play>	01	If You're Gone	Rob Thomas					00:16

Rob Thomas: vocals
Kyle Cook: guitar, vocals
Adam Gaynor: guitar, vocals
Brian Yale: bass
Paul Doucette: drums

"mad season by matchbox twenty," the long-awaited second
Melisma/Lava/Atlantic release from matchbox twenty, stands as
a great leap forward for one of today's most compelling rock n'
roll groups. Following the stunning success of their
explosive 1996 Lava/Atlantic debut, "YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE
YOU," this soul-infused collection of modern classics
amply demonstrates the band's remarkably expressive range and
power. From the potent and powerful pop of "Black & White
People" to the turbulent "Angry" and "You Won't Be Mine," each of
the new album's thirteen tracks is a showcase for the dynamic,
melodic matchbox twenty sound, as well as the singular mark of
triple Grammy-winner Rob Thomas's intimate yet universal
songwriting.

Having spent over 600 nights on the road since the release of
their explosive 1996 Melisma/Lava/Atlantic debut,
"YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU," matchbox twenty has grown into a
creative musical machine firing on all cylinders. Thomas's rich
vocals have ripened in both strength and maturity, as have
Kyle Cook and Adam Gaynor's heartfelt harmonies and chiming
twin guitar arrangements. Binding these elements together
is the inventive, propulsive rhythm section of bassist Brian
Yale and drummer Paul Doucette.

"When we made our first record, we hadn't really been a band for
very long," Thomas says. "We hadn't had any really good
fights, we hadn't had any really good laughs, we hadn't done much
of anything together. But now, so much has happened to us that
we've formed a character within ourselves. So this is really
the first time we're saying, 'This is matchbox twenty making
a record,' because now matchbox twenty is its own entity. This
is the first one where we can really say, this is our sound."

Recorded in Atlanta and Nashville during the second half
of 1999, "mad season by matchbox twenty" was produced by dual
Grammy Award-winner Matt Serletic ("Record of the
Year"/"Album of the Year"), the man behind the board for
"YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU." Late last year, that album - a
Billboard Top Five smash - earned the RIAA's prestigious
Diamond Award, marking certified U.S. sales in excess of 10
million units and adding matchbox twenty's name to a very
elite roster of artists who have reached this major career
milestone.

"It was freakish," says Thomas of the group's incredible
achievement. "You can't compete with it and you can't recreate
it, so we were in a good position. All we had to worry
about was making a great record."

"mad season by matchbox twenty" highlights the continuing
development of Thomas's gifts as a writer, with songs that
focus on the binding elements of our increasingly unconnected
world. Where many sophomore records reflect an artist's
newly isolated existence - with songs either telling of bus
windows and endless highways, of the terrible traumas of fame and
fortune - here Thomas spins poignant stories of love and
loss, of life and how to live it.

"Your career is just one aspect of who you are," Thomas notes.
"Most of the things I write about are still basic emotions.
If you sell a billion records, and the only thing you can come
up with to write about is selling a billion records, then
you're probably a pretty shallow person. There has to be
something else in your life that you can draw on other than 'I'm
rich and famous.'"

Thomas was recently honored with three Grammy Awards for
"Smooth," his 1999 chart-topping collaboration with Carlos
Santana. The track earned him "Song of the Year" honors; the
"Record of the Year" trophy (along with Santana, producer
Matt Serletic, and engineer/mixer David Thoener);
and the "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" award, which he
shared with Santana. Thomas's hat trick was the second-highest
tally of the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, following Santana
himself with eight.

"I just fell bass-ackwards into luck again," says Rob.
"Everything about 'Smooth' has been so special and so
beautiful. We were taking our time making 'mad season,' so
'Smooth' became this really good bridge. We needed a break, and
it kept us from the 'Where Are They Now?' file."

Thomas - who won in every category in which he was
nominated - had previously earned a Grammy nomination for
matchbox twenty's hit single, "Push," which received a 1998
nod in the "Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group
With Vocal" category. Among his other honors, Thomas received
the 1999 "Pop Songwriter of the Year" award from the performing
rights organization BMI. He was recognized for penning three
songs on the year's most-performed songs list, and shared
the "Pop Songwriter of the Year" title with Mariah Carey, Shania
Twain, and Sarah McLachlan. In addition, BMI presented three
tracks from "YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU" - "3am," "Real World,"
and "Push" (previously awarded for being among 1998's most-
performed songs) - with their 1999 "Pop Award."

"Every great spirit lined up the right way so that we could be
afforded this success," Thomas says. "And I think we've taken
that success and done the right things with it. We don't take
ourselves too seriously, and we haven't forgotten what it's all
about, which is the music."

* * * * *

Born on a military base in Germany, Rob Thomas spent much
of his youth shuttling between his grandmother in South
Carolina and his mom in Florida. After dropping out of both high
school and his difficult home life, the 17-year-old Rob
drifted around the Southeast, hitchhiking and crashing where
he could. The only constant of the young man's life was music,
an inspiring soundtrack which included artists ranging from Al
Green and Van Morrison to Elvis Costello and R.E.M. He released
the pressures of his life in his songwriting, just as he
developed his gutsy vocal style fronting a number of local rock
bands. Settling in the Orlando area, he found common musical
ground with drummer Paul Doucette and bassist Brian Yale,
and the three formed a partnership. They recruited
guitarist Adam Gaynor from his job at Miami's Criteria
Recording Studios and guitarist Kyle Cook from his studies at
the Atlanta Institute of Music. matchbox twenty was born.

As quickly as they'd come together, the band found
themselves signed to Lava/Atlantic and were soon
recording their debut album with producer Matt Serletic
(Collective Soul, Aerosmith). With the release of "Push," the
band scored a dramatic multi-format breakthrough single and a
video channel favorite, pushing matchbox twenty and 1996's
"YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU" into the spotlight. They kicked
off Summer 1997 with an early set at the massive Blockbuster
Rockfest at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, a
performance which was deemed the long day's highlight. That
July, the group made their network television debut,
blowing the roof off Late Show with David Letterman with a
knockout rendition of "Push." They returned to the Ed Sullivan
Theater late that year to perform "3am", after taking the
stage in September for their debut on The Tonight Show with
Jay Leno.

All four singles released from "YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU" -
that is, "Push," "3am," "Real World," and "Back 2 Good" -
became radio favorites, topping the airplay charts at most
formats. Proving that the band's talents are visual as
well as sonic, the arresting companion video clips were Heavy
Rotation hits at both MTV and VH1. The accolades began piling
up, as matchbox twenty won the illustrious "Best New Band"
award in Rolling Stone's 1997 Reader's Poll, as well as
Billboard's 1997 "Duo/Group," and the "Favorite Group: New
Artist" trophy at 1997's Blockbuster Entertainment
Awards. The album was also listed among the top 10 in Spin
magazine's 1998 "Year In Music" issue, while Thomas's
charismatic frontman persona prompted People to include him
in their 1998 "50 Most Beautiful People In The World" issue.

All the while, matchbox twenty toured constantly, to ever-
larger, always-sold-out houses. In early 1998, the band taped a
blistering performance at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom for
MTV's Live At The Ten Spot in-concert program. With America
plainly captivated by the band's sweeping sound and songs, the
next step was to bring their music to the rest of the world.
Following a series of acclaimed dates and promo appearances in
Europe, matchbox twenty embarked on their first tour of
Australia. The band, which had clicked with fans Down Under on
a level par with the U.S. - with the album reaching #1 on the
charts - arrived in Oz to find all dates sold out, including a
five-night stand in Sydney. The tour was filmed for posterity,
with performances from all points gathered together to form
"matchbox twenty LIVE FROM AUSTRALIA," the band's first
full-length home video release. On the global front, the band
accumulated an impressive list of certifications for "YOURSELF
OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU": eight-times platinum in Australia,
quintuple platinum in New Zealand, quadruple platinum in
Canada, platinum in the Philippines, and gold in Ireland
and Indonesia.

"Rob's message is universal," says guitarist Adam Gaynor of
the band's global popularity. "What he's saying appeals to so
many people."

* * * *

1999 was spent vacationing, woodshedding, and readying to
record the second matchbox twenty outing. When the group
convened at Atlanta's Tree Studios in August, it soon
became clear just how much the band had grown since their
debut.

"The difference was monumental," Gaynor says. "We're all really
proud of the first album, but we're a much more mature band
now. It was a lot more fun this time. You're so nervous the
first time you make a record, but now it's just about making
good music and taking it up another notch."

"We've matured as people, which I think is reflected in the
music," guitarist Kyle Cook points out. "I think we took
some chances, but not at the cost of the songs. The first
record was more a straight-forward rock band record, and I
think we've taken the next step."

"Everyone really stepped up," says bassist Brian Yale. "The
difference between matchbox twenty four years ago and now,
performance-wise, is just night and day."

Where "YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU" is marked by the passionate
energy of a young band hitting the studio for the first time,
"mad season by matchbox twenty" features a no-holds-barred sonic
approach which incorporates new textures - such as intricate
orchestrations and fierce horn sections. With the able
assistance of producer Matt Serletic, the band grew
comfortable in the recording studio and was able to take
control of their music.

"Matt's the sixth member of the band," Thomas enthuses, "and
that makes working in the studio more interesting and fun. We
can trust him to say 'Try this road' or 'Do this,' because we
know in the end we're all going to decide on what's best."

Though Thomas is, of course, matchbox twenty's central
songwriter, the album features the first-ever composing
contributions by Doucette. The drummer shares writing credit
with Thomas on "Stop" - which Doucette describes as "the
oddest and hardest song on the record."

"mad season by matchbox twenty" captures this unique quintet at
the height of their powers, remarkably unburdened by any
pressure to follow the monumental success of their
debut. If matchbox twenty has learned anything over the last
few years, it is that making great music is ultimately what
matters.

"It was amazing the way it all happened for us," Rob Thomas
says, "and because of that, you realize that you don't have as
much control over things as you thought going in. And that
gives you this freedom. You're not really holding onto the
reins, you're not really flying the plane, you're not really
driving the car - you're really just a passenger. The only
thing you're in control of is the record - you write the
song, you go into the studio, you put everything into making
it - but once you shrink-wrap it and put it out, it's not up to
you anymore. All you can do is hope that people like it."

5/00

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