Matt Strmiska Interview

Matt plays drums in A Giant Dog

What's the most interesting/memorable encounter you've had with a complete stranger?

I had a long layover at DFW so I was hanging out at the T.G.I.Fridays bar for a couple beers. The gentleman to my left had clearly already had a martini or two in him and kept interrupting my conversation with the lovely flight attendant to my right. This guy would not stop bugging me, but his conversation was actually way more interesting than the other I was having. After a while, the flight attendant leaves and it's just me and this older dude getting hammered at T.G.I.Fridays, shooting the shit about baseball, music, life... just anything and everything, and having a damn good time. This guy has about 4 or 5 martinis while we're there, just getting straight sloshed. After a while he says he's gotta catch his flight. He picks up both of our tabs and refuses to let me pay. I thank him, ask where he's off to and he says he's going to a liturgical retreat, reaches into his bag and shows me his clerical collar. He's a Catholic priest.

To whom do you owe a huge thank you and why?

My entire musical family, especially my dad who raised me on the drums since I was born. They taught me through their actions the one great thing about music: friends and strangers coming together to have fun, no matter what problems people have outside. Music is an awesome, positive, healing thing.

You have 24 hours...where, with who, doing what?

I'd meet friends in New Orleans and party all night at dives and juke joints. In the morning I'd fly to Baja California, rent a motorcycle, and ride south down the coast until my time is up. Anyone and everyone is welcome.

"I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger"...go

I wish I knew that Dr. Pepper was so bad for you. I had at least 3 or 4 a day. I was Fuller from Home Alone except I didn't wet the bed.

Tell us about your best friend.

Honestly, my sister. We used to hate each other's guts when we were younger but as soon as we both moved away to college something kind of flipped. We've been through some shit together and we'll always have each other's backs.

What's your favorite pastime to do with friends and why?

Playing music, for reasons above.