2017...

January 01, 2017 by Matt Bates

12:01 am January 1, 2017:
“I am going to bed.” - Jamie. We are such homebodies.

As 2016 comes to a close and we look forward to what 2017 could be, I find myself reflecting on the past 12 months. Since last New Years Day, a lot of positive things have happened in my life. Living in an era where everyone is continuously scrolling through the negative situations that are happening throughout the world, I wanted to share some positives. So instead of listing why 2016 was such a shit year (which it may have been) I am looking through my 2016 pictures folder and finding nothing but smiles.

First, we kicked off 2016 in Disneyland. I mean, how does it get any better than that? Then the next morning for New Years Day we went back to Disneyland. And right after that, we bought an old VW bus. Pretty freakin' awesome way to kick off 2016. In fact, I spent most of the beginning of 2016 in either Disneyland or our VW bus. Later that month my family came to visit us for the first time altogether to celebrate my birthday. What did we do? Go to Disneyland.

7:00 pm January 1, 2016. Santa Monica, CA.

Disneyland had become a second home to Jamie and I. When we moved from Philadelphia to California we did not know anyone, so we just went there. 2016 ends our run as Disneyland pass holders, but for a great reason, I got promoted in 2016, and we moved to Nashville. It was hard to say goodbye to all the friends we have made and the life we had built from literally nothing. We feel truly blessed to close out 2016 reflecting on all the great times we had in California.

11:30 am January 31, 2016. Disneyland, CA.

Since we had to downsize, sell off our stuff and move another 3,000 miles back to the other side of the country did we fly? Hell no. We drove across and made an adventure out of it! We stopped at the Grand Canyon, stayed in a forgotten mountain town in Colorado, got lost in Utah, got rained out in Chicago, and learned a lot about roadside car maintenance. Driving across the country is something I am lucky to say I have had the chance to do a few times and I suggest everyone do it at least once. You never know what you will find. I mean, we were driving down the street, and we found Wyatt Earp’s house.

Wyatt Earp House. Pella, IA. 2016. — Wyatt Earp House. Pella, IA. 2016.

We moved into the world's worst short-term apartment complex in Nashville, but that was incredible because it motivated us to become homeowners. Becoming a homeowner in one of the fast growing cities in America was one of the most stressful and rewarding processes of my life. Since we now own a home, we had to fill it with furniture and of course my music equipment. I now get to play music whenever I want and have been lucky enough to play with so many great musicians in some of the coolest venues over the last year. Being in Nashville also allows us to get back to family in the Philadelphia more easily. We were able to get home to Philadelphia 5 times in the last few months since moving. Which if you compare that to 3 times over the last three years in California is way better.

I celebrated five years with my employer in 2016. Staying with the same company is unheard of in millennials, but they treat me well, so I try to return the favor. Oh, side note, I also got guest listed to Blink 182 this year. Check. I was able to make it as an artist to NAMM in Anaheim, met Adam Sandler and his mom on the Malibu pier and discussed fishing, and visit the Pabst offices.

Testing things out. NAMM. Anaheim, CA. 2016.

So, when I hear people say today that 2016 was a wash, I will ask them to reflect on all the great things that happened in their life last year and think about what good has happened. I know the world can appear to be in distress. Without hope, gratitude and a positive outlook on what we DO have going for us, we are just adding to the shit pile.

Don’t add to the shit pile. Stay positive. Fight for good. Have Fun. Be grateful.

Let’s make it a banner year.

-YourFriendMatt

BONUS PHOTOS:

Last photo of our home in Santa Monica, CA. 2016.

Original 5. El Matador Beach, Malibu, CA. 2016.

Random mall parking lot. Columbus, OH. 2016.

First Christmas in Nashville. First Christmas as homeowners. Nashville, TN. 2016.

Somewhere on the PCH. Los Angeles, CA. 2016.

Namm 2016...

February 07, 2016 by Matt Bates

“Hey, is it cool if I hit these $10,000 drums?” - Me

Noise cancelling cymbals...Sure...Why not?

I recently attended Namm for the first time. My friends tone company SoloDallas was in town to showcase and discuss their 2016 product line. Me, having never attended name before was super excited to come and be part of what they were doing. Since I was there kind of as a guest, but also kind of there to do whatever I wanted, I explored the 4 show rooms floors throughout the Anaheim Convention Center with my friend Ry. And what do you know? Of course they had multiple bars with craft beer for all the musicians of the world to partake in!

Them - Hey! Want your picture taken? Me - Yep. — **Them** - Hey! Want your picture taken? Me - Yep.

It was awesome to see all the innovations going on in the worlds of music, recording and playing…not to mention to try it all out.

Saw some guitars that cost more than houses...

Running a bi-coastal media company, BrokenSoundMedia, with my partners, who knows, maybe we will pick up one of the 360 degrees keyboard for some reason.

-YourFriendMatt

2016...

January 03, 2016 by Matt Bates

“What should we do today?” - Me

We started the year off waking up in Anaheim at Disneyland, me with a slight headache, Jamie with a slight caffeine deficiency. We had spent the night before at Disneyland frolicing like 4 year olds one last time in 2015…but not before splitting a bottle of champagne in our hotel room first…and by splitting I mean she has a glass and I drank the rest…towards the end…straight from the bottle.

We got up - sort of - I found us coffees and a plate of cheap hotel pancakes and we were off to re-enter Disneyland for the first time in 2016, technically the second time in 2016, but who’s counting. We bounced back and forth between the 2 parks and that’s when I received a call. Over the last few months Jamie and I have been looking for an adventure mobile. Something we can cruise in, party in and make memories. The problem was, we are broke, so trying to find something within the $0 to $10 category that wasn’t a used Power-Wheel was becoming an issue.

See my Instagram for a short video about this ride...@MattBates

Luckily for us, I am a Craigslist guru and have been told I should write a book or open an consulting agency about how to used Craigslist effectively. After searching through, negotiating and losing all hope we found a real diamond in the rough. One of those posts that is almost too good to be true, but we put in an offer 2 days earlier and they accepted. Boom. Win. I got off the phone and we left Disney as fast as we could to go meet up with them before they changed their minds.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present, Big Red...

This has been one of the biggest impulse buys and most unplanned thing I have even done, which is not my style, but this thing is too good, we had to jump on it. This year is even more about just jumping, taking risks and continuing to focus on what makes us happy. This van might look like a silly old van no one wants but to us, this is our coast cruiser, the party machine and something that will be worth the story. (Plus, for what we bought it for, we can sell it and make a profit *Thumbs Up*).

Not a bad start to the new year, a day at Disney, cocktails with some great folks and a new addition to the fleet.

2016, you are shaping up...

-YourFriendMatt

Anyways...

January 02, 2016 by Matt Bates

I haven't done a full song drum cover in a bit and this new single from The Starting Line rules. Looking forward to their new release this year, even if it is only 3 songs! Check them out, per-order or support if you want and get nostalgic.

Thanks for watching, give feedback, share and enjoy!

-YourFriendMatt