John Matthias

b. England. Although Matthias may be best known for his contributions to recordings by other artists, the multi-talented musician finally got around to launching a solo career shortly after the dawn of the twenty-first century. Influenced by artists such as the Beatles and the Smiths early on, Matthias soon began playing in bands, such as the obscure Jackdaw Music. By the middle of the 90s, he had become quite an in-demand session musician (mostly for his violin skills), as he appeared on recordings such as Radiohead’s landmark The Bends, the Wishplants’ Coma, Matthew Herbert’s Bodily Functions, and Lunatic Calm’s Breaking Point. After relocating to Bristol, Avon in 1998, Matthias noticed that the relaxed pace of his new home town began to influence his style of songwriting, as evidenced in his debut solo release three years later, Smalltown, Shining (a release that saw Matthias lay down his violin momentarily, as he focused on his singing and guitar playing, in addition to serving as producer). The pop folk album proved to be a critical favourite, as it earned comparisons to Neil Young’s more serene moments.