Hayley Williams Says Paramore Turned Down Jennifer’s Body Soundtrack Because Of Josh Farro
If you were sporting some severe side bangs in the late 2000s, then you’re likely aware of Paramore’s history of dramatic lineup changes. You’ve also likely seen Jennifer’s Body, the 2009 horror-comedy feminist masterpiece in which Megan Fox plays a high school cheerleader who becomes possessed by the devil and starts cannibalizing her male classmates. Its soundtrack was released by Fueled By Ramen, the same label that put out the first few Paramore albums, and it features a ton of emo/pop-punk heavyweights from the era like Panic! At The Disco, All Time Low, and Dashboard Confessional. Hayley Williams even contributed an original song called “Teenagers” for Jennifer’s Body, but notably, none of her Paramore bandmates were involved with it. It turns out that’s because one of Williams’ bandmates at the time didn’t want anything to do with Jennifer’s Body.
From the looks of it, Williams has always really valued her bandmates’ creative input — that’s probably part of the reason why she started making solo albums. On a new episode of Popcast, she talked about some of the decisions she sacrificed over disagreements with the rest of Paramore. “There were a lot of things that I even wanted to do that they weren’t supportive of,” she said. “And when I say ‘they,’ I mostly mean Zac’s brother, ’cause he was an ass.” That would be Josh Farro, Paramore’s original lead guitarist, who bitterly left the band in 2010, citing Williams’ differing religious beliefs.
Williams continued: “I turned down the end credits of Jennifer’s Body for him. You know what I mean? There’s so much lore! There’s so much people don’t know. I mean, I guess growing up fundamental Christian, [he] didn’t agree.” When Popcast co-host Joe Coscarelli joked that Jennifer’s Body was a “demonic film,” Williams’ smiled, adding: “That’s the best kind.” (The end credits were instead synced with Hole’s “Violet.” I guess “Jennifer’s Body” would’ve been too on-the-nose.)
Back in August, Williams shared a collection of singles that she later released as Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, her second solo LP. In the same Popcast interview, she assured fans that Paramore aren’t done, despite speculation. She does have some complicated feelings about it, though:
Paramore’s not ever going away. If I woke up tomorrow and hated it and was like “Fuck Paramore,” it’s not going away. But it’s my favorite band. And I think we need breaks. I don’t get to say, “Well, this is exactly what we’re going to do next.” Because, like I’ve been saying my whole career, Paramore’s a band. Like, I don’t get to decide. And it wasn’t time to make another Paramore record, but I had a lot of shit to say, so I’ve done what I’ve done for myself and made this record. I’m finally willing to, like, let that happen. And it’s OK that it’s me by myself and not Paramore right now. Paramore will always have its time because we — it’s just what we do. We cycle back in and out of it. We resent it one minute. We wanna, like, wear matching clothes in the next minute.
While I was deconstructing my faith, and my religious upbringing from around age 19 to forever, I didn’t realize how much of Paramore for me was a religious experience, a God, a pillar in my life. You gotta deconstruct this system that you’re a part of on multiple levels. Like, I gotta tear down Paramore, the same way I had to tear down my evangelical upbringing. I have to do it for me to grow up, because I don’t wanna be stuck in a traumatized 18-year-old’s headspace for the rest of my life.
See clips from that Popcast interview below.
@crystalforarmor #HayleyWilliams revealed on Popcast that she had to turn down recording a song for the Jennifer’s Body end credits after former Paramore member Josh Farro called the movie “demonic.” popcast #HayleyWilliams #paramore ♬ som original – bells
Also, Williams has a word of caution for a certain bar-owning country singer:
