Pleased To Meet Me: Matt Addison of Mythical Motors
Mythical Motors
Introduce yourself… (Where are you from, what band do you play in etc..)
I’m Matt Addison from Chattanooga, TN. Mythical Motors is my band/home recording project.
Why do you play music?
Because I wouldn't know how to stop if I tried.
What was a major influence on you as an Artist/Band?
I was first inspired to write and record my own music in the early 90’s after hearing lo-fi bands such as Sebadoh, Pavement, Guided By Voices and many of the bands on Shrimper Records.
What’s a favourite book or film?
Empty The Sun by Joseph Mattson - A dark yet beautiful novel that was released a few years ago by Drag City Records, along with a lovely companion album by Six Organs Of Admittance.
Do you prefer the recording process or performing live?
Playing live is great, but I’ve always preferred to immerse myself in the recording process. When I was 14, I started writing songs and recording them on various boom boxes and cassette recorders that we had around the house. I quickly moved on to a 4-track machine, and I now use a digital multi-track recorder. I like the immediacy of home recording, in that I can come up with an idea and realize it fully in a short amount of time.
What would be a dream collaboration?
Most people would probably expect me to say Robert Pollard from Guided By Voices...and they would be correct!
Describe a favourite album.
Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
I once heard this album compared to an out of body experience. I think that rings true.
What's your favourite local haunt?
I haven't been to many public places lately, but the Moccasin Bend Brewing Company was always a nice place to get a drink pre-pandemic. We played some fun shows there, as well.
What's your strangest experience while performing live?
We once played an outdoor show in 30 degree weather. I'm not a big fan of the cold and I remember worrying that my voice wouldn't hold up. It actually sounded fine, but it was so cold that we had to re-tune our guitars after every song. It turned out to be a good show, though.
What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in Chattanooga?
Over the years, we've played shows in several different Chattanooga venues, ranging from house shows to fairly large spaces. There's even a couple of newer venues in town that I would love to play in the future.
We're hoping to restart the live incarnation of the band in the new year, but for now, I'm just enjoying being home and recording new songs.
Has the current COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine influenced your creative process?
My process hasn't changed much. For me, it's always about simply finding the time to write and record. I was able to release 2 albums in 2020 on two different cassette labels: Leviathan Messiah (Painted Blonde) and Sleepwalking On Main Street (Don't Guitar Records). This year, I released A Rare Look Ahead (Lo-Fi City Records) and I already have 30 or so songs recorded for release sometime next year.
If you weren’t playing music in (your city here) where would you be ?
If you weren’t playing music in Chattanooga where would you be ?
Living in New Zealand
Any sage advice for young musicians?
Just keep going. Don't stop creating.
You can find more Mythical Motors releases at their Bandcamp page here.
A Rare Look Ahead, Mythical Motors latest release …
Check out Mythical Motors YouTube channel for more!