Rob Thomas rocks Cradlesong
Among his solo and collaborative efforts, Rob Thomas has stood as one of modern American rock music’s most commercially successful singer-songwriters for over a decade. Since 1995, the artist has lent his easily recognizable voice to a long list of hit Matchbox Twenty songs including “3 A.M.,” “Real World,” and “Unwell.”
In 1999, Thomas gained critical acclaim for his collaboration with Carlos Santana on the song “Smooth.” With his vocal and songwriting contributions, he received three Grammy Awards for the track: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. When Billboard named its picks for the best rock songs in the chart’s first fifty years, “Smooth” topped the list, beating such iconic tunes as The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” and Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.”
In 2004, Thomas was awarded the first Starlight award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, created to recognize young songwriters who have already had a lasting influence on the music industry. Afterward, he began a solo career separate from his Matchbox 20 bandmates. On April 5, 2005, Thomas released his first album, titled …Something to Be, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This marked the first time a male artist from a rock group had ever accomplished the feat.
On June 30, 2009, Thomas released his second solo album, Cradlesong. Garnering praise from critics and fans, the album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. Thomas and I recently discussed the making of Cradlesong. During the conversation, he explained how he balances working solo and with Matchbox Twenty. Thomas also dispelled a rumor, before sharing some of the personal highlights in his musical career.
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Josh Armstrong: What did you enjoy most about making Cradlesong?
Rob Thomas: I think, for me, you write and you write and you write, and then you get a chance to finally see it come to life – and sometimes in really unique ways that you didn’t expect when you were writing it. Sometimes it’s fulfilling the vision that you had of a song. But just, when you’re finally done, and you look down and kind of amass these recordings, and then you hand it out into the world – I think it’s new and unique every time. It never really gets old.
Cover artwork for Rob Thomas' Cradlesong
JA: I wanted to ask you about the song “Her Diamonds.” When you write a song like that or “3 A.M.,” that’s personal, do you sometimes think, “Am I making the song too personal, or too revealing?”?
RT: No, I think usually, as a writer, you kind of take yourself out of the equation. I write a song, and it’s about something that’s happening to me, but I’m really writing about how that thing makes me feel because that emotion is something that everyone can relate to. I may be writing about a specific moment in my life, but I’m really writing about loss, or I’m writing about being lonely, or I’m writing about betrayal. They’re all things that people can relate to – that they just relate to in their own life. So they’re not thinking about me. They’re thinking about this thing that I’m going through, and how they’ve gone through it too.
JA: Regarding the songs you’ve done, is there a song in particular that you think has been misinterpreted by a lot of people?
RT: I’m sure there’s been a few, and I welcome that. I think it’s great for people to have their own idea. I know that there was a moment when “Push” first came out that people thought it was misogynistic – that it was about violence against women, like actually physically pushing somebody. But I think that was the only one that actually kind of made me feel like somebody was completely missing the point.
JA: What would you say has been the greatest thing to ever happen at one of your concerts?
RT: Well, one night when Carlos [Santana] came out, that was pretty special. He came out and played with us. I mean, that was a really good time. I think the night in London that Mick Jagger came out to see the Matchbox show, that was pretty fun.
Over the last 13 years or so, there’s been a lot of really great moments that have kind of popped out. It’s kind of hard to choose one good one.
JA: Of all the songs you’ve recorded, either as a solo artist or with Matchbox Twenty, which song would you say is your favorite?
RT: Oh, I can’t have a favorite.
JA: [laughs]
RT: I go through different phases. But one that always sticks out is “Bright Lights.” “Bright Lights” was always one that I think we as a band were all particularly proud of.
JA: Speaking of the band, when you’re writing songs, how difficult is it to know which songs you want to keep for yourself and which songs you want to present to Matchbox Twenty?
RT: You know, I don’t. It’s really up to Matchbox what we put on a Matchbox record. It’s not up to me, so that’s kind of easy. Whatever we do in the Matchbox world has to appeal to the collective – all four of us. So it’s really not up to me to decide. I just write all the time, and then we kind of figure out what seems like it works in the Matchbox world and what doesn’t. And whatever doesn’t, seems like it makes its way to my solo world.
Left to right: Matchbox Twenty members Brian Yaleand, Kyle Cook, Rob Thomas, and Paul Doucette
JA: Is it true you’ve already started working with Matchbox Twenty on a new album?
RT: Yeah, the guys and me – well, we’re just talking about it. We’ve got some stuff that we were working on for the last record, that we’re fleshing out. But when I start touring this record, the guys are going to come out on the road with me, and we’ll start officially, really sitting down and writing for it.
JA: Is it true that you’re writing, or you’ve already written, a song for Miley Cyrus’ upcoming film, The Last Song?
RT: No. She reached out, and she’s a fan. The guy who’s directing the film is a good friend of mine. So it was something that got talked about, but it didn’t happen, for no other reason other than schedule problems.
JA: What is something that your fans would be surprised to learn that you love?
RT: I’m a big fan of ’40s and ’50s bebop jazz.
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Rob Thomas’ Cradlesong is now available to own.
This interview originally aired on WSYD 1300. Its transcription appears here courtesy of the station’s ownership and management.