Matt Nathanson

0:00Tonight's backstage pass exclusive feature is on singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson Started making records about 10 years ago

2:50When I was in college cuz I had a mass these songs that I'd written and I had a buddy that had a studio And he was like oh, you know, let's make a record and I was like where to that Let's do it, you know, but I've been a musician for I guess I've been playing guitar since I was in sixth grade And I've had bands since I was since then, you know But we used to do like U2 covers and police covers and so I I started writing songs that were sort of that I liked Around high school, you know, I started playing acoustic guitar right around like 14 15 I thought I don't need an electric guitar, you know, I used to want to be in poison You know, if I even rock it but uh, but so I started to realize that the acoustic guitar might be sort of more suited to my stuff And since then I've been writing songs and kind of writing really bad ones at that time

3:35You know and then sort of as I got to college I started to kind of a mass ones that I was like oh, these are cool like this one's okay This one's okay and then kind of put out a record from it There's two phases of songwriting. There's like the creative vomit phase, you know Where you just kind of any what's in you comes out and then there's the refinement period Which is like where you sift through it and you're like this is terrible This is terrible and this is good. Okay, cool. I got it and usually that process happens for a while with both lyrics and And melodies and guitar parts and then I'll sit down and kind of try and put those two together So kind of they kind of come separate and they cook on their own And then I see which ones feel like they fit together and in the process of trying to fit them together other parts come and things kind of grow and

4:21You know the song kind of starts to take shape multiple songs kind of take shape all at once Because you'll be like oh this first doesn't work But boy it goes under this chord progression better than it did that one, you know and then all of a sudden you're kind of Build it juggling like three songs. It's it's a cool way to write Because it's sort of you feel like you're always it's like like on the stove You know you've got three fucking you know pans going on We see Jackie we're continuing on with our feature with Matt Nathanson right there with answer machine before that you heard wings

8:28World famous record producer Ron any yellow produced Matt's debut album for Universal Records Every record that Ron made whether I like the record or not Had every aspect of what I thought a record should have All the engineers that he used all the studios that he recorded in all the band members that he used and he used different people on every record You know but they were always people that I go God. I love that player God I love that drummer it would be Matt would play on one record or Jim Keltner would play on one record Or he would always get or you know whoever was the bass player on whatever record that he did It would always be like that's the guy and no matter if I listen to the record I like the songs I like to use I got kind of a vibe over all of his records about what he was trying to make happen and and And so for me it was like kind of this thing of like if I get along with this guy

9:17I feel like we're gonna be in good shape and And and I went to his house for a couple days and just hung out and we and it was great Totally cool. He was actually sort of the the bomb. He he's kind of a spacey cat, you know, he's just sort of like creative Spacey he's an amazing guitar player like unbelievably good and And he has a really good vision of what the end result is But everything getting to that place for him is a feel based situation and anybody that works from feel only Is sort of seemingly Disorganized, you know because they'll be kind of orchestrating this thing and you're like what are you doing? Where is this going and for me? It took a while because that was the hardest part I felt like I trusted him but for me to let go of the reins of production and to not be so obsessive about the way the record was supposed to sound I

10:07Felt like there were moments where I was like oh my I'd call my wife and I'd be like I think this is going Completely out of control, you know, but then he would just always reel it back in he always had the End result in in his that's his sort of gift is that you know He doesn't get bogged down by the details. He kind of does it by feel and then you end up at the spot where you're like Yeah, you totally had it you that's amazing. I thought we were gone for you know I thought there were moments where I was like up the song to wash, you know, and then he just pull it together It was great So he was a really good person to steer the ship and keep everybody on course and keep everybody Curralled in to the right ideas. It was nice the good news about this time since I'd made all those records before I would have to guide the musicians that play I'd be like, you know

10:55I was thinking more like this kind of feel or I was thinking more this but when I got to do this record I got to kind of have people that I've always wanted to play with because they were the people that made records that Influenced the way I write and the way that I do things so I had to have to have V play guitar to have Glenn sing back up Glenn Phillips from Toad to have Matt play drums to have Jamie play keys It was one of these things where it was like I didn't have to guide them anymore Instead I got to just sort of let them spend their energy instead of trying to figure out where they wanted me to go Because I trusted how they did their thing I I got to just let them do their thing and so their energy was spent creatively as opposed to like trying to be like Oh, is this what you mean? You know, it was like cuz Matt Chamberlain it was like anything he played There's probably 95% success rate for me, you know, he'd do something and I'd be like you're the man

11:41Alright, here we go, you know or David would do this thing and I'd be like maybe occasionally I'd be like that's not the tone I was thinking but pretty much not at all, you know, it was just like oh you're in the hand You're the reason I'm here and I'm you know You can do whatever you want to do because it was just everything felt like they treated the songs They were really attentive to what the songs wanted and I felt really safe with them going in whatever direction They felt like they needed to go in and so it was a pleasure to make it, you know, it was a pleasure With Matt and the band deciding mainly how the music was gonna go I wondered how the label affected any of the music No, they had no involvement in the record That was why I signed the deal with them because the a and R person that I was dealing with I felt like she and I or she and I do See I'd I creatively I knew that they wouldn't get involved It was really a hands-off creative thing and I got to pick Ron. I got to pick the studio

12:31I got to pick the engineer. I got to pick the band. I got to pick the songs It was just because I'd been making records for so long that I really wasn't into the idea of having someone come in and try And tell me how my career could be better, you know what I mean? Like I'm not I mean I'm into like people being like, you know what you could try to do try to do this But I'm not into people being like this is the producer for you because music is my life And I know every producer and I know every engineer because that's like my obsession, you know I like I listen to records and I I can name who engineered your favorite record, you know what I mean Because I just love it so much and so it's like so to have it was the kind of thing where like anything they would recommend I'd be like no I didn't like those three records that person did I kind of have an idea actually so just don't worry about it And and it kind of worked out well It was like they gave ideas and they kind of lobbed them my way

13:16But I would be like mmm, right now No, let's do this, you know because I kind of had a vision of how I wanted to go and so it worked out really well It wasn't even it's not like I'm arrogant about it, but it's just sort of like it's like I Know what kind of record I've always wanted to make and so I've kind of been dreaming of the day when I'd have the Opportunity to like get the players or get the studio or get the engineers So I wasn't really down with like anybody else kind of ruining my day, you know what I mean? I'm being like no you should use this producer You know he's hot and she wasn't that kind of a in our person at all She had no bullshit and so she wouldn't you know a lot of people say who's ever hot that at that time They'll be like oh that person should produce your record well just wasn't the It just wasn't the way she worked and that's what kind of why I did the deal with her because she was great Mass and tea construction people the best of intentions he tried to patch up every hole as he went

14:13back and forth and back again and his friends have full of half concerns And their looks and tired words they brought me friends the ignorant little lives They preferred any envy their distance their lack of concern Once I shed the hole Once I shed the hole I'll be smiling cursed himself And as instinct to nurse every idea to health and all of the falls that he'd spent

15:05Trying to coax his name from the mouths of success Once I shed the hole Once I shed the hole And I'll be smiling litter me with small awareness And they ask if I'm good enough litter me with small Just to wake me up Why do the fool? Once I shed the hole

15:53Once I shed the hole I'll be smiling litter me with small awareness Just to wake me up Litter me with small awareness Just to wake me up Litter me with small awareness And they have the gall To ask if I'm good enough Litter me with small awareness Just to wake me up Why do the fool? So far the only thing is that being on a major has been a lot easier to get access to things that I've always wanted to do

16:53Whether it was the band stuff that we talked about before Or going to these radio stations and playing But good radio like non-commercial great stations that play amazing stuff For me to be able to do that on my own it was really hard to corral all that stuff And to be on a label and to be able to kind of give them a guide Look I want to go to these non-commercials I want to play I want to get in there I want to do this thing You know hey I want to be able to get records into stores Hey I want to be able to do this I want to be able to play on this thing Or let's go When we're in LA I want to play on Napster I want to do the you know that and they That's the kind of thing it's like so far it's been kind of access all areas I kind of say Let's get this happening and I kind of bring it up to them and they kind of pull it together So so far it's been a fairly pain free situation You know and when it's funny because we're just kind of doing our thing

17:40The real test is when things start to happen a lot Like they're going really well now and everybody's psyched But if it starts to happen the real challenge I think of being on a label And trying to remain in control a little bit Is that you have to when things start happening that's when they get excited And that's when they start pushing to do things that you might not want to do And so you got to kind of stay firm you got to pick your battles in those situations And that's the kind of thing that I think I'm just going to learn how to do If things start going well that's when they'll get involved It's kind of like anything you know like your business is doing great And they're kind of helping and then all of a sudden it blows up And things start going crazy and then they're like alright let's get now Let's go because they're really good at selling millions of records They're not so good at selling a hundred thousand records So once things start moving then it's going to be I'm sure they're going to get more involved

18:27And then there'll be more opinions that'll have to sort of weigh and be like okay I'm not really well about that Or that I can live with you know that kind of stuff I think it's going to be a long time I think this record is going to be out a long time before we It's going to be a growing situation you know But I think I want suspended to be the first single Suspended and then maybe I saw and then sad songs But I don't know if we'll even get that far but feeling like suspended is a song that I feel like impacts me more And I kind of think it's better I like sad songs a lot but I feel like suspended's got something that I dig more When I listen to it more the longer I've had it I've been like suspended I like you know and I like sad songs a lot but it's just suspended I feel like has something

19:12So I think we're going to go with that Matt's been on the road for about two years now solo with a cellist named Matt Fish But he is looking at getting a full band It's a lot easier to do it and we've been doing it this way for a long time So I think we're going to ramp up and get a drummer for the next round of shows And then when we tour again we'll bring a band So it's the kind of thing where like Matt and I get along really well and I feel like we Accomplish a lot and I feel like it's better to build For me also I was touring without a label and anything like that So it was a lot it's a lot less expensive to do it this way as well And now that the label is involved I kind of Still feel like as a trajectory it's a lot better to kind of slowly add pieces And give the next time you come to Boston or the next time you go to Vancouver The next time you go you have like oh they have something oh there's a drummer now You know and then oh cool there's a bass player in a drummer guitar you know and then all of a sudden

19:58You know so slowly building building the beast Coming up to come around and cover every Lying on my bass my moves now

23:50They've been really it's pretty much keeping them at bay because their attention span is a major label You really only get it's difficult to sustain that kind of momentum do you know what I mean? And so we're just trying to sort of you bring it along yourself And these little victories along the way where people are like oh my god great great great Oh great and the sound scans going up and everybody's excited And then you build this thing and then they run with it You know it's like you're lighting the torch and you're kind of walking it up And then at some point they're gonna come grab it and go But it's got to be at the right time because if it isn't the torch might go out And then you've lost their focus and you've lost there Because just by nature of the major label system doesn't have the grassroots thing going on

24:37So we've just been building it before we got involved and now we're building it with their help But still utilizing very few of their resources You know and at some point we'll engage them and go for the sort of much wider net You know cast a wider net Matt was asked to appear on the American wedding soundtrack this past summer Recording a cover of the James song Laid Where did that idea exactly come from? The president of the Universal was like saw a show heard me do some stuff He's like you know what song would be great for you to do I'd like you to take a crack at this Laid song and I was like Laid James How can you redo that song? It's like perfect And so we did it in a day just for fun And we didn't really expand on it because you can't it's a perfect song you know So we just did it and it ended up they liked it

25:22And it was like alright I'm down fantastic that was it That was an easy cool thing you know That was pretty flattering actually it was neat And it was neat to go into the theater and hear it in the That was one of those moments where you're like any jaded parts of yourself go away And you're just kind of like this is great I'm listening to myself in the theater This is one of those moments if I if it all ends tomorrow I can tell my grandkids that I was in the theater and I heard my own voice So that was pretty cool I stood up and I yelled that's me Hey everybody that's me now I'm like hey pay attention I slap this kid talking Stop to God damn it you have no respect That's how that was totally cool Passionate love, the noise is above

26:12She's on song, she's sad C.A.3, C.J.Q. the backstage pass

28:45This is feature on Matt and Ethan's in right there With laid off the American wedding soundtrack Before that you heard sad songs And before that then I'll be smiling Matt's got a bit of a problem with good Charlotte I think they seem like really nice people And uh but I wish that they wouldn't keep calling themselves punk I wish that they wouldn't say that Sort of a band that are punk are like X was punk You know? Bands like that And so to have a band sort of talk about on MTV And they're very they seem very nice those guys Like seeing if they were hanging out here we'd have a great time But they just sort of they're just a pop band You know what I mean? They're a pop band They write pop music How about P. Diddy? The best skin I've ever seen on anybody in my life I stood with I we took an elevator ride in New York

29:31And he was friends with someone that I was in the elevator with So we were out there having a conversation and I was just kind of watching And an incredible gentleman He uh he's in control The world revolves around him And it's pretty impressive It's not at all something that you'd be like gross It's more like fuck dude That's impressive And he had the nicest skin I've ever seen in my life Like it looked like they just shined him I'm down with it Yeah I'm into it I wouldn't have a crew if I didn't you know I wouldn't have a following If it wasn't for downloading and tape trading I think it's the best I wish that people would uh Funny I don't download because I've never I'm never around I might have a dial up on my computer you know and it's like Yeah and I have and I like to but I like records I like to buy CDs and like read liner notes and geek out But so yeah I'm totally down with it

30:18I just hope that it never I hope that people still I hope that people don't lose the album concept Because it's really essential When albums are sequenced in the way that are important When they're from beginning to end when they have a real strong thing There's nothing better than a than a journey And I feel like downloading quite possibly Though there are great benefits to it Because I have an iPod and when I just put it on random it's like a dream come true You know but I also feel like I lose the weight of like if Octum Baby was taken out of sequence What would you have? That record is fucking perfection you know What would you do if Lou Reed, New York was out of sequence What would you do if there's just there's a there's a Roll to records that you're to most records Whereas like some records don't really have a roll They have the first four songs you're good and the rest is crap Which is fine and like for Cindy Loper's greatest hits

31:05It's good you know download and just have songs But like I feel like I just I just don't want people to lose the art of the record Because I think that that's part of the fun of listening to music Is sort of taking a journey from song one to song twelve or whatever Matt Nathan's in right there was suspended only on the backstage pass

34:24On 88.3 CGI Q That's all for this week we'll see you next week with simple plan