The merging of seemingly different music genres is more common place today than ever in the history of rock and roll. But no one today may be doing it better than Matty Z. & The Brawlers.A hybrid of old school rock and roll, with a fusion of rockabilly and new modern rock is the only way to describe the trio, made up of Matt Zmigrodski, 31, of Hawthorne, Joey Cassella, 24, of Carlstadt and Kevin Walters, 25, of New Brunswick.“Think Johnny Cash meets the Foo Fighters,” says Zmigrodski, vo...
The merging of seemingly different music genres is more common place today than ever in the history of rock and roll. But no one today may be doing it better than Matty Z. & The Brawlers.A hybrid of old school rock and roll, with a fusion of rockabilly and new modern rock is the only way to describe the trio, made up of Matt Zmigrodski, 31, of Hawthorne, Joey Cassella, 24, of Carlstadt and Kevin Walters, 25, of New Brunswick.“Think Johnny Cash meets the Foo Fighters,” says Zmigrodski, vocalist, guitar player and poet for the group.Zmigrodski brought the group together in 2006, after realizing he was ready to front his own band after years of playing in other bands. He brought in Cassella on the bass guitar, after knowing him for years from the local music scene. Cassella then brought in Walters, drummer, who had previously been band mates.Says Zmigrodski, “We just clicked instantly and started recording what would become our debut EP, ‘Take it outside.’”“We definitely hit the ground running,” says Cassella. “What we have accomplished in less than a year that we have been together is almost unheard of. Fans always think we have been together for years.”Walters can agree.“A big part of it comes down to Joey and I playing together for so long - we've got unmistakable chemistry together; not to mention our love for creating background harmonies over what Matty's doing, “ he says.A powerhouse of guitars and drums, the passion for the music is evident when you hear the band play, especially when you see them live."Even after some of the early rehearsals, I left thinking - how can a three-piece band fill up so much sound,” says Walters. “You would expect twice as many guys to come pouring out of the rehearsal room or off the stage - I think we caught a lot of people off guard."Their musical influences play a big part in everything they do musically. “We love ‘50’s rock and roll,” Zmigrodski says. “It’s pretty much instilled in the brain. Chuck Berry, Elvis. But, I’m a kid from Generation X, so the Foo Fighters are a big influence, as well as Australian band The Living End.”Zmigrodski got started playing guitar as a child, picking it up after falling in love with the sound. “My uncle Artie played guitar and I thought it was the coolest thing ever when I was a kid. On Sunday mornings he would sit in the kitchen and play Hank Williams and I couldn’t believe what he could do with his hands, never mind how great the sound was,” he says.Zmigrodski was hooked, writing and playing his own music for years before he started writing lyrics at 16. “I have to say lyrics came into the picture once I realized how powerful a story is,” he says. “After I heard Bob Dylan’s song ‘To make you feel my love,’ I realized what words could really do. I thought the lyrics were just so powerful.”So where does the inspiration for his lyrics come from?“I get song ideas from conversations in everyday life, real people. The message that I tried to send with my music is ‘You are not in life alone.’ We want people to forget their troubles for a little while and lets go out and have a good time. And if they come to the show, they will.”And, oh, what a good time it is.Let’s Rock America, a leading site for local New Jersey music describes Matty Z. & The Brawlers as, “An extremely tight, three-piece band that can rock any house.”And rock you they will. Developing a strong following around the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area, fans will tell you about the amazing energy of all three members of the band and even one devoted fan has been quoted as saying, “Look out people, it’s going to blow you away. For those of you who missed seeing them play live…you are denying yourself great music.”
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