their latest release, Not Without A Fight, was produced by Blink-182's Mark Hoppus. Lead guitarist Chad Gilbert credited Hoppus with making the album possible and that "[he] made it so fun and comfortable." The students then listened as Gilbert explained New Found Glory's journey from an unknown South Florida punk band to being signed to MCA Records, then Geffen Records, and how they ended up with their current label, Epitaph Records. Gilbert described the challenges the band faced when the president who was in place at Geffen when the band was signed departed the company, providing an example of how certain artists have been effected by the recent shifts in the music industry.