Matt Backer “Red Guitars" Single Release
- 21 hours ago
- 4 min read
Video link: https://youtu.be/pJh36bkeAjM
New single Red Guitars conjures up the spirit of Steely Dan. The single is out now and already receiving airplay from radio stations nationwide.
Matt Backer is a leading guitarist and songwriter, having performed and toured with a wide array of artists including Emilia Mitiku, Aimee Mann, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Kim Wilde, Laura Mvula, Swing Out Sister, Elton John, Cher, Bananarama, Joe Cocker and Alice Cooper, amongst others.
Matt’s new blues/Rock album is produced by Matt and his long-time collaborator Ian Shaw (Nick Heyward, Julian Cope). The album features special guests including former Shakespear’s Sister Marcella Detroit, Rumer,Sarah Jane Morris, (The Communards) Miles Backer(Son), Randy Stindt,
Matt’s insight for each featured song:
1) “Red Guitars”
Who doesn’t like red guitars? Electric, acoustic, shiny, faded?
2) “I Can’t Stop Myself”
Who doesn’t like vampires? The victims, I suppose. And the familiars. And…well, if you were a vampire, you could stop any time you wanted, right? Right…?
3) “Sugar And Cotton”
I read a letter in The Times arguing that the slave trade contributed to only a small part of the British economy in the 18th and 19th centuries. But those commodities, which we now take for granted, couldn’t have been harvested without it. We have a lot of reckoning to do.
4) “Lord Of The Things”
How much is enough?
Big Up for Sarah Jane on "Lord Of The Things"
People might remember Sarah Jane Morris as Jimmy Somerville's co-lead vocalist on The Communard's UK number 1, "Don't Leave Me This Way", but she has done her own thing straddling jazz, soul, art music and opera for over four decades, and I've been privileged to be a part of it along the way.
5) “Slow Limousine”
I’m starting to catch up with my old friends at funerals now. There will be more. And there is at least one that I won’t be able to avoid.
Side B:
1) “The Next Big Thing”
It’s the talk box!
2) “Chemistry”
I can’t remember what a covalent bond is, but that’s my son Miles providing the programming, the groovy wah and the lead. His mother Elisa is on BVs (as she is throughout the album). Biochemistry, innit?
3) "Still Alive And Well"
As foolish as it may seem to cover a song made famous by Johnny Winter, it seemed appropriate to start playing it live after Covid, and it went down rather well. And it's loads of fun. When the writer passed away earlier this year, the underrated Rick Derringer, I just had to record it.
4) "Your Mind Is On Vacation"
Mose Allison, one of my heroes, wrote this in 1963. Scarily prescient. Another UK chart topper, the gorgeous Marcella Detroit (aka Marcy Levy) did me the honour of singing it with me as well providing the BVs. She also supplied the awesome harmonica solo. Oh yes - and recorded and engineered it all. What a talent.
Thanks also to another icon, Nick Heyward, who lent me his Telecaster for this.
5) "Everything Is Not Enough"
I wrote this a quarter of a century ago, but it took an awfully long time for me to heed my own advice. That's Miles Backer again on electric lead guitar. We get to have little father-son acoustic- electric interchange.
6) "Running Away From Something"
Wherever you go, there you are.
Big Up for Sarah Jane on "Lord Of The Things"
Matt has composed music featured in hit television series’ such as NCIS, Law and Order and Date My Mom, films like Domino and Horton Hears A Who, and adverts for household brands including Carlsberg, McDonaldʼs and Chrysler.
He has toured the world with artists including Belinda Carlisle, ABC (with whom he sold out the Royal Albert Hall performing an orchestral version of their seminal Lexicon Of Love album) and Rumer, on whose double platinum debut Seasons Of My Soul he performed, as well as its follow up Boys Donʼt Cry
Mojo described a previous album, The Impulse Man, as having ‘the chunkiest riffs and licks you wish youʼd learned to play wrapped around songs reeling with fat choruses and wry humour.’
Activities:
The Waterrats gig Friday 26th June 2026 doors open 7;30pm
Supported by “The Kimberleys”
Ticket link: https://tktp.as/ERSGIN
Album launch gig Karma Sanctum Hotel, Soho 6:30pm 27th February
Press advert in February Edition of RnR Magazine
Press advert and Red Guitars track featured on CD covermount in RnR Magazine May/June edition .Also featuring album review/interview article too
VRP Rock (youtube channel ) interview confirmed
Kirkcaldy 107FM playing the album
Press adverts in Blues In Britain Magazine April and May editions
With album review and three page interview and readers competition
“Lord of The Things” on BBC Radio 2 “The Blues Show” Cery’s Matthews 23rd Feb 9pm
“Blues Matters” Album review , interview and Readers competition
Live:
Matt has just recently toured Scandinavia with “Our Man in The field”
Matt is currently gigging in the US.
Norway:
Music video “The Next Big Thing” to be transmitted on “Petter Pop Show” !
On Tronder TV (Local network in Trondheim) 7 times a day starting end of February
Followed by TV Ost National Norwegian TV from 1st week of March
Viewers signed Album competition set up with show too
More to follow….
If you’d like to arrange an interview or live session with Matt Backer,
receive review or competition copies, or have any questions, please contact:
John Kaufman
Sounds Right Ltd
Tel: 07801502160
Email: Johnkright@gmail.com
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