In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Dave Matthews divulged on everything from DMB’s upcoming summer amphitheatre tour, his recognition of the changing (sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst) styles and funky sounds of the band, and finally to his unpretentious attempts “not to suck” in the competitive and ever changing music industry. He even makes mention of his fear upon meeting a 20 something hipster in Seattle, whom he was scared would make a critical comment on his shitty music (which we didn’t!). Modest insecurity and admittance of the fear of being labeled as outdated are what make Dave, now 48, a modest and favorite frontman of the jam/rock scene.
When asked about his thoughts about the band’s current sound, Matthews replied “I think the band is sounding, for whatever reason – it could just be my imagination – pretty funky. [We’re] somewhere in between trying not to suck and not sucking.”
What does a megastar like Dave Matthews do with his free time? “During the day, I try and write something that is not too pretentious and not like an old man trying to put on a pair of tight jeans…I have been filling endless pages with scribble and occasionally coming up with one or two things that I don’t find enormously embarrassing and then I stick those to the wall,” he tells Rolling Stone, once again illuminating his humble claim to fame. The guitarist also reveals that some big musical collaborations may be amidst for the summer, and even dropped Gregg Allman’s name into the list of contenders.
Don’t think, however, that Matthews isn’t aware of just how massively him and his band have influenced the scene and created an enormous fan base. He recognizes, several times, the band’s ability to put out “kickass” music and concerts, and admits his main goal this summer is to make fans leave wanting more. He says, “I don’t care if it is a really good-looking group of young people in the row in front of you that makes the show worthwhile, or if it is laughing at a bad dancer or if it is the show itself – as long as people leave feeling like they got more than they bargained for, I feel like I am off the hook.”
Off the hook? I think most of us who have experienced the interconnectivity of the fans to the band at any one of their concerts can agree that DMB always delivers. With over 19 million albums sold throughout their career, Matthews can rest assured that as long as DMB keeps writing, we will keep listening.
Lastly, Matthews confesses something we may not have always known about him: “Inwardly, I am very very, very critical of everyone else. Outwardly, I am enormously critical of myself and in awe of all other efforts. Quite the contrary on the inside. On the inside, I am kind of a dick.”
[via Rolling Stone]
-Stephanie D’Agostini