Dolly Interview- Kody's Avenue

Dolly Interview [girly mag]

When did you know that you had really made it?
Paul Doucette: Hard to pin point. It kind of hits you for five minutes, and then you go on to the next thing.
Rob Thomas: You're just running your everyday life on top of being on the road and everything goes on around you. It's not so much you change, but everyine 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 can't wait to get back to that go-kart place in Brisbane. I want to see the Opera House again and stock up on Berocca- I love that stuff! We're taking the same show there but it feels like it's going to be more exciting because it's Australia.
Paul:It's our last run after two-and-a-half years, so we'll be pulling out allthe 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. I'm going to Heron Island out by the Great Barrier Reef- there's a resort there where I'll 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 Regurgitator's Unit, it's such a great record. I really love The Whitlams, as well- they're and 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- it's a highlight for us.

If you were the last band on the Titanic, would you keep on playing till 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 Zane's character- he looks like a total prick to me.
Rob: He could probably kick my ass though- he's a big guy. He was The Phantom.

What's the good stuff about being in a famous band?
Rob: Freedom and opportunity and security- if you lay your cards right, you can start a nest egg. Security is important- it's just commonsense- if you're fortunate to make some money, try and hold onto it. I can't say there's anything particularly great about being famous
Paul: Just because people know who you are, they suddenly think that you know what you're 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 the door now you're big?
Paul: They are! But we try to help them if we really like them.

What was the first thing you bought when you got money?
Rob: I haven't bought anything yet, I haven't got a car. I'd like to buy and apartment, so I'll have to buy things to pit in it. I bought a watch- the first one I've had since I was 17- that was a big thing! I always thought I'd succumb to "the man" if I had a watch, so I bought myself a Gucci watch so I would be "the man"!
Paul: Clothes! I love clothes!

Where do you buy clothes?
Rob: We shop a lot! We're shopaholics!
Paul: Especially when we're in Melbourne- we shop our asses off. They've got some great designers there. I love Chapel Street. In Australia, Melbourne is the best place to shop, for sure. London's also a great place.

What's your favourite piece of clothing at the moment?
Paul: I just bought this kick-ass Prada suit I'm really into. We like nice clothes. You can't wear them on the road so much, but when we go to an awards show, it's great because we get to dress up!

What's 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 don't walk up to anyone at McDonald's and say, "Hey, that hamburger sucked".
Paul:[typo?] Kids seem to expect us to have all the answers, and we just don't. All we can do is try to be as supportive as we can to them.

What's the most important thing- love, wealth or spirituality?
Rob and Paul unanimously: Love!
Rob: Love and spirituality.
Paul: I'm not really spiritual.
Rob: Just being a spiritual person and realising the important things. I think love always brings that out in you. Love makes you a better person because you're thinking of two. Whatever the relationships you have, you turn out a much better person in the end.
Paul: Wealth means nothing- I'd hate to be a 60-year-old wealthy man who's completely alone. Mo' Money- problems!

What's the first possession you'd save if your house was on fire?
Paul:I'd take my dog.
Rob: I don't have a place or dog or anything that's really important to me. It would be really east 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; don't 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 som new things. We were talking about doing all the writing in pre-production in the studio. We won't work as a band till we get into the studio.

Do you have a favourite birthday memory?
Paul: Actually, on my birthday four years ago, we finalised calling this band Matchbox 20
Rob: Yeah that's a great memory!

Story by Katherine Tulich