Music:
Member Since: 12/20/2004
Band Website: mattsmusic.net
Band Members:
MATT SUROWIEC - anything he can get his hands on, including but not limited to: 6 string electric, 6 string acoustic, and 12 string acoustic guitars, bass, drums, harmonica, banjo, piano, organ, kazoo.
FRIENDS WHO HELPED MAKE THE MAGIC:
Mike Renzoni - Sax and Background Vocals
Hillary Piatek - Background Vocals
Eric Earsing - Drums, co-writer of "Dragonfly"
Charlene Hayes - Violin
Jonathan Bailey - Background Vocals
Carrie Cole - Background Vocals
Chris Nagy - Drums, Engineering, Mixing, Mastering
"HUMBLE PIE" was recorded live by THE WORKS, who was:
Wolfram Neff - Bass
Joni D'Amico - Vocals
Liana Lorigo - Piano
Eric Earsing - Drums
Mike Renzoni - Sax/Vocals
Matt Surowiec - Guitar/Vocals
Engineered by Brian K. at WBNY 91.3FM Studio
Influences:
MUSIC:
Anything that breaks ground or refuses to follow the rules, anything that excites or incites, or anything that can be found at a thrift store.
Most often I've been told I sound like Neil Young. Maybe its because he's Canadian and I like hockey. I've also been told that my singing was like Roger Daltry of THE WHO. Probably because I grew up listening to both. But if you really want to know where its coming from, you have to go further than that...
Influence is really a strange question because everything that you see or hear or smell or experience in your life moves you in one direction or the other. If you're adrift at sea, you can either follow the current and let life take you, or you can stick your oars in the water and start moving where YOU want to go. I chose the latter path.
What I write mostly comes from observing people, and listening to their stories - even when they don't know I'm listening.
So musically, here it is - I have WWII era Grandparents, so anything from Dean Martin to Glenn Miller to Willie Nelson to Ricky Nelson to Elvis came from them. I also have parents from the 60's/70's love generation, so anything from The Beatles, Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Beach Boys, Osmonds, and The Monkees came from them. In my own lifetime, I've gone from Muppets to Men at Work, Stray Cats/Brian Setzer, The Police, Tom Petty and John Mellencamp to Nirvana, Green Day, Oasis, Jet, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Dresden Dolls and the Dixie Chicks. I have records (33, 45, 78), 8 tracks, cassettes, CD's, and over 80GB of digital music. In case you haven't guessed by now - I live for music.
When I was 5, my friend's 11 year old sister showed me a KISS record. I liked superheros and that's what they looked like. I didn't know what they were singing about, and I didn't care - the music was exciting and didn't take itself too seriously. I take the same approach to my work. So even though I play acoustic most of the time, in my mind it sounds like KISS.
I also watch way too much TV - always have, always will.
OLD MOVIES:
Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, Marx Brothers and old road, sci-fi and B-movies like the type lampooned on Mystery Science Theater 3000!
I also own and operate...
Tricentennial Music
ENTERTAINMENT PROMOTIONS/PRODUCTION
Lately, I've been listening to a lot of progressive rock like Yes and Genesis, as well as classical music performed on the synthesizer by artists like Tomita and the Electric Moog Orchestra. I'll let you know what effect it has.
Sounds Like:
A hot salsa made up of your entire music collection.
Record Label: Tricentennial Music
Type of Label: Indie
