I was brought up on good music. My parents had a huge record collection, and as a child listened to loads of Buddy Holly, ABBA, Blondie, Roxy Music, and Simon & Garfunkel. Looking back, these albums had a huge impact on my style. Hitting my early teens, I heard The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” on tv. That started a decades-long obsession with the band, and Keith Richards in particular. In 1988, I was offered a free ticket to see Bryan Ferry on his Bete Noire tour. With nothing else to do that night, I went. It was a life-changing decision. Midway through his first song (Limbo), I was in awe. The power, the energy, the presentation… I walked into the stadium making derisory comments about his “keyboard crap,” and left singing Slave To Love with a BF concert shirt in hand. That same year, I saw David Bowie’s Glass Spider Tour on TV. Again, an instant love exploded. I now have portraits of Richards, Ferry, and Bowie tattooed on my forearm – the three of them have combined to form my own musical expression. Shortly afterwards, I bought a guitar and took lessons. Mostly to meet girls, but quickly fell in love with the guitar. Lucky thing – the girl appeal didn’t really happen… Other interests appeared, but never quite with the same impact as the three icons that would later be inked on my body: Iggy Pop, Black Sabbath, CCR, The Cult… A healthy spectrum of music. In 1996, I recorded a 4-track demo of self-penned songs. Passing around cassette copies, one friend suggested “have you heard The Sisters Of Mercy? You sound just like them, only they’re GOOD!” I’d never heard of them, but quickly discovered this great band. I played guitar and bass in a handful of bands for a decade or so. This gave me the opportunity to record albums in a handful of studios, learn from producers great and not, and play on many, many stages. I also saw more of the music industry. This probably had more negative than positive, which is why I am writing and recording as an independent artist. I want to express myself honestly, without consideration for the business side. To say what I need to say without having to hold back for commercial interests. There’s a purity and honesty that (like it or not) rarely survives in popular music today. At least in the stuff endorsed by the major labels… So there you are – that’s my life in a nutshell. I wrote and recorded it for me, but I hope you like what you hear. Thanks for listening, Matt