Song Of The Day: 1/20/12 (#6. Matchbox Twenty) (3AM)

Number 6 on my top 7 artists/groups is Matchbox Twenty. They are my favorite contemporary Rock band. They are also, from what I can remember the first group/artist, I ever found and liked all on my own, without parent, family or friend influence. When I started to seek out music on my own at around age 12 or 13, I started watching VH1 a lot and their song “3AM” was one of the first songs that came on when I flipped it on, along with Natalie Merchant’s “Kind & Generous” and a couple of Third Eye Blind songs and let me not forget “Sex and Candy” by Marcy Playground. Those were the musical DAYS!!! Next they came out with their song, “Real World” and I started to realize how much I liked them. They have only put out 3 official albums in the past 15 years, but what they have put out has been great and well crafted. Also, lead singer, Rob Thomas has 2 great solo CDs. I’ve actually had the privilege to actually have known Rob Thomas during my high school years. I worked at Hollywood Video and he would always come in for movies, because he lived the next town over. He recognized me from my other previous jobs, over the years, (Stop & Shop and KFC). Myself and a couple friends began to strike up conversations with him and would hang out with him in front of Hollywood Video, chatting and smoking cigarettes together. He never had any idea how big of a fan I was and I thought it was best to keep it that way. Celebrities just want to be treated like an average person and I think he genuinely appreciated that we gave him that. Also I got to know him more as a person and not just as the “star”. I did however manage to get his autograph through someone else. I asked them to ask for his autograph and have him sign it to my name and say it was for a friend who loved him and his music. Years later my father happened across the front of  bass drum, that was signed by him as well. So I have his autograph twice. Matchbox Twenty is in my opinion the pinnacle of 90’s Alternative Rock. I relate very deeply with all of their songs and I believe that is one of the reasons I appreciate them so much, along with their impeccable song craftsmanship. The song I’ve chosen to share for today’s song of the day is “3AM”, their break out single and the first song I ever heard by them.