I'M THE LEAD SINGER OF MATCHBOX TWENTY WITH AN HOUR TO KILL. AMA

/Users/robert/Desktop/AMA.jpg

http://imgur.com/i2gGz

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acknowledged.

Do you think it was irresponsible for Simba to abandon his Kingdom after his father's death?

he needed to go get the life experience it takes to become the lion king.

thanx guys. gotta go get to sleep for an early morning. i'll do another one of these in a short time.

What's the best state in the US?

drunk.

What was it like being on Always Sunny in Philadelphia? How did you get the "role" and what was Sinbad like?

just a fan and invited them to a show and they invited me to be on the show.

You, Scott Stapp, Stephen Jenkins. Cage match, what weapon you bringing in?

good songs.

Personal question...what would your grandmother think of your success today?

she would probably get drunk and ask me for money.

Do you have a favorite quote?

yes.

I would like to know your opinion on ants.

fucking small, man.

ROB THOMAS WHY ARE YOU YELLING CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE SOME PROOF?

i put up a pic. if you can't see it, it's because i'm too stupid to know how to post it. if i were lying, i would say i'm bono.

T or A

A.

Hey, Unwell is a pretty good song. Got me through some tough times. Thanks for that. Was there something you were struggling with while you wrote it? It sounds like it was written by someone who was depressed or something similar.

that's a pretty good question. i suffer from panic attacks in a business where that sucks.

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i think "maybe" we will

posted proof.

What's your favorite song off of "August and Everything After"?

anna begins.

Are you a breaking bad fan?

yes.

Would you choose to be famous again, knowing what you know now?

only if i'm famous for songwriting.

I see you've been using reddit for awhile. What's your favorite subreddit?

mine is funny. my wife's is aww.

What is your biggest fear?

spiders. and death. and death by spiders.

What's your favorite note in the musical alphabet?

dm is the saddest of all chords.

What is it like being rich?

i was REALLY poor. having a little money is better.

Hey Rob, what is the hardest part about song writing? And where do you find your inspiration?

inspiration is easy. finishing a song is hard. inspiration is everywhere.

Hey Rom I am a HUGE fan!! My mom has seen you play in St. Louis every year that you have been here and I get to come with her next time. My friend and I are going to be playing a show at our high school for charity and we are covering She's So Mean, do you have any advice or anything for us? It would help us get more attention and money if we can tell people that Rob Thomas supports us.

just have fun with it. tell everyone i support you. if they have a problem with it, i will rip out their throats.

I just wanted to thank you for the "It gets better" video you did. My son was having a terrible time with bullies at school. I showed it to him from my FB page. It did him the world of good. He started holding his head up. He's 13 now and doing very well. Fans for life

sweet. so glad. kids can be mean and stupid. give him my love.

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how big are you?

How did you get to be so friggin' awesome?

vitamins.

Are you currently reading any good books? Have any reccomendations?

liked THE BOOK THEIF a lot.

ooops. the book thief.

Hardest part about your job is?

being away from my family.

What was it like working with Santana on Smooth and the guys on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia?

two great perks of an already great job.

who influenced you to be a singer/songwriter?

tom petty, willie nelson...just songwriters.

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all jokes aside. i never slept with tom cruise. funny rumor, but i'm SO more of a ryan gosling fan.

What are you gonna do tomorrow?

going to london.

[Original question: What's with the name?]*

Anyway, whose idea was the Santana collaboration?

What's your opinion on the apparent death of actual lead guitar? It seems to have gone missing in popular music.

just saw a jersey with a 20 on it and a matchbox patch. i was just supposed to write the santana song, but he liked my voice so i wound up singing it too. thanks, carlos.

As a musician, how do you get noticed? How do you reach as many people as possible?

write good songs. or fuck a celebrity.

Pancakes or waffles?

turkey bacon.

what are your tips for aspiring musicians?

do this because you love it. not because you want to be famous.

http://imgur.com/i2gGz it was me.

What was working with Santana on Smooth like? Great song by the way.

it was great, but i TOTALLY thought they said i was going to work with santa.

I was gonna ask what life with Gwyneth Paltrow is like, then I realised. My bad. I like your song about the world coming to an end though.

well played. thanx.

Do you think rock is dead? Will it ever be like it was in the 90s?

i hope not. on both accounts.

Hey Rob! Life Long fan! I first saw you (and MB20) when I was four (fifteen years ago!) at a Live X with the (heartbreakingly!) now dead radio station, 99x (in Atlanta). Couple of questions for ya:

Three major radio stations in our market have recently flipped to Top 40/Top 20 formats, giving us a total of seven frequencies to listen to basically the same music. Other stations are changing to sports and talk radio, giving fewer options for modern alternative/rock. It seems that there is a shift for everything besides pop music from the traditional FM broadcast to online streaming/online radio type deals. What are your thoughts on this shift? Are services like Pandora and Spotify something you see as a good thing or a negative thing for the music industry?

ALSO

Having been a solo act and the lead singer of a successful band, what would you say the difference is between the two? Is there any significant change while touring, recording, producing, etc.?

Thanks so much and I can’t wait for you to come back to Atlanta! :)

i think anytime you limit the ways for people to hear different music, it's a bad thing. even when it gives me more airplay. solo, for me, means a little more autonomy but a band means i can still be surprised by what we will come up with.

Can you tell me more about I WILL? I assume that one of you have a close association with someone who is affected by Alzheimer's Disease. How do you get through that song without crying? I can't, and I'm just listening!

it was just a back story that i created for the lyrics. not personal. just couldn't imagine it.

Hello Rob! I am a 14 year old who is a big fan of your music from Mass. My mother is also a really big fan, and we have questions for you!

*My question is how does your son feel about your fame? Does he get to travel with you? Does he see you a lot?

*My mother's question is will MB20 be playing Mohegan Sun and what is the story behind Overjoyed?

Thanks for doing this IAmA! We love the new album, you and your band are awesome! Can't wait for more!

my son doesn't like when people stop me for pics. not sure about the u.s. schedule. just know that we will tour in jan or feb. doing a solo borgata three day run in jan for sidewalk angels.

When (hopefully not if) will we see a autobiography?

my autobiography is my music.

Why do you keep making music?

i love the feeling of writing a new song. when it's done, you feel so creative and then you feel like a hack and have to write again.

What is your favorite song that you've written? How did your wife react when you wrote the song "Diamonds?"

we were both going through a hard time. she cried. i cried. it was like a lifetime moment.

I think the most important question is, are you happy doing this?

very. thanx.

music has changed over the past 10 years (rap, hip-hop, indie), has that influenced the way you write music?

no, just the way you record it. you want to sound "current" but not like your chasing someone else's sound.

Hey Rob. When can we expect US tour dates to be announced? Thanks!

touring the states starting late jan-early feb.

Can you describe, in one word, the feeling you get when a song like 3 a.m. starts during a concert and you know everyone there knows the words, has some sort of connection to the song, and will be singing along?

i don't listen to my own music, but it's that feeling that makes it fun to play live every night.

What in the world is that tattoo on your wrist?

represents cat's cradle. my and my wife's favorite vonnegut novel.

Matchbox20 was my favorite band when I was a teenager and I was so happy when I found out that Matchbox20 was putting out a new album! Here are my questions:

• What made you want to go solo and did you always know that you would eventually come back to the band?

• Are ya'll coming anywhere near South Georgia for your US tour? That would be great if you were.

• How pumped are you that North is ya'lls first #1 album on Billboard?!

PS, You tweeted me once and it was the best day of my life. I love you and your music! Have fun in Europe!

just wanted to work with some new people. not sure about touring and totally pumped. thanx.

How was working on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and would you like to pursue more acting?

i get a lot of acting offers, but it seems like another job. just like that i can do stuff like that when i want to.

Hey Rob

I'm a huge fan, and have been for about 6 years now. I have a few questions that I'm dying to know, and I'd appreciate a reply :)

What is your favorite song to perform live? Do you know when the tour around USA will start? Also, will you and the rest of the guys continue to make albums?

Thanks, Colleen

i like to play a song called SO SAD SO LONELY a lot live, but i like a lot of them live.

Hey man whats your favorite cereal? Also what's you favorite chord?

froot loops. and G is the people's chord.