13 QUESTION METHOD: M. WARD

Perhaps it’s his rich and seductive voice, equal parts honey and cigarette smoke, Nina Simone and Tom Waits. Or perhaps its the virtuosity of the guitar playing, the kind of finger picking skills more commonly associated with Appalachian folk and delta blues traditions than the indie rock scene which was the first to grasp him to their bosom, but it’s a simple fact that M.Ward is a favorite of almost everyone who’s heard him. It’s no real surprise that the country blues loving Meg White personally invited Matt to open for The White Stripes on their last round of US live shows in 2005. In 2003 Conor Oberst enrolled Matt as a part of his acoustic “Monsters Of Folk” tours, and then added him as Bright Eyes’ guitarist on the
Bruce Springsteen-led leg of 2004’s Vote For Change tour.

1. Which was the first record you bought with your own money?
I think I used some of my allowance as a kid to get a bunch of Walt Disney Records.

2. Which was the last record you bought with your own money?
Howlin’ Wolf’s “The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues.” Two for the price of one!

3. What was the first solo you learned from a record — and can you still play it?
The Beatles’ “’Til There Was You.” I’ve forgotten how to play it, unfortunately.

4. Which recording of your own (or as a sideman) are you most proud of, and why?
An as-yet-unreleased recording with Zooey Deschanel, called “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” Why am I most proud of it? I like the direction the song took — it went to a place none of us were expecting.

5. What’s the difference between playing live and playing in a studio?
It’s a good question. My first impulse is to say that they’re basically the same thing — guitars/keys/sound/notes/songs, trying to do good.

6. What’s the difference between a good gig and a bad gig?
Good shows have pleasant surprises. Bad shows have unpleasant ones, or none at all.

7. What’s the difference between a good guitar and a bad guitar?
A bad guitar doesn’t sound very good when it’s being played. I think bad guitars were invented in the ’70s, when certain companies didn’t want to make them by hand anymore.
A good guitar sounds nice when someone is playing it. There are still lots of great guitars being made today — as well as since the ’70s — but from what I’ve seen/heard, they are by-and-large hand-crafted.

8. You play electric and acoustic. Do you approach the two differently?
Yes. I haven’t learned how to play either the way that I wish I could play them, but I’m always learning new things.

9. Do you sound more like yourself on acoustic or electric?
A trick question! The answer is both, I think.

10. Do you sound like yourself on other people’s guitars?
It depends on the guitar, but I think so yes. I’m really not sure what I sound like, so it’s easy to fool myself.

11. Which living artist (music, or other arts) would you like to collaborate with?
There’s dozens, but the first to come to mind are Randy Newman, Brian Wilson and Mike Watt.

12. What dead artist would you like to have collaborated with?
There’s hundreds, but the first that come to mind are Billie Holiday, Johnny Cash, and Nina Simone.

13. What’s your latest project about?
A side project with Zooey Deschanel. We should have a single out by year’s end.

Web site: http://www.mwardmusic.com/