Currently in the country for their long-awaited Australian tour, Matchbox 20 have explained why it took them five years to release their new album, Exile on Mainstream (which is actually part Best Of / part new).

Talking to Hamish and Andy last week in their hotel room, singer Rob Thomas and guitarist Paul Doucette explained it was less to do with Rob's solo project (he released Something to Be in 2005) and more to do with needing time off to recharge.

"We'd decided to take a break anyway. Everyone wanted to do their own thing and get away from each other," explained Doucette.

Adds Thomas: "We were all really stoked everybody else going out and getting out what they need to get out so that when we came back together we could enjoy the hell out of this because we'd stopped doing that.

"On our last record, we were like 'we're not having fun' and we should be because we have the great jobs in the world. So we changed everything about the band and that seemed to work."

Rested and reinvigorated, the band recorded Exile's six new songs - including radio hits 'How Far We've Come' and 'All Your Reasons' - with a new producer, Steve Lilywhite, and for the first time, wrote songs together as a band. They also kicked out guitarist Adam Gaynor and moved drummer Doucette into the role.

Serious questions over, Hamish and Andy then proceeded to help Thomas and Doucette go 'Robbing with Rob Thomas (and Paul)', seeing how many hotel items they could swipe in 60 seconds (watch the video below).

The band are currently touring the country and adding a local touch to their shows along the way. At their first Melbourne shows, they covered Crowded House's 'Better Be Home Soon' and INXS' 'Need You Tonight'.

Here's the setlist from their first Melbourne show last Thursday night: How Far We've Come, If I Fall, Real World, Disease, Could I Be You, The Difference, I'll believe you when, Back 2 Good, 3 AM, Bent, Hang, If You're Gone, Hand Me Down, So Sad, All Your Reasons, Long Day, These Hard Times, Downfall, Bright Lights, She Came through the Bathroom Window, Better Be Home Soon, Unwell, Push.

April 14, 2008