Artist description theMatter. They're what you want when you want to know what IS theMatter...with you, with your girl or guy, with your job, with your little world.

Music Style Alternative Mystical Pop; Psychadelic Folk; Trip Rock

Musical Influences 80's Rock, 70's Metal, 60's Pop

Similar Artists Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Evry Spinning Bear, Doors, Grateful Dead

Artist History The band has a very colorful history: much of it revolves around the essential drumming on the original recording by Rob Kittleson, a native Minnesotan. The recording effort started the band. Tedd and Rob, who had finished with another project (Blue Heaven Green), got together in Steve's (of Swerve fame, Southwest region party band lead singer) New Renaissance Studios. With the Takamine 12 string, Rob's simple crisp kit, the two began to sort out the details and original tracks for 14 of the 15 songs on the "Without Ruth" CD, writing much of it to custom tailor to lyrics written to basic song structures. This band went through nine drummers in as many months after their CD Debut Party at the Carlsbad Village Theatre (where Tedd actually lived). From the original brilliant drumming by Rob, all the way to the latest gig courtesy of one short drummer with one violent Napolean complex, there have been many good times and bad and probably more of both to come in the future. Before embarking on theMatter II project with Todd Everett as new guitarist, Tedd and Karl continue to make theMatter matter. Please see theMatter II site linked below. theMatter is alive and well within these recordings and the hearts and minds of the many people who listen to these immortal tracks daily... The strength of the musicianship and songwriting becomes more and more evident upon repeated listening and there's a bit of wonderful truth to each track that is either blatant or sublime but always there and usually fun! You gotta remember that there is a storyline behind the whole story. We'll be posting this as additional html soon.

Group Members Tedd, Karl Drews, Rob Kittleson (original members)

Instruments Guitars, drums, bass, keyboards

Albums Without Ruth (CD, POD9 Creative (ascap))

Press Reviews The band scored very favorably with anyone who saw theMatter perform live. SLAMM Magazine in San Diego had this to say from one of their seasoned columnists, John Colling, who had the luck of seeing the original and most successful line-up play live with the addition of Eddie Sonic on keyboards. theMatter followed up this tripped-out first impression with an invitation to perform at John's Annual July 4th BBQ a few weeks later. Here's his review: Review of The Matter - "Without Ruth" (CD, POD9 Music and Records) By John Colling - Music Critic for SLAMM Magazine. This Carlsbad based band really made my day as I wrote this review. First, by being nearly impossible to classify by any normal standard of criticism, and second, by virtue of the fact that there were countless adjectives available which aptly describe their seething, raging, groovy, intriguing, unparalleled, and thoroughly original brand of music. theMatter consists of the core group of Tedd on just about any instrument and gadget within reach in the studio; Karl Drews (a former member of Clement Forrest, arguably one of the best bands in North County during the late '70s) on bass and backing vocals, and Rob Kittleson on drums. Helping out are Edmond McAlbert on keyboards and Dene Davidson on occasional bass parts. A free-form pastiche of all the music these guys have soaked up over the years, "Without Ruth's" 15 tracks run the gamut from straight ahead rock ("We Got") to way trippy prog-psych ("World in Place", "Sun Melting Ice"), to beatle-esque charm ("Really"), to punk-a-billy abandon ("You Smell Like Money", "There Lies the Truth") to loose space jamming ("Tripp'in my Trigger"). Top-notch but un-forced musicianship, combined with Tedd's esoteric from-another-planet lyrics made "Without Ruth" one of the best local CDs this writer has had the pleasure of being affected by. J.C. theMatter's "Without Ruth" is available on mp3.com as well as amazon.com for original burns and nude boy cover. And don't forget to check out theMatter II CD on MP3.com only...featuring the guitar stylings of Todd Everett! New from video archives: remastered tracks coming soon!

Additional Info Ask for a free T-shirt. That's right. Free.

Location Oceanside, CA - USA

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