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Motion City Soundtrack
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Motion City Soundtrack featured Joshua Cain (guitar), Tony Thaxton (drums), Justin Pierre (vocals/guitar), Jesse Johnson (moog), and Matthew Taylor (bass). The indie rock quintet originally formed in 1999 when Pierre and Cain were still in high school. The two were big fans of Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbox, the Flaming Lips, and Superchunk, and those influences spurred their own band. Motion City Soundtrack self-released a 7" before the start of 2000, but it wasn't until Taylor, Thaxton, and Johnson joined the group that things came together. Thaxton and Taylor moved from Richmond, VA, to the band's hometown of Minneapolis, MN, and the band immediately started recording with producer/engineer Ed Rose (Get Up Kids, Ultimate Fakebook). Motion City Soundtrack's punk-glazed debut, I Am the Movie, was released in summer 2003. The Mark Hoppus-produced Commit This to Memory followed two years later.
Q & A with Motion City Soundtrack's Justin Pierre
Q: Tell us about your craziest touring experience.
A: Back in the day, I once wandered off from the van in the middle of the night to find a pack of cigarettes (back when I smoked) and got my own hotel room for 20 dollars from a guy who I think was into me (it was a Radisson). While I was sleeping and showering, the rest of the outfit was out searching for me in the graveyards beyond the rest stop where we had decided to set up camp. This is one reason why I am not allowed to wander anymore. Not very crazy, however I did wake up in Denver in the trunk of a car with several crack smoking Jamaican hookers, but that's a different story...
Q: What type of college class would you most want to take and why?
A: I did go to college and did take several filmmaking and screenwriting classes. These were very informative, because without them I would never have learned all the rules I have now completely discarded. I would really like to take a language, say French or Japanese.
Q: What city in America is the most fun to visit and why?
A: I'd have to say I'm equally into New York and Chicago. Chicago is like Minneapolis times 1,000 and New York is just ridiculous, not like L.A., but ridiculous in a good way.
Q: What's some of the best advice you were ever given?
A: "Grow the f@*k up." I still haven't deciphered fully the exact meaning of this sentence.
Q: What's in heavy rotation in your mp3/CD player right now?
A: It's pretty random. Today I've been listening to Piebald's "We Are The Only Friends We Have," Guided By Voices's "Do The Collapse," Low's "The Great Destroyer," Kathleen Edwards' "Back to Me," and Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer's "The Popsicle." Pretty diverse and random right?
Q: The last good book you read or TV show you're addicted to.
A: I've been into Ian Banks' work. Recently I read "The Wasp Factory," and "The Crow Road." Also I've been devouring Shirley Jackson after I read in an article that Carlie Kaufman's two favorite authors are Jackson and Patricia Highsmith. The last dvd I got into was "Freaks and Geeks." My girlfriend and I watched the whole amazing season in less than a week. I'm still trying to play catch-up with "Seinfeld" and "The Simpsons." When having the luxury of a bus I tend to read more than watch television. My next book is Bruce Campbell's "If Chins Could Kill." I am very excited.
Q: What's the first concert you ever saw? How was it?
A: Guns 'n Roses "Use Your Illusion" tour, Soundgarden opened. I was 13? It ruled, but GNR didn't show up on time as they were said to be at a Minnesota Northstars game or something. But once they arrived they rocked out to the max, spandex and all.
Q: What are three items you can't live without on tour?
A: iPod, books, movies.
Q: Who are your major musical influences?
A: In alphabetical order:
the afghan whigs, alkaline trio, ben folds (5), bjork, the boo radleys, braid, cursive, del tha funky homosapien, descendents, dinosaur jr., the dismemberment plan, the flaming lips, fugazi, green day, guided by voices, jawbox, the jesus and mary chain, kathleen edwards, limbeck, louis prima, mates of state, medicine, mercury rev, minus the bear, mirah, modest mouse, my bloody valentine, nirvana, pavement, pixies, poster children, the promise ring, the rentals, rilo kiley, the smashing pumpkins, smoking popes, sonic youth, sunny day real estate, superchunk, swervedriver, the swirlies, that dog, tilt, tom waits, ultimate fakebook, unrest, the weakerthans, weezer, to name a few...
Q: Any random messages or tips you'd like to give to mtvU watchers?
A: Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way...turn.
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