Water Music

Mathew Barker is a treasure; a true romantic with a touch of sinister. He’s been writing poetry for as long as I have known him, and is about to tour the United States for the first time, performing his music. If you are in any of these cities, please go see this little Aussie… I promise it will make your heart bleed.

- Club Mumble

At his home known mysteriously as Large Red, with one and a half microphones, six working tracks of an 8-Track, an athritic dog and feral cat, Mattyb explores the battle between light and dark, brain and heart, wine and ciggies in this current incarnation, Water Music.

Following his mother’s violent death in 1999, Matty took a ten -year hiatus from playing music, with the one exception being an invitation to support the inimitable Bob Log 3 at a sold out show at The Tote in 2006. But as the Blue Moon shone on New Year 2010 – “I stood in Paris, beside the river, and made a vow to the underneath, the true self, the perception, the good soul, the loving man, the ice cold lover, the drunken master, the sad, lonely son, the mother fucking Icarus, the blinding light of undirected passion, the magnesium spark which leaves naught but a single feather to drift between the bars and out to freedom in the hope that one day that wind might return and gently blow upon it a kiss which helps it rise back, that gives it wings to believe, if only it could believe, if only I could believe. And as soon as I believed, everything followed. What you hear is only a step forward, this is six months of writing, experimenting, searching. It is only a beginning.”

Random people across the world have stated – “It sounds like I just had sex with Bob Dylan and Mark Lanegan and I don’t know whose baby it is that I’ve had but I don’t care” “Who is that dude on stage playing with no shoes on? He’s weird, but I like it!”
“You sound like Johnny Cash just as he’s about to die”
“Like water in a slow moving creek in a green shrouded forest…dappled water, rust and viridian green”

FAULT: What is the most challenging aspect of being a musician?

Water Music: Overcoming self-doubt and finding belief in what you do. In Melbourne it’s almost like every second person is in a band, does that mean you shouldn’t do it too? I think being true to what you want to do, and finding the heart to keep doing it, no matter the obstacles you face, is an awesome challenge to face. Makes for exciting problems…

Tell us about your musical background? How was it growing up in Australia?

Water Music: Growing up was Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Monty Python during the good times. Other times, hard times, I would hear Chicago, The Eagles and Air Supply and I would smell wine and salt and yesterday’s clothes. I pretended to hate them, but there will always be a part of me that loves the Soppy Ballad TM.

FAULT: Who has been your biggest influence?

WM: My mother was murdered by my Step Father ten years ago. The last words she ever said to me were, don’t ever stop playing music. It took me nine and a half years of mourning – ie: drinking – to be ready to do as she asked. So I’m a little late…but her belief in me will always be my greatest influence.

FAULT: Are you inspired by music? If so what are you currently listening to?

WM: I’m inspired by people more than music. I’m inspired by people who create, art, music, photography, writers…people that give the world the beauty we so desperately need.

FAULT: What does an average day for you involve?

WM: Sadly, I still have a day job. So an average day involves pretending to work all day while writing words and finding awesome talent on the internet. Then home by 6pm, and up until 4am playing music. I’ve been doing this every day for 8 months now, I’ve become a complete recluse, but it’s worth it. I’m about to head to The States to play some shows, when 9 months ago I hadn’t even dreamed of doing that. This journey has only begun.

FAULT: Who would you love to collaborate with and why?

WM: Thom Yorke, to use his voice as there are so many notes I can hear in my head but not sing myself, Jeff Tweedy and Jason Molina for their words, passion and soul…and I’d have to say Gene and Dean Ween would be my dream Record Producers – Fearless, Eccentric and Uncaring for Convention. Hell yeah.

What is the biggest complement you have received and who was it from?

WM: I never know what to do with compliments. My best friend David once told me I’d done a good job. His taste in music is impeccable – we both believe Sonic Youth’s Teenage Riot to be the greatest song ever written, tehe – and for him to tell me I’d done something right, meant the world to me. You guys writing to me out of the blue was also pretty cool…

FAULT: What is your FAULT?

WM: My FAULT is the constant battle between Hope and Despair. Finding myself listening to the voices which tell me I can’t do something, that I should give up dreaming. However I find faults attractive in that they drive you on, if you’re willing to strive and to never fear change.

www.myspace.com/watermusicband - FAULT MAGAZINE UK