CTV Television, Inc.
O'REGAN: They exploded onto the music scene six years ago with a multi-platinum debut album. You couldn't turn on a radio without hearing a Matchbox Twenty
chart-buster like "Push", "Three AM". The boys are back. "More Than You Think You Are" is the new album. And lead singer Rob Thomas
and guitarist Adam Gaynor join us here in the Canada AM studios.
THOMAS: Good morning.
GAYNOR: Seamus, good
morning.
O'REGAN: I listened to the album.
THOMAS: Yeah? How did you dig it?
O'REGAN: I loved it. And I'm thinking, okay,
"Disease", there's the single. And, lo and behold, you made it so.
THOMAS: We did it. We didn't have a lot of choice
there. It's funny, we had like a date that we put on ourselves -- like this is when the record is going to come out -- because we know that if we
don't we'll stay in the studio for a year. So this was the first time we had to figure out what the single was going to be and put it out before the
record was done. So we didn't really have anything behind that, it was just the one that was the most done. So we were like, okay, we're going to put
this out. And it was weird because we were actually in the studio finishing the record and hearing the song on the radio [overtalk] --
Because you work really hard on figuring what songs you're going to put on the record. And then once you figure out, okay, these songs are going to be on the record then you stand behind all those songs. So, as
far as what's going to be the single that's up to everybody else, you know.
O'REGAN: Yeah. Did you guys feel a lot of pressure, by the way? Because you've been relatively successful with your previous efforts.
GAYNOR: I don't know, there's different levels of the word "pressure". And I don't think that this band really feels an enormous
amount of pressure. I think you have so many people in the band that are kinda writers and you have Rob, obviously, that's the focal
point of the writing and then you have all these people that support. I think the pressure is really to make the best album that we're going to live
with for the rest of our lives and be like, "That was a good album, we're glad we did that." And it's over.
THOMAS: Yeah,
it's a great place to be. We feel like now we're making music for our fans. Like we know who are fans are. They're people that really like songs. They
want to listen to a record and just listen to good songs. It's not about an image and it's not about trying to associate yourself with any member of the
disenfranchised, you know what I mean? We're just there for really good songs. And so we feel like now we've found our niche and our fans will come
to us, you know? And they have. So that's really
great.
O'REGAN: That's true. I mean you guys don't worry a whole lot about image, do you?
THOMAS: No.
O'REGAN: I mean you dress well. And you bathe. [laughter]
GAYNOR: I do.
O'REGAN: But you're not too
overly worried about that. There's
nothing contrived about you guys.
THOMAS: Thank you. We've never been like a hip band, you know what I mean? I think we're hip people, but we've never been a hip
band, and I think that's been our saving grace. Because we've managed to come through almost the better part of a decade now, trend after trend after
trend, and just stay under the radar and just try and make good records. And try and follow people like Tom Petty or Fleetwood Mac or these people who
that was just their job, was to make good records and then go on tour.
GAYNOR: We're trying to get more into the substance more than the flavour. You know, you don't want to be the flavour of the week. You try
to sustain it by having a little more substance. And I think that's what this band kinda works on.
O'REGAN: What worked for you guys to make you Matchbox Twenty? Because I know you guys starting off knew so many other
bands that I'm sure you looked up to but never made it.
THOMAS: There's so many bands out there that don't sell
the records. And we idolize bands like Wilco and the Jayhawks, just
great songwriting bands, you know. And we took them on the road with us and that was kind of a weird thing for a while. It was
great for us because we had one of our favourite bands out with us
every night. But the Jayhawks
were opening up for us --
O'REGAN: Yeah, you guys would be in your
dressing room going, "The Jayhawks are out there!"
THOMAS: Yeah. And Soul Asylum played with us as well.
And it is kinda that "Wow, this is so great." But at the same time it puts
perspective on how great things really are and how much we really need
to enjoy it and how we need to keep our focus where it is, which is just on
the music.
O'REGAN: Well, you're a very accessible band. I mean your
music is really accessible to people. Now, some people would say
"accessible", and then other people turn around and say "they're
mainstream".
THOMAS: That's not a bad thing.
O'REGAN: That's what I wanted to ask you.
THOMAS: Yeah, I mean I grew up on mainstream music, you
know? Like we want to just make good mainstream music. But that just
means music for the masses. And our music is for the people. That was
the whole idea. Like, we want people to incorporate us into the soundtrack
of their lives and put the CD in as they drive to the beach or when they go
to work or when they get home from work, you know? That's like you're
creating this energy across the world with people you've never met before.
That's the amazing part of it.
O'REGAN: Yeah, when it reaches the
point now in a record store where "alternative" is the biggest section in
the record store then I'm looking forward to the day when you go in and
there's like a little back room and it's "mainstream". [laughter]
GAYNOR: Right.
O'REGAN: Now, you guys are writing songs now with
Mick Jagger. I think things are huge.
THOMAS: Huge.
We're huge now.
O'REGAN: As Mick might say: "Massive."
THOMAS: No, I was working with Mick for his solo record
he just did, "The Goddess in the Doorway" album. And there's a song on
there that him and I wrote together. This song I wrote -- "Disease", the
new single -- I wrote the night before I was going to see Mick. I kinda felt
like I was getting sent up to the majors, you know. Like that feeling of,
"Oh God, I'm going to go write with Mick Jagger!" And I wrote like 98
percent of the song just based on "I want to write a song that I think Mick
Jagger would sound really cool singing."
O'REGAN: Yeah, what did
Mick say to you? "What you did for Santana, do for me. Just do that thing."
THOMAS: Yeah, he was really great. And it was one of
those things where like, I didn't want to give him the song, you know? I
was like [overtalk] --
And we did a show in London and he came to
the show and just backstage said, "Listen, I think we've got a record pretty
tied up and 'Disease' was mostly your song so you guys should do it on your
new record." And we were just excited because we liked the song. I would
play it for the guys when we were on tour, the last tour. And I'd play it
for them and they'd just be like, "So you're giving that to Mick?" I was
like, "Well, I'm not really giving it to him, I wrote it for him."
O'REGAN: Yeah, that's got to be tough.
GAYNOR: He gave it back,
it was nice.
THOMAS: Yeah, it was really nice.
O'REGAN: This is all very touching.
THOMAS:
Isn't it? We love you, Mick.
GAYNOR: Don't make me emotional, I'm going
to start crying.
O'REGAN: That's why these guys are going to be back
again a little later on. We'll be right back here on Canada AM.
O'REGAN: Well,
it's been a wild ride for members of Matchbox Twenty. Three albums, six
years, along with lead singer Rob Thomas's little detour
into a triple Grammy-winning collaboration with the great Carlos Santana.
The latest album is called "More Than You Think You Are". And two of the
five members join me now: lead singer Rob Thomas along with
guitarist Adam Gaynor.
Thanks, guys.
THOMAS: Hey, Adam.
GAYNOR: Hey,
Rob.
O'REGAN: Have you guys met? I love bringing people
together on Canada AM.
THOMAS: Hey, good morning, Canada.
GAYNOR: Hey, Canada, what's going on?
O'REGAN: First of all, the
whole lower-case thing, okay? Listen, it's very difficult. I mean you're
confusing me. It was Matchbox 20 with a capital M and two zero, numbers. Now
you're going all lower case and you're spelling out "twenty". Did I say that
right?
THOMAS: Yeah, that was nice.
GAYNOR: It
should have been "match boxt wenty". That's the deal. And what happened is
there was a typo --
THOMAS: And we just left it, yeah.
O'REGAN: You guys strike me as deep thinkers, though. So 'fess up,
what's the story?
THOMAS: What do you want to know?
O'REGAN: Why did you change it?
THOMAS: We
changed our name from Matchbox 20 to matchbox twenty.
O'REGAN: Well, you
changed it from Matchbox 20 to matchbox twenty.
THOMAS: But it's funny, like we still on our t-shirts
and our tour and stuff we still have the number and like the other way.
This is just the way that we like it on the records. It looks nice and
dignified.
O'REGAN: No, I guess I was looking for a deeper answer.
THOMAS: No, you're not going to get it from us.
GAYNOR: The truth is, we kept the name Matchbox 20 and all we did
was change it to matchbox twenty.
O'REGAN: I think there is an
entire nation out there switching channels right now.
THOMAS: I don't blame you.
GAYNOR: Thank you so
much, Canada.
THOMAS: It was funny, like right when we
did it on the last record there was this whole thing that came out that we
said -- and we did, as a joke -- that we were tired of being compared to
bands like Blink 182 or Sum 41. Like these bands that we would never be
compared to, to begin with. But then somebody came out and in
Entertainment Weekly I was the Loser of the Week for this quote, because
I had said this --
O'REGAN: But you got People Magazine, like Most
Beautiful Guy or something, didn't you?
THOMAS:
Well, that's because I'm hot.
GAYNOR: He is pretty good-looking.
[laughter] I don't believe you just said that. And I know him pretty well,
you know what I'm saying?
O'REGAN: Yeah.
GAYNOR: By the way,
of the top 50 I was 52 and two people were missing that day.
THOMAS: He was.
O'REGAN: A striking resemblance
to Ben Affleck.
THOMAS: Damn you, George Clooney! Damn
you, Matt Damon!
GAYNOR: Matt Damon?
O'REGAN: He's never been
named.
GAYNOR: It's the whole JLo thing, it's exposure.
THOMAS: Yeah, he's a good-looking guy, but sexiest man?
O'REGAN: You don't think Ben Affleck deserved it?
THOMAS: The sexiest man?
GAYNOR: The sexiest
man?
THOMAS: I think Brad Pitt still beats him out.
O'REGAN: I think Brad Pitt does, too. He's a better actor.
GAYNOR: Is Tom Selleck still around?
THOMAS: He
looks better now than he did in "Magnum".
GAYNOR: Yeah.
O'REGAN:
He was only like in his early-thirties in "Magnun PI". Can you believe that?
GAYNOR: Can you believe he's 73 this week?
O'REGAN: Time flies.
Feeling a little older.
THOMAS: Him and Willie Nelson.
GAYNOR: Willie Nelson, 89.
THOMAS: Willie
Nelson, by the way, just turned 70.
O'REGAN: Willie Nelson, seriously,
just turned 70?
THOMAS: Yeah, he just turned 70.
O'REGAN: So he's younger than Tom Selleck?
THOMAS: Yeah, that's amazing, isn't it? That's why
people tune into this channel, because they can learn things.
GAYNOR: Celebrity Watch, with Adam and Rob. Welcome.
O'REGAN: Taking on the weighty issues: Does Ben deserve Sexiest Man?
GAYNOR: Did you know: Christina Aguilera, 42? Nobody knew that. It's
true, 42.
O'REGAN: That's amazing surgery.
GAYNOR: No, that's
how many people she was -- no.
O'REGAN: Let's talk about videos and
compare yourselves to other artists [overtalk] --
Did you see
that saucy video that Christina Aguilera did?
THOMAS: I
didn't see that. I heard it was pretty skanky.
O'REGAN: Pretty skanky,
yeah.
GAYNOR: I heard she is not a polite woman, you know what I'm
saying?
O'REGAN: I heard she's a little skanky.
GAYNOR:
Yeah, a little "open". [laughter, overtalk]
O'REGAN: I really don't know
where to go from here. Have you guys ever met Jennifer Lopez?
THOMAS: Yes.
GAYNOR: JLo.
O'REGAN: You
knew her when she was JLo or Jennifer Lopez?
GAYNOR: She's not Jennifer
Lopez, just JLo.
O'REGAN: JLo, yeah.
THOMAS:
She was making that record two doors down from us while we were making our
record. So, literally, I'm friends with the producer. And so I would run
downstairs and just check on the record, like listen to what they were
doing. And at one point we needed backup singers for a song in the middle of
recording. So I ran downstairs to Corey Rooney, the producer, and "I need
two of your girls" and he got me these -- Pepsi O'Reilly who's a great
backup singer. And they came in and sang backup on our record.
O'REGAN: Pepsi O'Reilly? What a great name.
THOMAS: Isn't it?
GAYNOR: Old man O'Reilly's
kid.
O'REGAN: Once again I'm just dumbstruck with these answers.
They're just so frank and revealing. [laughter, overtalk]
You
have to wonder if you have to write a song to say, "I'm keeping it real,
peeps".
THOMAS: But I'm going to say this. I've met her
and she's really sweet. And a lot of people, like when she gets to the point
that she has in the industry she has to keep ahold of her business. And
so a lot of times the people that she's dealing with don't like her
attitude, they don't like the way that she works, because she just wants
things done the right way. And so that's nothing bad. But when I met her
just on a personal level she was unbelievably sweet and nice. Not skanky.
GAYNOR: She's a good kid. Not like that girl, the other one.
O'REGAN: The other one, exactly.
How do you guys keep it
real, though? Because there is a lot of
pressure on you guys. And you don't
strike me as being egomaniacs. So how do you manage? You've got to manage
yourselves as businessmen, you know. You've got a certain amount of pressure
on you with this album and stuff, you've got "people", I've noticed.
THOMAS: Yeah, just everywhere.
GAYNOR: I wasn't
really thinking of all that, and now I'm kinda frightened. It is a lot of
pressure. Things were great until we just sat down and started talking.
[laughter]
THOMAS: At the end of the day, like we're in
a band. Do you know what I mean? It's pretty self-serving most of the time.
We love it, we get to do what we love. We're not working as firefighters
or teachers or policemen, you know what I mean? We're not curing cancer
or brain surgery. We're just in a band. So at the end of the day, even if
you're in a really successful band, you're still just in a band. So I think
you just take it as it comes and you go, "Wow, I'm really fortunate. I hope
it lasts as long as it can and, you know, just keep playing music." And
every time we get to make another record we're like, "Oh yeah! We made it to
the next record."
O'REGAN: The floor director behind me -- I'm
sorry, I was slightly by your answer, Rob -- but Vern has a
sign that says -- show it to 'em, Vern. "Play something, dammit."
THOMAS: Can you say "Play something" on Canadian TV?
O'REGAN: Can you play a little something?
THOMAS: I can. I brought this [guitar].
[Rob performs "Disease"]
O'REGAN: Yes! What an absolute
pleasure to meet you guys.
THOMAS: Thanks, Seamus.
Thanks for having us.
GAYNOR: Thanks for having us, very much.
O'REGAN: We're going to be right back here on Canada AM.