M.Ward

[topper]

Is it right that Mat.Eur. is putting out Matt Ward's new album in Europe? Can't find any info on here....

[Gerard]

will be confirmed or denied very shortly. Thank you.

[amazonida]

Is Matador a diguised mob?

informations are top secret, the name gives a clue...

just asking, please don't come look for me, I'm just a harmless kid, I'll do nothing, I swear!

take care, y'all!

[woop]

i read somewhere that his new album is out march 17th. merge in US, matador europe.

is this the case, does anyone know?

[woop]

ah.

http://www.mergerecords.com/new_releases/

it is out on merge in US on march 18. so i guess we europeans need to know if matador are going to match that date.

[Gerard]

the european release will follow the US date by about 5 weeks. This is unavoidable....we received the tapes and art around Xmas time and there was a problem with the master.

whoops, looks like I almost confirmed something!

[woop]

thank you v much for clearing that up.

can you tempt us with bonus tracks / posters/ jiggery pokery to deter us from getting friendly with US online retailers?

[Gerard]

all we can do is appeal to your sense of fairness.

also, we now have your home address locked into our satellite so don't make us ring up Customs & Excise. They've got an entire Matador Late Releases division ready to roll the second ONE copy of the Merge edition lands on these shores.

thanks

[gygax]

Hi Gerard,

How were you first introduced to M. Ward?

I'd love to hear any stories you may have about him and his music from your angle.

[Gerard]

a couple of years back, Matt sent me a copy of 'Duets For Guitars, no. 2' (Ow Om). It sat on my filthy desk for about 7 months while I was busy writing the liner notes for Taang's Negative FX DVD box. That job took so much out of me, I had to go on a very long skiing trip. Trouble is, I didn't know how to ski and suffered serious injuries. Not while skiing, but in a rest-stop fist-fight about whether or not snowboarding was really a sport. (suffice to say I've changed my opinion on that particular subject. some of those snowboarders are pretty tough)

so another 5 months later I finally opened Matt's package and was pretty blown away by his guitar playing, songs, etc. Some correspondence ensued and I made a mental note to someday let other fine labels like Loose, Future Farmer and Merge do all the dirty work and prime the marketplace for Matador to work with M.Ward in Europe. And that includes "Old Europe", Mr. Rumsfield.

Sorry, I really don't have any good stories. I think the guy is a genius as do many of us at Matadorville. But I bet Howe Gelb or Chan Marshall have some good ones.

GC

[bitterfruit]

I'd never heard of him until now. What's the deal? Was he in some band formerly or something?

The "Old Europe" comment is fitting. Personally, I am equally appalled by that and "Enemy Combatant." Here's one they should add to their vocab: "Civil Rights."

[gygax]

from, 1991-1999 m.ward played guitar and later shared vocals with kyle field of little wings in a band named Rodriguez that was based sort of in San Luis Obispo (central california college town).

even 10 years ago i thought he was was one of the most gifted guitarists i'd ever heard... a cross between d. boon and john fahey (though lately it's more the latter than the former).

he's released 2 LPs and a couple EPs that are really great IMO. he's toured the USA and Europe with Giant Sand and Cat Power among others. oh yeah, he's a total sweetheart.

[Gerard]

Matador Europe is licensing the new M. Ward album, 'Transfiguration of Vincent' (OLE 578-2) from Merge Records, with UK/EU release scheduled for this coming April 28 (a few weeks after the US version, CD only). This is the 3rd album from Ward, a Portland, OR based guitarist/vocalist whose previous album, 'End Of Amnesia', attracted considerable praise through its release on Loose (UK) and Future Farmer (US). Ward came to our attention some years back through the patronage of good friend and collaborator Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), who issued the first M.Ward album, 'Duets For Guitars, No.2' on his Ow Om label in 1999.

M. Ward (first name "Matt") is one of the most inventive acoustic guitarists breathing..and as a performer and songwriter he's already making records as good or better than any number of legendary figures he's being compared to.

Having toured in 2001 & 02 with the likes of Mark Eitzel, Cat Power, Bright Eyes and Lambchop among others, the word is quickly spreading about this unique talent.

National Public Radio's All Things Considered described M. Ward's music as "songs alive in metaphor and imagery in the spirit of Tom Waits...and the late John Fahey.... the antidote to commercial country." And while I'm not sure what country (commercial or otherwise) has to do with it, when they're right, they're right._

http://www.giantsand.com/mward/

[amazonida]

wasn't that hard to talk about it, was it?
thanks, Gerard! :)

I got a question. I didn't quite understand when you said cd only. You mean lp's won't be out at allor only in Europe?

[gygax]

m. ward @ 11pm @ the cafe du nord.