Exclusive Mudvayne Q & A

Q & A: Matt McDonough of Mudvayne
By Daniel Schmidt, Plugged In Reporter

The answer to making others happy is simple: give them want they want. Mudvayne's album, By the People, For the People, is a mix of live and demo versions of previously released tracks selected by fans. Rarities and two new recordings finish off the album leaving fans in a pleasant state of euphoria. At a exclusive interview, Drummer Matt McDonough revealed the band will be releasing fresh, new material as early as this summer.

Your latest album, By the People, For the People, features tracks and artwork selected by your fans. How did you come up with the idea and what did you think of the fan response?

We've always had an intense, personal connection with our fans. We pride ourselves on the intimacy between Mudvayne and our listeners. While approaching the concept of a b-sides/rarities or "best-of" album, it just made sense to take advantage of that relationship with our listeners. Tighten the circle even more.

Are you considering a similar approach for future albums?

Mudvayne is an open-ended artistic endeavor. We never place restrictions on our working process. The future is wide open.

What was it like digging through old demos and live recordings when putting together By the People, For the People? Are you pleased with how the music has evolved?

Yeah, it was surreal listening to old demos. A lot of this I hadn't heard since I prepared to record the albums. That's what those recordings were for right? So I guess I was a little apprehensive. I assumed the quality was going to be terrible. And the recordings are raw, but there's a lot of fun stuff in there. And the nostalgia makes up for anything lost in technicality.

You've played with music greats such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Disturbed, Metallica and Korn. Which bands do you have the most fun performing with? Are there any bands you look up to?

I try to avoid favoring anyone over anyone else. I can speak of my friends though. I've had a great time building friendships with the guys in Shadows Fall, Disturbed, Slip Knot and Mastodon. Obviously, a list like this could go on and on though. I think Mudvayne has been fortunate to never have a bad experience with any of the bands we've toured with. We don't have any horror stories of crazy competitive animosity with other bands.

What other bands you are really into right now?

I'm probably the wrong person to put that question to ;) My listening tastes are all over the map. I'm an obsessed "Swans" fanatic right now. Their early 80's recordings are probably the most brutal ever. I'm into early Genesis, Killing Joke and Joy Division. And as always, Autechre. Their new album comes out next week, and I was one of 1,000 lucky people to pre-order a special double disc version that sold out in 12 hours. How about that for some free, good press! On the other side of the coin, I've been really into NWA and Notorious B.I.G. or 1970's Judas Priest.

You recorded your second album, The End of All Things to Come, in Cannon Falls, MN. Do you have any favorite spots in the Twin Cities? Any good stories? When will you be stopping by again?

I'm a big fan of the Walker Art Center. While we worked on The End Of All Things To Come, I spent quite a bit of time visiting the outside sculpture garden. The Art Institute is great also. And one of our favorite restaurants in the country is there also: Ocean Aire! I'm sure we'll try to stop by for dinner when we come through on our next tour.

When can we expect you to record or release another album?

You can expect an already recorded new album to be released by the summer, and next month we're going back into the studio to work on another record that we'd like to release by the end of the year. Keep your fingers crossed, because it's going to be a hard one to pull off!

Have you been following the 2008 primaries? Do you support any candidate?

Out of respect to our listeners, I encourage them to think for themselves. Don't allow anyone to dictate to you what trends of thought you should subscribe to; whether they be religious, cultural or political. Trust your judgment and follow your heart. You'll have respect for yourself and other people will respect you also.