Questionable Corner: Goes Cube

Matt Tyson, the main man behind the incomparable New York City music blog Ear Farm, has long been a friend of Pop Tarts Suck Toasted. He was part of the original After the Jump gang, and like most of us New York bloggers he could be found fairly regularly at all the same shows we all attend. A few months ago news came down that Matt Frey was leaving Goes Cube and was going to be replaced by Matt Tyson and we were all thrilled for Matt. That said we wanted to find out what it was like for a successful music blogger to go and join one of the bands he has voraciously covered over the years. Maybe it would be worth it to finally get myself some drum lessons! Here's a chat we recently had with Matt and make sure to check out Goes Cube's latest record Another Day Has Passed and to catch them when they hit a town near you!

PTST: You just recently joined up with the guys of Goes Cube, how's it going so far? Have they in anyway hazed you or initiated you at all?
Matt: It's going really well. We did a three week tour a month ago that had us play something like 18 shows in 21 days - some strange shows, some fantastic shows, some in-between shows. Then we came home to play an incredible show at Union Hall to friends and family and now we're writing new songs and consistently finding ourselves humbled at the press that's been written about the band and the debut album (lots of great stuff from the UK in particular). As far as hazing, not really, since I'd already toured with the band before and was friends with them, I wasn't "the new guy" per se and didn't have to do anything ridiculous that the other two guys weren't doing as well. That said, if you know how to play me against myself, you can pretty much elicit some self-hazery. Which the guys did towards the end of the tour by daring me to shotgun a warm Budweiser that had been in the van for two weeks while we were stuck in traffic on the highway (I wasn't driving). Like Marty McFly being called "chicken," I downed the nasty beer, gagged, and sat there proud of myself as the guys laughed hysterically.

PTST: What made you want to join Goes Cube? What made them want you? Did you have to audition for the role?
Matt: First of all: the music. It's loud, punishing, abrasive, melodic rock with metal tendencies and it hits on so many styles and sounds I've always loved to listen to - joining a band with a sound so tailor-made for me was a no brainer really. Especially considering that David and Kenny (guitar and drums, respectively) were already close friends of mine. And I think, speaking from my perspective, that's a lot of what made them want me to join the band when the original bassist Matt Frey decided he was going to leave. Goes Cube was always as much about friendship as it was about anything else; so, having me join kept the band's focus of 'three close friends making music' intact. In terms of trying out, I wasn't asked to do a formal audition, but when I was asked to join the band I kind of forced an audition on David and Kenny. Basically, I wanted them to consider what was best for the band, and to make sure they thought I'd work for Goes Cube from a playing standpoint. So I learned some songs and practiced with them once before "officially" joining.

PTST: If you had never covered the band for Ear Farm do you think this opportunity would have ever revealed itself?
Matt: No way. First of all, I met Goes Cube because I was at an Art of Shooting show to cover it for Ear Farm and saw Goes Cube play right before them. I wrote about both bands, focusing on Goes Cube, and then got to know the guys after that. If not for the blog though, I'd have just been another dude who saw the band and loved them and I doubt we'd have all gotten to know each other otherwise. I'm actually pretty shy outside of speaking on behalf of Ear Farm (or now Goes Cube).

PTST: What type of bass are you playing these days?
Matt: It's a black on black Fender Jazz '70s reissue.

PTST: I know you toured with the band as a blogger before this. How is it different touring as an outside member of the press then it is to actually be in the band?
Matt: The main difference? No nervousness or pre-show jitters before each show when you're not in the band. The first time around I was just hanging out with Goes Cube and documenting the experience. This time I had lots of stuff to remember and perform each night.

PTST: How do you think your new role in Goes Cube will affect your position at Ear Farm? Are you gonna be posting exclusive Goes Cube material all the time?
Matt: I've decided not to post anything about Goes Cube on Ear Farm other than factual references to the band and disclaimer notes telling people I'm in the band. Definitely won't be doing exclusive Goes Cube posts on EF anymore... hopefully we'll be able to find other sweet music blogs to do that kind of stuff with (wink wink).

PTST: Did you consider just quitting your work on Ear Farm as a result of your new role?
Matt: Never. Aside from the fact that I'm very interested to see how this 'music site run by two guys (the other main Ear Farmer, Mike, is in the band Mancino) who are in active bands' experiment plays out, I kind of think there will always be an Ear Farm. I'd love for the site to be much bigger than just me and feature all kinds of contributors with varied tastes, but ultimately all Ear Farm started as was a place for me to write about the music that is a part of my life. I expect that music will always be a part of my life; therefore, so will some manner of Ear Farming.

PTST: Do you think other bands are going to wind up looking at Goes Cube as the band with the blogger in it now, or do you think they'll be looking to you to possibly plug their bands too?
Matt: Honestly, I'm not sure how well-known it is now that "the guy from Ear Farm" is in "that band Goes Cube," so I can't say. But I really hope it doesn't impact how other bands approach getting in touch with me and sending me stuff to checkout.

PTST: Is it gonna be tough to get your blogging buddies to pay for Goes Cube shows?
Matt: Between blogging buddies who (rightly) might want a spot on a Goes Cube guest list, and any of the many many musicians who've put me on their own guest lists... there are quite a few people who probably expect a free pass into a Goes Cube show at some point. Maybe I'll put all of the old Goes Cube songs in a hat and have people draw them out like deli numbers to see who can be on each show's list. "Goes Cube Song 46? Now offering a guest list spot to the person holding Goes Cube Song 46...."

PTST: If you could have joined any other band that you have ever covered who would have joined and why?
Matt: Mancino. No wait, Morrissey's band for the cash money and chance to stand on stage and play Andy Rourke bass lines while Morrissey is performing in front of me... shit! I get chills just from playing "Barbarism Begins At Home" on headphones at home, can't imagine actually playing in THAT band. But yeah, after that, Mancino for the very same reasons I joined Goes Cube.

PTST: I can't imagine that Goes Cube is your first band. What other band experience do you have?
Matt: Lots. I started my first band when I was 13 and we sounded a lot like Poison and wrote one original song about sneaking out of the house, going to a party, and getting in a fight. From there I played in bands in high school and college that ranged from rip-offs of The Cure to alt-country stuff to heady synth based stuff along the lines of Animal Collective meets Trans Am. When I moved to New York I answered a Craigslist ad looking for a keyboard player and ended up backing up a singer/songwriter for a few shows. After that didn't work out I decided to ease up on the 'being in a band' thing and just messed around on my own at home until I joined Goes Cube this year. Frankly, I didn't think I'd ever be in another working band until a few months ago.

PTST: What are you looking forward to as a member of Goes Cube?
Matt: Everything. Right now we're working on writing some new songs, so that's been pretty awesome and I'm really looking forward to getting these and future new ones recorded at some point because Dean Baltulonis (producer/engineer) does such an amazing job in the studio with Goes Cube. Beyond that, I really can't wait for more tours (hopefully one soon to the UK!), New York shows, writing more songs... heck, I'm even looking forward to practice tonight as it'll be the first one we've done as a full band in a few weeks. Honestly, I'm looking forward to all of it. It's a real privilege to get to be in a band you love, playing music you love, with close friends - that's not at all lost on me.

PTST: Are you guys gonna be hitting the road at all this summer?
Matt: Indeed, we'll be doing a quick run up I-95 to Portland, Maine and back. Two shows we're way excited about: playing The Middle East in Boston with Moving Mountains and playing the Empire in Portland with Clues and Marie Stella.

PTST: Are you on the new album at all, or will you have to wait to be a part of the next one?
Matt: I'm not on the album that was just released, Another Day Has Passed, all of the bass parts on that were done by Matt Frey. So in terms of hearing me play with Goes Cube, you'll have to come on out to one of the shows or just wait for our second album. Which, hopefully, won't be a very long wait.

PTST: What's next for Ear Farm?
Matt: Well, other than our normal posts and features... we're actively looking to expand our roster of contributors, about to roll out a slightly-tweaked redesign of the site, already looking towards putting on a sweet CMJ show, and considering other ways to get awesome music in front of smart people with good taste. Plus, a few other things too. Secret things! Stay tuned to Ear Farm in the coming months to find out...

Listen: Goes Cube - "The Only Daughter"
Goes Cube - "Song 57"

Upcoming Shows:
July 30th @ The Middle East Boston, MA
July 31st @ Empire Portland, ME
Sept. 26th @ Webster Hall New York, NY