Motion City Soundtrack goes behind the music
By Andy Treese
Issue date: 10/9/09 Section: Focus
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During late August/early September, the student population took a vote on who should be booked to headline this year's Homecoming Concert. With the choices including other artists such as The Bravery, Kid Cudi, Fabolous and Cartel, Motion City Soundtrack came out on top in the student poll and was chosen to be the headliner for the concert.
Motion City Soundtrack's history dates back to the year 1997, when Justin Pierre (vocalist/rhythm guitar) and Joshua Cain (lead guitarist/backing vocals) joined forces to form the beginnings of the band.
Leading up to 2002, Pierre and Cain recorded several demo albums, as well as recruited and let go of numerous different members before permanently adding Matt Taylor (bassist/backing vocals) and Tony Thaxton (drummer/backing vocals).
"During the year 2000-at the My House Cafe in Milton, Pa.-Tony and Matt were playing in a band called Submerge, and Josh and I-along with some other people-were playing under the name Motion City Soundtrack," Pierre said. "We liked each others' bands and kept in touch for a couple years until Submerge broke up. After much persuasion, Tony joined the band and Matt joined shortly soon after."
After the addition of Taylor and Thaxton to the band, Jesse Johnson (keyboard/Moog synthesizer/backing vocals) was the last to join. Without any prior experience, Johnson learned how to play the Moog synthesizer, which has a crucial role in the band's sound, and joined a few weeks before recording the band's first full-length album, "I Am the Movie," in 2003.
"Our first big break was through the band The Ultimate Fakebook," Pierre said. "They told us about a producer named Ed Rose, with whom they had experience recording. He was all about precision and helped to transform us from a sloppy band to a clean band."
With the release of "I Am the Movie" through Epitaph Records in 2003, Motion City Soundtrack began to get a taste of mainstream success. Following the album's success, the band embarked on a lengthy tour, opening for bands such as Jimmy Eat World and Blink-182.
"We met our second producer, Mark Hoppus (bassist/co-vocalist for Blink-182), when touring with Blink-182," Taylor said. "We found out through an interview in Rolling Stone that he liked our music, and that when he listed five things he was listening to at the time, he listed our album as one of them. It took us all by great surprise."
Upon the development of their relationship, Hoppus produced and recorded MCS's second album in the fall of 2004.
After its release in June 2005, "Commit This to Memory" brought the band even greater success with their hit single, "Everything is Alright," featured in the trailer for the movie "Accepted" (2006) and in the soundtrack of Billy Bob Thornton's ("Armageddon," "Friday Night Lights") remake of "Bad News Bears" (2005).
"When it comes to the writing of our material, we as a band will naturally have disagreeing opinions as to what it should sound like," Pierre said. "As a result, since each of us listens to different music, we have to compromise. I think it's great though, because if everybody liked everything that they did, then I don't think our music would sound as good."
"There are things that end up on the record that I would never do personally," Taylor added. "At one time, I'll think to myself, 'Oh, I don't like this,' but later on I'll think, 'I'm really glad this is here.'"
Motion City Soundtrack's momentum didn't stop there. With the release of its latest album, "Even if it Kills Me" (2007), MCS was ranked No. 1 on the Top Independent Albums charts, and even reached No. 16 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In more recent affairs, the band announced in the summer of 2008 that it'll be switching record labels-from Epitaph to Columbia-with the release of its upcoming album, "My Dinosaur Life."
"My Dinosaur Life" is Motion City Soundtrack's second album with Hoppus, featured at the helm of album production. But at the start of the recording, Thaxton broke his arm, leaving the other members to record without him for the time being.
"After Tony broke his arm, we had to record our instruments in accordance with 'fake drums' and record the actual drums last," Taylor said. "Aside from his injury, however, I think the recording process went the same as normal. I'm sure it would have been a little bit different in the drum parts, but I don't believe that we suffered from it."
The completion of the their last recording occurred on June 28, 2009. But there's currently no word on a potential release date.
Having been on tour since September, Motion City Soundtrack came to SRU to headline the 2009 Homecoming Concert last Friday, with Jenny Owen Youngs as the opening act.
With the fans' smiling, bobbing heads and shouting lyrics, it became apparent that by the end of the show, the crowd received both bands positively.
Currently, MCS is taking a rest for several days before going back on the road to play its next scheduled show in Allendale, Mich., at Grand Valley State University on Oct. 16.
"Of course, there is a lot that I would still like to do," Pierre said. "Even though this band is pretty much what I would do, I am also a film maker and I would like to further pursue that art."
"In a band, the most important thing is not to be scared of taking a chance," Taylor said. "If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. But if you don't at least give it a try, it won't happen."
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