(The below is a true, if somewhat silly, account of some important plot points within my life story.)
Matt was born on May 8th of 1969 in Hollywood, CA. His first few years were spent in the arms of one of two women…his mother, and her best friend Sherrie. (Between the two of them, his feet never touched the ground until his 5th birthday.) Young Matt could not pronounce “Sherrie”, so she became “Aunt Teddie”, and the name remains to this day.
(Aunt Teddie – You were there the day I was born, and a vital presence ever since. Thank you for Israel, Rome, Paris, and your unconditional love.)
At the age of 5, Matt’s family moved to the sweltering summer heat of the San Fernando Valley, along with newborn sister Roslyn and Iggy, the family cat. (Which his father “accidentally” left behind before Matt insisted they go back for him).
(Roslyn – you remain my younger but always wiser and much adored sibling. My love for your family [John/Cate/Becca/Mackie/Kingston] is boundless.)
When he first saw “Star Wars” in 1977, it forever changed his life…and nearly bankrupted his father by demanding every action figure and space vehicle that Kenner Toys ever produced. With the release of the Mattel “Intellivision” in 1979, Matt’s interest in video games (and later, computers) was born.
(Dad – I know I never took the path more easily traveled. Thanks for your generous love, support, and wisdom…always. It has guided me to success.)
Matt’s parents first introduced him to music by bringing home a Wurlitzer organ from Sears when he was 7. He took lessons, but never learned proper piano technique because playing the organ is not the same thing. Matt spent countless hours in his youth playing with his organ… Wait, what?! Nevermind.
Matt grew bored with the tedium of organ lessons, began learning to play music “by ear”, and wrote one of his first songs called “Keep On Dreaming” at age 12. Clocking in at nearly 6 & 1/2 minutes long, it makes Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” seem like a shorty little ditty by comparison.
He grew up “a nice Jewish boy”, attending Hebrew school 3 days a week to prep for his Bar Mitzvah. He became a man in ’82 at the age of 13 by reading from the Torah (though he’d not yet kissed a girl).
(Aunt Beverly & Uncle Bob – I sadly send you this posthumous thank you. Your love of education and being part of the Jewish community was immensely important to me in my youth. You are both missed.)
Around the same time, Matt met 3 amazing guys in Jr. High who would start a short-lived band called “5 O’Clock Shadow” – despite most of them not yet needing to shave. Like many bands of the ’80s, they partied hard (lots of RC Cola and Hebrew National Salami) and eventually split apart. But they remain life-long friends.
(Brian, Doug, and Ross – I can never fully express the joy our shared love of music and brotherhood brought to my teen years…and continues today.)
The biggest “fork in the road” moment for Matt’s life was when his father brought home an Apple //e computer in 1984. He used it constantly to play games, write school reports, dabble in BASIC programming, and to learn how computers ticked. (No one knew how important this would be later.)
(Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak – From Apple //e, to Mac, to iPhone and beyond…your brilliant ingenuity altered the course of my life. True visionaries.)
In 1987, Matt started a 24-line BBS (bulletin board system) from his home. Phone wires and dial-up modems everywhere, he ran it profitably for over 7 years…but then a little thing called “The Internet” came about, and the BBS world quickly died off.
(It was one of many poor decisions and missed opportunities in Matt’s early life, including an absolutely awful mustache that he sported well past its acceptable lifespan.)
In November of 1992, Matt was best man at the wedding of his father and the lady he’s called “Mom” for the past 30+ years. She legally adopted Matt & Roz in 2011, so they are all stuck with each other now.
(Judy-Mom – You always say you “love me like you gave birth to me”. I love you back, and thank you for being the mother-figure in my complex life.)
After two failed attempts at college (like organ lessons, boring!), Matt got a job working for an Internet provider called PacificNet in the summer of 1994. Managing their tech support team and written documentation, he later became head of special projects. After giving PacificNet 7+ years of his life, he was unceremoniously let go the day after he moved to NY. *a sad violin begins to play*
(That fateful day was September 1st of 2001. – Arriving 2 weeks before 9/11 changed the world.)
Having always been adept in the arena of technology, he resolved to become his own boss and no longer be in a position to be let go by anyone. Summer of 2002 he met his first New York client, who became his biggest advocate by publishing his info on the NYU PostDoc forum. This led to a quite successful 20+ year business.
(Luz, my mentor and dear friend – I owe my entire professional career in NY to you. I extend my deepest gratitude and love for your faith in me.)
(Insert a variety of disasters & triumphs, dreams & nightmares, in the love arena over 30+ years.)
On October 14th of 2019 (at the age of 50), he reached the pinnacle of his life thus far – the birth of his daughter, Ruby Claire. Granting him the official title of “Father”, his whole world was both upended and rejuvenated by this new arrival. She remains his greatest treasure at almost age 4.
(Ruby – You can’t even read this yet…but one day you will. I hope you always remember that you are the greatest triumph of my life, and the best part of me. You have eternally changed me for the better.)
As the world went crazy during the COVID-19 years, the advent of re-connecting to people via Zoom led to “5 O’Clock Shadow” getting back together in 2022 for their “farewell tour” – writing one final song together, called “Play It Again”, after 35 years. Watch it here, if you dare:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNj_zFWOTn0
Now in 2023, Matt remains dedicated to both his daughter and his many clients. There are certain similarities at times (involving high expectations and sometimes tears), which he navigates bravely.
And when things are quiet and he feels the spark of inspiration, he continues to write new music.
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Thanks for stumbling upon my site. May you enjoy both my silly humor and my music. Best to you all!
