Matthew Thomas Skiba
(born February 24, 1976) is the lead singer and guitarist of Alkaline Trio. He has previously been a member of various bands including Jerkwater (McHenry/Chicago, IL; Dyslexic Records), Blunt, and The Traitors (Johanns Face Records). In 2002, Skiba recorded a split EP with Kevin Seconds. In 2006 Skiba launched a new side project with F-Minus bassist Josiah Steinbrick. The band, named Heavens, debuted the album Patent Pending
on September 12, 2006.
|
MATT SKIBA TICKETS
|
Alkaline Trio
Born in
Chicago on
February 24,
1976, he moved to the suburb of
McHenry, Illinois at the age of three. Playing
piano at an early age, his first concert was Public image Ltd., but in 1996, while working as a
bike messenger, he decided to take up the guitar. Skiba dropped out of
Columbia College in
Chicago,
Illinois to form
Alkaline Trio with drummer Glenn Porter and bassist Rob Doran.
After the group recorded their first compilation and demo, they recorded the For Your Lungs Only EP, during which Rob Doran left the group. Dan Andriano picked up from there and recorded the EP with them. The groups lineup changed again in 2000 when Glenn Porter was kicked out for allegedly sending a box of his own feces to another band on their record label, a retaliation for a member of the other band stealing his girlfriend. Mike Felumlee took over for the recording of From Here to Infirmary but lasted up until the third quarter of the tour for the album. Various drummers took up during this time until they recruited present member Derek Grant in 2002.
Matt also played drums for The Traitors before forming Alkaline Trio. Their self-titled album, which Skiba played drums on, was released on Joann's Face Records.
Side Projects and Solo
In
2001, he started his first large solo shows with The Plea For Peace Tour. These shows were mostly him performing Alkaline Trio songs on acoustic with backing drums and bass in a few shows.
His first solo release came in 2002 in the form of a split with Kevin Seconds. The songs were performed mostly on acoustic with backing drums, bass, and piano (all of which were played by Matt). The song Good Fucking Bye is sometimes performed live with the Alkaline Trio to this day.
In
2006, Skiba formed a side project called
Heavens with
Thieves Like Us and
Flowers Of Doom guitarist Josiah Steinbeck. They released their debut album
Patent Pending
on Sept. 12, 2006.
[1]
During May 2007, Skiba performed five "special" shows with
Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music).
He is planning on recording a solo album near the end of
August 2009 which will be released on
Asian Man Records [2].
On
August 18,
2009, Skiba, fellow
Alkaline Trio member
Derek Grant and Greg Corner and Jonny Radtke of
Kill Hannah debuted their new
super-group cover band named Them Crooked Vulvas.
[3]
Personal life
Skiba and Derek Grant (the drummer in his present band Alkaline Trio) have declared themselves card carrying members of the
Church of Satan. Matt has previously stated in an interview with Guitar World magazine that he uses his membership card of the Church to "watch people squirm". In an interview with Rock Sound in 2008 he stated that he in fact considers himself an
agnostic. He is also a vegetarian and has stated in an interview with AOL Interface that he practices transcendental meditation. He said that it has greatly helped his creative process in writing due to it putting him in a clear and calm/good state of mind. He didn't agree with this belief and thought that being the "tortured soul" was more benefical but after he read the book,
Catching the Big Fish
by David Lynch, he now belives that a better sate of mind and being is more helpful. and In 2005 during the recording of their album, Crimson, Skiba had a problem with
acid reflux because of his early troubles with alcohol and illicit drug use, diet and not warming up before singing.
He now resides in
California with his wife, Monica, whom he married on August 7,
2005. He has "Love Song" tattooed on his knuckles and The Cure's "Lovesong" was his wedding song. He is a "big Cure fan" and a "huge Damned fan". He is also "an enormous David Lynch fan" and a "really big Nirvana fan".
According to fellow musician and friend Brendan Kelly from the Lawrence Arms and The Falcon, on April 8th, 2009 he announced that Skiba is single. "Also, some guy named Matt Skiba is Djing the show, apparently. He’s single, fellas. Come get some. Or come for the music." This was posted on BK's blog.
Family
His mother, Joan Skiba, is a 4th/5th-grade teacher at Woods Creek Elementary School, and his father, Thomas Skiba, is an oral surgeon, both working in
Crystal Lake, Illinois.
He also has twin sisters.
Career
Skiba remains the only original member of the Trio (they endured several lineup changes that ultimately resulted in the addition of bassist
Dan Andriano and drummer
Derek Grant). The Trio released their debut
Goddamnit
on Asian Man Records in
1998, followed by
Maybe I'll Catch Fire
&
Alkaline Trio
.
Alkaline Trio signed with
Vagrant Records in late 2000 and released
From Here to Infirmary
in 2001,
Good Mourning
in 2003,
Crimson
in 2005, and
Remains
in 2007. In July 2008, the band released
Agony & Irony
, their first record on
Epic Records.
Skiba is also an active solo artist; in addition to the split with
7 Seconds'
Kevin Seconds, he contributed to
Fat Wreck Chords'
2005 compilation
Protect: A Benefit for the National Association to Protect Children
with the song "
Demons Away".
In September 2006, his side project
Heavens released the album,
Patent Pending
and started to tour. In late December 2008 Josiah Steinbrick announced on Heaven's Myspace page "This is no longer a Heavens page. Sorry, that's just the way it's going down. Matt will still be doing Trio stuff and last I heard he might be working on a wonderful solo record. I'm not really positive actually but I'm sure it will be great."
Also in 2006 Skiba contributed to the "
Rock 'n' Roll High School" track that appears on the
Brats on the Beat: Ramones for Kids
tribute album released on
Go-Kart Records.
He is referenced in the NOFX song,
Creeping out Sara
on their 2009 album
Coaster
.
Notable guest appearances
- New Found Glory - "Forget My Name" off the album Sticks and Stones
.
- Avoid One Thing - "Pop Bunk Band".
- Atari Star - "Winter Birthmark"
- Say Anything - "About Falling" on the double album In Defense of the Genre
.
- H2O - "What Happened?" on the album Nothing to Prove
.
- Common Rider - backup vocals on the album "This is Unity Music"
- Chuck Ragan - "The Boat" on "Feast or Famine"
- Chuck Ragan - "Do What You Do" on "Feast or Famine"
- Ashes Divide - "The Prey" on "Keep Telling Myself It's Alright"
- Rise Against - "Hairline Fracture" on "Appeal to Reason"
- Tom Gabel - "Amputations" on "Heart Burns"
- Jeffree Star - "Louis Vuitton Bodybag" on Beauty Killer
- William Control - "Deathclub" on "Underworld: Rise of The Lycans"
Discography
Alkaline Trio:
Studio Albums:
Year
| Title
| Label
| US Chart Position
|
1998
| Goddamnit
| Asian Man Records
| -
|
2000
| Maybe I'll Catch Fire
| Asian Man Records
| -
|
2001
| From Here to Infirmary
| Vagrant Records
| #199 (Billboard 200), #14 (Heatseakers Chart), #09 (Independent Albums)
|
2003
| Good Mourning
| Vagrant Records
| #20 (Billboard 200), #01 (Independent Albums)
|
2005
| Crimson
| Vagrant Records
| #25 (Billboard 200)
|
2008
| Agony and Irony
| Epic Records
| #13 (Billboard 200)
| -
|
Compilations:
Year
| Title
| Label
| Info
|
2000
| Alkaline Trio
| Asian Man Records
| Collection of EPs/b-sides/non-album tracks from 1996-2000
|
2007
| ''Remains
| Vagrant Records
| Collection of EPs/b-sides/non-album tracks from 2001-2005.
|
EPs and Demos:
- 1996: Demo Tape
- 1997: Sundials
- 1998: For Your Lungs Only
- 1999: I Lied My Face Off
- 2001: Hell Yes
- 2002: Halloween 7"
- 2007: New Years Eve 7"
- 2008: Agony and Irony EP
Note: Blood Pact members get access to downloadable EPs such as the Halloween 7" or Live Acoustic in London.
Heavens:
References
- http://www.moture.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=54
- http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1284682
- http://www.examiner.com/x-17319-Chicago-Music-Industry-Examiner~y2009m8d22-Two-parts-Alkaline-Trio-p