A Fond Farewell to The Goin' Nowheres 

 A Chat About Music, Suffering, and Denny's

Regardless of the project you are listening to, there are a few things guaranteed by Mathew Lee Cothran’s music: it’ll make you laugh, cry, and appreciate the beauty that accompanies being human. Cothran, known for his work under The Goin’ Nowheres, Elvis Depressedly, Coma Cinema, and Mathew Lee Cothran, is an independent singer/songwriter, admired for his unique vocals and tender lyrics throughout the alternative and indie music scenes. 

Cothran is currently active under his projects Coma Cinema, Mathew Lee Cothran, and The Goin’ Nowheres, which released their final album on September 21. Gag Reflection Record follows the release of Hot Moonlight Record (2024) and Curse Rotted Record (2020), completing the trilogy. The works of The Goin’ Nowheres are brought together by Cothran, Timothy Patrick, and Paul Eliot. Cothran graciously joined me to talk about music, natural disasters, and what inspires him in a recent interview. 

The Goin' Nowheres

What were your intentions in creating this project?

[Cothran] Well, I always wanted it to be three records, and to me, eleven songs is the perfect length for an album. Some of my favorite records ever are eleven songs. I like The Replacements, and they do the eleven thing. I thought the idea of three albums, each with eleven songs, seemed cool. I don’t know, maybe I’m too much into numerology, but I thought it sounded nice. I think it is a good ending to the project; it was a lot of fun to work on. It’s a little sad to say goodbye, but the records will always be there. 

How did The Goin’ Nowheres form?

[Cothran] The first Goin’ Nowhere record was actually supposed to be an Elvis Depressedly record, but the label I was on rejected it. So, I just decided to start a new band. 

Creating Music

[Cothran] To me, all art should just be a giant collaboration. Just because someone is a listener doesn’t mean they aren’t helping to create the art itself. Especially in a live setting, everyone in the room is creating that experience. I have the best listeners you can think of, really. When people come up to me at shows, they’re just so happy, and they know about the things I like; it's great. They really care about me as a human being. My favorite thing in the world is before and after shows when people come up and talk to me at the merch table, and I get to know the people who make my life possible. 

The Complexities of Catastrophes

What did your process for writing/recording Gag Reflection Record look like?

[Cothran] I would say it is pretty similar to the last two. Eight of the eleven songs were left over from the first two records. Some of them were a little too weird, but they sound good together. I released some of the songs on YouTube, but I wasn’t content with them, so I did some remixing and editing. 

I think it’s cool how, with movies and video games, there are remasters where they take something and make it new. But you don’t see that a lot in music. You see remixes and remasters, but they’re not fundamentally changing it. To me, no art is ever done. It’s just that there is a before anyone else hears it, and there's an after. But it is never really finished. I think all art requires an outside interpretation from someone who isn’t the creator to be complete. Art is sort of a lifelong, ongoing conversation. 

Is there a track you are most proud of?

[Cothran] There's a song on the album called “My Storm Needs a Shelter,” which is for Helene. I’m not sure proud is the right word, but it is something I made in a really upsetting place. I was in Asheville during Helene, and I didn’t have any water or power, or gas in my car. I couldn’t call or text anyone; let’s just say I was very unprepared. I didn’t have anything, so I recorded a song about my situation on my phone, which had 10% battery remaining. It was just me and my two cats, not really knowing if or how we were going to make it out of that situation. It was really scary. I ended up finishing the song and recording it for the record. You know, when you are presented with a situation like that, you don’t really know how you are going to react. I sing that song in a really weird voice, and that is just how it came out at the time. I find it kinda comical. I often find myself trying to laugh my way out of bad situations. 

"All you can do is laugh until you just can’t no more"  

Running Wide Open, Loss Memory (2017)

There is still a lot of damage and things that aren’t quite back to normal, but people really pulled together. There’s a lot of community there (Asheville). It is something to note that hurricanes can, in fact, go into the mountains, so watch out. But I am interested in seeing how people react to that song. I want people to know how it was recorded because I think that is part of the art.

Coma Cinema & Live Music

You already put out two albums this year, where are you headed next?

[Cothran] I’m working on a couple of records. (Busy dude!)

I put out a couple of records under my name that I like a lot. I’m doing another one, well, it’s actually finished, I’m just working on mixing it. I’m making more songs than I have in years right now. I recorded about 24 songs, but I cut it down to 10 for the album. I'll be putting that out in a few months. 

I used to record all of my stuff on this 32-track digital machine that I bought when I was fifteen or sixteen. I worked at Publix for $5.25 an hour and saved up for that. I’ve made pretty much every record of mine on it. A few years ago, I decided to upgrade and learn how to record on a computer. It is really cool because suddenly I can do all these weird things I could never do before. If I want a trombone or a tuba, I can just pull one up, which is crazy. It kinda set me into this sort of mania, where I was constantly recording songs. Some of them are really dumb, but some are quite interesting.

Maybe sometime next year, I’ll do another Coma Cinema record. I’m not going to wait 8 years again. (Phew!) People really love Coma Cinema and are listening more now than ever before, which is crazy and amazing. I’ve been playing these shows, and there's a bunch of young people in the audience who know all the words to the songs. I’m definitely shocked, but it’s great!

Caroline, Phillip, and Olivia Lua

A lot of your songs include characters. Are they real people?

[Cothran] It just depends. Sometimes they are real people. Take Phillip, for example. I was thinking about the times when I would hang out with a guy named Phillip. The song isn’t about him, but I was thinking about the feelings and emotions associated with hanging out at Phillip’s house, so I just called it Phillip. 

Sometimes they are based on real people, like Olivia Lua and Thomas Kinkade. I had a song called Bailey Jay, and she actually reached out to me about it and said she liked it. In people, we keep our dreams. So much of our feelings are meant for other people, so I see a lot of inspiration there. When you give something a name, you give it a life.

Partnerships and Inspirations

You spent some time playing across the country with Alex G?

[Cothran] That's correct, yeah. I really think he is one of the greatest songwriters alive, and I have thought that since I first heard him over ten years ago. I was like, "Yeah, this is it." I thought he had to be the biggest artist in the world because it would make all art better. The influence will trickle down, and it’ll make all art more real. We’ll see a lot of better music in the future because he's gotten so big. 

His album Race changed my life. (Me too, Mat) I can name maybe two or three other records that have had that much of an effect on me. It’s such a masterpiece of honesty, earnestness, purity, and the creative spirit of youth and empathy. It’s just perfect. 

I had the great honor to take him out on his first national tour, and those are some of the best days I ever had. So many funny and goofy things happened to us. He’s a great guy, he’s selling out these big arenas now, and it's awesome to see. That’s the nature of truly fantastic art: it becomes everyone's.

Daughter of a Cop vs Daughter of a Cop

[Cothran] Brad Petering helped record Posthumous Release. He’s always been a big believer in what I do, and I’m a big fan of TV Girl. I’m actually on one of the records doing some goofy “baaah bahs” like a sheep. We both have a song titled “Daughter of a Cop.” I think what he told me was that his started as a cover, but it turned into something completely different. I really like their song. It’s interesting, the influences back and forth. Some of the stuff on the record I’m doing under my name is inspired by TV Girl. There’s a song titled “Some Odd Heaven” that is specifically influenced by their music. 

Record Labels

Are you currently working with a label?

[Cothran] No. I’ll probably never work with a label again. Well, unless they are giving me like ten million dollars. Then I’ll sell out and pretend I never said that. But I want as few barriers as possible between my creations and the audience. I want to release stuff whenever I want. It’s hard work, but it fulfills my soul, you know? . 

Spartanburg’s Grand Slam

So you are from Spartanburg, home of the Denny’s world headquarters?

[Cothran] Yeah! It’s cool, if you’re ever there, you should go to Boots’ & Sonny’s Drive-In. It hasn’t changed in like sixty years.

Did growing up in Spartanburg influence your music? 

[Cothran] Oh, definitely. I’ve noticed people from Spartanburg have a pretty tough mentality; it’s a tough town. There’s not a lot to do, and there’s a lot of poverty. Then there's the drugs and violence that accompany poverty. For certain people, it inspires them to get out by any means, which for a lot of people is through art. Growing up, it was very rural. When there’s nothing to do, you have to do something, so I started a band. But there is beauty in it. You have to struggle to really create with your spirit. You have to be informed by struggling a bit, and that’s an easy place to do it.

Bookworm

Do you read a lot?

[Cothran] Yeah, my mom actually got me into reading. I love Shakespeare. My favorite book ever is The Journal of Albion Moonlight by Kenneth Patchen. He was writing stuff in the 30s and 40s that was so ahead of its time. Just so strange and evocative and passionate, yeah, he’s my favorite. I like Flannery O’Connor a lot, too. I’ve been reading some William Carlos Williams recently. He's got a book called In the American Grain that talks about history in a really poetic way. I go through periods where I do a lot of reading at once. The best way to learn how to write is by reading constantly. If someone isn’t a strong writer and reads, say, ten books, they’re going to become a better writer just by osmosis. You absorb ideas and words without realizing it. It’s the best thing you can do for your writing. Well, that and walking and really processing your thoughts.

What’s Next?

Are you touring anytime soon?

[Cothran] Actually, yes, I will be touring in March. I’m going to have a band with six people. Yeah, it’s going to be crazy. I’m trying to do the best possible show. I want to have the best show in America. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the road, and I want to try to really go out there and kill it. I want people to leave and be like, “That’s the greatest show I’ve ever seen.” I feel like I haven’t done that in the past; I’ve been too drunk or too in my head and haven’t put on the best show. But, we are already practicing - I want it to be really good. 

I’m playing a show in November, which’ll be in New York. So we’ll be out and about, here and there.

Any Final Thoughts?

[Cothran] I hope people like the end of the Goin’ Nowheres. I’m really thankful for anyone who listens to or shares my music with others. I hope to see you all in March! Thanks and love to everybody, and stay safe in this crazy world.

Connect and Support MLC

@summertimeinhell on Instagram

Bandcamp

Stream Gag Reflection Record

Stream Coma Cinema

Stream Mathew Lee Cothran

Stream Elvis Depressedly

*My personal favorite lyrics from Cothran*

I let the years go by

I let no one know what's inside

My broken heart keeps a beat just fine

I don’t want to die no more

"Running Wide Open," Loss Memory (2017)

Coma Cinema

Children ashamed often disintegrate into nothing

"Everything’s Wonderful," Curse Rotted Record (2020)

The Goin’ Nowheres

And as my family dies from cancer

I am teary-eyed and weak

I'm not weary of disasters

The end is numb

For everyone

Eventually

"Eventually," Loss Memory (2017)

Coma Cinema

I don't know what I believe

But I still see you in dreams

Will the years keep passing by

Out of sight out of mind?

"Suicide Pact," Curse Rotted Record (2020)

The Goin’ Nowheres

It's a long way to the meaning of a life

I know we'll get there together

On the other side

Of all this pain we feel,

And never know why

My mother’s strong and I am

My mother’s child

"Never Know Why," My First Love Mends My Final Days (2018)

Mathew Lee Cothran