"Mattress hails from the desert of Las Vegas. Shadowed in neon lights and creeping like a sci-fi prophet, Mattress explores the nuclear love song. A prison work chant shrouded in buzzing synthesizers, Mattress looks into the future and hopes for survival." Rex Marshall

Mattress from Portland, who is coming here on July 23 to play at Brandiz with Pompoir and Radians. I had a chance to ask front man mastermind Rex Marshall a few questions about the band and the latest album LOW BLOWS (which I dropped and broke last time at Roy G Biv).

The Skinny: Some of your songs deal with materialism eating away or corrupting the soul, you ryhme gold and soul, and you have a song called Stay Poor. Are you inspired more by global problems like children working in diamond mines, national problems like the recession and some of the acts of violence that came out of that, or the gross waste that celebrities are, or are you inspired by your or just your own hard times?

REX: Stay Poor is a warning song. There are periods of my life when I fall into an obsession with money. How do I get more of this stuff? I want to be a rich bastard. During these times, I slap myself and keep in mind that the poor are the ones who heal the world.

The Skinny: Why did you call your album LOW BLOWS?

REX: It’s one of my favorite expressions. A below the belt punch. Also, as something which strikes to the gut of the matter. Something said in a cruel way, which makes one pay attention and think. Posted: Jul 23, 2010