Updated: Thursday Nov. 12, 4:29 p.m.

Before this year’s fall semester concert show kicked off, Inferno had a chance to talk to Maroon 5’s lead guitarist, James Valentine, and rhythm guitarist, Jesse Carmichael. In the Q&A session, the bandmates discuss about the origins of the name “Maroon 5”, advice for up-and-coming musicians and the latest on their next album.

Off stage, these guys are as down-to-earth and passionate about music as they are in the spotlight.

Inferno: You guys started out as Kara’s Flowers, how did the name become Maroon 5?

Jesse Carmichael: That’s top secret, classified, we never tell anybody that.

James Valentine: It is actually a secret. We’ve never really told anybody.

Jesse: “Well, Adam told Billy Joel.” (laughs)

Inferno: How has writing lyrics and coming up with song ideas changed throughout your albums?

Jesse: I mean, since the beginning, it’s followed a somewhat similar formula of Adam writing lyrics over music that either he or he and myself or him and James or some combination of that mixed together.

Inferno: What can fans expect from you guys in the future?

Jesse: Our next album is coming out as soon as possible next year. We’re gonna try and get it out in April or May. We’re almost done with that record and you can expect to love it.

Inferno: We’ll definitely look forward to that! You guys have been together for a very long time, a very successful band and what is your advice for any young musician who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Jesse: You gotta believe in yourself, dawg.

James: That’s what Randy Jackson told us.

Jesse: And he was right. Because if you don’t, it’s not gonna happen.

James: It’s true and beyond that, I would say to young bands to keep on writing material, that’s what it’s all about. You have to write and write and write, and you have to write a lot of bad songs.

Inferno: In order to get the good ones?

James: You might not ever get the good ones, but you have to write a lot of bad ones.

Jesse: You should probably be completely honest with what you’re writing and not writing for anybody else, but writing for you in particular, whatever you’re going through in life, ’cause that’s what people probably resonate from.

Inferno: If you had to listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Jesse: Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life.”

James: Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue”. That never gets old.