I have said in earlier posts that my first love in guitars is the acoustic guitar.
Acoustic guitars have a load of soul and that organic thing happening with sound vibration and resonance. (Yes, I love electrics too ;-)
Recently, I had an opportunity to interview a guy who is doing some truly innovative work with acoustic guitar. This is hard to find these days. It’s not that often you hear someone that challenges your ear in several pleasant ways all at once.
Matt Stevens is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, arranger and sound experimenter extraordinaire from the UK.
He is someone you should know about and take a listen to. He also has some great things to say for anyone wanting to learn and play guitar.
He plays live all over the UK. Last year saw the release of Echo his well received debut album and he’s also composed for short films, including the award winning ‘Daddys Little Helper’.
His live work is often compared to watching a one man guitar orchestra or wall of sound.
Matt inspires anyone wanting to get the most out of their life with a guitar so if that’s you, listen up!
GBS: Hey Matt, thanks for taking the time and sharing some more about you and your music. How long have you been playing guitar and how did you get started?
Matt : “I got my first guitar when I was 14 because I wanted to be in Iron Maiden or Guns N Roses – I used to practice 8 hours a day, I was obsessed with the guitar. So I have been playing for 20 years. When I first started I was very metal then punk and Jazz then UK indie stuff and US guitar noise stuff. It’s all music and genres are stupid – it’s all rhythms and chords to me.”
GBS: I hear you, genres do tend to box people in, in more ways than one. Have you got some influences that helped in your music?
Matt : “Loads of stuff from metal to soundtracks to jazz and 60′s pysche stuff. Carcass to the Todd Rungren to John Coltrane. I remember hearing the Mahavishnu Orchestra for the first time and I didn’t really understand it but I thought they were the best band I had ever heard, incredible playing and amazing chord progressions.
I was lucky in that I had a fantastic guitar teacher called Richard Beaumont who took me through chords and odd timings, indian ragas, all sorts of stuff. Great bloke. Also the local music scene was isolated, weird and inspiring in Rushden, Northants. Loads of bored kids trading tapes of great music. Brilliant. ”
GBS: Yes, you can’t beat a great mentor. What Guitars do you have and what Guitars would you like?
Matt : “I have a quite a few guitars but my main guitar is a knackered old Ibanez acoustic with a hole in it, I also love my old mexican Tele although I rarely play electric guitar now. I would like a new acoustic but I love my guitar and I think its fairly unique. I recently had a serious spinal injury and I am looking at getting a light weight acoustic and electric, maybe something Headless or is that too 80′s?”
GBS: Ok, Do you hear that Ibanez?! Not headless methinks..unless you have 80′s hair. Matt, any favourite guitar accessories?
Matt : “I love the ebow – brilliant for crazy feedback sustain sounds on the acoustic guitar, love the Digitech Whammy pedal – I use it for bass lines down and crazy up an octave up swooping effects. I’ve tried Big Muff fuzz on the acoustic but it sounds rubbish!
I also have a line 6 filter pedal for Fripped out guitar synth sounds. A volume pedal for looping volume swell chords for fake synth sounds is also essential.”
GBS: Cool, I can hear those synth/string sounds on your recordings, they sound really good. It contributes beautifully to that solid wall of sound you have. Can you tell us more about the looper pedal?
Matt : “Its a line 6 DL4 really basic looper, but it works. It has no undo so you have to get it 100% first time – very scary!!! It lets you record a short amount of guitar then loop it round then overdub onto it live, its lots of fun. I’ve thought about getting 2 so I can play them like DJ turn tables but I haven’t tried that yet.”
GBS: I love the way you experiment and are keen to tackle new paths making sounds even when it’s scary :-). So,where do you want your music to take you?
Matt :”I’m not sure – I had no idea when I first put up music on the interweb that I’d end up playing festivals, so, as far as I can really. Its fairly esoteric music with odd timings etc and no vocals but people seem to like it so we shall have to see what happens. As long as I am honest in what I do and the music is genuine then its all good.”
GBS: Yea, your timings work really well. Even though they are something of a surprise, they don’t throw you off the melody. Nice work. Can you tell me about some of the challenges & fun you had recording your sounds?
Matt : “The challenge on the first record was trying to get a variety of sounds using just one acoustic guitar. We hit the guitar for percussion sounds, and used a volume pedal to fade in chords for fake string sounds.
All sorts of ways of getting different sounds. Thankfully on the new album which we are working on at the moment we have started using a few other instruments, which is fun.”
GBS: I confess, I hit a guitar once. Had to get a new one after that, so well done on your restraint and artistry. (See, Ibanez, you can trust this man with your guitars!) Are you playing live and if so where can people see you?
I’m playing at some festivals this summer – full details at www.mattstevensguitar.com
GBS:Can you give some tips for people learning Guitar?
Matt : “PLAY! Just keep playing and learn lots of songs by the beatles, mahavishnu, crimson or any bands that you love – learn the chords then improvise your own parts over the top then write your own songs. Learn as much theory as you can – its all useful and the more you know the more options you have.”
GBS: Excellent. Can you give some tips for anyone wanting to record their sounds?
Matt :”Don’t spend ages trying all the options – limit yourself and you’ll get more done! Get Kevin Feazey to produce your album he’s good.”
GBS: I was watching Kevin manipulate that Watkins machine.(video below) He’s obviously got talent in that department. Love the videos actually, I had difficulty choosing which ones to feature so have included three below. (Watch all three all the way through people!)
Matt, whats your favourite qoute?
Matt : “Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence” (Robert Fripp)”
GBS: That’s just brilliant. Ok, How do people find your music and what will it cost?
Matt : “You can download my music on itunes, emusic, amazon etc or go to www.mattstevensguitar.com and download my album and pay what you want (even free) until the end of February.
The amazing thing is people pay for things that are free because they like it, people are great.
Also from February onward this year I am giving away a free song every week as part of my sunday free noodle give away, that’s ‘Matt Stevens Guitarists live tracks and collaborations and remixes and spoken word stuff.
Subscribe to the podcast feed on my site to get that stuff.“
GBS: Matt, thanks heaps from me and my readers for sharing your time and talents.
Mucho gracias and our very best wishes for your future.
Ok, I’ve been listening to Matts music while I drive and write and it’s been both eye opening and thoroughly enjoyable.
Enjoy!
Alan R
p.s. Now watch these videos carefully and please, do go to Matts site to check him out some more. Yea, hes giving music free if you want it that way but please don’t be a tightarse if you have spare cash. If you like the music, buy it. You won’t regret it. Any musician gets a huge buzz from tangible support and your purchase helps keep it going. This is the age of the independent artist folks!
p.p.s check out Matts latest project here and if you are looking for some guitar lessons try this
