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==WHAT"S NEW== I'm on a new record coming out on Hepcat Records with The D.I.'s. called "Rare Cuts" .That's my band from 1983 to 1986. We did a record back then on Pee-Vee records and it rocked! IThe new Hepcat product (due for release within the next few weeks,today is 7-26-08)is a 22 song compilation of the D.I.'s entire body of work. They apparently had round 5 or6 lead guitarists. The record takes you through the various stages of the band's life. That, I think will be very cool! You can catch the link in my top friends list.It's the one that says The D.I.'s , duhhhhhh.... Take a look at the site. I truly hope you enjoy it. The songs are really good, in my humble opinion , and there is a good degree of levity involved. Go to the site and check out a sample of what's yet to come.....Matt Lee was born in Los Angeles, California in October 1959, the son of a folk singer(Mom) and an O.S.S. officer(Dad). Lee started out with cover bands at Palms Junior High School in 1972. He played with now renowned jazz saxophonist Richard Elliot. Their band was called Norman Nostril and the Nasty Nose Pickers 1972-1974. At 17, Lee began studying guitar with guitar legend Ted Greene. Greene taught players like Lee Ritenour and Jay Graydon, both of whom played with Steely Dan. Lee studied with Ted Greene on and off until Greene's untimely passing July 23, 2005.< Ray Campi,The D.I.'s and The Divine Horsemen>He joined his first signed act called Blow-Up (Bomp Records) in 1977/79.Blow-Up frequently played clubs such as The Masque ,The Whisky a Go Go ,and The Starwood Club.Blow-Up also toured limitedly up and down the west coast back then, favoring the city the band was formed in, Berkeley(forming members went to Bekeley U) /San Francisco. In 1979 Lee played guitar for pop band Allnight. He replaced Jack Sherman who was leaving to play with The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Lee left Allnight in 1980 and joined Ray Campi's Rockabilly Rebels, (Rolling Rock Records) and played with them for about 2 years.Note: Ray Campi is a Rockabilly Hall of Famer. The next band was The D.I.'s . He joined the aggressive punk act in very late 1983. Their first record Lock'n Load was a five song ep on indie label PeeVee Records, released around mid-1984. The cover was presented by Tipper Gore on live news channels as "...the kind of trash ...." that she and a group of parents she represented wanted parental guidance stickers on records at the time. The record sold out in 5 days flat right after that.Lee and Axxel G.Reese(lead singer/songwriter of The D.I.'s) also wrote a song together around this time called Shot Down c.1985, which was featured in a movie called Bikini Island.He was in The D.I.'s and was asked to join The Divine Horsemen who were on Enigma Records at the time, at the request of his friend Robyn Jameson who played bass in the The Divine Horsemen. The Divine Horsemen featured Chris D. and Julie Christensen [ on lead vocals and have a merged article with The Flesh Eaters (band) in Rolling Stone Magazine at their on-line site. Lee did a whole record for them later entitled Devil's River-New Rose Records and SST Records; (1986). Lee was later asked by John Doe to work with the band X for a short while.Lee arranged three songs on the 4th of July record. (1985-1986)< Life After Punk>In 1987, Matt Lee joined a band called Castle Blak.The band went under the name of Monster Island, but eventually changed their name back. There was a record recorded called Monster Island, but it wasn't released until a few years ago. The next band was the The Mighty Hornets(1988). The drummer, is very good friends with Billy Idol , and needless to say, the Mighty Hornets played many shows with Billy. Lee then played in a band formed by Graham Daddyand Steve Whittaker called The Premiers. The drummer was Brian Glascock from The Motels and The Bee Gees with Jeff Jourard from The Motels and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers sharing guitar duties. (1993).It was on an out of town date they opened for Mick Taylor and Terry Reid. The back up band all played for Joe Walsh . Rick the Bass Player, was with the Joe Walsh Band at the time and now with Neil Young ,took Lee under his wing and introduced him to producer Richard Bosworth who was also in attendance at the show. Bosworth helped Lee do a collection of solo work called Spite. In 1996 Matt Lee was flown by Roi Pearce of the The 4-Skins to jolly old England. He lived there recording and touring with Roi under the band name The Last Resort for about a year...Upon arrival home from England in 1997,Lee formed a band called Spite playing the material he did with Richard Bosworth, featuring members of Life,Sex,and Death - Alex Kane - gtr, and Eddie Reuter - drums. They played 1 year. After that, Lee formed The Jangle Kings on Coyote Records. In very late 2000, Lee moved in with new girlfriend and working partner Chrissy Shefts. They recorded to no avail, although Shefts introduced Lee to David Batteau, whom he worked with producing several songs for about 2002. The couple separated in 2004. Lee started working with Donnie Vie of Enuff'z Nuff in 2003 and worked with Vie doing shows and home demos until personal differences separated them in 2007...Today,he does sessions on guitar, bass, and or keyboards for records,commercial and private products and projects. The D.I.'s just signed an official record deal with HepCat/Interscope Records (a major independant deal)on November 20th as well. Release is scheduled for January/February 2009...* Blow-Up - Bomp Records 1977* The D.I.'s - Lock'n Load- Pee-Vee Records 1984 * "Shot Down" - written by Matt Lee and Axxel G. Reese c.1985 is featured in Tony Markes and Zach Matz's movie"Bikini Island" c.1991Regarding The Divine Horsemen records: Most of these labels are now defunct or no longer include these albums in their catalog. They have currently been re-licensed and reissued by Atavistic Records* The Divine Horsemen-Devil's River -SST Records /New Rose Records(europe) 1986 * The Divine Horsemen- In the Middle of the Night - SST Records1986* Castle Blak- Glamour and Damnation- CGM Records 1987/released 2006* The Jangle Kings - Coyote records- 2000Blow-Up/PersonnelJody Worth-ld.vocalsBruce Nicholson-ld guitar Christian Super-keys Matt Lee-bass guitar David West-drumsThe D.I.'s/PersonnelAxxel G. Reese- lead vocalsDave Drive-drums Jimmy Reed-rhythm guitar Matt Lee-lead guitar Thad Baker-bass guitar Johnny Ray Bartel-bass guitarThe Divine Horsemen/PersonnelChris D.-ld. vocals Julie Christensen-ld. vocalsRobyn Jameson-bass Matt Lee-ld. guitar Rex Roberts-drumsCastle Blak/Monster Island/PersonnelRegent St Clair-ld. vox,rythm guitarMatt Lee-ld. guitar Kevin Mueller-bass Scott Suicide-drumsThe Jangle Kings/PersonnelMichael Biffer - ld. vox , rythm guitar, bkgrnd vox Matt Lee - ld. guitar, bass guitar, bkgrnd vox Eddie Reuter - drums