Matthew White
Bands
Biography
From the Dead Sea Souls website:
While growing up in Oklahoma I joined some friends from school to form our first band, Alloy, in August of 1985. By March 1986, we had all purchased our instruments and began playing parties. For the most part, we played Kiss and Van Halen covers but had some punk originals. My fondest memory of the Alloy days was playing "Runnin' With the Devil" (without the vocals) during a Baptist church service.
In 1987, Bobby Thomas (guitar) and I left Alloy to join Disguise. With the move, we had graduated to more contemporary rock covers and a larger repertoire. Though we kept our core three-piece intact, Disguise became a revolving door of musicians and a breeding ground for new up-and-coming bands.
After Disguise, Bobby Thomas and I formed another project. For the most part, we played death metal, but also played some Zeppelin covers. We wrote our first two original songs of consequence during this period. We never gigged, though many parties sprung up during our open practice sessions, so we never saw a need to name the band. We simply called ourselves the band.
About one year later, the band disbanded when our drummer moved to Florida. Bobby and I then moved on to People Die for the sole purpose of performing our high school talent show, but People Die kept playing various gigs for about two years. We auditioned many singers throughout the life of the band. Each singer was either great, but not responsible, or terrible with a great work ethic and lots of equipment. As it turned out, I sang lead for every show gigged.
In 1991, I took a break from rock and began playing jazz. In addition to my college Jazz Arts Ensemble and Jazz Arts Combo, I was in a jazz chamber combo, internally known as Wally and the Weasel Wackers. We generally played restaurants in which pianissimo was our forté. We cut a demo, and soon after, called it quits.
During the jazz days, I gave rock another go by joining the all-original performance-art rock band, Flesh Protest. I was one of three singers, but also played keyboards and steel drums. I left the band as other members went on to form such bands as Fresh Produce, Cosmic Seed, All Organic Combo, Love Button, and Ambassador Bill.
After leaving Flesh Protest and the jazz bands one year later, I quit playing bass altogether. Bobby and I started a project in which I sang lead, but it never got off the ground. In the meantime, I concentrated on getting my music degree.
About six years later, I briefly played bass for an all-original punk band, Bent, again with Bobby (this time on drums) and a couple of friends. We played some corporate parties as well as some crack parties, but I soon parted ways to concentrate on wrapping up my degree with a vocal recital.
Then the biggest mistake: I gave up performing and practicing music altogether. I studied business and received an MBA, then moved to Dallas one year later. I worked in the salt mines of the finance world, and the more that time passed, the harder it was to get something going, until friend and neighbor, Josh Young, began recording his own songs with Space Commandos. I had known Josh a couple of years, but had never known him as a musician. With Josh cranking out album after album, I decided it was time to get busy.
So in the summer of 2002, I was riding with a new acquaintance to a Rush concert, and mentioned that I was looking to play bass in a band again. He pulled out his cell phone, dialed some digits, and began speaking, at length, in Spanish. He then handed me the phone, and the voice on the other line asked me to come audition for his band. I auditioned two days later, and one week after that we were the opening act for Kanaima at the Hard Rock Café. We called ourselves YUSILL-HA, or "Holy Water" in the Mayan language; it was with this band that I was introduced to Rock en Español. We played a number of gigs at local bars and restaurants before calling it quits eight months later.
I took another two-year hiatus. Josh Young then approached me, encouraging me to audition for his band Dead Sea Souls.
In 1987, Bobby Thomas (guitar) and I left Alloy to join Disguise. With the move, we had graduated to more contemporary rock covers and a larger repertoire. Though we kept our core three-piece intact, Disguise became a revolving door of musicians and a breeding ground for new up-and-coming bands.
After Disguise, Bobby Thomas and I formed another project. For the most part, we played death metal, but also played some Zeppelin covers. We wrote our first two original songs of consequence during this period. We never gigged, though many parties sprung up during our open practice sessions, so we never saw a need to name the band. We simply called ourselves the band.
About one year later, the band disbanded when our drummer moved to Florida. Bobby and I then moved on to People Die for the sole purpose of performing our high school talent show, but People Die kept playing various gigs for about two years. We auditioned many singers throughout the life of the band. Each singer was either great, but not responsible, or terrible with a great work ethic and lots of equipment. As it turned out, I sang lead for every show gigged.
In 1991, I took a break from rock and began playing jazz. In addition to my college Jazz Arts Ensemble and Jazz Arts Combo, I was in a jazz chamber combo, internally known as Wally and the Weasel Wackers. We generally played restaurants in which pianissimo was our forté. We cut a demo, and soon after, called it quits.
During the jazz days, I gave rock another go by joining the all-original performance-art rock band, Flesh Protest. I was one of three singers, but also played keyboards and steel drums. I left the band as other members went on to form such bands as Fresh Produce, Cosmic Seed, All Organic Combo, Love Button, and Ambassador Bill.
After leaving Flesh Protest and the jazz bands one year later, I quit playing bass altogether. Bobby and I started a project in which I sang lead, but it never got off the ground. In the meantime, I concentrated on getting my music degree.
About six years later, I briefly played bass for an all-original punk band, Bent, again with Bobby (this time on drums) and a couple of friends. We played some corporate parties as well as some crack parties, but I soon parted ways to concentrate on wrapping up my degree with a vocal recital.
Then the biggest mistake: I gave up performing and practicing music altogether. I studied business and received an MBA, then moved to Dallas one year later. I worked in the salt mines of the finance world, and the more that time passed, the harder it was to get something going, until friend and neighbor, Josh Young, began recording his own songs with Space Commandos. I had known Josh a couple of years, but had never known him as a musician. With Josh cranking out album after album, I decided it was time to get busy.
So in the summer of 2002, I was riding with a new acquaintance to a Rush concert, and mentioned that I was looking to play bass in a band again. He pulled out his cell phone, dialed some digits, and began speaking, at length, in Spanish. He then handed me the phone, and the voice on the other line asked me to come audition for his band. I auditioned two days later, and one week after that we were the opening act for Kanaima at the Hard Rock Café. We called ourselves YUSILL-HA, or "Holy Water" in the Mayan language; it was with this band that I was introduced to Rock en Español. We played a number of gigs at local bars and restaurants before calling it quits eight months later.
I took another two-year hiatus. Josh Young then approached me, encouraging me to audition for his band Dead Sea Souls.
