Brio Magazine - Mood Rings, Chap Stick and Pink Tuxedos
Krishana Kraft - 2003
What do mood rings, Chap Stick and pink tuxedos have in common? No, they’re not the latest fashion frenzy. They’re lyrics from Relient K’s album Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right . . . But Three Do. Relient K constantly uses references to pop culture, like “Beverly Hills 90210,” to capture their listeners’ attention and then tell them about Jesus.
For Christian musicians David Douglas, Brian Pittman, Matt Hoopes and Matt Thiessen, mIbers of Relient K, music is more than just playing punk rock or singing fun lyrics. It’s about reaching teens who are going through life and all that comes with it, like relationships, peer pressure and trying to be understood.
We caught up with Matt Thiessen while he was hanging out in California and enjoying the sunny weather. Listen in on our conversation with him to find out how Relient K started and what Matt did for fun while growing up in a small town.
Brio: How did your band come up with the album title Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right . . . But Three Do?
Matt: Three of us, Matt H., Dave and I came up with it. Matt H. mentioned the cliché “two wrongs don’t make a right.” And then we changed “wrongs” to “lefts,” and the idea kept evolving until we came up with the title. It’s kind of long, but we like it.
Brio: Where did the name Relient K come from?
Matt:It’s actually the name of a car that Plymouth made in the '80s [actually spelled Reliant K]. Matt H. had to drive one, and we made fun of him because his car was so slow. It took at least 15 seconds to get up to 60 mph. It was an inside joke with all of our friends, so we decided to name the band after his car.
Brio: How did Relient K start?
Matt: Brian, Matt H. and I went to the same youth group. We were all learning how to play the guitar and were really into punk rock. We attended a lot of music festivals in the summer and saw Switchfoot, Five Iron Frenzy and the [O.C.] Supertones in concert. What they were doing looked like a lot of fun, so we decided to go for it. We’ve definitely had some breaks along the way, and God’s really blessed us.
Brio: Did the entire band grow up in Ohio?
Matt: Yes, we did. Matt H., Brian and I have known each other since the third grade. Growing up, Matt H. and Brian were casual friends because they were both jocks and played in the church basketball league. But I was one of the nerdy kids who played piano. We didn’t become good friends until we started the band.
Brio: Did you have to create nicknames because two of you are named Matt?
Matt: No. I guess the right Matt always turns around when called. We tried to make nicknames for everybody, but they never stuck. I was supposed to be the White Rose, but no one ever called me that.
Brio: Where do you get your song ideas?
Matt: A lot of the silly stuff is very random. We usually think of something fun we want to write about, and it just happens. I have a lot of songs that no one will ever hear because they’re really dumb. Then there are the more serious, spiritual songs that come from life experience and our personal relationships with God.
Brio: Do you have a favorite song on the new album?
Matt: I really like the song “I Am Understood?” because I can relate to feeling misunderstood. It’s encouraging to know we serve a God who understands us completely and loves us in spite of our sin.
Brio:What’s the song “Forward Motion” about?
Matt: It’s about getting over stuff that you’ve done wrong. A lot of times we get so engulfed in the sins we’ve committed that we forget about the concept of grace. We need to realize that it’s over and done — ask God for forgiveness, turn around and move on. I struggle with that a lot, thinking that I mess up way too much for God to forgive me.
Brio: What Scriptures do you use as a rIinder of God’s grace?
Matt: Lately, I’ve been reading in the Old Testament about David. He messed up a lot, too — especially with the whole Bathsheba incident. Yet, God forgave him and totally blessed his life. Sometimes I feel like I’m constantly messing up, but for some reason God continues to bless me and this band. He also gives us opportunities to reach people. Even when I’m having the worst day, I’m rIinded that someone could buy our album, and it could touch his or her heart. It’s amazing how God can use us as vessels.
Brio: How many sibs do you have?
Matt: I have two sisters and two brothers. I come from a divorced family, so I have two stepbrothers and a stepsister as well.
Brio: When did your parents divorce?
Matt: When I was 6 years old and we lived in Canada. My dad still lives in Canada. My mom eventually met and married my stepdad, and we moved to Ohio.
Brio: Are you still close to your dad?
Matt: It’s difficult because he lives in a different country, but I still stay in contact with him. Going through my parents’ divorce was rough, but I survived. And God has really revealed Himself through both of my parents’ lives.
Brio: What was it like to grow up in a small town?
Matt: I really liked it. There wasn’t a whole lot of pressure to be anybody, because no one really cool lived there. We hung out at the mall a lot. We even had a designated table in the food court. Living in a small town helped this band become who we are. It keeps us humble because we really don’t think we’re rock stars. We’re just ourselves having a lot of fun and being thankful that we get to do what we do
Brio: What kind of feedback do you receive from fans?
Matt: Most of our responses come through e-mails that say our lyrics aren’t preachy, which opens the door for Christian teens to give our albums to their nonChristian friends. Or sometimes we get e-mails that talk about how a particular song touched someone’s life. Usually the responses we get are really encouraging.
A Few of Matt’s Faves
Rainy-day Pastime: staying indoors, playing video games, watching DVDs
Vacation Spot: Maine
Dessert: ice cream
Fast Food: In & Out Burger
Toothpaste: Crest
Thing To Do With the Band: Invent games to play. One time we invented a game called Spam Ball. You take Spam out of the can and use brooms to play a messy version of street hockey.