ROB THOMAS? I AIN'T MAD AT HIM

When I read the writings of some of the more angry-seeming rock critics, I often wonder what inspires their anger. I mean, I don't like a lot of artist - but I don't hate them. As I like to say, no musician has ever "kicked my dog."

matchbox twenty singer and solo superstar Rob Thomas definitely hasn't kicked anyone's dog (and in fact is a friend to dogs everywhere) but you wouldn't know it by reading the venom aimed at him. Urban Dictionary suggests that he be thrown in a meat grinder! Stereogum, meanwhile, points out that you can download Rob's cover of Smashing Pumpkins' "1979" at iTunes before adding "but we don't recommend it." You know who doesn't hate Rob? Carlos Santana! You may recall that Rob co-wrote and sung Carlos' huge comeback hit "Smooth" ten years ago. Yeah, I got tired of that song too, but it is a great song. Carlos recently joined Rob on stage for "Smooth," as well as covers of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile." I would think that, no matter who was hating on you, if Carlos Santana joined you onstage, it would kind of counteract everything else. By the way, you can buy a wristband with a usb drive that has a live recording of the show here.

SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT ROB THOMAS, BUT HE PUTS HIS MONEY WHERE HIS MOUTH IS

A lot of people hate on Rob Thomas and matchbox twenty. I don't: I'm not a huge fan, but they have some good songs. I like that song "Disease," and also "Unwell," I like the song Rob did with Santana, "Smooth." I've interviewed Rob and he was always cool. But what I like about him most is the fact that he and his wife, Marisol, spend not just money but also time on helping animals and people in need. They established the Sidewalk Angels Foundation to help both people and animals (it's rare for a charity to concentrate on both), and they both donated time at the now-defunct Pets Alive animal shelter in upstate New York (defunct because the woman who ran it died last month - happily, a Utah organization Best Friends Animal Society has swooped in to help the animals that were living at Pets Alive - read about that here).

Anyway, recently an organization called SHARK educated matchbox twenty about the cruelty that rodeos profit from, and Rob and the band pulled out of some rodeo concert. SHARK convinced Carrie Underwood to pull out as well. Now SHARK is being sued by said festival. Well, Rob obviously cares a lot about animals, and I give him credit for publicly admitting his mistake in (at first) agreeing to play the rodeo. He's walking it like he talks it, and how can you not respect that.