Reunion surprises some fans

The singer’s going solo helped Matchbox Twenty, its guitarist said.

By JOHN BENSON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

Of the ’90s band reunions expected to take place sooner than later — Scott Stapp with Creed and Gwen Stefani with No Doubt come to mind — the Rob Thomas with Matchbox Twenty reunion seemed the least likely.

After all, Rob Thomas’ massive solo success appeared to confirm Matchbox Twenty guitarist Kyle Cook, bassist Brian Yale and drummer Paul Doucette would remain in the shadows for years. 

However, during a recent phone call to Cook in San Diego, the guitarist said he wasn’t surprised the band reunited. As far as the fan reaction, yeah, he acknowledged the news may have taken a few off guard.

“No, I’m not surprised that people are surprised,” Cook said. “I think the fact that Rob had so much success, he had a No. 1 record and this band never had a No. 1 record, people just assumed Matchbox Twenty was over when they started seeing Rob everywhere.”

He quickly added, “I don’t think we have any delusions who gets the most attention in the band.”

From Matchbox Twenty’s beginning in 1996 with its debut effort, “Yourself or Someone Like You,” it seemed only a matter of time before the Florida-based group would watch its singer fly the coop.

Not only was the clock ticking in 1999 when Thomas and Carlos Santana collaborated on the smash hit single “Smooth,” but the same sentiment was evident with the band’s two follow-up albums 2000’s “Mad Season” and 2002’s “More Than You Think You Are.”

What is shocking is Cook’s opinion that Thomas’ going solo was the best thing to happen to Matchbox Twenty.

“With Paul and myself getting more involved in the songwriting as the career moved on, a lot of material was building up, and you can only put so many songs on the record,” Cook said. “So it was a way for all of us to work with different producers, musicians and kind of get that side of our creativity out of us.”

For Thomas, his 2005 solo debut, “... Something to Be” was a dream come true. Not only did the album debut at No. 1 on the charts but the project ended up going platinum. Then, apparently to the surprise of everyone except the band, Thomas and Matchbox Twenty got back together and recorded six new songs (including singles “How Far We’ve Come” and “These Hard Times”) that were included in the group’s greatest hits effort “Exile on Mainstream,” which came out last fall.

Now comes the highly anticipated tour, which features Alanis Morissette and Mute Math. The potent bill comes to Cleveland for a Feb. 7 show at Quicken Loans Arena.

“I think this is one of the best bills we’ve ever put together, I really do,” Cook said. “It’s a night of hits. You know the radio staples but it’s a night of ‘Wow, I forget about that one and that one.’ It’s that kind of night. It’s like a live jukebox.”

Though Thomas already has plans to release his sophomore solo album later this year, Cook said fans shouldn’t worry about the Matchbox Twenty reunion being a one-time affair.

“Everyone can expect another record from us in the next two years,” Cook said. “We’re definitely back, baby.”