Recovery-TV interview- Kody's Avenue

Recovery ABC TV interview

Last updated: January 13th, 2001

Jane: We have Rob and Paul from Matchbox 20. Welcome back to Recovery, thank you for coming and visiting us.

Rob: Thank you very much

Paul: We're going to get really lost and play with the toys here...

(There are all these toys on the table in front of them. Both Paul and Rob have squishy eyeballs)

Rob: Yeah, we just want to play with the toys. That's why we came back.

Jane: It's Toyworld here at Recovery! How often do you preform very stripped down like that? That was a bit laid back, not so in your face. How often does that happen?

Rob: As much as we can

Paul: Yeah we kinda like doing it that way. Um, we really don't get a chance to do it a lot.

(Rob squeezing eye and making funny faces) So it's like when someone says "hey, you can play acoustic" we jump at it.

Jane: Yeah?

Paul: That's right.

Jane: You enjoy playing acoustically?

Paul: Yeah its fun cos it gets like, we've been on tour for 2 years, so we play the same songs every night so its a nice change, to change up a little bit.

Jane: Get sick of playing the same songs every night?

Paul: I'm so tired of this record

Rob: Ha ha ha (laughs

Paul: Just kidding

Jane: This record's doing very well for you. 4 times platinum in Australia. Millions and millions of copies sold in America. How does it feel?

Rob: Feels good

Paul: Good answer!!!!

Rob: Thanks

Paul: You're the man!!

Rob: No, I mean what do you say? It's good that you work really, really hard and it pays off and we have lots of friends and there's a lot of people for who it doesn't pay off for as much, and the fact the it did (pay off) for us makes me feel.... Good!!

(Grabs Paul's arm [which is holding giant eyeball] to punctuate his sentence)

Jane: Now, now! It should feel good cause last time you visited us in September it was only a promo tour and now here in Australia sell out concerts, which is fantastic. How's the band changed since then...for you

(Meanwhile Paul is balancing a naked Ken doll on Rob's shoulder)

Rob: Um, we have huge heads and we're just jerks. Yeah

Paul: That's pretty much it. I don't know well...

Rob: I feel like everybodys the same.

Paul: Yeah, we haven't changed. Just our surroundings have changed. Like we get to stay in nicer hotels and play in nicer places. But that's about it.

Rob: We're still, like, idiots like we were when we started, only now people don't give us a hard time about it.

(Both are still playing with numerous toys)

Jane: (Kidding) I'm going to tell you to stop this. C'mon!

Rob: Awwww but it's fun! The eyeball is very fun

Paul: We get preoccupied vey easily

Jane: Yeah?

Paul: Yeah.

Jane: You haven't trashed any hotel rooms have you?

Rob: No that's mean, cause people have to clean it up.

Paul: We're like the type of rock guys that leave tips.

Jane: You're nice rock guys.

Rob: Every now and then, I'm sure we've left our room in a state that people don't want to clean up but it wasn't like we said "We're going to trash our room" It just kinda happened that way. Right? (Turning to Paul)

Paul: yeah... Well I don't know if that counts. Well actually no cause the best trashing story is... (mumble)

Jane: C'mon tell us a good trashing story

Rob: There was that time when Paul threw the house keeper out the window.

Paul: Yeah, it wasn't like an actual TV or anything- I actually threw the house keeper so I dunno if that counts

Jane: (Mystified) How do you throw a housekeeper?

(both a once)

Paul: You see I'm a strong man and....

Rob: (Really fast) He said "excuse me can we get some matches?" and she said "We're out of matches" and he said "You're a hussey!" and he threw him out the window.

(Audience is laughing)

Jane: (slightlyBewildered) Oh my goodness!

Jane: Uh, let's just quickly go back to the beginning. Matchbox 20 started when there was just 3 of you?

Paul: Yes, there was me (pointing at Rob) yeah, I'm like 'me' (pointing to Rob this time mocking himself)

Rob: Me (Pointing at Paul)

Jane: Me (points at Rob)

Paul: No wait, me and him and Brian our bass player. We played together in another band that wasn't very good.

Jane: It was a covers band wasn't it?

Paul: We did a lot of covers, yeah

Jane: What were your favorite covers?

Rob: We used to do a lot of um...

Paul: What'd we do?

Rob: "I alone" by Live, that was fun

Paul: Yeah. We were kinda like the modern rock cover band.

Rob: You name it sister- we played it (he does the "I love you" sign with his hands)

Jane: modern rock..!

Jane: Did you do Richard Marx?

Rob: No (looking down)

Paul: Ohhhhhh.....

Rob: No! Nobody does Richard Marx

Paul: Who is Richard Marx anyway?

Jane: Who were some of your heroes when you were getting the band together?

Rob: Um REM

Paul: The greatest American hero. He was kinda cool. I guess that's a lost reference.

Rob: Yeah, it really is

Paul: REM definately, it was huge

Rob: REM, Ani DiFranco um Willy Nelson

Paul: Grantley Buffalo

Rob: Grantley Buffalo, Del Amitri

Jane: Del Amitri, are they still around?

Rob: Yeah

Paul: Yeah actually they are

Rob: Yeah, they have a great record out. Their first record and that last record were absolutely unbelievable.

Jane: Oh

Rob: Great band

Jane: Well you've been touring lots and you're touring Australia at the

moment. Got any touring highlights at the moments?

Rob: Touring highlights. We came, we're in Australia

Jane: Yea!!!

Rob: Don't you know?

Jane: Sell out shows, I can't even read out the dates cause they're all sold out!

Paul: It's kinda weird, the last time we came here um, like we came here for what, 2 weeks, something like that and played to like a couple of people here and there.

Rob: We had the greatest time

Paul: But we had soooo much fun and then now its like, cos no one knew who we were back then and now its like a couple more people do. So it's like a whole new experience.

Jane: A lot more people do yes.

Rob: Cause it's like if it was fun then, it's like so much more fun now.

Jane: It's a party

Rob: It's really too much of a party sometime quite honestly.

Jane: Enjoy the rest of your party here in Australia.

Paul: Why thank you

Jane: Thank you very much for coming on Rob and Paul of Matchbox 20. Thank you

(Rob and Paul nod)

Jane: Hang around guys you can play with the toys.