| Q&A with Rob ThomasWho weekly, September 3, 3001 |
Please don't take without permission
Give us your prediction: is sugary pop about to die a violent death? That's what all the rockers seem to think.
I'm not a pop basher, but I'm not going to lie. Right now I think all the world needs is a Soundgarden record, a Smashing Pumpkins record and another Stone Temple Pilots record. The we'll be back on keel.
Last year you won a Grammy for co-writing Carlos Santana's hit "Smooth". Any other big collaborations on the horizon?
Willie Nelson invited me to Los Angeles to write three songs on his new record. That first day in the studio, I didn't know what to say or when to talk. I grew up in South Carolina, where old country is really big, and he's been my idol since I was 10. He's unbelievable.
Is there a new Matchbox Twenty album in the works?
After the [current US] tour, we're going to make another record. I've started writing songs, and it will have a little bit more of a raw sound. But [first] we're going to take a break. I want to have enough time to have a life to write about.
You've been married for only two years and you're away from your New York home so often on tour. How do you and your wife, Marisol, manage to spend time together?
We make an effort to be a normal, close couple, no matter where we are. We hang out with friends, watch television, go to the movies. Every now and then we got to a movie premiere, but we don't spend lot of time [at celebrity events]. Any date where we spend time together is ideal
One last question. If you were cast on Survivor, what luxury item would you bring?
My keyboard. I can't imagine a better place to have some peace to write ... Hey, can I bring my wife?
