Published: September 19, 2010 9:20 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight September 2010 Edition
Jeff Matey
Music Now Artist/Band Spotlight Weekly Series
Jeff Matey
Singer/Songwriter Jeff Matey has captured the magic of the musician with his amazing guitar skills, solid vocals, brilliant lyrics, and fancy harmonica playing abilities. One can tell that Matey feels right at home when he is performing and playing his music. Recently, the artist spoke to our Webzine about his music and why he decided to return to music after a ten year gap. Here is what Matey says on this and other matters in this online spotlight.
Isaac: 2010 has been an amazing year so far for Junior’s Cave. What are you most thankful for 2010 so far?
Jeff: I’m thankful to be alive, and I’m thankful for my family. And considering that my “career” was on hold for 10 years, I’m very thankful that 2010 was the year I decided to give it a go again. It’s a long story. But I actually made one of those New Year’s resolutions that I was gonna start playing music again.
The short story: I had made my second album “After the Mourning” about 10 or so years ago, played a few gigs, played the Bitter End in New York City a couple times, and then I just stopped. I never really released the album. I got married. We had a kid. And actually there were some complications with life, related to having a child with special needs. So both my wife and I put a lot of stuff on hold, she more than me. But time’s passed, the home situation has gotten better, and while I had really thought any idea of pursuing music was dead for me, I guess I was resurrected.
Isaac: Who were your major influences that helped influenced you to want to pursue music as a career?
Jeff: The Beatles, and the Beatles. Later on Bob Dylan, Randy Newman. Actually a lot of others too. But can’t stress the Beatles and Dylan enough.
Isaac: Describe the biggest highlight you have achieved so far with your career and why this moment is/was important to you?
Jeff: There’ve been a lot of great moments – where you feel real elation – unbelievable joy. They’ve been in the middle of writing a song, working on a recording, playing out… But if I pick one moment that stands out it would be when I mixed my first album, “My Little World,” at Waterfront Studio, in Hoboken, NJ. That was a magical moment. We were mixing my 4-track cassette recording to ½” analog tape. I’ve been in a number of studios but this place was special. They had the original Beatles Abbey Road console on display, and loads of tremendous vintage equipment. I mixed the record through a fantastic 70’s console (I don’t remember what it was, maybe a Neve) to a Studer ½ track machine. My best friend and musical collaborator, Russell Norkevich, was tape operator that night. I guess for both of us that was a very memorable experience. Too bad that place shut down a few years later. By the way, I’m in the process of remastering and releasing “My Little World” on vinyl.
Jeff Matey
Isaac: What has been some of the negative aspects about the music industry you have experienced that you would like to warn others about?
Jeff: Not too many so far … as I said I was kind of out of it for 10 years. But I’d say watch out for the vultures – the people who are just trying to rip you off, get your money, and don’t really care about you or your music. There are some pay-for-play operations that are worth avoiding. Of course you’ve got to spend some money promoting your music, that’s a business cost, and there are some great ways to promote yourself for free too.
Isaac: Brief history about your background plus the style of music you play.
Jeff: I was born and raised in New Jersey. Left there in my early 20’s to head to Austin, Texas to play music. Been in a few bands there, great experiences, but they never got too far professionally speaking. Kind of back and forth between Texas and New Jersey a few times, writing a bunch of songs along the way, and making 2 albums. I finally settled in Sugar Land, Texas about five years ago. I just released “After the Mourning” on CDBaby this past April and a single called “The Ghost of Who I Used to Be” in August. I am working on re-releasing my first record on vinyl. Playing some gigs, etc. My style is I guess you’d say Americana. I like very lyric-based songs with organic kind of arrangements based on traditional rock & roll instrumentation – guitars, bass, drums, maybe some piano and/or organ.
Isaac: How easy is it to gets gigs for you as an artist? What is the live music scene like in your area?
Jeff: So far so good… doing some playing locally and hope to expand regionally in the next year. Houston’s got a nice music scene. It’s a huge city so lots of places to play, for all styles of music.
Isaac: What do you think of the state of Indie music at the moment? Do you listen to radio much at all? Has the Internet helped music grow or hindered it in your opinion?
Jeff: I think it’s great. It’s a lot more democratic nowadays. With so many Internet radio stations, some devoted to Indie music, and with YouTube, and so many great websites and online zines, there are plenty of opportunities to get out there and be heard. I really don’t listen much to traditional radio (except for NPR), more to records. But then again, I have been listening more online this past year. The Internet has really removed the obstacles, the layers of opposition, between artists and fans. Big business doesn’t have to stand between any more, making the decisions about who gets heard and who doesn’t. It’s more direct now.
Isaac: If you could just perform and play music for the rest of your life but never become a household name, would you be happy (why or why not)?
Jeff: Yes. I would. If I could just perform and play music for the rest of my life, I’d be very happy. I really don’t think the idea of “making it” is relevant to me. I want my music to be heard, but how many people hear it is beyond my control. I can only do what I can and hope that those who would enjoy it will hear it.
Jeff Matey
Isaac: If you could create a fantasy band - what would be the line-up and why?
Jeff: (smiles), that’s a great question. Well bands are kind of mysterious in a way … very organic … you don’t necessarily get the best band by putting together the “best” musicians, so I won’t go that route. Hmm, I never really thought about it – but I guess maybe if you put together Albert Einstein … Woody Allen … Henry David Thoreau … and the Apostle John (how’s that?), you might get something interesting. At least a couple of them play instruments; the others might have to improvise. But I’d be listening.
Isaac: Sounds fun!
Isaac: Do you feel that your family and friends have been supportive of you?
Jeff: Yes, of me they’ve been very supportive. As far as my music goes, they tolerate it. Well my wife does anyway. Her love saved my life, and that’s more than enough for me. She doesn’t have to love my music. But my son – he’s probably my biggest fan.
Isaac: How hard is it to manage family, work, and everything else life sends your way with pursing music?
Jeff: Yeah, it’s been hard sometimes this past year … but you know the less time you have the more you figure out how to make the most of it. I’ve gotten more efficient. I used to have so much fricken’ time on my hands when I was younger and solely pursuing music – and man was I a time-waster back then.
Isaac: What CDs do you currently have available and where can they be purchased from?
Jeff: My second album, “After the Mourning”, is available on CD from CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes. I just released an MP3-only single “The Ghost of Who I Used to Be” available at the same places. I might release this as a 7” later.
My first album “My Little World” I’m at work on releasing on vinyl, hopefully later this year, and is not currently available. But keep an eye out for it. I’m also at work on my third full-length album which should be out next year.
Isaac: Where can fans access your music, videos, blogs, and anything else about you online?
