Page 4 - Black Velvet Issue 94

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the band you were listening to.
Then, 2004, we scored. Ron Burman, the
god who saw our light, signed us to Roadrun-
ner, we made a record and boom – we were
on tour.
Living free on the road in a van with your
homies, couch surfing, camping, partying,
playing shows, was utopic.
Then 2007 hit. Single in heavy rotation on
radio, MTV, supporting Linkin Park in the USA,
blowing up in the UK after supporting
Paramore, invited to Australia by Soundwave
and playing main stage, then to Japan, then
Europe. And the rest was a blur.
Fast forward to summer 2010.
We got dropped while we were on a soul
crusher in Am-who-knows-where-ica, 2010.
Spun out, now with bad habits, a couple di-
vorces, couple of un-payable bills, and all with-
out jobs, when the van sputtered back to the
world you left, 7 years later. Your best friends
and family have families, houses, careers or at
least a skill-set.
Resentment towards music enveloped
me. How could it do this to us? We gave you
everything and you rejected us. Now we can’t
even listen to our favourite records because
we know the band, or we failed at what they
inspired us to do, or worse, you brought them
to the UK to open up for you and now they’re
on the cover of “x” mag.
We decided to write our third record any-
ways. Long story short, I was leaving a session
and intervened in a man killing his wife on the
streets.
I was put into a coma with 1/3 of my skull
removed.
Prognosis didn’t lend itself to a comforting
feeling – 80+ chance of not waking up, and if I
did, an even higher chance of being in a veg-
etative state.
Seven long (well, not for me) dark days
A (Musical) Note From... took their time passing by, dreadfully, before
suddenly, I sprouted my eyes open and said
MATTHEW LEONE (Madina Lake) “Nathan, what in the funk do we have going on
here?”
The international music community rallied
To the magnetic allure of Black Velvet and thing. to save me. All the particle waves of love got
its readers, comprised of various metal pieces Music would negotiate the terms of my fired into the ether, bounced back to my hos-
that adhere themselves to the magazine... Hi, manhood. Drew a hash on the wall to track my pital bed and resurrected me. Donations and
I’m Matthew, bassist of Madina Lake. Through physical growth, keep a diary of sociological benefit shows were popping off everywhere to
my 12 years as a career musician, I have nav- and emotional trials…fine…tragedies and tri- help with the $375,000 meatballs’ worth of
igated the highest highs and lowest lows of the umphs. It would mirror my intellectual aptitude, medical bills. After a year of mental and phys-
biz, and I’ll be the first to admit that the gift of challenge my existential orientations and film ical rehabilitation, I was back.
making music comes with an equally valued my intimate dalliances. Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins, my
toll. My labour of love continues as I recently Music turns moments into history, exacer- favorite band of all times) took us to Arizona
made the move from LA to London to be the bates love, inspires ambition, consoles loss, for a final stage of rehabilitation and to write
International Music Liaison Executive at Help absorbs anger, engenders imagination and music together. I ultimately met my wife – the
Musicians UK (HMUK). The charity’s new wonder. It made me feel blissful and the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I
#MusicMindsMatter campaign is a project par- cliché…escapism. I love it. started a career in philanthropy, giving back to
ticularly close to my heart – a commitment to Music meant everything to Nathan (twin musicians and now I’m the International Music
introduce a dedicated support line and service brother, singer of Madina Lake) and I. We de- Liaison Exec at Help Musicians UK in London.
for those working in the industry. Having toured cided to take a crack at it, at the ripe old age I love music again. I get to work with mu-
with Linkin Park in 2007, the news of Chester of 21 and rent guitars. sicians, put on shows, develop music export
Bennington’s passing engendered a sobering Long shot…but hey, we’re short, we’ve got models, support campaigns I believe in like
and palpable effect on the music community, heart and perhaps we could make up a year #MusicMindsMatter, create innovative
and it’s something that needs to be addressed. or two if we just holed up and rehearsed for fundraising initiatives and, believe it or not,
I met music when I was four. By five, time 10,000 hours. managed to integrate Madina Lake and a baby
stretched open, allowing me to traffic in the ter- We spent a brutal decade’s worth of prac- into this fold.
rific milestones of experiences. As it weaved ticing, writing, showcasing, getting passed on, So…sorry about being over-dramatic back
through these personal and personality evolu- and repeat. It hit us hard – never being ac- there, Music. Thanks for everything.
tions, the travel logs would kindly stamp the cepted into this world that meant the world to Keep rocking, the world needs you.
otherwise lost memories with an audible map. us. The smug, “I’m-the-king-of-the-universe-
For the rest of my waking globe-trotting, and-that-includes-you- - - loser,” smirks on the Matthew Leone
these frequency waves would guide my neu- A&R guys faces, same age, which we would
rons along the synaptic backroads to the mag- never fess up to, didn’t help. Listening to music
ical, sometimes nightmarish compartments was ruined because all you could hear was the In a band? Want to write a one-off column for
us? Email editor@blackvelvetmagazine.com for
where I stored a time capsule of the whole production, the mix, the bass, the success of
more info.
MADINA LAKE