indie rock
Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...
singer-songwriter and was the lead singer of Matt Mays & El Torpedo, a rock music group based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and New York City. Previously, Mays was a member of a Canadian
indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
band
The Guthries
The Guthries were a Canadian country rock band based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They released two albums in the early 2000s.
History
The Guthries formed in 1998 in Halifax. Originally formed by vocalist Ruth Minnikin and Dale Murray, the band in ...
. Mays was born in
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a Canada 2016 Census, population of 569,353, and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington, ...
, and grew up in
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
.
Career
The Guthries
The Guthries were a Canadian country rock band formed in 1998 in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348 ...
, Canada.
The band's first album, ''Off Windmill'', was released in 2000. The band toured extensively throughout Canada and the UK. Mays subsequently left the band in 2002, just prior to the release of the band's second release, the self-titled ''The Guthries''. However, following the self-titled release, the band members each began pursuing solo projects, and have not released another Guthries album.
Matt Mays
At the 2005 Juno Awards, Mays presented an award, and was himself nominated for New Artist of the Year and Adult Alternative Album of the Year for his self-titled album.
In February 2006, Mays appeared with the
Symphony Nova Scotia
Symphony Nova Scotia is a Canadian orchestra based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their primary recital space is at the Dalhousie Arts Centre's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
History
Symphony Nova Scotia began in 1983 with 13 full-time musicians. ...
in their Rising Star series on the Dalhousie University campus.
In April 2006, fellow Canadian rocker Sam Roberts released his new album titled '' Chemical City''. Mays performed on the track "Uprising Down Under".
Matt Mays and El Torpedo
Matt Mays & El Torpedo consisted of Jay Smith (guitar, vocals), Andy Patil (bass, vocals), Tim Baker (drums), and
Adam Baldwin
Adam Baldwin (born February 27, 1962) is an American actor. He starred in ''Full Metal Jacket'' (1987) as Animal Mother, as well as in the television series '' Firefly'' and its continuation film '' Serenity'' as Jayne Cobb. His roles include St ...
(keyboard).
The band's self-titled album released in 2005 contained the single "Cocaine Cowgirl", which received saturation airplay on Canadian rock radio in 2005, and its video heavy rotation on MuchMusic. The album also contained the track "The Plan" with backing vocals from fellow Canadian musician
Kathleen Edwards
Kathleen Edwards (born July 11, 1978 ) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. Her 2002 debut album, ''
East Coast Music Awards
The East Coast Music Association is a non-profit association that hosts an annual awards ceremony based in Atlantic Canada for music appreciation on the East Coast of Canada. Its mission is to develop, advance and celebrate East Coast Canadian mu ...
, MM&ET were nominated for entertainer of the year, group of the year, radio rock recording of the year, album of the year, and single of the year (for "Cocaine Cowgirl"), and won all of these but entertainer of the year award. They closed out the national broadcast of the event with "Cocaine Cowgirl". As he introduced the band, host Mike Smith (Bubbles from ''
Trailer Park Boys
''Trailer Park Boys'' is a Canadian mockumentary sitcom television series created by Mike Clattenburg that began airing in 2001 as a continuation of his 1999 film bearing the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a group of trailer p ...
'') said that they were one of his favourite bands. In ''
Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian persp ...
Hockey Night in Canada
CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (often abbreviated ''Hockey Night'' or ''HNiC'') brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its hi ...
'' listed Matt Mays & El Torpedo among the artists whose music he "never leaves home without."
In 2006 Matt Mays and El Torpedo released a music video for their single "Time of Your Life ('til You're Dead)", directed by Drew Lightfoot. The video was filmed in
Kensington Market
Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Market is an older neighbourhood and one of the city's most well-known. In November 2006, it was designated a National Historic Site of Canad ...
, Toronto, Ontario. This particular video features the card manipulations of American comedian and magician Erik Tait. This video received notice in the magic world after it was pointed out that the card manipulation with the box is physically impossible. This particular manipulation was achieved by filming Erik's hands then playing the footage backward. The card work is also acclaimed in this video as members of the band perform some of the manipulations.
Matt Mays & El Torpedo performed on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
'' in December 2006.
''When the Angels Make Contact''
Matt Mays' project ''When the Angels Make Contact'', released on November 7, 2006, is a soundtrack to Mays' unfinished film of the same name. Regarding the origin of the idea, Mays stated: "I had this album that was based on the theme of an all-nighter. It started when the sun went down and ended when the sun came up. Then I thought, 'That would make a good movie.'" The album flows with the themes of the movie, following the character J.J. Carver, a motorcyclist on a quest. The music video for the title track and the "movie trailer" were both directed by Drew Lightfoot. Although much of the movie was shot in early 2006, production then stalled due to lack of financing.Sam Roberts has a cameo role as an Australian surfer. The album features
Buck 65
Richard Terfry (born March 4, 1972), better known by his stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian alternative hip hop artist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, countr ...
,
Skratch Bastid
Paul Murphy (born September 2, 1982), better known by his stage name Skratch Bastid, is a Canadian DJ and record producer. He is a three-time Scribble Jam DJ Battle winner. He is the first-ever Canadian DJ to be nominated for the Juno Award for Pro ...
, and
Rose Cousins
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...
, among others.
''Terminal Romance''
The last album, ''Terminal Romance'', was released on July 8, 2008. The singles "Tall Trees" and "Building a Boat" have received heavy airplay on Canadian radio, including
CBC Radio 3
CBC Radio 3 is a Canadian digital radio station operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which plays a relatively freeform mix of indie rock, indie pop, alternative hip hop, folk, country and electronic music.
The service, which la ...
.
Throughout July 2008, Matt Mays and El Torpedo toured with Kid Rock in support of their new album.Tour Page
On December 12, 2008, Matt Mays & El Torpedo received 5
East Coast Music Association
The East Coast Music Association is a non-profit association that hosts an annual awards ceremony based in Atlantic Canada for music appreciation on the East Coast of Canada. Its mission is to develop, advance and celebrate East Coast Canadian mus ...
Nominations including Group Recording of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.
Disbanding of El Torpedo
Matt Mays & El Torpedo officially disbanded in June 2009 with the departure of Andy Patil and Tim Baker; however,
Adam Baldwin
Adam Baldwin (born February 27, 1962) is an American actor. He starred in ''Full Metal Jacket'' (1987) as Animal Mother, as well as in the television series '' Firefly'' and its continuation film '' Serenity'' as Jayne Cobb. His roles include St ...
and Jay Smith remained with Mays. The band added four new members, including drummer Damien Moynihan, keyboard player Matt Scott, guitar player Matt Hammond and former
The Guthries
The Guthries were a Canadian country rock band based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They released two albums in the early 2000s.
History
The Guthries formed in 1998 in Halifax. Originally formed by vocalist Ruth Minnikin and Dale Murray, the band in ...
member Serge Samson. Jay Smith was found dead in his Edmonton hotel room on March 27, 2013.
''Coyote''
Matt Mays released the album ''Coyote'' in September 2012, and completed a cross-Canada tour to promote the release. The tour concluded on November 17, 2012, in Fredericton, New Brunswick. At the 2014 Juno Awards Coyote received the award for Rock Album of the Year.
Awards and nominations
Juno Awards
The
Juno Awards
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
is a Canadian awards ceremony presented annually by the
Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is a non-profit organization responsible for promoting Canadian music and artists. It administers the Juno Awards, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the MusiCounts music education cha ...
Matt Mays
Matt Mays (born August 10, 1979) is a Canadian indie rock singer-songwriter and was the lead singer of Matt Mays & El Torpedo, a rock music group based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and New York City. Previously, Mays was a member of a Canadian i ...