2013 What was all that about?

I’ve probably forgotten a lot of stuff in this post. I think it’s useful to list what you’ve done to keep you positive. 

2013 was a lot of fun with some heavy moments. 

Musically it was a good year. Recording Fierce And The Dead’s Spook Action was a highlight, playing music with some top friends and I think it’s a really good record. Actually I'm really proud of it. Playing with Andy Tillison at Celebr8 and supporting RM Hubbert (Hubby’s new record is really good) at that sold out gig at the Slaughtered lamb really stands out, but so do London shows with Fierce And The Dead and Malcfest was a lot of fun. Recording Lucid with Stuart Marshall, Emmett Elvin, Pat Mastelotto, Charlie Cawood, Lorenzo Feliciati, Chrissie Caulfield and Jem Godfrey. The very thought that I’d record with the drummer from king Crimson and all these fantastic musicians is just mind blowing. I’m really proud of it and Kev did a cracking job on the production. 

Recording with Cosmograf and Third Room. Playing with Emmett Elvin for a new project, he’s an inspiring musician. Seeing Rush! Inspiring live shows from Trojan Horse and Knifeworld.Iron Maiden doing “Maiden England". Spooky Action appearing in those best of the year lists makes me want to carry on! Danfest! Cambridge Rock Festival….

Jamming with Chris Fry on Mahavishnu songs supporting the mighty Magenta. London Looping Festival! Shineback and hanging out with Simon Godfrey, top geezer. Supporting Mike Kenneally and Godsticks and Mike telling his Zappa stories. Ards guitar festival and flying for the first time with a guitar (slacken the strings!) and meeting Paul. Talking to Dave Gregory about Mahavishnu. Sanguine Hum, Solstice, Godsticks, Tin Spirits, Matt Cohen, Lorenzo Feliciati and Colin Edwin and so many others at gigs. Meeting up with old friends, somehow it’s more special when it happens less frequently. 

Going to the Prog Awards (it was literally like walking into the pages of the magazine), an amazing experience regardless of whether Fierce And The Dead won or not, meeting up with Big Big Train, Oliver Wakeman,Alan Reed, Tim Bowness and so many other friends ! Making the Ark video with Ash. Steve Davis and Kavus Torabi’s radio show. Playing with Alun Vaughan and meeting Paul Dementio! The London Acoustic Guitar show. Acoustic Magazine giving me my own column where I can pretty much do what I want and write about anything from Cardiacs to Charles Ives. Meeting Sid Smith in person! Auden guitars making me an endorsee and letting me play their incredible gutars. Tom Baker back in Doctor Who! 

Signing to and working with the wonderful Esoteric (for solo) and Bad Elephant (for FATD) record labels. That Australian Guitar Magazine cover story and all the positive press, Prog magazine and Rock A Rolla interviews, and that quote from Time Out New York was pretty cool. Hanging out with lovely people at gigs and making new friends. Winning the House Of Progression “Best Musician” award with my friend Andy Tillison. 

I think that I went through a bit of a bad patch at the top of the year and it forced me to get some help and learn about positive thinking and focus. It’s not something I want to dwell on but it happened. I lost my Gran and my friend Keith. Bad start to the year and I still can’t believe they are gone. And I must admit that when the gig I had supporting Allan Holdsworth was cancelled I was a bit down and those prig festivals being cancelled was a bit shit. 

My wonderful little boy made me as happy and proud as a dad could be. I love my wife and my family more than i can say and I have great friends. 

I know I’m lucky..

Brilliant. Lets start this 2014 thing then :)

"band can't be arse to tour intensively"

"band can't be arse to tour intensively" 

Someone said to me the other day. 

If only you knew how expensive it is to do gigs and how "niche bands" who have a few thousand fans can't effectively get to them as they are spread out across the world. I could argue with him, but I won't. We do what we can. Most often even well know musicians have a day job of some kind that they have to give up to do a lengthy tour, so it tends to be a few gigs here a few there, then take into account families and other commitments and it gets a lot harder. When musicians hit their 30's like us there is a lot to sort out to even get to one gig, let alone tour outside the UK. We're very grateful for the support of our audience. 

I'd love to take Fierce And The Dead to do more gigs around the world but it's expensive, that's why the solo shows are good as it's easier for me to travel. It's the whole ""small, mobile, intelligent unit" thing Fripp came up with. 

In short yes we'd like to come to your town and play, we love meeting the people who buy our records but we need to be able to do it without losing loads of money :) 

Thanks :) 

DanFest 3 In Ten Minutes - The Musician, Leicester - 22nd-23rd November ...

A massive thank you

Hello 

I hope you are well. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has purchased the new Fierce And The Dead record Spooky Action, our biggest first week ever. If you want a copy these people can sort out you a CD in the UK:

https://www.burningshed.com/store/altrock/product/128/5156/

or (with a lovely Fierce And The Dead t-shirt):

http://themerchdesk.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=136_163

And in the US:

https://www.lasercd.com/search_results?f[0]=cp_artist1:6105

And the digital version is here:

http://music.badelephant.co.uk/album/spooky-action

or at iTunes or Amazon etc. 

The Fierce And The Dead are doing 2 more gigs this year at:

Nov 21st London The Good Ship, Kilburn NWFA night

Nov 22nd Leicester The Musician, Leicester Danfest

See you there! 

Full details @:

http://www.fierceandthedead.com/Shows.html

About the record:

"Prog rock that doesn't forget to ROCK, performed by four musicians who clearly enjoy playing their instruments, and also clearly know something about life south of the brain box.” Steve Smith,  Time Out New York

Recording of solo record number 4 is nearly done and the “guest list” so far is:

Stuart Marshall/ Pat Mastelotto - Drums

Lorenzo Feliciati/Charlie Cawood/Kev Feazey Bass

Keyboards - Jem Godfrey

Chrissie Caulfield - Violin

Jon Hart - Vibraphone (with special thanks to Pete Chilvers)

Production/Programming - Kevin Feazey 

It’s nearly done! More info soon….

Thanks for all your support. 

Best 

Matt

A friend of mine once shared this with me

• Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

• When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

• Follow the three R’s: 

-  Respect for self, 

-  Respect for others and 

-  Responsibility for all your actions.

• Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

• Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

• Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

• When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

• Spend some time alone every day.

• Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

• Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and 

think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

• A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

• In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

• Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

• Be gentle with the earth.

• Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

• Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

• Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

• If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

• If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

The additional musicians are......

So the full "cast" of additional musicians on the new solo album LUCID so far is:

Stuart Marshall/ Pat Mastelotto - Drums
Lorenzo Feliciati/Charlie Cawood/Kev Feazey Bass
Keyboards - Jem Godfrey
Chrissie Caulfield - Violin
Jon Hart - Vibraphone (with special thanks to Pete Chilvers)

Production/Programming - Kevin Feazey 

We'll have a listen after the weekend and see if we need anymore stuff, SO many amazing musicians I'd love to have on the record if i can think of anything appropriate for them to do! So pleased to have these fine players on the record. Feeling very lucky.

Hear the new Fierce And The Dead album for 48 hours only :)

Finally it's time to play you the new The Fierce & The Dead album. #spookyaction streaming for 48 hours only on Total Guitar's website. Please hit share and tell your friends, it makes a massive difference. And let us know what you think! (this is the band I play guitar in!) http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/exclusive-album-stream-the-fierce-the-dead-spooky-action-587116