Matt Pond PA Interview: SXSW 2010

Matt Pond PA, the band that lead singer Matt Pond describes as a "fast food phoenix," have had many incarnations over the year. One thing is for certain, though: Pond is never out of material to write and, therefore, needs to have a band to work with. Before the group heads to SXSW, Spinner spoke to Matt Pond about life on the road, why he writes so much music and if it's impossible to cover Prince.

Describe your sound in your own words.

It's kind of like indie rock, which is done independently. It kind of runs the gamut, from soft to the loud. The dynamic is everywhere.

Is it like chamber pop?

Yeah, I guess it kind of is. It's all built around the harmony.

How did your band form?

I guess my life fell apart and I needed something to do, so I created Matt Pond PA. It constantly falls apart and it regenerates, like a fast food phoenix.

What are your musical influences?

Neil Young. We were listening to him earlier on the road. Also, Spiritualized, the Magnetic Fields, Prince [and] a little bit of Johnny Cash.

How did you come up with your band's name?

I like to pay homage to Philadelphia [in my name]. When I lived there, it was a great place, and it was great place to cultivate it [the band] and it's grown beyond about what it was originally.

How does it compare to Brooklyn, where you live now?

New York is becoming a little overwhelming. Everybody in New York tends to retreat into living lives that are similar to lives you can live anywhere else for much cheaper.

You've covered artists like Oasis and Neutral Milk Hotel. Any other bands you want to cover?

We've covered a bunch of people. I've covered Neil Young, Richard and Linda Thompson and I've always wanted to do a Wooden Birds cover, but that's kind of weird [since I'm in the band]. I'd love to cover Prince but it's just, how do you do it? It's kind of an impossible thing. You just have to be as sexy as Prince and that's impossible.

You're going to SXSW. Have you ever been there before? And what have you learned?

SXSW is where it's fun and you have to be humble. Those are probably the toughest shows I ever played and I didn't want to do it for a few years. I've been there as a spectator more than I've played. You can't have expectations, you just have to enjoy it for what it is, and enjoy every minute of every day.

What bands do you want to see at SXSW?

I really want to see Huffy, Sharon Van Etten. The cool thing is that you have friends that play in bands and it's going to be fun.

What is your musical guilty pleasure?

I mean, despite all the bad things he's done, I like R. Kelly. I mean it isn't a guilty pleasure because I would tell anyone that asked me but I like my fair share of R&B. On tour, I like listening to radio a lot more than anything else and I won't turn the channel if a Lady Gaga or something of that nature comes up.

You have a new album coming out called 'The Dark Leaves.' You release a new album every year. How do you guys go about that, and how do you pick songs?

I think I just write a ton of songs, for some reason or another. In one way, I feel lucky and in some ways it's like a burden. I never really thought I'd do this [be a musician]. I thought I'd be some kind of lazy history professor, so this is a weird thing. I just keep writing songs and keep the best ones and throw out the clunkers. I mean, we might come out with another album this year. I don't know. You gotta get some kind of ... It becomes how you live your life. When you make an album, you go on tour and all of that, [so it's part of my life]. I just don't know anything else.

What should fans expect from the album?

I hope people listen to it. I think the whole point is whether they listen to it or not. People will say so many things about things [they don't listen to] and if they like it or not like it, it all depends on them.

Describe your show in three words to people who have never seen you before?

Ready to rock.

Alma Verdejo is a contributor from Seed.com. Learn how you can contribute here.