Mainstream Magazine:
Relient K Interview
Kim, Catherine and Christine Smith - October 5, 2002
Mainstream: How important of a role do you think the 'Back to the Few Tour' is in the swing of all the fall tours this year?
Matt T: Well I don't really know about any other fall tours but I think it's cool because we get good turnouts because obviously kids want to come. So that's cool. Other tours that I know about right now are the Third Day, Festival Con Dios and other stuff like Boxcar Racer and stuff like that. As far as that stuff I don't think it's really important but I think it's a cool little tour.
Mainstream: Why did you decide to release the 'Employee of the Month' EP before your March 2003 full-length release?
Matt T: That's a good question. We thought March was a little too long to wait to put out anything new and we didn't want to put anything out in stores so we didn't make a big deal about it but we wanted to throw something out there so kids could get some new music before then.
Mainstream: Tell us a little about the new album. What can we expect to hear from Relient K on this new album?
Matt T: It's our best record yet and we're all really excited about it. Pretty much a continuation of growth like we had from the first to second album and the second to third except we would think a little more significant this time around. Hopefully, I don't know it's just a fun record.
Mainstream: Do you guys know the name of the album yet?
Matt T: No, I have to do that this week I think.
Mainstream: Do you think you tried anything new on this album?
Matt T: Yeah, I mean there are new things going.
Dave: Yeah, there are some chimes.
Matt T: We have chimes and stuff and some other interesting things.
Matt H: I think we are better guitar players then we have ever been and that's not saying much.
Brian: We tried to do a lot more stuff because we had a lot more time to record it. So Matt was in there really late trying all these crazy instruments and stuff and we ended up not using a lot of it. But some of it works pretty cool and we worked with the same producer and the same set-up. I think we have just been getting more diverse. Guitar affects and things like that, I think it was the most fun we've had to record an album so far.
Mainstream: You have a connection between the punk and rock communities. How would you describe the musical style of the band?
Brian: Fast rock.
Matt T: Well we are definitely influenced by a lot of punk stuff, pop-punk stuff like Blink and MXPX and stuff. Then we are also influenced by Weezer and Piebald and things like that, and we are also influenced by harder stuff like NOFX or Less Than Jake. So it's weird, it's like one big blend of music. We just consider rock n' roll as the start of the foundation and then pop-punk influences all through it. Pretty much we like to consider it just a different thing in general though.
Mainstream: Would you guys consider doing tours like the Warped Tour, known for the all punk-rock band line-up?
Matt H: Yeah, sure.
Matt T: Yeah, we would love to do something like that it would be awesome.
Mainstream: Any other tours with secular bands that you would want to be on?
Matt H: We're not super concerned with it but I think we would tour with bands that would make sense. We won't tour with Radiohead or whatever but bands like Midtown, Saves the Day, Face to Face, New Found Glory or that kind of junk. Just because it makes more sense.
Mainstream: Have you guys gotten any offers yet to go on a tour like that?
Matt T: I know the guy that books the tour and he wants to book our band and we said he could get us on Warped Tour next year. But there are also some summer festivals that kind of conflict so even though both are cool, we'll just have to decide for sure.
Mainstream: How would you like the band and all your music to be able to 'make a better place for Rock N' Roll?' For instance the very popular slogan of 'Sex, Drugs, and Rock N' Roll.'
Dave: I don't know I think just the way we view music in general. As far as our music its just things that we experience and we write about that. Obviously with our music we aren't experiencing a lot of drugs or sex. < laughs > But I don't know just stuff that we deal with we write about and I think it's that way with a lot of bands and music. Sometimes bands just get out of control with it though.
Brian: I honestly think that when you watch old movies about bands and things I don't think it's nearly that bad. But I think it's cool to show up at these clubs and come in with a good attitude and put on a clean show and just walk away saying 'thank you.' A lot of times they'll express their gratitude because we put on a show that the whole family can enjoy.
Mainstream: What do you think are some problems that are with the Rock N' Roll scene of today?
Matt T: There aren't a whole lot. I think that people have been figuring things out a lot better lately with touring and things like that. One thing is that it's really easy to make a better sounding record nowadays, just by using money. If you spend enough money sometimes that can really disguise talent from non-talent. You'll see a band that made a really good album live and then they won't be any good. I don't know how we fit into that whole thing, I'm not saying it to look down on anyone or anything but that's just a problem I see in Rock N' Roll today.
Mainstream: How hard do you think it is to hold true to your own personal values and beliefs when a lot of artists these days like to compromise them for better ratings, more money and stardom?
Matt T: I don't really think about stuff like that because we do this for fun and we also have an ministry involved in it too. Pretty much the idea of being famous doesn't really appeal to any of us that way. As far as financially I think that we are just glad to be doing this as our job and we can get by with it. It's not like we're out to get Beamers or anything like that, that's just not our mentality.
Matt H: I think that it's pretty easy for me just because when you have any faith you have to know why you believe what you believe. For me there's nothing in this world that could turn me away and make me not believe what I believe. So I think that if you get changed just because of a circumstance then you probably weren't that strong to begin with.
Mainstream: Indie labels are really beginning to shape the looks of the music industry. What do you think your indie label Gotee Records is able to offer you that a major label probably couldn't?
Matt T: It's actually kind of a sticky question because Gotee just sold a part of themselves to EMI, so they are only partially indie right now.
Mainstream: Well technically that's still indie, something like Vagrant Records.
Matt T: Right, exactly. Gotee Records as far as Christian labels is probably what I consider to be the best label to be on. It's the coolest record label out there in the industry. The staff are all about being supportive and letting you have full artistic and creative control. I don't know it's more of a personal relationship then a business type thing so it's really encouraging.
Mainstream: Some Christian artists choose to take the subtle route to their lyrics, but you guys make it essential to stress the message you're trying to give. What do you think the pros and cons are with being so open with your lyrics?
Matt T: Well we've been trying to find a balance with that. The pros are definitely that you're standing up for what you believe in and that's the way it works. Either you're in favor of something or you aren't. It's never really being afraid of saying whatever it is that you want to say but my biggest fear is being in a position where people feel that we are shoving something down their throat. That's totally not the way that I am so I try and watch out for that. So that's kind of a con for it, you never want to be in that position.
Mainstream: Do you think Christian artists get a fair chance in the scheme of the market?
Matt T: If they are good enough, yeah. I mean you can't play songs that talk about Jesus on the radio. The world just doesn't want to hear it. That's just the way it is, it's the way God intended it to be I think. He knew that the world rejected him and that the world was not going to embrace Christianity or faith. But he knows that there are going to be people out there to follow him as well.
Mainstream: Would you guys ever consider making the message a little more subtle and 'radio friendly?'
Matt T: We don't really think about that stuff.
Mainstream: Well how about when you're going in to write the lyrics?
Matt T: Yeah when we write the lyrics we just kind of write what we want to write. I don't even really think about the audience usually, I don't know if that's bad or not. But I just kind of write whatever I want to write.
Mainstream: Well how about maybe using another reference or way to speak about God or other religious topics?
Matt T: Right, we never write a lyric and change it or anything like that. We never do that. When we write something the first time we kind of just like well whatever what we wrote is what we wrote.
Mainstream: Do you think that some of the Christian bands out there have a harder time breaking out because they have the “Christian” title attached to them?
Matt T: Yeah Definitely, a lot of kids into Blink would see up coming along and if they know we are a Christian band, they will probably dismiss us pretty quickly, or be really critical in the beginning. That's totally fine. P.O.D. there wasn't a lot of preconceived Christian notions about the band and they were able to break out, and Sixth Pence None the Richer did okay too. You just never know.
Matt H: I think that it's weird that the contemporation of Christian music and secular music is necessary but at the same time I think it's different if you're a band just out there playing your music then it probably shouldn't matter. If your singing about something you believe in, that's even better. But I think the main goal is to try and not force anything down people's throats. I think you can make it in the Christian world as well as the secular world if you just play legitimate music that stays true to yourself.
Mainstream: How important do you think uplifting music plays into the lives of the younger listeners you have? What do you hope they get out of your music?
Dave: I think that music is a really powerful thing. It's something that is constantly around us no matter where you go whether it's a store or the market or even your car chances are there is music playing. So it's kind of a constant as we go through the day and I think that it's a really powerful thing because it's so much easier to remember words that are set to music then if they are just words that you heard somewhere. So I think that positive songs are really important and they really stick with people. People like to feel good and be happy. If a song makes people happy then they are going to remember it, and I think that's an important thing. If you can write songs that people enjoy and make them feel good and you have something meaningful in them I think that's a great thing. So I think it's important, definitely.
Matt H: I was actually talking about that with my soon to be aunt-in-law, I don't know what that would make her, but she's really into Christian music. She was saying that she could feel a spirit of not of this end of the world 'I hate everything' and 'I don't care about life' but it's more positive obviously. It helps to offer peace, hope and forgiveness. She was saying that it's really important to her to have that in her life. Obviously it doesn't have to be in everything, music can be good and praise worthy and not preachy or Christian. At the same time I think Christian music has it's own place.
Mainstream: Christian music in general has been in a rise lately, how do you think this shift will help to influence people in becoming closer to God?
Dave: There definitely has been a shift in music as far as the Christian industry, the praise and worship thing got really huge. That's really cool. Sometimes it's a little scary because it may become a fad though. Praising and worshiping God isn't a fad its something that he deserves and you should just do it. But it's really cool that there are a lot of praise and worship stuff out there right now. So that's a definite shift in music but as far affecting the world as a whole I think like Matt said earlier, there have been a few Christian bands that have been able to get out there in more of the secular market place and do really well. Whether they are being subtle or blatant about it, there are different stories about that, but regardless there are people out there that are singing things that do have positive messages behind them. Talking about real things that affect people as opposed to crazy stuff and just party songs or just garbage that you hear basically. So I think that it's really cool whether it's a Christian artist or not when people talk about real things that people can relate to. Being that we are Christian songs about faith and things like that are things that we can relate to.
Mainstream: Do you ever think it's kind of ironic that an artist with negative messages is quicker to break than someone with a good message?
Dave: Yeah, it's kind of a weird phenomenon, I don't really understand why that is ever the case but I know that a lot of those kids listening are teenagers. I know that I went through a stage like that when I was in high school. A lot of people just go through a stage when they want to go out and do their own thing kind of do the whole rebelling type of thing. So maybe that's an attraction when you hear music like that that's real edgy talking about those kinds of things. It really is a weird thing it's almost like growing up in public schools its safer to be doing other things that you aren't supposed to be doing then doing things right. It's almost like a fitting in type of deal by doing something that's not really right.
Mainstream: What's a fact or single piece of information that not many people know about you personally?
Dave: I'm engaged? I don't know. I seem to get comments on that at a lot of shows though so there are some people that kind of already know, but that's a cool thing.
Matt T: I lift weights a lot! I work out all the time. < Laughs > No, that's not true. Let's see my sister bought me socks when she was in Australia when she went there and they have little stripes and a kangaroo on them and it says 'Australia' on them. No too many people know about that.
Brian: I don't really like the spotlight or anything really busy with me being in the center. So it's kind of weird because we do what we do and sometimes when I'm on stage I feel like I'm the last person that should be there.
Matt H: I think I may be going bald. So I've been taking secret Rogaine treatments.
Matt T: Really?
Matt H: No, I've been thinking about it for real though.
Matt T: Are you really going bald?
Matt H: Well I mean not really it's just the last two years it's been about the same. It's always been thin though, I feel like I've been going bald since I was like 16. It's pretty scary.
Mainstream: What single element makes Relient K different from other artists out there right now?
Matt T: Well there are a couple things, but you wanted a single thing right?
Mainstream: Well go ahead and list a couple then.
Matt T: Well, one thing is that we aren't always serious and we aren't always funny. We try to have a sense of humor sometimes and then we try not to sometimes. I don't know we like to harmonize a lot too. But I think the first one is probably the biggest one.
Mainstream: If you could be a part of any crazy cover band, who would you want to cover?
Matt T: Personally, I would pick the Beach Boys because they are my favorite band of all time.
Dave: I would pick Striper.
Matt T: Definitely Striper for Dave.
Brian: I don't know, hold on. Nope, I don't know.
Matt H: I'm not sure, maybe Judas Priest or something like that.
Matt T: Do you even know any Judas Priest songs?
Matt H: Yeah, 'Breaking the Law.'
Mainstream: What does the success of this band and being able to spread your music nationwide mean to you?
Matt T: It's weird, it's like you have to pick your job off the floor every day. We kind of treat it as God has just blessed us from the beginning. We don't know why. Basically our whole goal as a band is just to live up to that and just be good examples of what he has given us. So it means a lot because we feel like it's from him.
Mainstream: Do you have any advice for younger kids or teens?
Brian: Stay in school.
Matt H: Don't stick your finger in the peanut butter jar.