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Motion City Soundtrack and I have a very special relationship. When I went to my very first Warped tour ever, they were the first band that I saw! They were super upbeat and energetic, and they really put a good vibe to the start of the day. So when we got an email that gave us the chance to interview them, I jumped on it. So, without further ado, Tony Thaxton of Motion City Soundtrack.

"It's the one thing I've always enjoyed doing, and I kind of always have wanted to do, and... you know, if I wasn't doing this I don't really know what I'd be doing." - Tony Thaxton: Motion City Soundtrack

Basic introductions! Who are you and what do you do for the band?

I'm Tony Thaxton, and I play drums for Motion City Soundtrack.

So your new album, My Dinosaur Life, was recently released. How has the response been to it thus far?

It's been great so far. We;re approaching two weeks ago that it came out and, yeah, I mean all the reviews that we've seen early on have been really positive for the most part and fan reaction has been really, really good. We had a big first week, debuted at number 15 on Billboard which we were all really surprised about.

Oh wow! Congratulations!

Thank you! But yeah, it's been really good so far. I feel like- I may be wrong about this- Of any of the records that we've put out, I feel this has gotten the best reaction right away from any of our records.

Nice.

It's nice to have.

I can imagine, yeah! So you mentioned reviews, and on your site, you have a fan reviews section, and prior to the albums release, everything everyone was saying was very anticipatory and everyone seemed really excited and supportive. So I have to ask, what is your relationship with your fans like, and what is it like to experience an album release with them?

Our fans are extremely important to us. If we did not have them, we would not be able to do this. So we have to thank them for just about everything because... them supporting us is allowing us to do this, and this is what we want to be doing, and as long as they continue to support us, we're going to do our best to please them. So yeah, It's great. We try to make sure we show it when we can and just... you know, like I said, the fact that that many people went out and apparently bought the record that first week is great. It's not something that many people do anymore, so we're very thankful for that.

So, speaking of the album, do you have a favourite song?

Yeah, my favourite song is Hysteria.

And again, speaking of the album, My Dinosaur Life is a very interesting title. Where did the title come from?

It kind of just came from... The actual phrase came from... Justin had actually misquoted a movie, and... yeah. It came from a misquote, and I guess he didn't realize he was misquoting it, and ended up liking the way it sounded, and it sort of stuck. That line ended up being a line in a song that actually didn't make it on the record, but it's on the deluxe version. Er, no, sorry... the iTunes version I think. And the Japanese version I think. But yeah, it ended up being on there, and a discussion was had about ideas for the name of the record, and that had come up. So yeah, really, it started off as something as simple as misquoting something and it worked as a concept for a direction for the artwork and everything. And, y'know, we don't really give... it's good, you know, because it leaves it sort of open to people to interpret it as they wanted.

So what is it that inspires you?

Uh... as a musician?

Yes. Or in general. ...Anything really. Just inspiration.

As a musician, well I guess and in general, just great musicians that I respect and love what they do and are talented at what they do. When I see people like that it just makes me want to play better. You see a lot of it, but then... you don't see a lot of it sometimes, y'know? Some tours we go on, there might be a certain band, or a certain musician in a band that... I get to watch them play every night and it's like a thrill each time. It's very inspiring. Like I said, it doesn't always happen, but it definitely happens. Not as often as I would like it to, but maybe that's what makes it so inspiring when you do see it.

Yeah. I mean, if it did happen regularly it would just become common occurrence, right?

Yeah, exactly.

I guess this is kind of along the same lines, but personally I see it as something different, but what is it that fuels your passion for what you do? Because being a musician, especially these days, can be really hard. So what is it that keeps you going?

Well for me it's just kind of... It's the one thing I've always enjoyed doing, and I kind of always have wanted to do, and... you know, if I wasn't doing this I don't really know what I'd be doing. I don't know if I want to know what I'd be doing, you know? It's just... you can't really complain too much because... the fact that we're playing music for a living? We get to travel the world doing that? It's pretty amazing. There's times when it's rough. You're on tour so much and you're away from friends and family ad stuff like that, but at the end of the day, you can't really complain too much because I don't have to go to this horrible job that I hate. I get to do exactly what I want to be doing.

I was going to say. Pretty much when it comes down to it, you're doing what you want.

Exactly.

It makes me really happy when I hear that, because people have so many different answers, it's just nice hearing "because I'm doing what I love to do." So, you mentioned touring. On the topic of touring, so you have a favourite tour memory?

Uhm... it's hard to pinpoint specific things. There's a lot that I look back on that I loved, or like, turning points for us. Were actually just talking about this recently, and I don't know if I'm going to say this is my favourite, but it's definitely like, a big moment I think. The Bamboozle Festival they have every year, there used to be another festival that happened in New Jersey every year and, I think it might have been the last year which was, I think, 2004, and I Am The Movie had been out for about a year. The festival is a pretty big deal and we were on one of the side stages, and we were getting ready to play. The room started filling up, and... it was a pretty big room. It was getting real close to the time for us to play, and the room was just packed full of people and we just kind of looked at each other like... "What is this?!" Nowhere near that amount of people had ever come to watch us. I mean, we'd played some pretty big shows opening for people, but this was our show. It was a festival, but the people that were in that room were there to watch us because we were the only thing going on at that time. And then we started playing, and people were going crazy the whole time, too. Singing along to all of our songs... that was definitely a big moment for us. For us it was... pretty amazing, and we just hoped it would continue.

Do you have a favourite city or a venue to play in?

Again, there's a lot. I think collectively as a band we really all get excited every time we get to go to Japan. It's just the coolest place ever. Everything about it is so nice, all the people are so nice. I think we're going again in less than a month. I'm excited for that.

Nice! Japan always seems pretty epic. Seems like everyone there goes all out for everything, especially bands

*Laughs* Yeah, exactly.

If you were in charge of the music industry, what would be the first change you'd make?

Oh man... that is a good question that I don't know how to answer *laughs*. I think that's the problem, though. That no one really knows what exactly to do right now. It's a strange thing because... I think that the music business is definitely in trouble right now. Or, I shouldn't say the music business, I should say the record business. But it's a strange thing because it's not... people aren't going to stop listening to music. It's always going to be around, but.. people are just having to find new ways to sell their music now, and I feel that that's how things are changing. Bands have always made the majority of their money from touring, not actually selling their records. And now I think record companies are having to scramble to figure out how...

How they can make their money?

Yeah! Because people can just get anything off the internet now, which is... you know... a really good thing for bands. In the early days of our band, before anyone knew who we were, that's how people were finding out about us. It's strange time right now for the music business. And... I really don't know that I have an answer for that question *laughs*.

That's alright, there's nothing wrong with that! So at The Sound Faction, we like to end all of our interviews with just five random questions to leave everything on a light note. Are you up for that?

Sure!

Alright, cool. So, number one: If you could pass a law for the world, what would it be?

Hm... No more Ed Hardy t-shirts.

*Laughs* Yes! I agree in full. If you could have lunch with any fictional character, who would it be?

I'm gonna say... Pee Wee Herman!

Really? Why's that?

I just... I've been on a big kick lately. I grew up loving him, and he's doing his live show in LA, and I got to go to the show the night it opened, and yeah... I just love that man!

If you were a Care Bear, what would the picture on your tummy be?

Oh man... I guess it would just have to be drums. I'm going to have to be lame like that.

That's not lame! If you could morph into anything, what would it be and why?

Why not just be a super man! I would still just be a dude, but I could do anything. I mean, come on... you've got to want to fly.

It's true!

And if you're going to fly, why not just be Superman?

And then you just kind of own everything else, anyway.

Exactly.

Last random one! If you could be stuck in any 80's movie, which would it be?

Hm... I'd go with Return of the Jedi.

Good choice! And last but not least, this is your shameless self promo spot! If there's anything you want to say, or if there's anything you want to touch upon, now is your chance to say it.

Well... Just that... My Dinosaur Life is out now. I hope that people will check it out, and at the very least... well no, at the very least, check the record out, so more than that, come to some shows as well, it's all I ask!

Huge thanks to Tony Thaxton of Motion City Soundtrack for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with us! Check out Motion City Soundtrack at a Warped Tour stop near you, and head over to their MySpace Page to hear samples of music and see specific tour dates!

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