Rob Thomas – the author of probably the most memeable song in history – is back at it again with his first album in four years. Suspiciously, not only does he look younger, but his first single already has almost two million views on YouTube. Did this man make a pact with the devil?
Although the writer of ‘Smooth’ wasn’t born in Florida, his is technically speaking, a “Florida man” story. Not your typical one though, you know, those that entail things like guys being arrested for illegally riding a manatee or a bloke holding up a servo with a chicken drumstick. Yet.
Thomas was raised in a chaotic environment characterised by constantly moving between places, dealing with alcoholism, drugs, and poverty. After years of instability, the future Grammy Award winner ended up settling in Orlando, Florida with his mother and sister when he was 10 years old.
Although he sought refuge from the hardship of his upbringing listening to artists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, it was only until he joined the school choir — which he did with the sole intention of attracting the attention of a girl — that he became directly involved with music.
Thomas eventually dropped out of high school just months before graduating and went through a turbulent period that included hitchhiking all over Florida, serving some time in jail, and playing in several amateur cover bands.
It was one of the more serious incarnations of those early bands that resulted in the multi-platinum act that we know today as Matchbox Twenty. In 1995, producer Matt Serletic took in the group of teenagers, polished their skills, and got them to record a demo that led them to be signed by Atlantic Records, their label to this day.
Check out ‘Unwell’ by Matchbox Twenty:
Matchbox Twenty was an outstanding hit from the get-go, arguably the most accessible band of the American alternative scene of the ‘90s. Not as acid as the Seattle sound, not as “bland” as acts like Collective Soul or Hootie & The Blowfish.
They exchanged the experimentation of Sonic Youth for well-constructed, traditional tunes that felt closer to stalwart acts of the late ‘70s like Lynyrd Skynyrd or Fleetwood Mac.
While the majority of alternative bands looked like hobos and freaky outsiders, Matchbox Twenty rocked sharp haircuts and fashionable outfits. To the mainstream, they looked like a polished pop band that spouted emotionally eloquent lyrics. To the alternative scene, they appeared as the ultimate achievement, a bunch of friends that went from playing at pool parties to become legitimate rock stars.
Released in 1996, their debut album Yourself Or Someone Like You reached the fifth spot on the Billboard 200 chart, sold more than 10 million copies, and was nominated for a Grammy and two American Music Awards. Songs like ‘3 AM’ and ‘Push’ became top-five hits and a regular presence on MTV.
You can count with your fingers the bands in rock history that have achieved such a degree of success with their first record.
Check out ‘Lonely No More’ by Rob Thomas:
From that point on, the Florida-born band has released four albums in total, all of them massive commercial successes. At the same time, Rob Thomas has cemented through a series of solo albums and high-profile collaborations with other artists a reputation for being one of the most respected songwriters in the industry.
In just over two decades his records have sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, he has been nominated for six Grammy Awards, has won three, and is responsible for penning the infamous Carlos Santana hit ‘Smooth’; the second-biggest song of all time according to Billboard’s Hot 100 singles ranking.
One of the traits that make Rob Thomas so endearing to his audience is his amazing relatability. He’s extremely talented but not the kind of guy that turns out to be intimidating. He’s a handsome fellow but still looks like someone who could be your neighbour.
And on top of it all, he’s an incredibly successful artist who can still go to the grocery store without being mobbed by fans.
Check out ‘One Less Day (Dying Young)’ by Rob Thomas:
After four years of relative silence, Rob Thomas has turned the hit-making machine once again with a new solo album called Chip Tooth Smile, launched recently on April 26th.
The promotional campaign has only begun and the first single, ‘One Less Day (Dying Young)’ is already close to two million plays on Youtube and reached the top 20 at adult contemporary radio in the United States.
After a short visit to Australia this April, Rob Thomas will return to the country at the end of the year for a massive tour with leading live entertainment company Live Nation. His promotional junket will start on November 8th at the AIS Arena in Canberra and will take him across the country from gigs in the Yarra Valley to Perth’s Kings Park.
To be honest, there are many hit-makers in the industry. And if you ask me, most of them fail miserably because their output is unapologetically based on whatever trend is working at the moment. Crafting music based on market analytics and engagement data inevitably makes the vast majority of mainstream hits feel plastic, forced, and with a very, very short expiration date.
What precisely makes of Thomas’ hits different and so enduring is their humble honesty. He crafts music that stands on its own beyond the glitter and sometimes extravagant production.
In fact, his songs work best when they’re stripped from all the sonic paraphernalia and you get the chance to focus only on the words. He talks about ordinary people facing the doubts and tribulations of ordinary life. Depression, loss, growing old, everybody can connect to his straightforward, concise lyrics.
When you listen to his mega radio hits in acoustic form, you realise that at the core, these are nothing more than unpretentious, personal letters. This is a guy that just “tells it as it is”, and that is certainly something that you can’t say about most of the pop acts today.
Check out ‘I Love It’ by Rob Thomas:
Rob Thomas – Chip Tooth Tour 2019
Co-presented by Mellen events
Friday, November 8th
AIS Arena, Canberra, ACT
Wednesday, November 13th
ICC Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Tuesday, November 19th
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday, November 23rd
Kings Park, Perth, WA
Also performing at A Day On The Green
Saturday, November 9th
Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, VIC
Saturday, November 16th
Bimbagen, Hunter Valley, NSW
Sunday, November 17th
Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, QLD
For all ticketing information head to Live Nation
