Andrew McMahon Talks Blending New and Classic Influences

Andrew McMahon is certainly one of the most prolific singer/songwriters in independent pop/rock music over the past decade. The piano-playing maestro got his start in pop-punk act Something Corporate before moving onto his most commercially successful band, Jack's Mannequin. 

Now supporting the first release under his solo name Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness, the singer stopped by Fuse's Top 20 Countdown to chat about his new project. Check out a clip from his interview above, and catch McMahon on Top 20 Countdown tonight at 9/8c!

"You can only have so many different monikers to operate under," McMahon says of his thought process when coming up with his new name. "If I had come out with a new name altogether, it probably would have really confused people. Plus, I like to be able to play songs from both Jack's and Something Corporate along with new music, so I think in a live sense, it makes a lot more sense."

McMahon also speaks in depth about combining his classic influences like Tom Petty and Billy Joel with dance music he's influenced by, such as Robyn's Body Talk. "...It wasn't just synths and programming, and it wasn't just pianos and acoustic instruments," he says about "trying to find a blend" in the sounds. Watch the interview above for more!

Top 20 Countdown airs tonight at 9/8c. Find Fuse in your area!