Q: Why do you play sitting down?
A: It's just the way I learnt to play. I actually thought that was how you played slide guitar...on your lap. I think I had just seen the movie "Road House" with Jeff Healy (the blind guy that plays guitar on his lap) and thought to myself "...well that's a cool way to play....". The rest is history. I can't play standing up. I can't play normal guitar at all...not a note. I have to play slide guitar, and I have to be sitting down.

Q: How long have you been playing?
A; I took up guitar when I was 23 (mid 1993), so you could say I started late in life. Prior to that I had no interest in playing guitar - I actually hated the guitar because I could never seem to play it. Before that I played saxophone and keyboards, semi-professionally, in various different bands, so I always loved music - I just never played guitar until much much later.

Q: Where are you from?
A: Western Australia. I was born in Perth, but spent a great deal of my childhood in Margaret River. My parents live there, and I recognize the South West of WA as more of a home to me than Perth. I went to school in Perth. I moved to Melbourne in 1995 to further pursue my entertainment career. I busked on the streets of Melbourne for 3 years (which is where I learnt all my guitar chops) and also worked as a full time stand up comic....a career I had to sadly put on the back burner because music just took over my life. 

Q: Where do you live now?
A: Before I retired in April 2004, I had (and very proudly so) NO FIXED ADDRESS. I toured soooo much (up to 200 shows a year) and I was always on the road, so there was no real point in having a house as I was never really "home". I used to live in Melbourne, and when I started touring I realized that renting was kind of stupid. I only ever spent about 6 weeks in the house a year! Nowadays, If I had a couple of weeks off, I would just stay in nice caravan park, or house boat, or someone's house, or my truck, etc...go fishing. Now I live in the beautiful Coastal Town of Merimbula in NSW, and spend most of my time writing books, study various different things, and fishing.

Q: How long did you tour?
A: I toured Australia from June 1998 till April 2004, so about 6 years fulltime. I averaged about 200 to 250 shows a year, and travelled about 2000-3000 km per week. The first 2 years was with the band, and the rest has been solo. When people ask me "when does your tour finish?", I usually always said "Ohhh around 2009...ish". That was a joke, but it's funny how I was only 5 years off.

Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO SOLO?
A: A few reasons stand out but GST is a biggy! It made it almost impossible to work as a sub-contract musician, which is basically how bands operate. A lot of guys went solo. But the main reason was because the Record Company had been on my back for ages to try it. And it’s the best thing I ever did. It allows for full freedom...come and go as you please...work as much or as little as you want...sing and play how you want.

But the main motivation behind the big move to solo was FULL BODY GROOVE. There is nothing quite like the feeling of a good blues groove when it is made by your right hand, your left hand, both your feet, and your voice. Its full body groove, and it feels awesome..

And...It’s a freak show. You tend to stand out in the crowd.

It has nothing to do with a band break-up or any other such romours. I have worked with a lot of great guys over the years, and I still miss the band. This show is not a solo act, and it's not a band...ITS A SOLO BAND (THE FREAKY LITTLE ONE MAN BLUES BAND). I tried to make as much noise as a band, with as much "fattness" as a band.

Q: Are you signed to a record company, and who books all your gigs?
Yes, I am signed to a great Australian blues label called Black Market Music. They have got a great stable of roots and blues acts, and have been very supportive and extremely helpful in getting me to this stage. Their main drive for the last several years is to push good Australian talent, bands, and artists. They are still supporting me today and is where you should go to buy one of my CD's

Q: Who are your favorite artists?
A: Bukka White, John Lee Hooker, Son House, RL Burnside, Authur Crudup, and Fred McDowell.

Q: Who are your plans for the future
A: Well, I have happily retired from the music scene, but I still love music and playing guitar. My new passion in life is studying Life Skills, metaphysics, and "The Meaning of Life". I am passionately writing a book about how to Create unlimited Wealth, Success, Health, and Joy. I'll keep you all posted. 

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Email: Click Here. Mattsbits.com. - Matt Corcoran. PO Box 30. Merimbula. NSW. 2548. Australia.