Adam Mattson [Interview]

Welcome Dear Readers. I am extremely excited to share with you all what is not only our 400TH INTERVIEW here at Trainwreck’d Society…but I am just going to go ahead and say that it’s my FAVORITE interview we have done thus far. I can’t believe it took 399 interviews before we finally got the great Adam Mattson to be our digital guest. But, here we are!

I have known Adam Mattson for a solid number of years. In fact, very recent debates which led to the unearthing of photographic evidence, has led me to realize that it has been 16 years since Adam, myself, and fellow dear friend and musical inspiration to this very website, Tyler Averett, solidified our friendship on a cold November night, in a basement in Kelso, Washington circa 2002. And since that very day, even though distances have kept us apart for many years at a time, Adam has been one of my very best friends in the world, and that will never change.

But, the purpose here to today is not to just talk about a dear friend. No, I am excited to showcase and praise the work that Adam has done as an artist. And this man is truly a god damned artist. He puts beautiful work out into the world, but I would whole-heartedly say that Adam’s main form of artistry is: communication. He has always been the easiest person to talk to, listen to, and simply a joy to be around. So much so, that when he was working in the retail industry as a salesman, I was continuously known to lift the classic line from David Spade’s character in Tommy Boy by stating that Adam “could sell a ketchup flavored popsicle to a woman in white gloves”. And I stand by that argument 666%.

And with his amazing ability to communicate, Adam has found himself engage in the craft of podcasting in several different capacities. Regular readers may remember a few years ago, before our extended 15 month hiatus, we were frequently collaborating with and boasting about a little podcast entitled Four Guys Drinking, that I absolutely adored and was sad to see go by the wayside. We had some fun with that one. The climax of that show having to be the set up of an interview with legendary Foghat drummer Roger Earl which involved casino antics and a GoFundMe that was widely backed by a plethora of Jean Claude Van Damme characters for some reason. It was genius, but sadly, it just wasn’t going to last.

But, I knew in my deepest heart of hearts, this wouldn’t be the last we here of Adam in the podcasting game. Soon after he picked up duties as a third host on another amazing podcast that we all know and love around here entitled Super Geeky Play Date. In fact, we literally just talked about them two days ago in our interview with Paris Themman, in regards to the tyranny of Grandpa Joe and the legend of the fart stew. This god damned show is so great for so many different reasons. Generally, I don’t know what the hell they are talking about. The show is so engrossed in geek culture, from comics to D&D and everything in between, within, or around. But I will be damned if I don’t whole-heartedly appreciate the enthusiasm that they have for this culture. And it has indeed led me to dive into some of these things. In fact, that is sort of where Adam Mattson found his own niche on the program. Let it be known, that Adam is indeed a certified geek, in my opinion. But, his geekdom tends to spread more into the world of heavy metal music (of which he literally knows EVERYTHING, or at least how to find anything), horror films, Star Trek, and basically just pop culture in general. I only began listening to SGPD when Adam came on board, but instantly became a fan of the trio of Brady, Bryan, and Adam. It is a truly wonderful show. In fact, when we were offered the chance to interview the legendary Kevin Eastman, I knew in my heart of hearts that I was not the right person for the job, and thankfully the SGPD boys here able to pick that one up. You should check that one out, for sure. Also, one of their more recent episodes in which they provide commentary for our “friend”, Jim Wynorski’s, film Chopping Mall is downright one of the finest pieces of work I have ever heard.

And if that weren’t enough, our hero has even taken it a step further with another recently developed project that finds Adam on the direct front line as the host of the brilliant conversation oriented show, The Listening Tree. I’m going to straight forward and blunt here: while it is easy for me to be slightly bias…this is my favorite podcast out now. Bringing back Zac and Cody, and adding our dear friend and frequent contributor Chris Eaves as well as former Ted Dancin’ Machine bassists and studio host Brett, Adam has created something so great with The Listening Tree, that I dare say it is whimsical. The topics vary so widely, and sometimes have no real relevance to each discussion, except that they are all FASCINATING. With five unique minds in one room, the energy of this podcast because almost surreal and becomes a show that I makes me feel almost physically ill when it ends and I know that I will have to wait and unprecedented amount of time to hear it again. I sincerely can’t recommend this show enough. If you are at all interested in history, pop culture, the works of Orson Welles and Arnold Schwarzenegger, cat weapons, the Yao Ming dynasty, cupcakes, and more….you HAVE to check out The Listening Tree!

Alright folks, I know that I went a little longer on the introduction here than I normally would. But like I said, this is by far the best interview we have ever had grace our digital pages. I love Adam Mattson like a brother, because he basically is one. He has the biggest heart I’ve ever known in a man, and has the power of the spoken word on his side. In fact, I would have much rather done this interview in person, and I assure you that someday we will! I am so thankfully to have Adam in my life, as well as the weaving in and out of Trainwreck’d Society within the his worlds of Super Geeky Play Date and The Listening Tree. And we will be here to support whatever it is he does next, as he will surely do as well for us.

So Ladies and Gentlemen, please enjoy some words from the beloved Di’s son himself, the brilliant Adam “Metal” Mattson!

How did you become involved in the world of podcasting? What was it that initially drew you into this world, and what is it that keeps you working within it?

My favorite thing in the whole world is conversation with friends. That’s what podcasting started as for me, and fortunately I’ve been able to maintain that throughout. Podcasting sounded like a terrific way to document these conversations, and now it has evolved into a creative outlet. I continue working within this realm because I’ve been able to surround myself with so many kindhearted, interesting and talented people. 

You and I grew up in a time before the idea of an “internet radio program” would have simply been a strangely strewn together 3 word sentence. But, we did grow up in the era when radio DJ’s reigned supreme. I am curious to know if you had any influences from this era that influence the way you do podcasts now?

I absolutely wear my influences on my sleeve. When I was very young, riding around in the car with my mom, she would keep the radio tuned to radio personalities Mark and Brian. This was one of my first introductions to comedy, and their brand of PG-13 humor consistently had me cracking up. They weren’t shock jocks, just friends joking together.

After I got a bit older, and Howard Stern flooded markets all over America, I was introduced to shock humor. I read his books Private Parts & Miss America and connected with what I considered a punk rock attitude of boundary pushing via terrestrial radio. The local personalities from Portland’s “101.1 KUFO” had an impact as well. Craig the Dog-Faced Boy & Pork Chop in particular.

However, my biggest influence was Norm Macdonald hosting Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live. I think it’s even safe to call him my hero. He spent years making jokes he liked, and pushing SNL into unknown comedy territory. He carried himself with a fragile confidence, knowing that his jokes were funny (in fact too funny for SNL), no matter what the general audience expected.

How did you make the connection with the wonderful Super Geeky Play Date podcast, which would lead you to becoming a full time co-host on the show?

It all started when the former podcast I cohosted, Four Guys Drinking, invited Bryan on as a guest. Bryan invited me on to share my Geeky Credentials on SGPD and I found a niche for myself. Brady, Bryan and Matt had found a great podcast territory, and were having a blast doing it. It was too much fun to not join. I’m really glad they brought me on.

Could you tell us a bit about your new podcast, The Listening Tree? How did you come up with the concept of this very intriguing show?

Well I have to give credit to my cohosts for this one. We were brainstorming ideas for themes and titles, when Cody came up with our name. Emphasis on the “Listening”. We all consistently bring new ideas to the table…… and I’d say that’s our main concept. We are an experiment. Just like any other organic conversation, it can go a million different directions. So why not keep the podcast that way as a whole? No real rules about who we are, or where we are going. Just talking about whatever we want, making sure to treat each other and our guests with respect, putting ego aside, and trying new things. 

When you look back on your experience, in like 40 years, from the world of podcasting, and the digital records that will still be floating around in the atmosphere, what do you want to know you accomplished? And what do you want other people to recognize?

Personally, the legacy I hope to leave, is one that made people laugh. That’s my favorite thing to do. 

Beyond the world of podcasting, you are also a renowned and extremely knowledgeable in the world of Heavy Metal music. In fact, TWS pretty much relies on you for the knowledge of anything involving this genre of music. With that being said, where did your love for Metal begin? And how do you think your fascination with this genre affects your work in podcasting?

My love of metal started by riding around in my mom’s Pontiac, listening to the same radio network where I heard Howard Stern and Craig the Dog-Faced Boy, 101.1 KUFO. I bought Master of Puppets by Metallica when I was about 12, thinking it would be the same post-haircut/pre-Napster hard alternative rock I was hearing after school. But it was insanely aggressive thrash metal, with songs about war, drug addiction, and the hypocrisy of the church. I was fresh out of Catholic school, so it was perfect for my pre-teen angst. From there I got deeper and deeper into metal until it became a part of my identity. Metal was just always my thing. Now that podcasting is my thing too, I suppose they go hand in hand. Just like any passions in life.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers? 

I guess I’d just say check out The Listening Tree. Write us a letter. Also listen to Super Geeky Play Date, Blue Tiger, Story Time with Brady, and The Nightmare Podcast. Also listen to Slayer. ALWAYS listen to Slayer.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Someone asked if they could come on to the podcast and yell at us because Bloodsport lost in our Action Movie Tournament.

(L to R) Adam “Metal” Mattson, TWS founder Ron Trembath, and “Train Wreck” songwriter Tyler Averett, circa 2003 looking dapper AF.