BIOGRAPHY
In all guitar music and especially blues music, for me, the electric guitar is played from the heart. Every nuance, from the moment a note is picked or even how it is picked, to how it decays, is important. The expression of emotion and feel is vital. When I first started playing the guitar, in the early 70s, I was listening to mainly rock music. There was an underlying theme to much of this music which fascinated me. It was the Blues. I discovered where it came from but the rough sounding old recordings were off-putting and hard to listen to when you are young and the current new music seemed to sound better! What I really liked was the more fluid derivative produced by the contemporaries inspired by the older music. Since the Seventies that heavier rock music has morphed into heavy metal/grunge/thrash and it has lost its way. Thankfully, there are many blues artists of the contemporary period now producing music which re-discovers it's roots and at the same time transforms itself into a newer art form.
Matt
Matt has been playing and writing music for well over 40 years now and has worked with some incredibly talented people through performing and recording sessions with many bands.
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The first real band was probably Raw Deal, at age 17, with whom Matt rocked around the Midlands, UK, for several years playing a set of all original songs.
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This was followed by Lautrec (77/78) a band including Julian Crook (voc) and ex Raw Deal drummer Dave Smaylen now both of The Cohen Brothers. Lautrec also featured original songs penned by Matt and Julian Crook and also included ex Raw Deal bass man Guy Dennis, currently with The Zoot Suit Blues Band.
Next, Matt found himself playing, writing and recording with Phil Savage in the blues/rock band Savage based at Phil's Outlaw Sound studio in Birmingham UK This included Ray Meadows(drums), Roy Davies (bass) and also Don Smith (gtr).
The partnership with Phil Savage continued for a number of projects. During this time Phil and Matt recorded some of their original songs with guests Ruby Turner, Steve Palmer (bro of Carl) and others.
Next came a brief spell with Visa but again Matt linked up with Phil in Phil Savage and The Accountants with Alan Clark (sax) and Dave Smaylen (drums).
The Blues Association was the next band and was fronted by Pete Zimmer and again included Al Clark on sax with also Michael Mac Smith on bass.
In 1996 Matt performed with the New Flyers yet another band with Phil Savage! About this time Matt also joined Down'n'Dirty, a formidable blues rock outfit, with the singer Dave Edwards and bassist Jim Roden including Jason Farrow on drums Steve MacDonald guitar. Down 'n' Dirty played all over the Midlands and beyond including dates at the Midlands premier pub venue, the original, Robin Hood at Brierly Hill.
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During early 1999 Matt then pursued a solo career spanning 8 cd albums of original material marketed through the internet through the then Mp3.com. The first release being 'Don't Make Idle Frets' shortly followed by 'Blues Frets'. The creative bug took hold and subsequently the CD's titled 'Unlimited Excess', 'The Dream Suite', 'Cut To The Chase', 'So Sweet The Blues', 'Seventh Frets' and 'After Seven Before Nine' were released over the 5 year period on Mp3.com. Through Mp3.com Matt gained international recognition with CD sales in many countries far and wide.
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In 2000 Matt together with Canadian saxophonist and journalist for Canada's Jazz Player magazine, Bob Johnson pioneered a recording technique allowing each to appear on the others recordings in full quality during the days when internet connectivity was very slow.
Also during this period, Sept 2002, Matt recorded and produced the 'Nashville Sessions' CD in the USA as a member of the Mp3 Blues Allstars. During this trip to Nashville Matt jammed onstage with Stacy Mitchhart and his band at The Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar.
Matt also recorded many song collaborations with other mp3.com artists in different countries including the USA, Canada & Italy - these collaborations included the artists:- Patti Sterling, Jasper Mills Band, Ric Arra, Bob Johnson, and The Funkdawgs, to name but a few. Mp3.com Blues Board awarded Matt Best Producer and Guitarist of the year for 'Love Is Like An Angel' with Patti Sterling.
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Matt had, from around 2006, been active playing with local four-piece electric blues/rock pub covers band Cold Shot with Chris Perrin, also as an acoustic two piece version of Cold Shot with Chris Perrin.
Following the dissolution of Cold Shot in March 2010 the remaining three members Pete Sylvester(bass) Graham Lightfoot (drums) and Matt recruited new singer/guitarist Ricky Booth for a new electric band called Escape. Matt left Escape Jan 2011.
Matt is a member of acoustic four piece band TNT with acoustic folk and bluesmen Tony Portlock, Tony Barrett and Nick Thompson on double-bass. Matt in 2010 recorded and produced Tony Portlock's latest CD release 'End of the Day'. Matt played on several tracks and has been performing live gigs, festivals and live on BBC Radio, with Tony, promoting the album.
Also during 2010 Matt has been re-united (after 30 years!), writing and recording with Julian Crook and.
Matt completed a new collaboration track with The Funkdawgs.
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Julian Crook (Cohen Brothers, The Move, Robbie Blunt Band) and Matt formed Northern Sky a four piece band incorporating Ursula Coleville on violin and Mike Johnson on 6 string viola both being members of the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra. Augmented by Bert Priest on percussion (Red Shoes). This band came together originally for the Annual Nick Drake Gathering and is performed a mixture of folksy covers and original songs.
Matt was also a member of The Tom Woodman Band, together with Tom are Nick Thompson on double bass and Chris Stableford on Drums. This is a unique band of swampy grooves and beats drenched in blues Americana again a mixture of covers but mainly Tom's original material.
Another project saw Matt performing in acoustic outfit 'Old Yer Ossies' with Tony Portlock (gtr) and Becky Menear(vocals) this band was active playing festivals and Folk Clubs across the Midlands supporting their Circle Game CD release recorded and produced by Matt.
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The last electric band project is called When It Rains. WIR are a five piece band including ex Cohen Brothers members, on drums Dave Smaylen (a band mate from Matt's formative years with Raw Deal and Lautrec etc), Pete Cottom (perc) and Brian Richards (bass) plus new recruit Rob Powell on vocals and keyboards. When It Rains have a six track EP CD called Every Now And Then released 2014. The music is mainly original with some well chosen eclectic covers. Matt has retired from live playing involving drums to preserve his hearing to prevent tinnitus from worsening.