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ARTIST INTERVIEW

Access All Areas.net.au: Hey Matt, how’s it going?
Matt: Good, how are you today?

Access All Areas.net.au: I’m good, thanks. Are you still in States at the moment? Touring?
Matt: Yeah in Minnesota right now. We’re actually rehearsing right now. We’re playing three shows in Chicago this weekend. We’re doing three different playlists from each of our albums on each night. Basically, we’ll be learning all of our old songs.

Access All Areas.net.au: It’s almost Christmas and New Year’s – has it been a good year for you guys?
Matt: It’s been an interesting year for us. It’s been a mix of good and bad. Our drummer broke his arm on New Year’s, it was New Year’s day at 1 am so about one hour into 2009. We had to work around that but aside from that, everything’s been great. We’re really happy with the way the album turned out. From here on, we’ll be good.

Access All Areas.net.au: Congratulations on the new album. Why the title, ‘My Dinosaur Life’?
Matt: That was something that Justin had come up with. He says that he heard it in a movie, think he misquoted it which I believe someone said ‘My Dragon Life’, he thought it was ‘My Dinosaur Life’. It was actually a good thing, we didn’t end up actually stealing the lines from the movies. He has an explanation for the title but it’s kind of his thing. I don’t want to misrepresent you know what he thinks it means.

Access All Areas.net.au: There were a couple of songs on the new album that sort of referenced movies or TV shows like Veronica Mars and the song, ‘Pulp Fiction’. Was that what you guys were going for?
Matt: I never know with him (Justin), you know, he basically lives and breathes his movies, so I would assume every little reference is some sort of homage or reference to a movie that affected him in some way or another.

Access All Areas.net.au: You guys worked with Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 on the new album and it’s the second time you’ve worked with Mark. How is the creative process like this time?
Matt: Well we decided to go back with Mark because we just liked the way that it felt. Basically, just working with him in general is kind of a relaxed, fun environment and we did not want to be stressed out. We liked the way our second record came out as well. This time we decided we wanted a bit more of a life, raw, really loud guitar, in-your-face kind of sound and we were all on the same page there. That’s why we decided to go back with Mark again.

Access All Areas.net.au: Which song on the album is much more different than others you’ve done?
Matt: I would say ‘Pulp Fiction’. It was something that was kind of written as – I don’t wanna say techno or electro but that was how it was written because I was at home and I was just using software, just programming beats and using digital software instruments and stuff, since the idea that Justin just see what he can do with this. Not even thinking the band would use it, but he liked it and he sent it back and I thought that was really an interesting thing. When we got together to write, I was like whoa, listen Justin…maybe we can make it work with the band. So it’s definitely a little different for us and we kinda made it work.

Access All Areas.net.au: Which other song would you like to play live on stage the most?
Matt: I’m looking forward to playing a song called ‘Delirium’ – that one to me just had a different feel. I get to play almost a lead on the bass, which I don’t get to do that often so I get a little moment…

Access All Areas.net.au: Yeah your chance to shine…
Matt: (Laugh) Yeah exactly!

Access All Areas.net.au: Can you take us back to when your first started to play an instrument or write a song?
Matt: Yeah I’ve been playing since I was five. I remember the first time I played in a band that was in high school. Tony and I were in this band together, we’ve been playing together for a very long time. I just remember the first time you know, two guys were playing guitar, I was playing bass and I was a drummer. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. We didn’t really know what we were doing but that didn’t matter, you know. It was just so loud and it just felt so good. And I think from that moment, I was pretty much just hooked. I knew that this is what I wanted to do.

Access All Areas.net.au: Before you guys were a full band, You and Tony left your own band to join Josh and Justin. What was it that convinced you guys to move to a new band?
Matt: First of all, let me back up, I was just working a normal office job and I was not happy at all doing that. I kinda decided to take time off from music to save some money, buy a car and get my life in order or something like that. So I just started really missing playing music and Tony had join the band six months ago and he had played me some of the album they have recorded which was the time of ‘I am the Movie’, I immediately was a huge fan of the album and I love the song and I knew the guys already. We were already friends, so I don’t know, I guess I was just a fan of the band and I knew that they might be looking for someone else to join and play bass. I was like whoa, perfect timing for me because I am not happy working this job - it was a no brainer really for me.

Access All Areas.net.au: It was a dream job…
Matt: Yeah and the reason I joined the band, I’m sorry I didn’t really answer that, the reason I joined was they were really – I could tell that they were working hard, they really wanted things to work. A lot of bands at the time, my friends were kinda playing around town and not really leaving their jobs to go on the road but these guys were. And I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to join a band and know that they were serious, and they already had labels actually contacting them. It was a good band, I could tell and I kind of jumped on train as it was already moving.

Access All Areas.net.au: You guys have moved from Epitaph records to Columbia. How has the move influenced your career and the band?
Matt: I don’t know that if it has changed us. I’d like to think that it has not. The good thing is we went from an indie…We had decided to go with Epitaph in 2002 with the option of signing to a major at the same time. Universal Republic was trying to sign us at the time and it just so happened that the A&R girl there that was trying to sign us was the girl that ended up signing us at Columbia. We’ve known her for years and she’s been a friend and a fan for a long time and kinda just been there with us along the way. So it’s been great, we just wanted to learn a lot more before we jumped into the major world – music business in general, music itself, just the little things. We felt we would be jumping in over our heads if we signed over to a major. We wanted to build some fan base and do it that way.

Access All Areas.net.au: You guys will be playing Soundwave Festival in Australia, what can fans expect from the show?
Matt: That’s a good question. I have not thought that through! (laugh) We would be playing songs and probably sweating (laugh). I don’t know, I’m really really excited to come back. The last time we played Soundwave was so fun. So I’m excited to play some new songs for everybody over there.

Access All Areas.net.au: Is there a recent show that was out of the ordinary for you?
Matt: Well we kinda had to play, gosh we probably played 10 or so shows without Tony because of his arm. We had our drum tech, Claudio who don’t get me wrong, Claudio is a fantastic drummer. It’s just different when you’ve played for someone as long as we have you know. So that’s all kind of out of the ordinary, just felt like something was different or wrong or something but Tony’s back and we’re happy, doing great.

Access All Areas.net.au: You are playing to bigger crowds now. And with a fourth album, does it feel like everything is calming down or still snowballing?
Matt: That’s hard to say as well. We haven’t toured in so long. I would like to think that it’s a continual snowball, not anything drastic. That’s the idea, to keep it rolling and keep it growing constantly.

Access All Areas.net.au: Yeah but you guys are pretty happy with how things are at the moment…
Matt: Yeah, we’re doing what we wanted to do from the start. We’re able to travel the world, pay our bills, playing music and being able to play music for a living is an incredible thing.

Access All Areas.net.au: What do you hope to do after touring for the new album?
Matt: Well we just want to keep doing you know, staying on the road and taking some time writing some songs. We’re actually at the point where we’re getting more familiar with how to write on the go. We just done a couple of sessions in the studio in the last couple weeks where we just gone it and written the songs and recorded it for various different projects. Now I feel like we’d be able to do that on the road if we wanna do anything else. We can actually stay writing while we’re on the road, be productive at all times.

Access All Areas.net.au: Was it harder to do that before, to write on the road?
Matt: It was…this last year, I think helped us a lot since Tony was injured. We could kind of sit at home and figure out these digital recording program – ProTools, Logic and things like that. So now I think we’re just more proficient with all these ways of recording.

Access All Areas.net.au: Just lastly, what would you like to shout out to your fans?
Matt: Oh gosh! We’re super super excited to come play Soundwave, you know to be able to play for everyone again and to tour with the bands are gonna be on that tour – an incredible line up, so excited! We’re going to be sharing the stage with bands that influenced us so much when we’re younger. Yeah we’re really excited to come back.

Access All Areas.net.au: Awesome. Well we can’t wait to see you guys soon. Thanks for having a chat with us.
Matt: Thank you so much!

Interview by Sandy Tan.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

As the New Year approaches, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK is about to embark on one of their most exciting and unprecedented musical adventures to date. On January 19, 2010, the band will release their long-awaited fourth album, My Dinosaur Life, for Columbia Records. When it came time for MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK to record their major-label debut, the band called upon Blink-182 bassist/producer/friend Mark Hoppus, who first worked with the group on their breakthrough album Commit This To Memory. “We weren’t looking for someone to change us into something we aren’t,” explains Cain. “We just wanted to be free to make a darker, rock record. With Mark, he’s such a champion of what we do.

The result is My Dinosaur Life, a collection of 12 songs that push the limits of power-pop and challenge the ideals of the boombox generation. “I think I’m much more of myself than I’ve ever been,” admits Pierre, who still battles his demons of indecision and insecurity but more now than ever before, he has hope that a resolution is soon within his grasp. “What does that mean? I’m not sure. I don’t think I’m any one thing. All you can do is be responsible for your words and your actions. I don’t think I’m there yet, but I have my moments. I think I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

It’s this predilection for organized upheaval that further explains why MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK—and their new album My Dinosaur Life, which was mixed by Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Sonic Youth, Kaiser Chiefs)—is a study of musical contradictions because without the chaos, there wouldn’t be the calm and without the pain, there wouldn’t be the pop.

“We’ve battled for every one of our fans,” says Cain. “With Commit This To Memory, the snowball started rolling hard and fast. We went from playing in front of 150-200 kids to 1,500-2,000 kids without an issue. I think with Even If It Kills Me, that snowball definitely started melting and it was harder to push that ball down the hill. I understand because it was a different record—but we’ve always made different records.” For better or worse, it’s MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK’s constant quest to evolve and challenge themselves as musicians—and people— that keeps fans coming back for more. After all, as the saying goes, to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.

www.motioncitysoundtrack.com

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MY FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

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Your most memorable Festival moment or experience?
Our stage manager once fixed things so that I could stand on a podium on the side of the stage and pretend to set my keyboards up while Roky Erickson played a packed tent at Hultsfred in Sweden. He’s very aloof and doesn’t like to have people too close while he plays, so I made myself small and was quiet as a mouse but it was such a treat to get to watch him that closely, he’s just great.

Favourite Artist you’ve seen at a Music Festival?
Leonard Cohen’s performance at Coachella last year was about as magical as it gets.

What’s your ideal Festival line-up?
Us, PB&J, Jay-Z, Kitty Daisy and Lewis, The Essex Green, Cass McCombs, Joni Mitchell, The Brunettes, Magic Numbers, and Florence Foster Jenkins but she’s dead unfortunately. I can already see this wouldn’t fly with Jay-Z, but I’d settle for just one or two of the above.

What are your tips for attending Music Festivals?
Dress to avoid getting cold, wet or sunburned, and take off on your own. In my experience committing to meeting up with too many people always ends up ruining the whole damn thing.