AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
The road to self-discovery often requires lots of courage. In 2016, Matt Quinn was a student at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. His mind was focused on a career that would mean security, but his heart wanted something else.
MATT QUINN: Dropping out was sort of terrifying, in a sense, because the impetus for going to law school was to more efficiently pay rent.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
QUINN: Joining a band that was making no money was not necessarily the play, but there was a feeling that it was going to work. And we didn't know it would work this well, but it feels pretty amazing.
RASCOE: Matt Quinn teamed up with four other musicians to form the band Mt. Joy. Mt. Joy has just released a new album called "Hope We Have Fun."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GROOVE IN GOTHAM")
MT JOY: (Singing) All that we do is groove in Gotham. You bite your lip and shake your bottom. You look so good in that heartland.
QUINN: I think for us, it's like, we've realized that where we're at our best is when we're having fun making music, and shows are a place where people can come and kind of let loose. And, you know, I try not to use the word joy in describing a Mt. Joy concert, but we end up in that upbeat zone mostly because that's kind of where we've always been.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GROOVE IN GOTHAM")
MT JOY: (Singing) Ooh, ooh, ooh, you really do.
RASCOE: And why don't you want to use joy to describe Mt. Joy? That's too on the nose?
QUINN: I just - yeah, I don't want to sound like I'm - you know, come to a Mt. Joy concert for joy. But I think there is something there, and it feels like there's sort of a generosity and kindness to our fans that - maybe we are giving them joy. I don't know. I hope so, anyways.
RASCOE: One of the fans was inspiration for one of the songs on the album, "Lucy."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LUCY")
MT JOY: (Singing) I want to live like Lucy died, living my life wire to wire. Burn up like a star in the northern sky, dreaming only of the light. Dust to dust...
RASCOE: Who is Lucy, and what's her story?
QUINN: Yeah, so the night that we played Madison Square Garden, we were out at a bar, celebrating a huge, huge moment for us. And we ended up making it back to the bus just on time for bus call. We had a show the next day. And one of our band members told us this story that a friend had let them know that they had been diagnosed with multiple brain tumors, and she was uncertain if she was going to fight the diagnosis because prognosis wasn't good. And I just kind of sat with that and thought about there's so many people that are going through things that are similar to that, where they're living with uncertainty about what's going to happen next for them. And I think, like, facing that type of fear, you know, for me, is super inspiring, I think.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LUCY")
MT JOY: (Singing) Leaning on that red jukebox, and the music's on fire. Lucy's going to take this wire to wire. Now I'm dancing with an angel, and I'm crying. It's painful 'cause the dream that she's made for will live on forever. Oh, Lucy won't fight...
RASCOE: Is Lucy OK, or is that something you can talk about?
QUINN: Yeah, you know, I - we reached out to - I used Lucy as a pseudonym 'cause - just wanted to protect the person's privacy and everything like that. But we did reach out, and she's still doing OK. And you know, she just, you know, asked us to try to help raise some money for the American Tumor Association. Yeah. We're grateful to be able to make things like that and to hear from so many people after releasing the song who are going through similar things. And things like that, you know, really give us purpose and make it worth being a part of something like this.
(SOUNDBITE OF MT. JOY SONG, "GOD LOVES WEIRDOS")
RASCOE: Your song "God Loves Weirdos" documents some of the more intimate moments of life on the road. Talk to me about that. And just - I mean, that's quite a title, too, "God Loves Weirdos."
QUINN: Maybe every artist feels this way, but I think we all, sort of in the band, categorize ourselves as weirdos, and we kind of embrace that. A lot of times, we'll play a show and get in the bus, and what we'll look forward to is stopping at a truck stop or something and grabbing fast food. And the meaning of the song, I think, is just what it's like traveling around and living on the highway with loved ones and stuff like that.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOD LOVES WEIRDOS")
MT JOY: (Singing) Hold on now 'cause we still got time, honey. It's 4 a.m., and we're laughing in the gas station. You're calling my name. It's the sweetest thing. Holding up a T-shirt says God loves weirdos. And damn, I'm still in love with you.
QUINN: You know, I'm not super religious, but I do really, like, in songs, like, trying to pull religion back to what I understand it as, you know, of a God who loves everyone and isn't trying to exclude people from that.
RASCOE: What did being on the road and doing shows - what has it taught you about yourself?
QUINN: You know, I think it's taught me music. It's the thing that kind of saves me from myself. Early on, in my teens, I really struggled. I just couldn't get out of my own way or out of my own head. And finding songwriting and guitar playing - and it seems silly at first, right? Like, no one in my family are musicians. There was no clear path to doing this, but it went from a hobby to something that is a huge part of, you know, who I am, and it really is something that I need.
RASCOE: Well, I have one last question for you. When you were making this album, did you have fun?
QUINN: Oh, yeah, we really did. Like, getting together and making songs that we think are fun, whether it's "Pink Lady," which is us just jamming in a room and making a joke about our crazy bus driver who we're imagining that his wife would leave him on a motorcycle - like, yeah, we're in there having fun, and hopefully that translates to great music, as well.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PINK LADY")
MT JOY: (Singing) She's taking her time, moving slow. She's making her way down towards Mexico. Reading the signs, and letters flow, and everything spells, let it go. (Vocalizing).
RASCOE: That's singer and guitarist Matt Quinn. His band, Mt. Joy, has a new album out. It's called "Hope We Have Fun." Thank you so much for joining us.
QUINN: Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PINK LADY")
MT JOY: (Singing) Pink lady. Pink lady, now. Pink lady on that red... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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