Gearing for Matchbox Tour, Thomas Keeps Writing
February 27 -- For Matchbox Twenty's first arena-headlining tour opener Tuesday, Feb. 27, in Minneapolis, Rob Thomas makes two promises: modest prices and no "Smooth" — unless Carlos Santana shows up.
"Without Carlos, it just might as well be a cover song," Thomas told Wall of Sound. "It's his record; I did it for him. I just don't feel like doing it without Carlos. I'd feel like Jennifer Warnes doing 'Up Where We Belong' without Joe Cocker."
As for the $30-something ticket prices for the arena tour with Everclear and Lifehouse, Thomas said Matchbox Twenty's goal was to keep things affordable without being fancy. The band wants to make its show sound like its hit records.
"We're a radio band," he said. "Somewhere along the line that became a bad thing. I don't find any shame in being a radio band.
"When we're on the road, we'll spend a week rehearsing just to get the guitar tones right. The kicker is, if you don't have it live, you don't have it."
Winning three Grammys last year for "Smooth" (including one for writing the Song of the Year) has led to songwriting opportunities for more music industry legends. He wrote three tunes on Willie Nelson's forthcoming album — "Maria," "Won't Catch Me Crying," and "Recollection Phoenix." He also collaborated with Mick Jagger on two numbers for a solo CD — "I Got a Disease" and "Visions of Paradise."
"You sit in a room with them and you realize — damn, they're that good. Mick Jagger is the kind of guy who still, if he gets an idea, runs and grabs a guitar and notepad and runs in a room and starts playing for 20 minutes, writing stuff down."
