Here are some frequently asked questions that I'll do my best to answer. If you have one you'd like to see here e-mail me at mcmemories@gmail.com.
How can I contact the band members?
E-mail is probably the best way to contact the band. The collective group e-mail address is us@motioncitysoundtrack.com.
Band member e-mail addresses are:
josh@motioncitysoundtrack.com
jesse@motioncitysoundtrack.com
justin@motioncitysoundtrack.com
matt@motioncitysoundtrack.com
tony@motioncitysoundtrack.com
I have not really e-mailed them, but people say they are mostly good at replying. Sometimes they get behind, so don't get frustrated if they don't reply.
How can I meet the band?
The easiest way to meet the band is to go to one of their shows. MCS is known for being one of the nicest bands to their fans. Hang around after they play or come a little early and you might see some of them wandering around. When they are on Warped Tour you can sometimes find them at their merch tent. Also, on occassion, they do scheduled autograph signings, so just be attentive.
Do the band members post on the message boards?
Yes, they do post on the message boards (on MCS's official site). Tony is the only one that does not have a username. Their usernames are:
Josh-- joshua cain of MCS
Jesse-- das mack
Justin-- justinpierre
Matt-- littlematty
If you wonder if a post is really a band member, just look under their name. Only the band members will have " Motion City Soundtrack" written under their name. You can also go up to the top right corner, click on "Usergroups", select "Motion City Soundtrack" on the drop down list, and click the "View Information" button to see any band members who have a username on the board.
How did the band get its name?
The band got its name from Josh Cain's brother, Brian. Originally Brian had intended to use the name for some sort of shop and the band thought it would be a cool name, so they took it.
Where can I get glasses like the band?
Most of the time the glasses MCS members are sporting are Kirk Originals.
How does Justin get his hair like that?
Justin says it is just "naturally awesome." He washes it about once a week and uses a bit of volumizing spray when he does, and he also sometimes blow dries it.
What kind of moog does Jesse use? Where can I get one?
Jesse uses a Realistic Concertmate MG-1, made by Radio Shack. You can't buy them anymore unfortunately, even Jesse has said that he has to buy his used, usually off eBay.
Where can I find moog tabs?
Jesse has said that it would be impossible for him to explain all the different settings he uses on MCS songs. Jesse once came on the MCS message board and suggested that using screen shots from the music videos (specifically My Favorite Accident) is probably the best way to figure the settings out on your own. He also made a post trying to help a little more in the Ask MCS section of the board. (Note: the post was deleted and luckily Lauren saved it! so here it is incase anyone needs it...)
"alright. i am going to try and explain how to set up a realistic mg-1 to sound like my favorite accident. i'll go by slider and switches from left to right on the keyboard. a lot of settings get changed throughout playing different songs, but this will be a beginning set up for all you.
tone sources - 0
filter - 0
keyboard glide - 2
rate - 5
auto contour trigger - left
wave shape - left
sync - right
octave - down
wave shape - right
detune - +1
octave - down
wave shape - right
sustain - left
tone sources - keyed
rise time - 0
fall time - 0
keyboard tracking - 1/2
cutoff freq - 10
peak emph - 0
contoured cutoff - 0
tone one - 7
tone two - 10
noise - 0
bell tone - 3
polyphony - 10
there you have it. the secrets are out. now you need to learn how to tune it. hook it up to a guitar tuner. i use a boss tu-2 tuner.
in the "mixer" area on the right of the keyboard move all the sliders to 0 except for the tone one, which should be all the way up to 10.
now hit a note on the keyboard. if you hit an A, then move the tone sources knob at the top left until the tuner says you have tuned it to an A.
now put all the sliders in the "mixer" area to 0 except for polyphany, which should be all the way up to 10.
now hit a note on the keyboard. if you hit an A, then move the polyphany knob at the top left until the tuner says you have tuned it to an A.
there you have it. re-tune it often because heat and moisture can change the tuning while the keyboard is being played and warms up.
have fun."
tone sources - 0
filter - 0
keyboard glide - 2
rate - 5
auto contour trigger - left
wave shape - left
sync - right
octave - down
wave shape - right
detune - +1
octave - down
wave shape - right
sustain - left
tone sources - keyed
rise time - 0
fall time - 0
keyboard tracking - 1/2
cutoff freq - 10
peak emph - 0
contoured cutoff - 0
tone one - 7
tone two - 10
noise - 0
bell tone - 3
polyphony - 10
there you have it. the secrets are out. now you need to learn how to tune it. hook it up to a guitar tuner. i use a boss tu-2 tuner.
in the "mixer" area on the right of the keyboard move all the sliders to 0 except for the tone one, which should be all the way up to 10.
now hit a note on the keyboard. if you hit an A, then move the tone sources knob at the top left until the tuner says you have tuned it to an A.
now put all the sliders in the "mixer" area to 0 except for polyphany, which should be all the way up to 10.
now hit a note on the keyboard. if you hit an A, then move the polyphany knob at the top left until the tuner says you have tuned it to an A.
there you have it. re-tune it often because heat and moisture can change the tuning while the keyboard is being played and warms up.
have fun."
Where can I read the MCS blog/journal?
The blog is in the journal section of MCS's official site. The older blog entries from years ago can be found at http://www.squareblue.com/jesse/marchive.html and http://www.squareblue.com/jesse/journal.html.
What is Justin Pierre's clothing line called?
Justin's clothing line is called Runwhere, also run by Andy Stensrud. They have a MySpace page where you can order some t-shirts, but nothing has been updated in a while.
What CD is "Stuck In The Morning" on?
"Stuck In The Morning" was never actually released. Josh said they recorded it before I Am The Movie but after Back To The Beat.
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