- The Matches
Infobox musical artist
Name = The Matches
Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Oakland,California , USA
Genre =Alternative rock Pop punk
Years_active = 1997–present
Label =Epitaph Records
URL = [http://www.thematches.com/ Official site]
Current_members = Shawn Harris
Jon Devoto
Matt Whalen
Dylan Rowe
Past_members = Justin San Souci
Matt EspositoThe Matches are a rock band based in America. The band formed in
Oakland, California , in 1997, and currently comprises vocalist and rhythm guitarist Shawn Harris, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jon Devoto, bassist and backup vocals Dylan Rowe, and drummer Matt Whalen. They have released threestudio album s and four singles, and are currently signed withEpitaph Records .History
Originally known as "The Locals", the band was formed in 1997 by Justin San Souci, Matt Whalen, Matt Esposito, and Shawn Harris. At the time, all four were in high school at Bishop O'Dowd. Matt Esposito then left the band (sometime between 2000 and 2002) to enroll in the
US Naval Academy , and was replaced by Jon Devoto as a guitarist. In those early years, the band played what could be characterized asska -influenced punk, creating songs like "People on the Block", "Studio 5866", and others. These songs can now be found in The Matches' [http://web.mac.com/knstevens/iWeb/Site/Song%20Vault.html Song Vault] .Gradually, their style started shifting towards
alternative rock . Their influences included fellow East Bay punk/pop-punk bands likeGreen Day and Rancid, as well as more mainstream bands and musicians likeElvis Costello ,David Bowie ,The Who and Joe Jackson. The name "The Locals" soon led tocopyright infringement complications when Yvonne Doll, the frontwoman for theChicago indie rock band also called "The Locals", contacted the band and asked that they change their name.The band gained notoriety for "commo-promo", or commotion promotion, in which they would bring their acoustic guitars and play outside various Bay Area venues as concerts for larger acts were letting out. In conjunction with Oakland's (now defunct)
iMusicast venue, the band started producing their own shows called L3 (Live, Loud & Local), which became a launchpad for many other Bay Area bands, as well as attracting such headlining acts asLink 80 ,Sugarcult , andZebrahead .Eventually, under the new name "The Matches", they self-released their debut album, "
E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals " (this was assumed as an effort to publicly resent Yvonne Doll while avoidinglibel ). Then soon after they landed a record deal onBrett Gurewitz 'sEpitaph Records , although they had already previously released the album "E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals " without a recording contract,Epitaph Records re-released it. The version released by Epitaph lacks the song "Superman", but adds the songs "Borderline Creep" and "More Than Local Boys" instead. As well as slight changes to lyrics on "The Jack Slap Cheer", and the last untitled track (often referred to as "Track 11", "Abraham's Song", or "Scratched Out"). "Audio Blood" was featured in the video game . The band also worked with rapperMC Lars on the song "Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock".The Matches' second
album , "Decomposer", was released onSeptember 12 ,2006 . The album features work by nine producers, includingTim Armstrong ,Nick Hexum ,Mark Hoppus , andJohn Feldmann , among otherpunk rock mainstays. The albums also marks a change to more experimental alternative rock sound, as opposed to the pop punk sound of their first album.The Matches were on the Vans Warped Tour 2007 supporting the new album. The Matches played the entire AP tour 2008 with other bands such as
All Time Low , andThe Rocket Summer - [http://www.killerbandphotos.com/2008/05/the-matches-200.html Live Photos from AP Tour] . Also, The Matches were one of the many bands who played on theSoundwave tour in Australia late February and early March 2008.The group finished their third album titled "
A Band In Hope " and released it on March 18, 2008.The album was leaked on February 11, 2008. Harris wrote the following on the band's [http://www.thematches.com/blog/index.html Blog] in response to the leak.
On
July 9 , the band posted a bulletin on their MySpace saying that bassist Justin San Souci will be leaving the band. The Matches have asked people to send in demo tapes of themselves in order to audition for the recently-opened role of a new bassist. [ [http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=396191 Justin Leaves The Matches - News Article - AbsolutePunk.net ] ]Matt Esposito and Matt Whalen were taught by Jock Rockenbach.
On
August 7 , 2008, The Matches announced that Dylan Rowe ofNashville, Tennessee , whom they met 5 years prior, will be their new bassist. He replaced Justin San Souci at the Oakland Art and Soul Festival on August 30, 2008.Band members
Current members
*Shawn Harris -
rhythm guitar , vocals
*Matt Whalen - drums
*Jon Devoto -lead guitar , backup vocals
*Dylan Rowe -bass guitar , backup vocalsFormer members
*Justin San Souci -
bass guitar , backup vocals
*Matt Esposito -Lead guitar ,backing vocals Discography
Albums
*"
E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals " (2004)
*"Decomposer" (2006)
*"A Band in Hope " (2008)DVDs
*"Show Must Go Off!, Vol. 14"
Compilation tracks
*"
A Santa Cause - It's a Punk Rock Christmas " - "December Is for Cynics" (2003)
*"Agent Records Presents the NorCal Compilation 2003 " - "Audio Blood" (2003)
*"Warped Tour 2004 Tour Compilation " - "Audio Blood" (2004)
*"" - "Chain Me Free" (live) (2004)
*"" - "Got the Time" (2005)
*"Warped Tour 2005 Tour Compilation " - "Dog-Eared Page" (2005)
*"" - "Violent Love" featuringZebrahead (2005)
*"Takeover Records 3-Way Issue #2 " - "A Girl I Know", "Sick Little Suicide" (Acoustic), "Shoot Me in the Smile" (Acoustic) (2005) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thematches/albums/album/12092455/takeover_records_3way_issue_2]
*"Warped Tour 2006 Tour Compilation " - "My Soft and Deep" (2006)
*"Greetings from Norcal - The Northern California Compilation " - "Didi" (2006)
*"Unsound Compilation" - "Little Maggots" (2006)
*"Punk-O-Rama Vol. 9 " - "Sick Little Suicide" (2006)
*"Punk-O-Rama Vol. 10 " - "Shoot Me in the Smile" (2006)
*"Warped Tour 2007 Tour Compilation " - "Little Maggots" (2007)
*"Warped Tour 2008 Tour Compilation " - "Wake the Sun" (2008)ingles
Audio/Video
* [http://www.maniatv.com/?stream=/servlets/Matches_The_AotD_VOD.asx Interview with The Matches]
* [http://www.myspace.com/lestimbreesdurock Interview with Shawn Harris of The Matches]References
External links
* [http://www.thematches.com Official band site]
*myspace|thematches|The Matches
* [http://www.killerbandphotos.com/2008/05/the-matches-200.html Live Action Shots at KillerBandPhotos.com]
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