Matt Thiessen's Biography
So, I was born in Ontario, Canada August 12, 1980. I moved to Ohio when I was six years old, and I met Matt Hoopes when I was seven. We decided to wait 9 years to start Relient K. 1987 was just too soon. I started playing piano around my eighth year of life. My mom forced me to practice and I wasn't always too happy about it. Fortunately, learning the piano helped me understand music enough so that I could try to write some of it later in life. I was a typical nerdy kid. In addition to playing piano, I played trumpet (until I quit band my freshman year), and I was in a bunch of school plays and stuff. I played a year of soccer, and other than scoring a goal in my first game, I was terrible. Around my sophomore year of high school, Hoopes and I started getting into a lot of Tooth And Nail bands like Ghoti Hook, Slick Shoes, and the punk rock monsters, Mxpx. These bands were our main inspiration when we started Relient K, and Hoopes and I went to countless shows and festivals together. We traveled in Matt's Relient K most of the time. We started playing local shows and had a lot of fun doing the band stuff. We were fortunate enough to befriend Mark Townsend and do our first demo with him in February of 1998. That pretty much kick-started our career. I still live a block away from my parents in Bolivar, OH (where I grew up). Being from the midwest has definitely had an influence on the band being who we are. I love it. We write a lot of songs about various things, but one thing that has always been a staple for Relient K is writing about our faith. Its something that we've never felt obligated to do, but something that we've always felt good about.
Family - I have 2 brothers, 2 sisters, 2 step-brothers, and a step-sister. Between all of them, I have 4 nieces, and 8 nephews.
Favorites:
Albums - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds, Weezer - Blue Album, Jellyfish - Spilt Milk, Ben Folds - Rocking The Suburbs, Nick Drake - Pink Moon, Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair, Rufus Wainwright - Self Titled, Jimmy Eat World - Clarity, The Get Up Kids - Something To Write Home About, and Mxpx - Slowly Going The Way Of The Buffalo
Food - A great steak or an amazing salad. On the rare fast food excursion, a Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell. I drink a lot of Diet Coke and lemonade Vitamin Water (when I can find it).
Recreation - I love to run. That's when I get to listen to a lot of the up tempo rock and roll that I love so much. I love a good game of basketball and throwing a football, baseball, or frisbee around. I went sky diving this year, and I could definitely see myself doing it again. I'm a huge Cavs, and Ohio State football and basketball fan. I like both the Bills and the Browns, but they're both so terrible that I don't have to pick one or the other yet.
Movies - I really appreciate older stuff. The Graduate, Harold And Maude, and a bunch of Woody Allen movies. Stranger Than Fiction is one of my more recent favorites. I watch an absurd amount of movies, and I appreciate all genres. I can get into anything from nerdy Lord Of The Rings, Star Wars, and X Men stuff, to well written foreign films. John C. Reilly (Chicago, Hard Eight, Magnolia) is my favorite actor.
Cartoons - I loved watching G.I. Joe and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Family Guy is my "all growed up" cartoon.
Doctor Joke - What do you call two orthopedic doctors reading an EKG? A double blind study!!!! Hahahaha... I don't get it.
U.S. President - William Henry Harrison. Longest inaugural speech, shortest term (1 month). Karma, baby.
