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guitarist, songwriter |
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Matt Backer was born in New Orleans in a log cabin he helped build. He has lived in Mexico, Venezuela, Belgium, the Caribbean, and Leamington Spa. He is a waste of a good education, residing in London with his wife and two children.
At around the same time we were working on that, I was also all around the UK on an arena tour with ABC. Hello Wembley! How rock & roll is that? We'll be in the US in August. I'll post more details as soon as I get them. Just got back from New York, where Noah Francis (google him) was cutting some tracks with Shaheem and Prodigal Sun from the Wu Tang Clan. Choco was handling the beats, and I was thrilled to be involved. Wait 'til September and hang on to your hats! Big shout out to Top Of The Building, Maricela, cesar and Supreme too. They were all exemplary hosts. There. That's keeping things a little more up to date, isn't it? I hope?? Let's see if I can do better... Matt |
| Every year I say I'm going to update my website more frequently. Every year I also say I'm going to spend more time in the gym. I am clearly a failure on both counts. 07 ended with some Italian gigs with Sarah Jane Morris, It was lovely to play with her again. On one occasion, we turned up for soundcheck in a beautiful baroque theatre near Ascoli Piceno following a two hour drive from the airport in Ancona to find no equipment waiting for us. I hadn't played with Sarah for some time, and there was new material we hadn't rehearsed. The line up consisted of two guitars, bass and drums. I had never played with Dominic Miller, the other guitarist, and had brought a new Italia Mondial, an instrument I hadn't had a chance to check out. Faced with these daunting obstacles, we decided to conform with local tradition and repair to an early dinner which, needless to say, was utterly delicious. Upon our return to the venue, we found that a drum kit and some amplifiers had been sourced and we set them up hastily while the audience waited in the foyer. Guided by Henry Thomas on bass and Martyn Barker on drums, I proceeded to thoroughly enjoy the performance which was a testament to the joys of spontaneity. Sarah was the usual tour de force and the audience was warm and appreciative. Perhaps it was the truffles. The new guitar worked well too. A hastily arranged solo performance at the 12 Bar club became a duet when Chuck Sabo, someone else I hadn't seen in years, turned up in the audience. Without prior arrangement or rehearsal (of course), he clambered behind a drum kit that one of the other bands had left on stage and proceeded to turn us into The White Stripes. Then, as mysteriously as he'd arrived, he vanished into the night. Prior to the Christmas Holidays, I'd popped into Ian Shaw's swish new studio in North London and vowed to top up the ten tracks I'd recorded and have a new album for a new year. Alas, it wasn't to be that simple. Returning from a family break in Arizona and California (my carbon footprint is a size 12, if anyone is interested), I found myself in a situation vastly different to the improvisational escapades described in the preceding paragraphs, but no less enjoyable. Legendary man about town Graeme Perkins and musical director Jess Bailey had kindly thought to rope me into a UK television production which had been a hit in the US and other parts of the globe. "Don't Forget The Lyrics" is a karaoke game show in which the aforementioned verbal discrepancies have to be addressed for suitable remuneration. That's right. Missing words for cash. 301 songs were rehearsed in a very intensive three week period punctuated by show recordings. The band, consisting of Adam Evans on guitar, Hannah Vasanth sharing keyboards with Jess, Marcus Cliffe on bass (who I'd only seen once since we'd backed an impromptu trio consisting of Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois on "Later Wih Jools Holland") and Kim Chandler on vocals became united in battle conditions. Our only breaks were when Troy Miller, our drummer, had to play the Brits and the Grammies with Amy Winehouse. Smarty pants. The end result was much more challenging and much more enjoyable then I ever would have anticipated. Filming as live in front of an audience, we didn't know which song we would be playing until a contestant chose, at which point we'd have to race to get our music out, on the stands, and choose our sounds (and instruments, in Adam's, Marcus; and my case) and be ready to go. Any musical problems anyone may have had are protected by the Official Secrets Act. At the time of writing the show is due to be broadcast on Sky 1 in the UK in May. A trailer is available on YouTube, but I don't have the precise details at present. I then decamped to LA for some meetings and, as usual, had insufficient time to say "hi' to all the good people affiliated with the Independent Music Network and all the folk who refuse to let "The Impulse Man" die. The third single (available for download from all good computers) "The Man Who Stole My Life" is climbing various US airplay charts, and I need to do something about that. There are plans afoot to do some gigs in the US this summer which, if a posited ABC summer tour goes ahead, might tie in nicely. Which almost brings us up to date. Upon return to London I popped into Steve Brown's (fans of Alan Partridge may remember him as Glenn Ponder) studio where he allowed me to make some noises with an intriguing new artist he is producing called Rumer. And when I've finished writing this, I'll drive to beautiful Putney and rehearse with Carol Decker, Bananarama, Steve Strange, Go West, Tony Hadley and, of course, ABC for a jaunt to France where we'll be performing live and shooting a DVD. We're not flying and not using Terminal 5, so there's just a chance we may be able to make it... Matt |
| Last year... |
| Who'd a thunk it? I went off to Hollywood accompanied by my beautiful wife Elisa and returned with the New Music Award for Adult Contemporary New Artist Of The Year. How wacky is that? That must mean that I'm not only contemporary, but adult too - both things I have been struggling all my life to avoid. In all seriousness, I'm thrilled, and would like to thank all of you who voted for me. I'd also like to thank Larry and Masika Weir, Paul Loggins, Gwyneth Carter and Debi Fee for all their help, Mal Young and Mari Wilson for their continued hospitality and Dolph and Ali Taylor for the stretch limo and champagne. How much more LA can you get? All that came hot on the heels of a fab and glamorous UK tour with the aforementioned Mari Wilson, and was swiftly followed by a trip into the studio to record guitars on Latvian superstar Art Green's new album in the capable hands of Mr. Charles Foskett. A trip to Italy is due to follow with the talented Ms. Sarah Jane Morris with an immediate ABC concert to follow. As I always say, there's no rest for the wicked... |
| Matt has been a very naughty boy. He has not kept up with his homework like he promised. However, he should be given a modicum of slack because he's been infirm. Lumbar pain has plagued him since he heaved one TV too many into a swimming pool. We're not talking flat screens here, which are no fun at all. A diagnosis of an anular tear (oooh Matron) and two degenarate discs - this is back trouble now, pay attention - didn't stop him from ensconsing himself in the studio with Julian Lennon and going to Russia and Ireland with ABC. No surprise that two weeks of traction was followed by doctors' instructions for complete rest. No surprise either that two weeks and one day later he was in Germany with Kim Wilde, then back on large stages playing to thousands of drenched Britons with ABC. Now he's off gladhanding around America, where foolhardy radio stations keep insisting on playing "The Impulse Man" (number 12 on the NMW AC Hot 40 chart at the time of writing). He'll get no sympathy from me. Why didn't he get a sensible job? Something secure, like a mortgage broker or debt consolidator? And it's not like he's going to take it easy. Oh no. More dates with ABC will be followed by a UK tour with Mari Wilson in October, to promote her Platinum Collection (out now on Warner's, in time for Christmas). Plus he wants to add to the seven new songs he's written and recorded. It drives a parent to distraction, I can tell you... Love, my mother |
| Hurrah!! "Right Girl, Wrong Time" got to Number One on NMW's Indie Top 30 chart in the US a couple of weeks ago, and has now hit the top spot in their Hot AC/AC Main Chart. Thanks to all the stations across the US who got behind it. I won't forget you! It was nice to do some promotional work on my own record while I was over in LA - it made it feel all the more real - and to meet a few of the people involved. Thanks to Mal Young for the Luxury Beverly Hills Pad (TM) during my stay. Nice as it was to indulge the Struggling Artist, it's also nice that the Working Musician (if that isn't an oxymoron), stays busy, especially when it entails working with very nice people. I got stuck into Julian Lennon's latest recordings, which are sounding great. I look forward to more of the same. The next ABC album is (finally!) in the mixing stages, so I'm looking forward to the results of Gary Langan's hard work. We're back on the road. Birmingham this weekend, Moscow next weekend, then Abu Dhabi and Dubai next month. We do see the world. I'm also delighted to report that Mari Wilson will have a retrospective out later this year, and we should be touring it in the UK later this year which I'm very much looking forward to. So, if it's true that there's no rest for the wicked, I must be a Very Naughty Boy... |
| Greetings from beautiful Beverly Hills! I've come out here to try to do a bit of promotional work on "Right Girl, Wrong Time", which as of March 8 is at number 5 in the NMW AC Hot 40 and number 4 in the Indie Top 30.... I've just discovered that it still isn't up on i -tunes in the US (although it is on their UK site) which is annoying, but bear with me while I try to rectify that. Thanks to all the wonderful stations across the US of A who are taking a chance on some new music, and to Larry Weir and Debi Fee for their promotional skills. No sooner had I stepped off the plane than I found myself at a party thrown by Dave Stewart at Paul Allen's spectacular studio hideaway (with it's own funicular railway at the back, of course) celebrating LA's bid for the 2016 Olympics. If the host's generosity and the Mayor's impassioned speech are anything to go by, the chances of getting the games should be good. The day before flying out I was in Chris Kimsey's studio in London with Martin Fry finishing off the final overdubs for the next ABC album which should be worth waiting for ! Gary Langan was co-producing and will be mixing. Like so many studio legends (one of his early credits was assisting on "Bohemian Rhapsody") , for whom it's easier to list people he HASN'T worked with, he was a delight to work with. I look forward to finally hearing the end results. Night settles over the hills, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas rising up through the air. Hmmm... I wonder if that could be used in a song. No. It would never catch on.... |
| I was just settling down to Lauren Field's new DVD "From Berlin to Brooklyn" (to which I made a minor contribution) when the phone rang... ABC's management needed to know if I could get to St. Maarten in two days. With a great deal of jostling and re-jigging, and understanding from friends and family, we managed to get ourselves to the Caribbean in time to pick up The Freedom Of The Seas, the world's biggest cruise ship, and perform two gigs before docking in Miami and hurrying back to London. we were then met with the worst blizzard in ten years. Thanks to the good people at Spectrum and Atlantis for sorting it all out. Imagine my surprise when I returned home after five days at sea, incommunicado, to find that I had a bit of a radio hit in America! Curremt US Chart positions of "Right Girl, Wrong Time" In the # 46 in the NMW Hot 100, #24 in the Top 40 top 30/Indie (confused, I am), 13 in the A/C Main Chart and # 7 in the indie chart. So many charts, so little time... |
| Happy New Year to one and all. I write this from sunny Arizona, a few hours before hopping a jumbo back to cold grey London. A series of auspicious celebrations occasioned a gathering of the extended Backer caln over here, which tied in nicely with a need to set up the US release of "The Impulse Man", which goes to American radio on January 24, with "Right Girl, Wrong Time" being the lead track. 2006 ended in the usual flurry of activity. ABC finished their UK tour, then Martin and I went to the BBC to guest on Lee Mack's hysterical radio show. My old Catering buddies Steve Brown, Mark Allis and Kevin Powell (aided and abetted by Andy Hammill) were the house band, and they conspired to get me back for a few more shows. I got to play with Jamelia, Barbara Dickson and Mark King (Level 42's mastermind) whilst being thoroughly amused. Shortly after landing there will be more ABC UK activity. I'll also be at Ronnie Scott's with Mari Wilson on February 4th. I've been pootling around in Ian Shaw's studio with some new songs, so if things don't get too hectic I hope to do more of that. You never know-I may get to work on another album!. Better go. Got a plane to catch. If it doesn't make it across the pond, do feel free to start the legend by saying I threw a television out the window at 35,000 feet... |
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Free ! The complete Golden Boy track (2.6 Mo) is here ! |
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