(Of the 20 cuts on this disc, half are done with a full band. Most of those are up-tempo Rock'n'Roll numbers. Since the whole record had what is deemed a "retro" feel, I decided to use a retro cover, retro liner notes, and retro artist makeover job [Whatever that means.]. I like this record for many reasons but essentially because it contains quite a number of good songs. There are also 4 new songs and band versions of several other previously released tracks. The cover design was stolen from the Jerry Lee Lewis LP covers during his Mercury years - the great country records he did with Jerry Kennedy producing. Of the new songs, perhaps my favorite is "20 ft. Drop". At the time, I thought that this was going to be my last record so I wanted it to be fun and fast and a kind of tribute to a style of music that had always been so dear to me. Upon it's release, the record generated more airplay than my previous releases but it was still minimal at best. Dan Murphy once again engineered and he did a nice job at stringing together many disparate sounds into a nearly cohesive, if schizophrenic, whole. This was unquestionably the best CD of 1997.)
Maurice Mattei started writing songs in his early teen years. After the release of his first recordings in 1983 and 1988 he abandoned music to pursue photography. His interest lay primarily in documentary photography and this led him into certain social circles (Bikers, Drug Addicts, Debutantes, Wrestlers, Strippers, Socialites, Celebrities, etc.) that he found to be strangely new and oddly exciting. This vast and glorious parade of life re-ignited his desire to write songs. In 1995 he released his first CD of original material. He has since released 7 CD's, the latest being a live recording entitled "Maurice Mattei And A Room Full Of Victims". In addition to CD's, Mr. Mattei has released three cassette tapes, two 7-inch singles, one tape-cassette single and one CD single since 1995. To see a complete discography, examples of photographic works, lyrics page, additional mp3's, and miscellaneous writings please go to the Maurice Mattei web site - www.mmattei.com.
Influences include Robert Johnson (Blues Singer), William Burroughs (Writer), Billie Holiday (Jazz Singer), Chuck Berry (Singer/Songwriter), Robert Frank (Photographer), Keith Richard (Singer/Songwriter), Donatien-Alphonse-Francois de Sade (Writer), The Beatles (Rock Band), Leonardo Da Vinci (Artist/Inventor), Elvis Presley (Singer), Marcus Aurelius (Writer/Emperor) and Buffy Davis (Actress).
Mr. Mattei has performed steadily since his 1995 release. He performs solo and prefers to be an opening act since this allows him to get home at a reasonable hour. The following is a list of a few of the Artists, most of which few people have ever heard of, that Mr. Mattei has performed with: The Cole Brothers, The Brand, Radiolaria, Victoria Williams, David Wolfenberger, Over The Rhine, Mercy Baby, Ric Hickey and The Loose Wrecks, Roger Mcguinn, Love America and Johnny Graves.
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