I can't remember a time in my life where I didn't want to be in a rock'n'roll band. In 1991, as a 9 year-old boy in Birmingham, Alabama, I either wanted to rob banks and surf big waves like Patrick Swayze in Point Break OR play on massive stages and conquer the world like all my rock'n'roll heroes. I was pretty obsessed. I had posters all over my walls. I would carve sticks into the shape of a cigarette and light the end to be like Slash. I wanted to be the greatest guitar player on planet Earth, but quickly realized that that wasn't the ticket. So I started writing songs. Lots and lots of songs. Now it's 2013 and very little has changed. While I've grown up a bit over the years, the core of that dream has never died. I've just made a few adjustments along the way. At 19 -- after playing every talent show, middle school dance, battle of the bands, and frat party I possibly could -- I decided to chase music full time. I was signed to Epic Records at 21 and quickly moved to Columbia Records at 23. All of my dreams were gonna come true. I was finally gonna get my shot. You've probably seen that movie enough times to guess how it turned out. Politics inevitably come into play and people get lost in the wash. By May of 2007, I was no longer part of the Sony machine. I quickly decided to pick up the pieces and make a small acoustic record called The Fire EP. It cost next to nothing to make and there were no rules, no debates, and no requests from the record label to alter the album. Grey's Anatomy called and wanted to use a song, which spiked sales and curiosity. By the summer of 2010, I'd released eight EPs and built a steady foundation of the most loyal and committed fans an artist could ask for. Once the stage was set, I released two full-length albums, Now You're Free (2011) and A Banquet For Ghosts (2012). While they're very different records and represent two very different time periods, they were both extremely honest. I don't know about you, but honesty is one of the things I appreciate most in my favorite artists and I want to continue to take that cue from my heroes. Now here we are and it's 2013. (Oh my god, it's 2013?!?!) I've got a new, very special EP coming out called Irons In The Fire. I couldn't be more comfortable in my own skin at this point and I think this EP reflects that. Songs, like smells, should take you somewhere. They should trigger your associative memory for better or for worse and force you to smile the biggest smile of the week, cry the most tears of the month, or relive a moment you never thought relivable. That's what I was aiming for with Irons In The Fire. Melodies like "Miles & Miles" and "Fire Escape" demanded my all and set a new standard for me. "In Or Out" is the question and "Follow You Down" is the unconditional response. "Look Me In The Eye" is the ultimatum and "Tonight" is the declaration. These songs tugged at my insides in a way nothing else ever has and demanded they be brought to the surface. I can't make many promises, but I know in my heart that I gave everything I could possibly give to ensure these songs were more heartfelt than anything I've ever done in my career. All I can do now is cross my fingers and hope that it's powerful enough to move you. If not, it's ok, I'll just rob a few banks and retire under a wave somewhere. Y'know, the simple life. :) Keep it alive. -MM
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