undefined

 ================================
 *Heaven Sweep Me Away* 
 Feature
 ================================
 ~Matchbox 20 Past, Present & Future (continued) ~

	Well, to be completely honest, when I first heard matchbox20, I (please don't hurt me for this) didn't like them.  I don't know why.  I heard "Long Day" on the radio, and the dj was raving, and I was like, errr....whatever.  then "Push" came out and I was like, well, the song's ok, I guess....and it was hugely popular.  Then one day, I was driving to work, and "Long Day" came on the radio.  and one line of the song jumped out at me - the line, the way it was sung, and the music behind it - the line "Oh god I shouldn't feel this way now..." and it just slapped me in the face - you know - wow, this is amazing stuff here.  And I started listening to the songs with a whole different ear.  The next time I heard "Push" and I paid attention to what was going on INSIDE the song, I was bowled over.  The lyrics were amazing, the intensity in the singing, and when you fit the music into those 2 things, well, how could you NOT like matchbox20?  It wasn't until after I bought the cd that I even saw the guys - the "Push" video - and I was like, wow, they're beautiful.  : )   Not so much their looks, but the way Rob moves when he sings, the way Paul slams it out on the drums in all the right places, and the amazing skill that Kyle, Adam, and Brian all have on their instruments.  I fell in love with that cd IMMEDIATELY.  I loved every song, and that's not normal for a lot of the albums you come across now.   Then I started looking at the webpages, and it was great to see how much the band cares about their fans, especially Adam - chatting and all, keeping a personal interest in the page - i thought that was GREAT.  (And at the last concert i went to - my 4th mb20 concert - Adam proved himself yet again by coming to sign autographs for the fans w/out backstage passes that hung around after the show - me).  : ) Ok, and I know that the band is all anti-Tabitha's Secret now, but I own the cd and I think it is superb.  Again, Rob's lyrical skill just shines through, and his amazing voice!  "Dear Joan," "Swing," "Forever December" "Unkind," "High".....they're all EXCELLENT.  As for the future, I think the band is in for great things (but I don't want to jinx it!)  considering the fact that mb20 has an amazing fan base that gobbles up anything non-album they can find,  I really don't think they have anything to worry about.  The quality of music is only getting better - for those of you that have heard Kyle's song "Happy," or "Heavy," or Rob's "Black and White People," you know that the future is looking brighter and brighter. I, for one, cannot WAIT for the next album & I will see their show any chance I can get my greedy lil hands on.    : )  (Awww.... I just remembered - they're done touring over here!)  Ah, well, like I said, they'll be back! Yay mb20!  
- Amber (that's "swing" to you mb20 chatters)
groovular@rocketmail.com

Past.
	I remember back in the summer of '97 is when I first really heard of them. I know I had heard "Long Day" before after I got the album, but "Push" is what got me hooked. I bought the album that Fall, about the same time the video was played constantly on VH1. I would always come home from school and turn on the TV and there they were. I though Rob had a real sexy voice before I even saw what they looked like. I started listening to the CD more and more and knew "3am" before it was released. I would watch the Top 10 just to see their videos. When I got the internet back in February, the first place I went was their site and it has grown a lot since then. Their fan base gets bigger by the moment.
Present...
	I now am an obsessed Matchbox 20 fan. They help me get through the tough times. Their lyrics have made me wanna wake up the next day. Without them I would probably be going to a counselor right now. But instead, they are my counselor. They comfort me when I feel down or upset. They have changed me a great deal. I love seeing them on TV and in concert. Everytime something had changed, which makes me love them even more. I feel so happy for all the success they have gotten, and hopefully continue to get. I just get mad cuz no critics want to say anything good about them. I'm glad they can take the bashing and just laugh at it. That takes courage. But they can handle themselves.
Future?	
	I wish them much success in the years to come. I feel that critics will give up on bashing them and say something positive for a change. I know that their next album will be a smash and hopefully will do better than their debut! I wish them luck and I admire their strength. With the fan support now they are sure to have a bright future ahead no matter what lies on the trail. Now we need to encourage others to sit down and listen to the CD and listen close to the lyrics. Everyone should know that they have a great fan base and we should (in my opinion) try to add on to it. No matter what.  :) & <3 Good luck to all! ~Holly
- Bratt 713@aol.com

	Kay, well, I remember the very first time I heard Matchbox 20. I was listening to the radio with my friends at boarding school and ''Push'' came on. At first I was like 'Well, that's not too bad' but I didn't really fall in love with the song the first time I heard it. Then, after hearing it over,and over, and over, and over again in our common room (somebody bought the single and played it constantly on the cd player), I grew to really like the song. Then Christmas came around and my Aunt gave me a card which said "Present- CD of your choice". Well, I had a few ideas as to what CD I wanted, so I gave her a couple of names- Reef was the first name to come out, then I told her that if she couldn't find that one, then I would like Matchbox 20, cuz so many people I knew had been raving about it. Anyway, the month passed and it was finally time for my birthday, which was when I finally got my christmas present and my birthday present, which I got both the cds I asked for. So, when I got home, I sat and listened to my MB20 cd for the whole duration of the cd, and that was when I really began to grow fond of the whole band. But my "obsession" with the band did not happen until the night of the 13th of March, 1998. I had just come home from a school retreat and I was relaxing in front of the tv with my now ex-boyfriend, when my sister came home. She came up to me with a silly grin on her face and said "How much do you love me?"- she usually says that when she's either wrecked something of mine, or when she's bought something new like clothes that I really like, so I played along and said "Why, what have you got that I want?" To which she replied, "No, more like what have I got that I'm giving to you!" she reached into her handbag and handed me a small white envelope which enclosed a ticket to see Matchbox 20 live in concert on the 21st April at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney! I was so stoked! I was so excited, I couldn't even speak, and all the time Mum's saying "What is it?" and I just had to hand it to her because I couldn't speak, and she just said "Who's Matchbox 20???". All night I was a mess! When I got back to school, I realised that I knew nothing about Matchbox 20 besides their names, and their shoe sizes, so I went on the perenial search for everything to do with Matchbox 20.... Enter the "obsession"!!!! I collected a folder full of band bios, interviews, pictures, etc. and so when the 21st of April finally came i was set! I stayed at my sister's house and the night before the concert I could hardly sleep. My sister had to work early the next morning and I kept her up by saying things like "You know Kyle sings in 'Hang'?" and then about 5 minutes later, I'd say "You know Adam doesn't smoke?"- she was getting really annoyed!
     Then the big day finally came. We left home for the train station at about 4:30pm and met all my sister's friends at the station. It was about a 1/2 hour train ride and all the time I was either telling everyone about the trivial bits and pieces that I knew, or I would just sit there and sing "I'm going to matchbox 20! I'm going to matchbox 20!" So when the concert finally came, I was just going berko!!!! Anyway they came out and sang and sang and sang.. And I fully believe that at that moment I totally fell in love with them- I could see that they were REAL (I've never been to a concert before MB20) and they sounded so much like the CD- it was uncanny! All night I was just bouncing and screaming and singing- I had so much fun! But then all fun things eventually come to an end, and they had to go home. The minute I stepped out of the theatre I said "I WANNA SEE THEM AGAIN!!!" But I went home instead. Even though that great night was like 6 months ago, I can still remember it like it was yesterday- the lights, the music, what the guys were doing, what they said between songs (which wasn't much because to quote Rob, "you didn't come here to hear some guy rave on about shit") and just the whole atmosphere. I hope that they stay as a band for quite a while, because their music has made an impact on so many people's lives it's not funny, and it would be such a shame to see 5 (or is it 6 now???) extremely talented guys just go to waste. Hopefully they'll also release a new CD soon and if my dream comes true, the album will become 6 platinum (YOSLY got 5 platinum in Aust.) Also I hope that they always remember were they came from and how they were like before they become stars, like the way they are now. The guys are so down to earth and I hope that quality remains with them forever. I've seen so many people and bands become so wound up in their popularity that they've forgotten who actually got them there in the first place (the fans) and because of that, they've lost their fans. But on a personal note, I reckon the guys will stick around for some time and give the top guns a run for their money- they have become so popular in Australia with both teenagers and adults that they're retouring this month (October) and with their last tour in Sydney, they had to increase the number of shows from 1 to 5!!! So if the record they've set so far stays correct, Matchbox 20 will be around for quite a while......
     Well, there you have it- I never thoughjt I'd be able to rave on for so long about MB20, but then I guess I never tried either... Good luck with the mag and congrats on making the 1st year anniversary! Hope there's many more to come!
- Amy : 0 P
poohpookie@hotmail.com

-To everyone who contributed to this feature we want to really thank you. All were wonderful contributions and had to be put in the 'zine. To the people who have been reading the 'zine for a long time we can't thank you enough. Of course all the new subscribers are amazing too. Just 'thank you' for making this feature possible.
-LDZ

 ================================
 *It's Better Than Nothing* 
 Merchandise
 ================================
-Carrie6896@aol.com and MatchboxZ0@aol.com
 
If you're interested in rare matchbox 20 cds, go to 
There you'll find the "3AM" and "Real World" promo for 7$ and the "Long Day" promo for 20$. Hurry if you're interested, I'm not sure if they keep more than a few in stock. While there, search for other bands you dig. Bound to find something cheap and interesting.

At  there are a few new items:

Girl Like That (New Release)
IMPORT-AST 5" CD Single
Streetdate: November 17, 1998
$9.77

Live Tracks EP 
IMPORT- JAPAN
CD- $14.57

Real World
IMPORT- JAPAN
$16.97
Info: 'Japanese edition of single from their smash debut 'Yourself Or Someone 
Like You'. It's backed with acoustic live versions of 'Push', '3Am' and 
'Busted'. Slimline jewelcase. 1996 Atlantic Records release.

Another place that has Matchbox20 merchandise is Rockabilia.  You can call them at (612) 942-7895, write them at Rockabilia, P.O. Box 4206 Dept 160, Hopkins, MN 55343 or visit thier website at www.rockabilila.com  
They have the following items:
T-Shirts @ $17.95 each:
	Logo  (Item #37886)
	Group Shot (Item #37887)
	Yourself... (Item #37888)
Embroidered Baseball Cap for $19 (Item #37889)
Group Shot Poster for $6.95 (Item #34338)
Imported Singles for $15.98:
	Push (Item #38039)
	Real World (Item #24092)

Infinity 1 also carries Matchbox20 merchandise! Call them @ (612)836-0361, Write them @ INFINITY 1, Box 62126 Dept 501, Minneapolis, MN 55426 or visit thier website @ www.infin1.com
They have the following Items:
Group Photo T-shirt - $17.50 - Item # 10756
Logo T-Shirt - $17.50 - Item # 10554
Group Shot Poster - $6.95 - Item # 17135
Embroidered Logo Baseball Cap - $19 - Item # 13416
Peel 'N Rub Logo Stickers - $4 - Item # 16324
They also carry items like Embroidered Patches, Posters, Promo Glossies, and Bumper Stickers so call for a catalog or check out thier site! 

 ================================
 *I Hang On Everything About You* 
 Article
 ================================
Four articles this issue.


Part 3 ~ Issue 10