NOTICE
Question Answer
with Matt Taylor of Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack just completed a three-week stint on the Warped Tour.The band's 2007 album Even If It Kills Me debuted at No.16 on the Billboard Top 200, and No.1 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart. Motion City Soundtrack is playing at Liberty Hall on September 19.Tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Liberty Hall box office.Bassist and backing vocalist Matt Taylor took a break from life on the road to chat with Jayplay.
Q: You guys just completed the Warped Tour.Any crazy stories from the road?
A: I've always been really bad with that question.You'd think being on tour most of the year, every year, for the last six years, that you'd have some pretty cool stories. I think we must just be the most boring band on the planet, and that's why we don't have any stories. We don't really let loose, you know?
Q: You've toured Japan, the UK, Australia and most of Europe. Any places that you'd recommend?
A: Japan is actually mind-blowing.It's almost overwhelming to the senses when you go there.You've got every different type of terrain in one small country Mountains, oceans, volcanoes,and the cities are amazing-very colorful,very busy.
Q: You've toured with a lot of different bands.Any favorite moments or bands that really inspired you?
A: There's a Japanese band called Oreskaband we met on Warped Tour. They're this six-piece, all-girl Japanese ska band,and they were so cool and just so much fun to watch. You've never really seen a band that excited to be on stage before. We ended up asking them to play a song with us whenever they could.
Q: What's next for you guys?
A: We're going to hit the road for another month, September through October.
Q Which is when you'll be in Lawrence A: Yep, exactly. And then after that tour on October 4 after that last show, we're going to come home and take some time apart and maybe work on some ideas alone. Then we're going to get together in November for a few weeks and start
piecing new ideas together:We want to be recording early next year.We haven't lined anything up producer-wise or studio-wise, but we're definitely at that point where we're ready to get rolling.
Q: So when you're writing,you mostly come up with ideas on your own and then come together?
A: In the past, we've always gotten together. But now that we're all forced to be apart, everyone at least has a computer. We all use Apple, so at least we have GarageBand and things like that to capture ideas. I'm just recording little snippets of stuff here and there, random stuff that I can bring to them and see if they like. Each one of us coming up with ideas to bring to the table.
Q: Did you go to college?
A: I went to Longwood University in Farmville, Va., for two years to study music.
And I ended up dropping out to play music in a band.
Q: Any tales of college debauchery?
A: Again, no. (laughs) I was so busy. I was the only bass player on campus, so I was literally in every band that needed a bass player, every ensemble, every this and that.
And I also played trumpet and tuba, so I had all the concert bands. So my days were jam-packed. Then on the weekends I'd have to go play somewhere with a band. I pretty much stuck to the music. I didn't drink in college, didn't do the wild college thing. I just stayed on the straight and narrow and tried to get good grades—then I dropped out. But no regrets.
Q: Any advice you'd give to college students with musical aspirations?
A: I was just always told to follow my dreams. My parents were very supportive with the whole music thing. First going to college, and then when I said I wanted to drop out, they said they were totally behind me, just as long as I was chasing what I wanted to do. I think we've learned so much with this band, too. We kind of had to go broke a little bit. Quit your job, or at least find a job where they're cool with your coming and going. You've just got to take a chance, and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I hated the thought of going down the road and then when I'm 40.
Contributed photo
Motion City Soundtrack, left from Tony Thaxton, Jesse Johnson, Matt Taylor, Justin Pierre and Josh Gain
thinking back and saying 'I wish I'd done that.'
Q: This is the segment of our interview in which I ask questions like, do you have any favorite TV shows?
A: Yes! Lost, 30 Rock, The Office—both British and American versions. Arrested Development, Six Feet Under.
Q: Any movies that blew you away recently?
A: The last one I saw was Dark Knight, and yes, it blew me away. I haven't seen Pineapple Express or Tropic Thunder yet. I'm actually looking forward to those.
Q: What's the best album you've bought recently?
A: The Zombies, Odyssey and Oracle—a band I completely missed from the Sixties.
**Q:** Favorite books?
**A:** I'm reading *Middlesex* by Jeffrey Euginides. I'm not through it yet, but it's going well.
Q: Do you have an all-time favorite bass player or players?
A: I'm a huge Radiohead fan, and Tommy Greenwood is one of the first bass players I started to notice as a kid growing up. Bass players didn't really stick out to me all that much, and then listening to OK Computer right at the beginning with that sporadic bass line-that's when I realized that bass players can do cool things and really affect a song.
Matt Bechtold
Voted Best Pool Hall
2007
Tonight
$ 2 Imports
$ 3 Jager Bombs
$ 3 Guinness
$1 WELLS (Every Saturday)
FREE POOL Sun-Thurs (after midnight)
POKER Sun & Wed Cash Prizes
THU 4 BOOYA! ART & MUSIC 4 CHARITY!
BABYBDSRODNSTDRINKMAKI WHAT?
FRI 5 BLACK CHRISTMAS
LYBMYC BODY - THIS WILL DESTROY YOU
SAT 6 PLEASEEASAUR VISUALIZER • DICK GOZINYA
SUN 7 SERA CAHOONE WHAT LAURA SAYS
MON 8 THESE ARE POWERS
COAT PARTY: BOO & BOO TOO
WED 10 LONNIE FISHER & THE FUNERAL
STE, SIMONE
THU 11 THE BUILDERS & THE BUTCHERS AMPILE BRANCHES
THU 4 INTRONAUT
BEHOLD THE ARCOPUS *MOUTH OF THE ARCHITECT*
FRI 5 DEAD GIRLS RUN EVERYTHING
THE SHOW IS THE RAINBOW | LOVE GARDEN ON PAPIO
SAT 6 THE GLEANERS
SIX GUN LULLABY / SCENEBOOSTER DJS THE PATIO
SUN 7 DAVID RYAN & FRIENDS
NAQMI WHAT? MONDAY'S MILLIONIAREs
EARLY ALL AGES PATIO SHOW $6M
MON 8 METAL SCHOOL PRESENTS
HAMMERLORD & SAMOTHRACE
THU 11 FROMANHOLE
THE DACTYLS
September 4,2008
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