Interview with Matt (12 november 2003)

Once again, we went to our famous club "Hof Ter Loo" to see one of the best bands around, Flogging Molly. When we arrived, Dave and Matt were sitting in the dressing room. Dave was making some tea and looking for honey, and Matt quickly went to the catering, and came straight back to do this interview.

Q>> You seem to be coming a whole lot to Belgium. Last time you played at the Lintfabriek, a few kilometres/miles away from here. Do you remember?
A>> Yeah! It was a good show. All our shows in Belgium have been pretty good. Even our very first show in Belgium was phenomenal. There were a lot of people. I don't remember where it was, it was a small bar I think. And I don't remember the name of it. But people were super cool, you know.

Q>> This summer you didn't play at any festival in our country, but you did in other countries, like at the Pinkpop festival In The Netherlands. How was that show?
A>> We did, didn't we? This summer? Or was it two summer's ago? … Yeah, you're right! We played in Holland. How's that festival's name you say? Pinkpop? Yeah, we played there this year. Yeah, it was a great festival. But we weren't on tour. We just played that one show. But it was great, because we played in front of 35.000 people. They all went crazy. We did that festival, and that was on T.V. And later we went out drinking. I don't remember what city it was. We just drank and walked around there and people just recognized the band everywhere, because they had seen us on T.V. earlier that day. Crazy!

Q>> Did you see it yourself on T.V.?
A>> I didn't see it. But someone else did. Because they said: "You are Flogging Molly, right?" And we said: "Yeah man! But how the hell do you know that?" …"I saw you today on T.V.!" …"Oh fuck…Cool!"

Q>> There was a reportage/interview of Dave as well. It was at his place in Ireland, right? How hard does he miss his roots?
A>> Yeah. He was at his mother's place. I remember that. I don't really know if he misses Ireland. I think that kind of comes and goes. I think he misses it,… and he doesn't miss it at all. I think there's a lot of irony involved with that.

Q>> The interview was kind was kind of emotional…
A>> Yeah. It was the first time we went back, to play a show in Ireland. So, you know, it's a weird thing to do. Then you think about living in two different worlds. It's like going in two different directions.

Q>> I think the other members of the band feel this as well when you see Dave like this?
A>> Yeah. You know, we all live together. When we see him like this, and know how he feels, we all feel the same.

Q>> Your new European tour just kicked off a few days ago. Which venue or city are you looking forward to the most?
A>> There isn't actually any. There's no place we're not looking forward to. I was just looking forward to going to Europe, you know. Nothing in particular. But there is like Holland and Belgium. Those two countries, they treat us very well, so it's always very fun to go and play there. But still, every other place we've never played, it's still a challenge, it's still very fun to go and do your thing.

Q>> Is it normal that American bands like to focus on Europe? And the other way 'round?
A>> When you're in a band, you try to do the best you can. Generally it means you're trying to get it done in both, America and Europe, you know. It's a hard thing to do. People will keep on trying this.

Q>> You've got a sound that's really hard to define, a mix of various styles, all put into a blender… it's just the Flogging Molly sound. Do you agree?
A>> That works for me. We are like that big scramble of all kind of different influences, you know. But I think the majority is going to be with an Irish tint, for sure. But I mean, everybody adds his own personal flavor to the music.

Q>> But you do appear in the 'punk rock' scene. Is that the logical consequence of being on a punklabel?
A>> That is the consequence that happens to all punk rockers. It's got a lot to do with the fact you think "punk". That shows were you come from. So that just makes perfect sense to appear in this scene. We are on a punk rock label, and we're kind of in that direction. We are a little harder than we think we are.

Q>> Don't you feel like the 'black sheep' of the label next to al those 'punkrock' bands?
A>> Well, you know, I actually don't feel that way. We might be a different band, but being a different band is neither a bad thing, nor a good thing. I mean, even if you don't like us, and you've heard us before, you'll know us, one way or the other. That's good. But I don't feel that way.

Q>> People compare you with Dropkick Murphy's although I think that's not totally true. You're very different. How does that make you feel?
A>> You know, we get that all the time. People tell us we sound like Dropkick Murphy's and like the Pogues. I guess, at some degree, we do, maybe just due to the fact that it's both Celtic music, but if you listen to Dropkick Murphy's and Flogging Molly carefully, yeah, we are totally not the same. We might go good together, to play together, that's true, but we're not the same, we're not similar. But I don't actually mind though if people tell that. I like Dropkick Murphy's. So it's not an insult to me, it's kind of cool. Even when they tell us we sound like the Pogues. I've been told worse things. At some degree, I also do like the Pogues, and they had some influence on me. What we want to do is write music, that's it. If it comes out that way, it comes out that way.

Q>> The Flogging Molly way! Is it how they should label you? The Flogging Molly style?
A>> I think people automatically put a label on you. Everybody wants that and that's just the nature of people. We ourselves have never put a label on ourselves, not any kind of music. They call us Irish punk rock soul music or something. I don't know. We try not to be concerned with that. We just try to have a good time together playing music. (Somebody related to the band enters the room; they say they'll meet up at the catering after the interview)

Q>> How many of the Flogging Molly 'salty dog' green vinyl's were pressed? People have been asking for it a whole lot!
A>> That's something I wouldn't know. The guy who just came in, you should have asked him, he would have known! (laughter)

Q>> Your new album will be released in the spring 2004. How's the progress? Or will you only start working on it after this tour?
A>> A lot of it is on the stage of 'around the campfire', more or less. Everybody just have some ideas or written tunes. Everybody has got some direction going. We just need to get together, and put it together. So when we're done with this tour, we're going to go to the studio and we will write music for two months and record it.

Q>> Only two months?
A>> Yeah. But you know, it's almost two years now since our last album. I've got like two songs in my head. I've been thinking a lot about those. And everybody has got a few songs in their heads so if we all come together, it will go fast.

Q>> Will you be working with Steve Albini again?
A>> I don't know. I don't think we've picked a producer yet. We even haven't discussed that. I have a feeling that we're not going to. I think we're going to try to get somebody in L.A. That's my feeling, my gut feeling, but you never know. But he's done a pretty good job for the previous one, and we told him that.

Q>> So I guess you won't be playing new material tonight?
A>> No, we won't. If you have both our albums, you'll probably hear all those ones. Except for one maybe, one we haven't recorded. One you'll probably never have heard.

Q>> How does that make you feel when people go crazy dancing on your music? The crowd really goes wild and enjoys himself. Thanks to your energy. But do they feed you as well with their energy?
A>> Absolutely man! I'm sure about that. When you see the crowd like that, it just goes straight to your heart. It makes you go crazy and then you get more into the crowd. It's a mutual situation. Waaw! It's a great phenomenon. It's kick ass to be a part of it.

Q>> Do you think it would be different if you played a show in front of 20 people?
A>> Well you know what, I don't think so. In the beginning we were used to play in front of like 10 or 20 people. And we got all of them moving. This is our band, this is what we do. If there are 20 people there, we have got to fuck around. We've got to make sure they walk away smiling, because that's what we do. And that's what we'll always do. Make music. It's our job!

Q>> So is your life performance your way of giving your business card?
A>> Yeah. If those 20 people don't give a fuck, it's just shitty! If it was like that, we should think we shouldn't be doing this. If we play for 2 people or in front of 100.000 people, it doesn't matter. We have got to do what we do. Ok, if you play in front of 100.000 it does matter, but you know what I mean?

Q>> Is it different if you play in an Irish pub or a bar?
A>> Dave might answer that question differently, but there's something special about this band and that's why I'm glad to be in this band. We just have a good time in Irish pubs and bars. I don't care if we are in any kind of bar. It's just a weird feeling, but a good feeling. It makes me smile, and people around smile. And it's just about having a good time. But I think it's just music: make music, play music, be around music, … it's just good.

Q>> How do you explain this: there's an Irish pub in every single major city in the world? And more than one. There are some Irish pubs in Brussels, and I always have the time of my life there? How could you explain this?
A>> I know, it's crazy! (laughter) The world is in love with those Irish bars, I know! How's that? And I'm not from Ireland, most of the band aren't, just Dave, but we're getting that vibe.

Q>> You're true beer lovers, right? And you all prefer Guinness I've been told. There are others beers that are as good as that, no?
A>> Yeah! But that's not totally true! (laughter). I don't get hammered a lot! Actually I do, but not every single night like others! (laughter) Drinking just lowers the tension from when we're done. It's just difficult not to drink. I don't know. Play music, rock 'n' roll, and beer. And yes, we generally all drink Guinness. But we're in Europe, and I like to drink the local beers. Like this beer here, even if it is not local, it is good! Whatever local beer people say it is the best, I just try to get a couple of those.

Q>> Do you also enter the local supermarket to buy those local or special beers?
A>> Every day we're in a new town, so generally somebody is getting us beer, and the local ones as well, so. That's the good part of being in a band and play in clubs, they just bring you the booze and you don't have to walk around asking for it! (laughter) We just get beer! If you only want beer, just ask it, …and you don't even have to ask it. They bring you plenty of it.

Q>> I've heard you were on a few Irish festivals in the US. How was that?
A>> That was really fun, especially the one in Ohio. That was just kick ass! We really had a good time. I didn't except what we did. I think we were the band who had it the most difficult to play there on those festivals. You know? I mean, there were chairs in front of the stage. You know, and when we started to play, people just went crazy and started to dance, you know. They even asked us to stop to play! You know, they paid us a lot of money to play there, and they asked us not to do our thing, not to make people go wild and make them wanna dance. So we thought: "You pay us, and this is what WE do!" Come on! If they didn't want us, that's fine, but you can't get us, and ask not to do our thing. Because we WILL do our thing! We just have a good time, and make people have a good time.

Q>> Lots of Irish people on those Irish festivals in the States, right?
A>> Yeah. There were both Irish and Americans on those festivals, but most of them were Irish. I think in the States, they care a lot about ancestry. Like who their grand parents were, what kind of music they listened to… I think that's a good thing. Those festivals are filled with people like that, and they just have a good time.

Q>> Your life now, is it what you were dreaming of when you were a kid?
A>> Well, when I was a little kid, I wanted to be a skateboarder. And I did that! (laughter) I still am, so I think I succeeded. That's what my whole life is about, and has been about ever since I can remember. Now I skate less… and then I started playing music. Now I'm in this band, and now I'm in Belgium for a show. (laughter) I'm happy now: skateboard and play music.

Q>> Is it not to hard to combine this life with your personal life?
A>> It's kind of difficult, because I'm married and I don't get to see my son much. I've got to buy them stuff and when they need me I'm not there so. It's hard. It's the price to pay for all this. It's not so easy and so great. If I get to see my wife and kid after a couple of months, it's difficult. It just is. But if you get the chance to get up on stage and play music in front of lots of people, it makes me feel like I'm doing what I should be doing. I put my heart and soul into it. Sometimes, I think about quitting the band, and be with my son, because a part of me wants to. And then I go and play music for people and I feel that this is what I should be doing. Man, my son, I love him so much. And he knows. You know, when I'm around, I am around all the time. Then it's just me and him and my wife. So I just try to keep it as real as I can man. But it's hard, it's the price to pay for it.

Q>> Any last words? Something that our readers should know?
A>> Man, thank you for supporting us. Thank you for coming to our shows and hanging out with us, and have a good time.

I would like to thank Thomas at Side 1 Dummy for helping me out, and to the members of Burning Heart for making this possible: Mudda, Montse, Tomas and Sejka.

YVES

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