San Franciscan Matt Nathanson felt as if he was playing in his own back yard. Golden GatePark, the home of San Francisco’s Outside Lands, isn’t anything special for Matt. Still, be sandwiched between Ben Harper and Tom Petty was. With the rising success of his most recent album Some Mad Hope, Matt is gaining the success he finally deserves. Having put out records for the past fifteen years, he’s a living testament to the notion, “Good things come to those who wait.” Discussing covers, crowds, and rolling along with life, Matt was a true pleasure to share our afternoon with.

Interviewed by Charlie Weingartner

TMC: Well, first I think it’s important to mention your love for covers.

Matt: I love covers. Well, I love real covers, like if I bust into a Springsteen tune or something real. And then I really love bad covers. Or what can be considered bad covers by...

Texas-born, New York-aged rocker Ben Kweller has always done things his way. From a slew of EPs early in his career to the auteuristic excellence of his self-titled effort in 2006, Kweller has had a knack for creating his own retro-rockin soul. Mastering his new CD at Cedar Creek Studios in Austin, TX, run by Fred Remmert… well we just couldn’t pass that up. After listening to a few new tracks, we sat down with Ben in his recording space for a little chat about growing up, writing songs, and National League Baseball.

Interview by Tyler Remmert

TMC- Alright Ben, we are in the studio, just heard a couple new tracks, sound really good. How did the recording go?

Ben- The recording was awesome. Let’s see… we recorded it at the end of the world tour for the self-titled release called Ben Kweller. By the way, I talk a lot so don’t transcript every fucking thing I say.

Basically at the end of the last album cycle...

Georgia-native Brock Scott is always up to something good. With the aid of good friend Nic Radkowski, the two have conjured up a creative mix of songwriting, storytelling, poetry, illustration, and narrative. Exploring all of these different avenues, the boys have come up with something rather extraordinary. Hailing the idea back to the days when people cared for music as more than just a downloadable MP3, Dreamer Boy Dan is sure to become a success all of it's own.

TMC: What is Dreamer Boy Dan? Explain the story a bit for anyone who might not be familiar.

Brock: Ok. Nic you want to start with this one?

Nic: Alright, sure. So Dreamer Boy Dan is our main character for this album and book. Basically he’s this character that’s in a dream world. He travels through this very lucid dream and wakes up in the end and realizes it wasn’t a dream. So it’s an inversion of the generic...

Nebraska-raised Joshua James has a free spirit. His debut album, 'The Sun Is Always Brighter' and powerful live show has already started to capture fans all around the country during his first full-band tour. Through his busy schedule and adventurous live, Joshua let us in on some stories from the road, his upcoming plans, and details of the past. Never short of material, we expect this new commodore to be a part of our attention for a very long time. And sorry ladies, he's married.

TMC: Hey Josh. Good to talk to you again. How’re you doing today?

Joshua: Doing real good.

TMC: Well, we don’t want to take too much of your time. I know you’ve got a busy schedule today and I appreciate you finding the time to have a chat with us.

Joshua: Oh, yeah man! No worries, no worries. We just got done loading all of our gear into the venue...

Backstage of the Bonnaroo Music Festival, we were able to catch up with Carney, America's next great rock band. Still full of energy after their passionate and memorable performance in the Troo Music Lounge -- where they got a standing ovation -- the four boys sat down with TMC to share their inside jokes, plans, and stories. Devoted to their passion, music, Carney is sure to become a regular in your musical catelogue.

TMC: Alright guys. Just to help me out a bit and introduce yourself to readers, can I get you guys to go around and say your names?

Zane: I’m Zane
Reeve: I’m Reeve, but our voices are similar.
JD: I’m JD.
John: I’m John. I like to party.
JD: I’m JD, and I like to party.
Zane: No, no, no. You don’t party. Only John parties.
JD: Yeah you’re right, only John parties….
...

The Mission Creek Midwest Music Festival pulled out all the stops in Iowa City for its (arguably) biggest show in the festival's history with Saddle Creek powerhouse Cursive. The band seemed to be in good spirits road testing their new music for the follow up to 2006's Happy Hollow, and the enthusiasm spread. Before quite literally tearing the house apart, lead man Tim Kasher sat down with us for a chat about the band's new record, the state of independent music, and his foray into Hollywood.

TMC: Why don't we start out by having you state your name and what you do in Cursive?

Tim: This is Tim Kasher and I sing and play guitar in Cursive.

TMC: It's been said on your website that you guys are writing and recording a new album at the moment. How's that going?

Tim: We just this past week finished up what we think will be the last of the songwriting, so, you know, I know we...

Langerado blessed The Milk Carton with another great interview. This time we got to sit down with Bryan Devendorf, drummer for The National. Riding off the success of their 2007 album, Boxer, Bryan talked with us about the future of the record industry, multimedia projects, and their upcoming tour with R.E.M. and Modest Mouse.

TMC: I heard you guys had a bit of a rough time getting into the festival last night and coming in this morning. Were you all coming from different locations?

Bryan: We came in from JFK to here. The other two guys came in from Albany, and then Brandon came in from Toronto by way of Chicago. I don’t know. There was a big storm. Did you get the storm down here too?

TMC: We didn’t really have too much of a storm last night. We had one a few nights ago.

Bryan: I think the whole eastern US was covered in snow, and wind, and rain. ...

Considered by many to be one of the best blues/rock guitarists to date, Indigenous front man Mato Nanji sat down with us at Langerado. Although the festival took place in Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, a few thousand miles away from his home in South Dakota with the Nakota Tribe, Mato felt right at home under the Florida sun. We got to talk to him about how the band first came together, and now, without the support of this three siblings, where he plans to take it.

TMC: Indigenous started as a band with you playing with your two brothers and your sister. Did you all grow up together playing? How did the band evolve from your childhood?

Mato: I think I got started playing guitar because I was the oldest. Then maybe four or five years later we kinda became a… Well, it was actually my parent’s idea for us to become a band. So that’s how that got started.

TMC: So obviously...

Set to play at the Langerado Music Festival this coming weekend, Matt Pond found the time to talk to us about more than we could have ever imagined. From tour preparation, to his most recent release Last Light and the issues behind it's release, to the future of Matt Pond PA... We got all the details from the New York songwriter!


TMC: Hey – hows it going? Wacha up to?

Matt Pond: I was just picking the ice out from the tires of the trailer.

TMC: Ha nice, where are you?

Matt Pond: We’re in NH. We’ve been recording up here and practicing up here. It’s the first warm day and its 35. I’m just covered in ice right now.

TMC: You’re also playing Langerado, is there anyone there that you’re excited to see and play with?

Matt Pond: Yea, I’m excited to see The Walkman. They are...

Ryan Kattner (aka “Honus Hones”) of the schizophrenic gypsy carnival noise jazz group, Man Man, chatted it up with Sooz after recovering from a wild night of Philadelphia drunkenness. Their next album, Rabbit Habbits, is set to hit record store shelves on April 8 through Anti records.

TMC: Hey, how’s it going? What are you up to?

Honus Honus: Recovering from a rough night of gallivanting in Philly.

TMC: Very nice, what did that consist of? What’s the typical routine?

Honus Honus: Drink myself sideways. Make mistakes. There was a big party last night.

TMC: Any memorable mistakes made last night?

Honus Honus: Yea but I don’t want to elaborate.

TMC: What’s your drink of choice?

Honus Honus: Bourbon and Whiskey. I like Whiskey because...

Southern California skateboarder turned musician, Matt Costa, is back on the road with his newest release Unfamiliar Faces. Things have been moving fast for this jangly and twangy folk artist who released his first record in 2005 on Jack Johnson’s Brushfire label. He’s already toured the country (and then some) and has collaborated with Jack Johnson on various projects including the soundtrack to the surf film, A Brokedown Melody and the Curious George soundtrack. Despite a few bumps in the current tour - almost $25,000 worth of his equipment was stolen and then his van flipped on an icy road– Costa remains as upbeat and goofy as usual and had a delightful conversation with The Milk Carton from a steakhouse/diner/dive bar in Iowa.

TMC: Hey, how’s it goin?

Matt: It’s good. You know good.

TMC: So where are you all at now?

Matt:...

If you’re searching for good luck, Tyler Ramsey has it. While working on his solo debut, A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea, Tyler bumped into the boys of Band of Horses. Now a full-member of that band, Tyler is opening their shows and making more than ripples in the water of alt-rock. Here he takes the time to talk to us about growing up, his underwater adventures, and all of his exciting changes.

TMC: Was music something you knew you wanted to pursue from an early age?

Tyler: From when I started playing, I think I knew that I really wanted it to be. If not, just a heavy, heavy part of my life. Maybe but the main thing that I do. So yeah, I think it was always going to be something that was happening for me.

TMC: Was music a part of your family or did you pick it up on your own?

Tyler: I pretty much just picked it up on my own. I remember...