More Than You Think You Are

Background:

“Matchbox Twenty has truly become its own entity and we really wanted to let it grow and evolve on this record. When we get together, we combine all our talents into one incredible whole. That's the beauty of this band; we make a beautiful noise together.” Rob Thomas

Grammy Award-nominated rock band Matchbox Twenty (aka. MB20, MBT, M20, originally spelled Matchbox 20) was formed in 1996 in Orlando, Florida, by Rob Thomas (lead vocalist), Brian Yale (bass guitarist), and Paul Doucette (rhythm guitarist and drummer), with Adam Gaynor (rhythm guitar, vocals; later left in 2005) and Kyle Cook (lead guitar, banjo, backup vocals) rounding out the group. They have released three Multi-Platinum albums, "Yourself or Someone Like You" (1996; #5), "Mad Season" (2000; #3), and "More Than You Think You Are" (2002; #6), which scored such hit singles as "Push," "3 A.M.," "Bent," "If You're Gone," "Unwell," and "Bright Lights." In 2007, they released a Gold album, "Exile on Mainstream" (#3), which yielded the singles "All Your Reasons" (Australia only) and "These Hard Times."

Orlando, Florida

Childhood and Family:

“Ever since I can remember, I've always wanted to tell stories, but I never had the patience to sit down at a typewriter and write short stories or anything like that. I started writing songs as a way of communicating ideas the best way I could.” Rob Thomas

Initially performing with an Orlando, Florida, band called “Tabitha's Secret,” Rob Thomas (lead vocalist; born February 14, 1972), Brian Yale (bass guitarist; born November 14, 1968), and Paul Doucette (rhythm guitarist and drummer; born August 22, 1972) formed a new band in 1996 that would become the core of “Matchbox Twenty.” They were joined by Adam Gaynor (rhythm guitar, vocals; born November 26, 1963) from Criteria Recording Studios in Miami and Kyle Cook (lead guitar, banjo, backup vocals; born August 29, 1975) from the Atlanta Institute of Music. Gaynor left the band in 2005.

Mad Season

Career:

“We were all heavily influenced by 70's rock. That's what we grew up with so we wanted to try and get that sound onto a record because we all felt that that's truly the kind of the band that we are.” Brian Yale

After recording some demos and performing in a string of gigs throughout the U.S., Matchbox Twenty eventually signed to Lava, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, in 1996. That same year, on October 1, they released the highly successful debut album "Yourself or Someone Like You." It scored the five U.S. hit singles "Long Day," "Push," which earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, "3 A.M.," "Real World," which became the group's 1st entry into the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at #38 and being a major hit on adult contemporary radio stations, and "Back 2 Good," their biggest hit from the album according to the Billboard Hot 100 charts where it peaked at #24. The album that sold more than twelve million copies in the U.S. was certified 12x Multi-Platinum by RIAA and also went Multi-Platinum in Canada and Australia.

Matchbox Twenty followed it up with their sophomore effort, "Mad Season," which spawned the singles "Bent" (#1 Billboard Hot 100), "If You're Gone" (#5 Billboard Hot 100), "Mad Season" (#48 Billboard Hot 100), "Angry" (#5 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Top 40), and "Last Beautiful Girl" (#20 on the U.S. Adult Top 40). Released on May 23, 2000, the album was certified Quadruple-Platinum in October 2001. It also earned the band Best Rock Album at the 2001 Grammy Awards.

"More Than You Think You Are," Matchbox Twenty's third album, hit the music stores on November 12, 2002, but was not as commercially successful as the band's two earlier efforts. Five singles were released from the album, "Disease" (#29 on the Billboard Hot 100), "Unwell" (#5 on the Billboard Hot 100), which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, "Bright Lights" (#23 on the Billboard Hot 100), "Downfall" (#27 Billboard Adult Top 40), and "All I Need" (#32 on the Australian ARIA Charts). The album "More Than You Think You Are" received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Album in 2004. That same year, Matchbox Twenty also won Favorite Musical Group at the People's Choice Awards.

“When we play live, that's the real Matchbox Twenty. There's Kyle and me, playing guitars and singing harmonies, there's Paul wailing on the drums, there's Pookie running around playing his bass, and on top of all that, there's Rob's incredible voice. It's about as energetic and as raw of a sound as you can get, and we wanted to put that onto our record.” Adam Gaynor

Afterward, the band released a small album in 2003 and a live concert DVD, "Show: A Night in the Life of Matchbox Twenty," in 2004. The band then went on a hiatus to allow members to pursue side projects. Rhythm guitarist Gaynor officially left the group in 2005 and vocalist Rob Thomas went on to release a #1 hit solo album.

October 2, 2007, saw the return of Matchbox Twenty when they released their fourth album, "Exile on Mainstream." It yielded the singles "How Far We've Come" (#11 Billboard Hot 100), "All Your Reasons" (#34 Australian ARIA Singles Chart), and "These Hard Times" (#112 Billboard Hot 100).

The band subsequently toured in early 2008 with special guest Alanis Morissette and opener Mute Math. The U.S. tour, which began on January 25, 2008, in Hollywood, FL, ended in Las Vegas, NV, on March 18, 2008. In April that same year, they flew to Australia and later visited the U.K. for the first time in five years to play concerts in Cardiff, Wembley, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Manchester. Matchbox Twenty also performed at the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup award ceremony. They are reportedly working on an untitled 2009 album.

“Music is a big machine that would go on with or without me.” Rob Thomas

Awards:

• People's Choice Awards: Favorite Musical Group, 2004