On the eve of their Australian tour, rob thomas and paul doucette from matchbox 20 have a chat with katherine tulich about all things good, including love, their fave australian bands and clothes shopping...
WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAD REALLY MADE IT?
paul: hard to pinpoint. it kind of hits you for five minutes and then you go on to the next thing.
rob: you're just running your everyday life on top of being on the road and everything goes on around you. its not so much you change, but everyone else around you has changed. people notice you now if you walk into a 7-eleven.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN YOU GET BACK TO AUSTRALIA?
rob: i cant wait to get back to that go kart place in brisbane. i want to see the opera house again and stock up on some berocca-i love that stuff! we're taking the same show there but it feels like it's going to be more exciting because its in australia.
paul: its our last run after two and a half years, so we'll be pulling out all the stops. we'll be ready to party!
rob: we'll have a few days off at the end so we can have a vacation, which will be nice. im going to Heron island out by the great barrier reef-theres a resort there where ill be staying for four or five days. then we're off to hawaii for two days.
DO YOU LISTEN TO ANY AUSTRALIAN MUSIC IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
paul: warner has a record called 'to hal & bacharach'. we play it before our show.
rob: i really like the feelers
paul: two of my favourite bands at the moment are australian-i love regurgitators "unit", its such a great record. i really love the whitlams, as well-theyre an amazing band!
rob: i like custard
DID YOU HAVE FUN THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN AUSTRALIA?
paul: i always have fun in Australia
rob: we always have a good time in australia-its a highlight for us
IF YOU WERE THE LAST BAND ON THE TITANIC, WOULD YOU KEEP ON PLAYING TIL THE BOAT WENT DOWN, OR WOULD YOU HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THERE?
rob: neither, i would have just freaked
paul: i would have beaten the shit out of billy zanes character- he looks like a total prick to me
rob: he could probably kick my ass, though-hes a big guy. he was the phantom
WHATS THE GOOD STUFF ABOUT BEING IN A FAMOUS BAND?
rob: freedom and opportunity and security-if you play your cards right, you can start a nest egg. security is important- its just commonsense- if youre fortunate to make some money, try and hold onto it. i cant say theres anything else particularly good about being famous.
paul: just because people know who you are, they suddenly think you know what youre talking about-as if your opinion matters. we can say a band is shit and they believe it, or they're really good-sign them!
ARE YOUR FRIENDS ALL KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR NOW YOURE BIG?
paul: they are! but we try to help them if we really like them.
WHAT WAS THE FIRT THING YOU BOUGHT WHEN YOU GOT MONEY?
rob: i havent bought anything yet, i havent got a car. id like to buy an apartment, so ill have to buy things to put in it! i bought a watch-the first one ive had since i was 17-that was a big thing! i always thought id succumb to "the man" if i had a watch, so i bought myself a gucci watch so i could be "the man!"
paul: clothes!i love clothes.
WHERE DO YOU BUY CLOTHES?
rob:we shop alot! we're shopaholics!
paul: especially when we're in melbourne-we shop our asses off. theyve got some great designers there. i love chapel street. in australia, melbourne is the best place to shop, for sure. londons also a great place.
WHATS YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE OF CLOTHING AT THE MOMENT?
paul: i just bought this kick ass prada suit im really into. we like nice clothes. you cant wear them on the road so much, but when we go to an awards show, its great because we get to dress up!
WHATS THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING IN A FAMOUS BAND?
paul: the fact that people think because they know you, they have the right to tell you whatever is on their mind. i dont walk up to anyone working at mc donalds and say "hey, that hamburger sucked". paul:kids seem to epect us to have all the answers, and we just dont. all we can do is try and be as supportive as we can to them.
WHATS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING-LOVE,WEALTH,OR SPIRITUALITY?
rob and paul unanimously: love!
rob: love and spirituality
paul: im not really spiritual
rob: just being a spiritualo person and realising the important things. i think love always brings that out in you. love makes you a better person because youre thinking for two. whatever the relationship you have, you turn out a much better person in the end.
paul: wealth means nothing- id hate to be a 60-year-old wealthy man whos completely alone. Mo' money-problems!
WHATS THE FIRST POSSESSION YOUD SAVE IF YOUR HOUSE WAS ON FIRE?
paul: id take my dog
rob: i dont have a place or a dog or anything thats really important to me. it would be really easy if i was in a fire, everything i have is just in a couple of suitcases-i could just drag them out and have everything i own.
ARE YOU THINKING OF WRITING NEW SONGS? HOW WILL YOU DO THEM?
rob: we dont want to release anything just yet, but we're trying to write new songs while we're on the road. i think that we need to experience some new things. we were talking about doing all the writing in the pre-production in the strudio. we wont work as a band till we get into the studio.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOUTIRE BIRTHDAY MEMORY?
paul: actually, on my birthday four years ago, we finalised calling this band Matchbox 20
rob: yeah thats a great memory!
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