Entertainment World
puts Lead Vocalist, Matt Thiessen to the Test
"20 Things You Should Know About Relient K But Were To Afraid Too Ask?"
December 06,
2004
Lead Vocalist, Matt Thiessen
* A little over a year ago I was sporting a rat tail, mustache, and dangly rose earring (on the left ear only
* Once when I was shaving my arms, I shaved one off. Then I sowed it back on with dental floss. Then I lied to you again.
* Our band does whatever we can to get out of paying for food. The number of unnecessary celebration dinners held last year was startling.
* Our whole band is totally crushing on Ryan Cabrera
* I actually just had to google "Ashlee Simpson's boyfriend" to find out what the heck Ryan Cabrera's name is. I knew he was that one cute kid with the acoustic guitar, though.
* None of us are crushing on Ryan Cabrera anymore. Except for Matt Hoopes
* Sometimes I go over to Matt Hoopes' place for a 'hoopes turkey sandwich'. We make them with barbecue sauce and microwave them for 23 seconds. So good.
* I bought my mom a chocolate malt about 4 hours ago
* I never want to play live on TV. I know I'll screw it up. ...But probably not as bad as Ryan Cabrera's girlfriend.
* Our drummer Dave wears these cut off pants that aren't quite shorts. We call them schpants. They look silly.
* I'm typing this from my parents house. Where I live. (I'm 24 and very sad)
* I run about 7 miles every day or so. I'm not really in shape though.
* Dave and I LOVE to watch NFL and drink black coffee (but not always at the same time). And people thought we weren't manly
* Matt Hoopes is REALLY good at golf. He also thinks its a sport. (I like it too...I'm just jealous cause I suck)
* I've got a runny nose, and i've gone through 14 tissues since I started writing this list. My nose is sore and doesn't smell pizza anymore.
* Matt Hoopes is the only person I know that hates mint. He won't chew gum, and he brushes with Crest For Kids
* I think that 'therapeutic' is hard to spell, but also a very satisfying thing to know how to spell.
* We used to cover "Still The One" by Shania Twain. We used to cover it poorly.
* I have a new obsession with finding the perfect T-shirt with the Tasmanian Devil on it. So uncool, its still uncool (but not to me).
* My car broke down 2 weeks ago, and I've been driving around in the band's 15 passenger van. Not really that styling, but I've been picking up chicks. 14 of them at a time.
New Capitol / Gotee Records: Relient K- mmhmm
I So Hate Consequences
BIO:
Relient K, the Canton, OH power-punk rock outfit, have released their fourth studio album, mmhmm, with an astounding debut at #15 on the coveted Billboard Top 200 album chart. The new album, out on Capitol Records/Gotee, hit streets November 2nd. The band has sold over 1,000,000 total albums to date with their first three albums, which were released on independent label Gotee Records. Their 2003 effort, Two Lefts Don't Make A Right.but three do, debuted at #38 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart, resulted in a Grammy nomination and a Billboard Music Video Award nomination, and received a 4-star (out of 5) review from Alternative Press. It is approaching Gold status, having shipped in excess of 430,000 copies to date.
The new album features 14 brand new songs and was produced by Mark Townsend and Matt Thiessen with various tracks mixed by Tom Lord-Alge (U2, The Rolling Stones, Oasis). "It's my personality to be cheesy and tell dumb jokes," says lead vocalist/co-producer Matt Thiessen. Playing off puns and clichés, Thiessen laments his hometown's weather and his resulting seasonal affect disorder ("High of 75"), pens a thank-you to his girlfriend's ex ("My Girlfriend's Ex-Boyfriend") and ponders "Which to Bury; Us Or the Hatchet."
While chock-full of Relient K's trademark power chords and buzzsaw guitars, mmhmm also has its moments of quiet reflection such as "Be My Escape," which is available for download exclusively at iTunes.com in advance of the album's street date, and "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been," which launches with a striking piano introduction and builds in intensity as it addresses regrets and repentance. "There's a lot about making mistakes, failing and picking yourself back up," explains Thiessen, "and the importance of forgiveness."
Relient K will perform at select clubs the week of release with a full nationwide tour launching later this winter.