Matt Finish
Matt Finish's inaugural album Short Note (1981) is
widely regarded as an all-time Australian classic and continues to
sell to this day. The title track has appeared on more than a
dozen compilation albums and, in 2006, it appeared in (Australian
radio station) Triple M's "Best Songs of the Eighties".
In 2004, it was covered by Wendy
Matthews on her album Cafe Naturale. Other radio
favourites from Short Note include Mancini Shuffle, Hot
Cover and Layman's Day.
The band was formed in 1978 by vocalist/guitarist Matt Moffitt
and drummer/producer John Prior, and owed much of their distinctive
sound to Matt's impassioned voice and lyrical song writing, and
John's dynamic musical arrangements, complete with Jeff Clayton's
melodic, economical guitar parts and Rick Grossman's muscular
bass. "Short Note is the greatest debut album by an
Australian band" said studio guru Greg Cameron at the time of
its release.
To best capture their powerful live sound, their next release, Fade
Away (1981), was recorded live with a studio audience over two
nights in Sydney's PACT Theatre. The title track was pure
adrenalin. "For Matt Finish, it is as if music is sacred and
its language a privilege", declared Melbourne journalist
Christie Eliezer.
Exit Grossman to join Divinyls and
later The Hoodoo Gurus. Enter Bertie
Dorsett, alternating on guitar and bass, joining Moffitt, Prior
and Clayton to record the 1984 album Word Of Mouth,
described by Brecon Walsh as "one of the most arresting,
splenetic, lyrically incisive, musically colourful and emotionally
candid albums to have been produced in this country".
After another successful tour and the recording of an album
that was never released, the band took an extended hiatus to
pursue individual projects. In 1985, Moffitt and Prior travelled
to London to record the Matt Moffitt solo album By As Little As
A Look with producer Nicky Graham (David
Bowie, Peter Frampton, The
Clash). In 1989. Moffitt and Prior travelled to New York to
record and perform.
Re-emerging in 1991, Moffitt and Prior recruited ex-Eurogliders
Guy Le Claire and Lindsay Jehan and again Matt Finish toured to
packed venues across Australia. Susan Ryan attested "Matt
Finish flexes its muscles again" and Murray Engelheart
affirmed "Matt Finish remain something of a musical
triumph" and "inspire a near-fanatical following".
But the band split again in 1991.
The band underwent many incarnations during the nineties and
early noughties including line-ups with Adrian and Rohan Cannon
and Rick Grossman. Lollapalooza founder and Tool manager Ted
Gardner lamented "Matt Finish, a brilliant band I managed in
Australia that broke up way before their time". (2002)
In August 2003, tragedy struck with Moffitt's sudden death.
Testifying to his musical colleagues' esteem, his funeral was
attended by Oz rock's royal fraternity, including members of Cold
Chisel, The Angels, Midnight Oil
and friends from Triple J. In a moving obituary to Matt Moffitt,
Screen Sound described his time with Matt Finish as "some of
the best Australian music of the eighties and nineties".
(2003)
According to Australian rock historian Glenn A Baker,
"Matt Finish was one of the great Australian 'song bands'.
Textured, engaging and often beguiling craft was the hallmark of
Matt the man and the band. Those songs endure, as well they
should".
But the spirit of Matt Finish refused to die. Fast forward to
November 2006 with original band-members John Prior, Jeff Clayton
and Rick Grossman reconvening with special guests Matt Cornell and
Luke Dixon to play in tribute to Matt Moffitt.
The next chapter begins in autumn 2007 with John Prior, Guy Le
Claire, Harry Brus and David Adams conducting a national tour
performing songs from Short Note, Fade Away and Word
of Mouth with select appearances by special guests including
Kevin Borich, Matt Cornell, Steve Edmonds, Tim Gaze, Josh Smith
and,
Eliot Reynolds.
Many thanks to John Prior for
pictures, help and info
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