Vertical Horizon Is Still Living 'the Dream' as Iconic Album “Everything You Want” Turns 25 (Exclusive)

Matt Scannell and his Vertical Horizon bandmates never had the chance of going viral back in the day. They had no immediate way of getting their music out to millions. There was no easy way to become superstars.

But still, Vertical Horizon did it.

"No one was trying to push us into becoming the flavor of the month back then, you know?" Scannell, 54, tells PEOPLE in an interview amidst the 25th anniversary of Vertical Horizon’s groundbreaking album Everything You Want. "And because of that, I do believe there is somewhat of a timeless quality to that record. It's not trying to be something. It's not faking it. And maybe as a result, it’s still here. And that’s beautiful."

And while massive hits off that particular album such as "Everything You Want," "The Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)" and "You’re a God" continues to live on, Scannell says that there are still songs on that album that deserve another listen.

"'Give You Back' was always a litmus test for us  because it was a more somber, more quiet, sort of slower tempo song,” the Vertical Horizon founder remembers. "Back when we were making the album, I always thought I would get that call from the record company saying to get rid of that one. And as we continued to make the record and that phone call never came, I knew they were going to let us make the record we wanted to make."

It was also on this album that the songwriting skills of Scannell were fully on display. "The album in its entirety was the result of this frenetic year of writing on my part," Scannell says. "I was trying to raise my game to the next level because we had been slogging it out in clubs for almost seven years or so. There was a feeling that if we don't make it to this next step, I'm not really sure we can keep doing this. So there was some desperation there."

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That desperation ultimately turned legendary, and Everything You Want is now being heard and enjoyed by multiple generations these days — including the teenagers that often fill the front rows of each and every Vertical Horizon show.

"That’s the dream, that your music can resonate with people of all ages," Scannell says. "Especially within families, that record can be the soundtrack to moments that they share together, which just makes it kind of precious. It's a precious component to a certain memory that they have, and they share together."

But make no mistake — Vertical Horizon isn’t the type to sit and bask in memories. In fact, Scannell and his Vertical Horizon bandmates Ron LaVella, Mark Pacificar and  John Wesley are getting ready to get back on the road come March 2025. And yes, the setlist will include many songs from Everything You Want.

"There's so many great songs, great bands and great records out there," Scannell says. "What makes something stick around and something else just disappear? I don't know. But I'm just glad that Everything You Want has really stuck around."

And while Scannell says he feels blessed to be this busy, this deep into his career, he does see the New Year as a time to also take a beat and enjoy it all a bit more.

"I desperately need to slow down," he concludes. "My brain goes at a million miles an hour anyways, and when my phone is yelling at me and my laptop is yelling at me and my refrigerator is yelling at me and Alexa is yelling at me and all this stuff, I realize that I sometimes need slow down. I absolutely need it and I'm grateful to be able to look for it now."

This reflection goes even deeper when Scannell thinks about the music he has created, and the music he has yet to create.

"I'm grateful that since I was probably 13 years old, I've turned inward to a song to try to express myself and on some levels, to heal the bits inside of me that are broken," Scannell says. "There are many, many places inside of me that are broken, and I've got a lot more work that I need to do. But the craft act of songwriting is a sacred thing for me. It's a purely selfish pursuit, and it's a beautiful thing when something that is written with no other considerations maybe resonates for someone else once the song is out there. That’s a really incredible thing."

Read the original article on People