Mat Kearney Quotes

The first music I ever got into was the '80s alternative bands that my brother listened to, like The Cure and The Smiths and R.E.M. and Fugazi. I can remember specifically saying The Cure was my favorite band back in second grade.

The Strokes are one of my favorite bands... And there's this band called Future Islands that I love.

The bands that we've found we have something in common with are bands like The National or Tegan And Sara, and I feel like that's because all three of us come from more alternative rock backgrounds.

I think there was a real lane built for indie bands during the time when Chairlift came up.

I always thought of indie-rock as being rock music by bands that were on independent labels, and that's a great thing.

I listen to everything: The Pixies, The Beatles, The Avett Brothers.

I love music, particularly Radiohead, TV on the Radio, The XX and Tribes - they're a great new band from Camden and well worth a look at.

When I was in college in Philly, there was a lot of post-punks... hardcore... like, rock. Sixties, retro, proto-Strokes kind of bands.

I was real into Devo, Pavement, Captain Beefheart, and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

I kinda learned to sing singing to Echo and the Bunnymen songs and Smiths songs: Morrissey would be a big favorite.

I don't really listen to the radio anymore, but some of the more contemporary people I like are Stereolab, Spiritualize, Yo La Tengo and Bedhead. There are other things too, like Pavement. They're a great band, with really good lyrics. But generally, I'm not overwhelmed by the state of indie-rock.

I like alternative music, so I like to hear new bands.

There are bands like Imagine Dragon, Grouplove, and fun. who have come along and shifted the way that rock can sound.

Signing to a major, there weren't many bands from our sphere that were doing it. I mean, obviously R.E.M. had done it, and Husker Du and the Replacements had done it, and maybe Soul Asylum, but that was probably about it. Those four bands were pretty much the only ones from that milieu that had signed to a major.

I remember the first album I really completely geeked out over was The Shins' 'Wincing The Night Away.' That album was everything to me.

I really love Grimes, Niki & the Dove, stuff like that.

Authentic rock and roll is a sound that I've always been drawn to with bands like Brand New and Jimmy Eat World.

We're not the corporation of Foster the People. We're a band.

I've always been indie.

A friend of mine introduced me to Thurston Moore because she thought I would like him. He was playing with the tallest band in the world, the Coachmen. They were sort of like Talking Heads, jangly guitar, Feelies guitar. Anyway, it was love at first sight. His band broke up that night. And we started playing.

The last time I really got into new music that wasn't heavy metal was probably like... TV on the Radio? I think that was it. That's the last time.

I think it's really cool, but Jimmy Eat World and Gin Blossoms did it better than anyone. People don't realize just how awesome the Arizona history is, especially for alternative music. Growing up, that's all I ever wanted to be was those two bands.

Live are a really good band. I like Stone Temple Pilots, Radiohead I love. Even Oasis.

But, then again, I wouldn't call myself an indie-rock supporter even if there are some really good bands out there and there will always be some real good new bands.

Band of Skulls is joining Cage the Elephant as my new musical caffeine.