Why Kublai Khan TX Lead Singer Matt Honeycutt Only Lasted a Month Working at Hot Topic

When it comes to jobs, the lead singer of Kublai Khan TX chooses building fences in the heat over working indoors at Hot Topic.

Why Matt Honeycutt Quit Hot Topic

Matt Honeycutt recently appeared alongside bass player Eric English on The Downbeat podcast, where he discussed working odd jobs until things took off with Kublai Khan TX. Even with the metalcore act having reached a much wider audience, including opening for Killswitch Engage on their U.S. tour earlier this year, Honeycutt continues to work as a tattoo artist at Electric Age Tattoo Company in Sherman, Texas.

But his previous jobs weren't always in the creative space.

Honeycutt explained on the podcast how he once worked at Hot Topic but that didn't last more than a month.

"Totally out of my depth, man," he said. "Naruto shit on the walls and pop dolls and stuff."

Honeycutt credited being in Kublai Khan TX as the number one reason for getting the job.

"I told everybody you guys are all awesome and this is cool, but like I'm not good here. You keep telling me I have to talk to customers and smile at them."

Why Matthew Honeycutt Agreed To Work At Hot Topic

Given the public nature of the business, Honeycutt likely knew what he was getting into when he agreed to take a job at Hot Topic. There was one thing that made him overlook the potential awkwardness of interacting with customers.

"The AC was bumpin'."

Kublai Khan's Matt Honeycutt Guests on The Downbeat Podcast

Before taking the Hot Topic gig, Honeycutt was working in the Texas sun building fences. He later came to appreciate manual labor following his abrupt exit from Hot Topic.

"When I was building fences, I was in heaven. It was cool. It was fun. I got to be out in the sun," Honeycutt said. "That's where I got swindled. I was like, 'I deserve a job that's indoors.'"

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Kublai Khan TX is next set to play a pair of festival dates, Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin, on July 17, and Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio, on July 19. The band will then head to Europe for a series of festivals starting Aug. 6. All dates and ticketing information can be found through their website.