With a new album released this past winter, 'Sidewinder', Western Australian blues rocker Matty T Wall has had a busy past few months.
'Sidewinder' is a 12-track tour de force through classic soul and screaming blues. Key to the sound of 'Sidewinder' is the presence of legendary Grammy-winning producer-engineer Bob Clearmountain.
Ahead of an appearance at WAMFest Live among a swag of upcoming shows, we have a chat with Matty T Wall.
You're in the Top 5 Australian blues and roots artists played on radio in the USA. You've knocked Vance Joy off of his pedestal. That's a big deal. How did you react to that?
Yeah, I feel that's kind of a big deal but it hasn't really hit me. Even as far as sub-genres go, we're #1 for Australian blues-rock, which is crazy.
I'm just proud that some WA blues is getting taken seriously over there in the real home of the blues. It really makes you take your music more seriously when you're getting that sort of airplay, and gives you more confidence to keep on going.
On that note, they clearly like you over there. Are you going to try to play a few gigs in the States at some point?
A big, fat YES! It is my ultimate goal to get over there and play those music centres where my music is really cutting through like LA, Chicago, New York, Texas.
You've got a fair few live shows coming up from October until February. Are you excited for those?
It is a really great run of shows coming up, including a bunch of Clancys Freo spots, a residency at The Basso and of course and The Ellington show coming up. Some really cool venues popping up too, like Lucy's Love Shack, which should be a fun night.
How important are live shows to you?
I'm all about having a tight band that can improvise, so live shows are the most important thing to get that going. When the band is firing on all cylinders, I have the confidence to write stronger material while also experimenting with different genres and timings to keep things fresh.
Do you prefer playing with a band or solo?
Band all the way. I am from a heavy metal background, so solo just doesn't cut it for me.
Some of the looping stuff is kind of cool, but pretty much impossible to do offbeat stop-start sections and multiple section changes, so I would probably get bored of it real quick. Just not my style. Give me a killer drummer any day.
You've been nominated for Most Popular Live Act at the WAMAwards. How does that feel?
It's pretty cool to get accolades and especially good to get recognition for our live shows, which is where our strength is starting to come through.
Your up against some talented bands. How do you feel about your chances of winning?
Well, I do have some reservations about how this whole greater music industry works; I'm just an independent artist wholly managing my career. But if I happen to do well, I would be incredibly humbled.
You're a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. Which of these would you say is your passion?
Guitarist first and foremost, although I have to work very hard at it. It doesn't just come easy to me. It is a great escape for me to just plug in and get away from the world.
Singing came about as a necessity, but I am really starting to enjoy it more and more. Songwriting really comes quite easy to me for some reason, although lyrics take a bit more work. That's probably true for a lot of instrumentalists.
You released your album 'Sidewinder' a couple of months ago. You told scenestr earlier this year: “I wanted this to be more aggressive, more of a punch and have the guitar sounds that I was chasing.” Do you think that has come through?
It certainly has done that.
The drums sound pretty freakin' epic on this album, though if I must say so having Ric Whittle on board has gone a long way. I seem to be drawn to albums with great drum sounds, so that is something I have picked up along to way to try and incorporate into my recordings.
Are you pleased with the album overall?
Definitely. There are some songs that were a bit of a risk to put on there, like 'Mississippi Kkkrossroads' and 'Something Beautiful', but I just wanted to show all my sides and get it all out there.
How do you feel the reception has been compared to your previous album 'Blue Skies'?
It is picking up different audiences, which is kinda cool. Picking up more rock audiences and even pop audiences, rather than the typical blues, blues/ rock crowds.
The sound between the two albums has changed a bit, so would have expected a different reaction, but overall it has been received very positively. There are still awesome reviews coming in every day from all around the world.
The album artwork on 'Sidewinder' is wicked. Where did that come from?
The painting of the snakes was done by New Zealander Rachel Walker. It was then given a psychedelic treatment by Daniel McBride in the USA. It really came together well and sets off not only the darkness in this new album, but also the colours in the music.
What do the next six months look like for Matty T Wall?
Gigs, gigs, gigs. But also a more traditional blues project with some big-name blues guitarists from here and the USA is coming together – so watch this space.
