Matt Sweeney (born July 2, 1969) is an American musician and record producer best known as a guitarist of

Skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or gi ...

, Chavez, and supergroup Zwan.

Early life and education

Sweeney was born in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. His father was John D. Sweeney, a professor of Medieval English at

Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...

who was also an avid musician. His mother, Katharine Sweeney Hayden, is a federal judge. Sweeney's parents divorced after 20 years of marriage. He has an older brother, Gregory Sweeney, who is a musician who works on the TV show ''

Kitchen Nightmares ''Kitchen Nightmares'', known in the UK as ''Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA'', is an American reality television series originally broadcast on Fox, in which chef Gordon Ramsay is invited by the owners to spend a week with a failing restaurant ...

.'' He grew up in Maplewood and South Orange,

. He attended

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

before dropping out.

Career

Sweeney's high school band

released two albums on Twin/Tone records ("Last American Virgin" in 1989 and the posthumous "Laid", both out of print). In the nineties he recorded and performed as a singer and guitarist with

math rock Math rock is a style of Alternative rock, alternative and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush (band), Rush. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (including irregular stopping and starting), cou ...

band Chavez, releasing a seven-inch ("Repeat the Ending" b/w "Hack the Sides Away") two albums (1995's '' Gone Glimmering'' and 1996's '' Ride the Fader'') and one EP (1995"s ''Pentagram Ring'') on the Matador label. Chavez did several short tours in the United States and Europe between 1994 and 1997. When Chavez slowed down Sweeney filled in on bass guitar for

Guided By Voices Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The most well-known lineup of the band consisted o ...

on the " Under the Bushes, Under the Stars" tour. He also provided vocals on the song "Quicksilver" on Guided By Voices leader

Robert Pollard Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the frontman and leader of indie rock band Guided by Voices, which he also the band’s only constant member. In addition to this, he has also rele ...

's first solo album ''

Not in My Airforce ''Not in My Airforce'' (1996) is the debut solo album by American indie rock musician Robert Pollard, released simultaneously with Tobin Sprout's '' Carnival Boy'', just as the "classic" Guided by Voices lineup was dissolving.Robert Pollardat Dis ...

'' LP. The late '90s found him continuing to work a day job and touring with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy as a guitarist. Sweeney's work has taken him across a variety of musical genres. Starting in 2000 he turned up on

Cat Power Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a solo artist. Born in ...

's '' The Covers Record'', playing guitar on "Salty Dog", and a couple of Bonnie "Prince" Billy singles (percussion on "A Whorehouse Is Any House" and guitar and vocals on "Little Boy Blue"). In 2001 he started playing and writing with

Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, singer, and only constant member of alter ...

and

Jimmy Chamberlin James Joseph Chamberlin (born June 10, 1964) is an American drummer and record producer. Described as "one of the most powerful drummers in rock," he is best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. Following the ...

in what was to become Zwan. He collaborated with Billy Corgan on the soundtrack to the movie '' Spun'', singing the movie's opening song, a cover of Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast". He was also featured as a guitarist and backing vocalist on Bonnie "Prince" Billy's ''Ease Down The Road'' album. He lent a helping hand to

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (; born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He founded the rock band Foo Fighters, of which he is the lead singer, guitarist, principal songwriter, and only consistent member. From 1990 to 1994, he was the drummer of th ...

in assembling the all-star heavy metal album Probot, tracking down the legendary singers and providing some guitar work (the Probot album was not released until 2004, on

Southern Lord Southern Lord is an American heavy metal record label that was founded in 1998 by Greg Anderson. It initially specialized in experimental metal: particularly doom metal, stoner rock, and drone metal. The label later expanded its line-up to i ...

records). Sweeney recorded and toured with Zwan from late 2001–2003. He is credited as providing guitar, vocal, and some songwriting on Zwan's album '' Mary Star of the Sea''. After Zwan's breakup, Sweeney played guitar with Bonnie "Prince" Billy for several tours in 2004. January 2005 saw the release of their collaboration '' Superwolf'' on Drag City. Sweeney and Bonnie toured behind the Superwolf record in the U.S. and Europe. 2005 also saw Sweeney producing heavy metal band Early Man's debut album, '' Closing In''. The following year found Sweeney working in both the country music and hip-hop scenes, providing guitar work, along with Mike Campbell and Smokey Hormel, on the

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

album '' American V: A Hundred Highways'' and appearing with

Yo La Tengo Yo La Tengo (Spanish language, Spanish for "I've got it"; also abbreviated as YLT) is an American indie rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan (guitars, piano, vocals), Georgia Hubley ...

bass player James McNew and Def Jux founder

El-P Jaime Stuart Meline (born March 2, 1975), better known by the stage name El-P (shortened from his previous stage name El Producto), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Starting his career as a member of Company Flow, he has ...

, as guest artists on the first track of rapper

Cage A cage is an enclosure often made of mesh, bars, or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal or person in captivity, capturing an animal or person, and displayi ...

's album '' Hell's Winter''. He also played guitar on the

Dixie Chicks The Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. The band consists of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and Emily Stra ...

' '' Taking the Long Way'' album. In addition, he became a member of apocalyptic Christian folk legends

Current 93 Current 93 are an English experimental music group, founded in 1982 by David Tibet. Much of Current 93's early work was similar to late 1970s and early 1980s industrial music: abrasive tape loops, droning synthesizer noises and Tibet's distorte ...

's touring group, playing shows in Europe in support of the '' Black Ships Ate The Sky'' album. He also recorded with longtime friend Andrew W.K. for W.K.'s '' Close Calls With Brick Walls'' album. In 2007 Sweeney again collaborated with

, this time alongside Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of Mars Volta, on El-P's 2007 album, ''

I'll Sleep When You're Dead ''I'll Sleep When You're Dead'' is the second solo studio album by American hip hop artist El-P. It was released through Definitive Jux on March 20, 2007. It peaked at number 78 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling about 11,000 c ...

''. In early 2009 Sweeney formed The Brill Sisters with Andrew W.K. and producer Don Fleming. They played their first show (without Fleming) at Santos Party House on April 2, 2009. The entire group performed on April 21. In 2016, Sweeney toured with

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

, Josh Homme as well as Matt Helders to support their album '' Post Pop Depression''. In 2024, Sweeney founded the band Hard Quartet.

Production work

Sweeney produced Dax Riggs' album '' We Sing of Only Blood or Love'' in 2007 for Fat Possum records. In late 2007, along with Bonnie 'Prince" Billy, Sweeney produced Baby Dee's debut album for Drag City Records, ''Safe Inside the Day''. The album was released in January 2008. Sweeney is credited for "wry guitar licks" on an album for NYC heavy blues rockers Endless Boogie, called "Focus Level." It is rumored he produced the album as well. He also turned up on the Six Organs of Admittance's LP '' Shelter from the Ash''. In addition, Sweeney has songwriting credit on certain pressings of Cat Power's ''

Jukebox A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that plays a user-selected song from a self-contained media library. Traditional jukeboxes contain records, compact discs, or digital files, and allow user ...

'' album, for "Song to Bobby." He is also credited as an additional guitarist on that album.

Session work

In tune with his many collaborations, an unlikely combination of Sweeney and

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling musicians of all time. He has written and ...

was proposed by seminal producer

Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (, ; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is a co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popularize hip hop by produci ...

in 2008 to follow up Diamond's Rubin-produced 2005 album '' 12 Songs''. The 2008 album '' Home Before Dark'', released on May 12, features Sweeney on all songs. Sweeney also plays guitar on

Kid Rock Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter. After establishing himself in the Music of Detroit#Hip-hop, Detroit hip-hop scene, he broke through into m ...

's 2010 album ''

Born Free ''Born Free'' is a 1966 British drama film starring the real-life couple Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, another real-life couple, who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood and released h ...

''.

YouTube Series

Matt Sweeney is also the host of the web series Guitar Moves created in 2013 in which he interviews many popular guitarists with a focus on showing and teaching their guitar techniques. Sweeney has interviewed prominent guitarists such as

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who is an original member, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-principal songwriter of the Rolling Stones. His songwriting partnership wi ...

(The Rolling Stones), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top),

Dan Auerbach Daniel Quine Auerbach (; born May 14, 1979) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer, best known as the guitarist and vocalist of The Black Keys, a blues rock band from Akron, Ohio. As a member of the group, Auerbach has ...

(The Black Keys), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and many others. The series was produced by Vice's music channel Noisey from 2013 until 2017. Guitar Moves is now run independently of VICE with new episodes being uploaded to YouTube and the Guitar Moves website as of December, 2023.

Discography

Skunk

*''Last American Virgin'' (1989) Twin/Tone *''Laid'' (1990) Twin/Tone

Chavez

*''Gone Glimmering'' (1995)

Matador A bullfighter or matador () is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter, and describe all the performers in the activ ...

*''Ride The Fader'' (1996)

*''Better Days Will Haunt You'' best-of compilation CD/DVD (2006)

*''Repeat the Ending'' EP (1994)

*''Pentagram Ring'' EP (1995)

*''What's Up Matador?'' feat. "Theme from 'For Russ (1995)

*''School House Rock'' feat. "Little Twelve Toes" (1996)

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

*''Boys Making Music, Music Making Men'' Documentary VHS (1996)

*''Cockfighters'' EP (2017)

Zwan

*'' Spun (Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' (2002) *'' Mary Star of The Sea'' (2003)

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

*'' Superwolf'' (2005) Drag City *''I Gave You'' (2005) EP Drag City *''The Seedling Soundtrack'' feat. "Demon Lover" (2006) *''Must Be Blind/Life In Muscle'' (2011) single Drag City *''Superwolves'' (2021) Drag City

Producing

*'' Probot'' – by Probot – executive producer Sweeney (2004)

*'' Closing In'' – by Early Man – produced by Sweeney (2005)

*'' We Sing of Only Blood or Love'' – by Dax Riggs – produced by Sweeney (2007) Fat Possum *'' Safe Inside the Day'' – by Baby Dee – produced by Sweeney with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (2008) Drag City *'' Focus Level'' – by Endless Boogie – uncredited production by Sweeney (2008) No Quarter *''Full House Head'' – by Endless Boogie – uncredited production by Sweeney (2010) No Quarter *''

Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment based on the sex or gender of a victim. It can involve offensive sexist or sexual behavior, verbal or physical actions, up to bribery, coercion, and assault. Harassment may be explicit or implicit, wit ...

'' – by Turbonegro – produced by Sweeney (2012) Volcom Entertainment *''Optimisme'' – by Songhoy Blues – produced by Sweeney (2020)

Transgressive Records Transgressive Records is an independent record label based in London, founded in 2004. Its founders, Tim Dellow and Toby L, first met at a Bloc Party gig organised by Toby's Rockfeedback website. The label's debut release was "1am" by the Su ...

*'' I'll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico'' – "European Son" produced by Sweeney (2021) *''Forgive The City'' – by Country Westerns – produced by Sweeney (2023) Fat Possum

Other collaborations

*'' The Covers Record'' – by

– featuring Sweeney on guitar (2000)

*''Spun'' motion picture soundtrack feat. "Number of the Beast" uncredited w/ William Corgan *''

Ease Down the Road ''Ease Down the Road'' is the seventh studio album by American musician Will Oldham, and the second under his moniker Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. It was released on Palace Records on March 19, 2001. Domino Recording Company also released a UK limit ...

'' – by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy – featuring Sweeney on guitar, vocals (2001)

Palace Records Drag City is an American independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, established in the city in 1989 by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn. It specializes in indie rock, noise rock, psychedelic folk, alternative country, and experimental music. ...

*'' American V: A Hundred Highways'' – by

– featuring Sweeney on guitar (2006) American Recordings *'' Taking the Long Way'' – by The Dixie Chicks – featuring Sweeney on guitar (2006) Columbia *'' Close Calls with Brick Walls'' – by Andrew W.K. – featuring Sweeney on guitar, vocals (2007) Universal Japan *''

'' – by

– featuring Sweeney on guitar (2007) Def Jux *'' Hell's Winter'' – by Cage Kennylz – featuring Sweeney on guitar (2005) Def Jux *'' Home Before Dark'' – by

– featuring Sweeney on guitar (2008) American Recordings *'' Shelter from the Ash'' – by Six Organs of Admittance – featuring Sweeney on guitar (2008) Drag City *''

'' – by

– featuring Sweeney's guitar on "Song to Bobby" (2008)

*''Birth Canal Blues Live'' – by

– featuring Sweeney on guitar (2008) Durtro *'' Leaving on a Mayday'' – by

Anna Ternheim Anna Ternheim (born 31 May 1978) is a Swedish singer-songwriter. Early life Ternheim was born 31 May 1978 in Stockholm, Sweden. When she was 10 years old she began playing the guitar, writing songs and performing. During a year abroad in Atlant ...

– featuring Sweeney on guitar on "Terrified", "Losing You", "Off the Road" and "Black Sunday Afternoon" (2008) Universal *'' Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain'' – by

– featuring Sweeney on guitar (2009) Durtro *'' Cherish the Light Years'' – by Cold Cave – featuring Sweeney on bass guitar on "The Great Pan is Dead" (2011)

*'' 21'' – by

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (; born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. Regarded as a British cultural icon, icon, she is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. List of awards and nominations received by Adele, ...

(2011) XL *''

Run the Jewels Run the Jewels, also known by the initials RTJ, is an American hip-hop Supergroup (music), superduo, composed of Brooklyn-based rapper and producer El-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike. They released their critically acclaimed Run the Jewe ...

'' – by

– additional guitar on "No Come Down" (2013)

Fool's Gold The mineral pyrite ( ), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Iron, FeSulfur, S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic Lustre (mineralogy), lu ...

*'' Shangri La'' – by

Jake Bugg Jake Bugg (born Jake Edwin Charles Kennedy on 28 February 1994) is an English singer-songwriter. His self-titled debut album, ''Jake Bugg (album), Jake Bugg'', some of which was co-written with songwriter Iain Archer, was released in October 20 ...

– Rhythm Guitar on all tracks (2013) Mercury (UK)/Island (U.S.) *'' Run the Jewels 2'' – by

– additional guitar on "All My Life" (2014) Mass Appeal * ''False, True, Love'' – 2014 Whitney Biennial short film with Emily Sundblad, Sweeney, and Mariko Munro that features a cover version of the

Shirley Collins Shirley Elizabeth Collins MBE (born 5 July 1935) is an English folk singer who was a significant contributor to the British Folk Revival of the 1960s and 1970s. She often performed and recorded with her sister Dolly, whose accompaniment on ...

song "False True Love" * "Emmar" by

Tinariwen Tinariwen (Tamasheq language, Tamasheq: ; with vowels ; plural of ténéré meaning "desert") is a collective of Tuareg people, Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region of southern Algeria and of northern Mali, in the region of Azawad. Considered ...

(2014) guitar * "Zipper Down" by Eagles of Death Metal (2015) additional guitar * "Digging for Windows" by

Zack de la Rocha Zacharias Manuel de la Rocha (born January 12, 1970) is an American musician, rapper, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Rage Against the Machine. Through both Rage Against ...

(2016) additional guitar * '' Elwan'' by

(2017) additional guitar * "Vols. 11 & 12" for The Desert Sessions (2019) * '' Traditional Techniques'' by Stephen Malkmus (2020) * '' RTJ4'' – by

– additional vocals, performer, and guitar on "A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)" * '' I'll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico'' – bass guitar and electric guitars on "European Son" with

(2021) *'' Blind Date Party'' — by Bill Callahan &

Bonnie "Prince" Billy Joseph Will Oldham (born January 15, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded in collaboration with dozens of other musicians under variations of Palace (Palace, Palace Brothers, Palace Son ...

— additional guitar on "OD'd in Denver" (2021) Drag City *''The Music Of Red Dead Redemption 2: The Housebuilding EP'' — with David Ferguson (2021)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sweeney, Matt American male singers Living people Drag City (record label) artists Zwan members Guitarists from New Jersey American male guitarists Chavez (band) members 1969 births