Mystery Jets adds Matt Park on Pedal Steel

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Apr 2012 11:53 am

It's sort of the last place you'd expect to hear pedal steel, but why not! The English rock band Mystery Jets has added pedal steel to their lineup. The player's name is Matt Park. He's not a Forum member (I checked).

I listened to some samples of their music on Amazon.com and, while it's not the kind of music I'd buy, it shows a lot of talent and high production standards. The sound of a good pedal steel will fit right in.

Chris Tweed · Post by **Chris Tweed** » 11 Apr 2012 12:18 pm

I'm just about to go out the door to see them playing tonight in Cardiff!

Matt has put me on the guest list. I'll report back.

Chris

Malcolm McMaster · Post by **Malcolm McMaster** » 11 Apr 2012 1:49 pm

b0b , Matt is a member of the British Steelies Society and recently posted on there that he would be going on tour in USA/Japan/Europe and was asking if anyone in these countries hired out steels to touring artists. I advised him to post on your forum (not knowing he was not a member) will advise him to join.

Chris Tweed · Post by **Chris Tweed** » 11 Apr 2012 3:32 pm

Well, I'm pleased to say Matt and the Mystery Jets did not disappoint. Great show and Matt's steel playing complemented the music perfectly. Lovely tone off his Sho-Bud LDG. Good to see and hear a steel player live stretching the boundaries for the instrument.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Apr 2012 3:56 pm

Unbelievably fast feedback! Thanks, Brits!

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 12 Apr 2012 1:58 am

For sure Matt Park is a guy to look out for in the future

I found him the Cherry LDG and he came to my place once for some "help to get him started" Well, my brain was sucked dry in about an hour!! and he was gonna come back for some more "help" but in the meantime he has been so busy with tours and sessions I have not seen him.... For a guy thats never played steel, he has taken to it like a duck to water. the "Mystery Jets" are lined up for a massive tour of the USA with, I think a gig in tokyo somewhere in the middle of it... not my kind of music either but sure keeping steel guitar alive....

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 12 Apr 2012 2:26 am

This is exactly the kind of exposure we need for our instrument. Like Chrissie Hynde and the pretenders, These guys are introducing the steel to their audiences, which will in turn inspire new players.

In my opinion, the infusion of the steel into rock music is one of the best things that has happened to our instrument in a long time.

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 23 Apr 2012 1:49 am

Hey guys, thanks for your kind words..i've been meaning to get on here for a while and i finally got round to it so HELLO!!!! Thanks to bOb for posting about me...i'll be over in the US on tour with Mystery Jets june/july. If you want to come and say hi at one of our shows let me know and i'll put you on the list..

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 23 Apr 2012 7:17 am

b0b , Matt is a member of the British Steelies Society and recently posted on there that he would be going on tour in USA/Japan/Europe and was asking if anyone in these countries hired out steels to touring artists.

Matt, do you not want to have to carry one, or pay the extra baggage?

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 23 Apr 2012 7:44 am

Hey Barry..good to meet you..i've managed to get the weight of mine down so that i can fly it..why?? what are you thinking?

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 23 Apr 2012 11:53 am

Hi Matt. I fixed the spelling of your name in the title of this post. Sorry about that.

Also, I'm wondering how you made so many posts in such a short time!

Seriously, this looks like a major bug in the program. I gotta track it down.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 23 Apr 2012 12:52 pm

Hey Barry..good to meet you..i've managed to get the weight of mine down so that i can fly it..why?? what are you thinking?

Not thinking anything surreptitious Matt, just wondering why you would want to rent steels when you have your own. Maybe to save wear and tear?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 23 Apr 2012 6:12 pm

16777212=0xfffffc

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 23 Apr 2012 6:14 pm

Earnest Bovine wrote:16777212=0xfffffc

111111111111111111111100

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 24 Apr 2012 2:42 pm

Hey bOb, no idea how that happened..erm..
And Barry, i would love to save on wear and tear but there is nothing like playing your own steel..i've tried a few others and they all feel real strange at first so having a different one every night will no doubt have its problems..

I'm gonna take Cherie with me

Christopher Hillman · Post by **Christopher Hillman** » 25 Apr 2012 7:29 am

Hi Matt, just noticed it looks like were playing the same festival in Oxford (Truck Festival) in July. Hopefully get to say Hi, its always nice to meet another steel player in the U.K.!

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 25 Apr 2012 8:42 am

Mike Perlowin wrote:This is exactly the kind of exposure we need for our instrument. Like Chrissie Hynde and the pretenders, These guys are introducing the steel to their audiences, which will in turn inspire new players.

In my opinion, the infusion of the steel into rock music is one of the best things that has happened to our instrument in a long time.

Gives rock music a little much-needed class,too!

Gus York · Post by **Gus York** » 25 Apr 2012 12:25 pm

Hi Matt- Welcome to the fold-I was looking forward to hearing your playing with Mystery Jets and clocked in to the samples tracks, but-No steel? Had you actually
joined when these tracks were laid down?

The only way forward for this instrument is to get it used in as many genres as possible, especially in young 'rock' music. 'Newbies' to the PSG are not going to want to play 'old timey' country stuff! Looking back (a long way) although it was country music that got me playing this instrument, I soon wanted more scope,and doing sessions gave me that range of interest, from rock to MoR to raggae!
Hope your journey with the PSG is as interesting as mine has been-and still is!

A friend of mine plays PSG with a band over here in the UK- They are all in their 20's- he is 70+!?! See-no young steel players about-SAD! The band is 'Count to Fire'-watch out for them, great original stuff !

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 25 Apr 2012 12:50 pm

16777212=0xfffffc

or -4?

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 26 Apr 2012 11:41 am

Hey Chris, yes, i will be at truck fest..who are you playing with??

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 26 Apr 2012 11:44 am

Hey Gus, thank you, I feel welcomed..
I actually put steel down on the new mystery jets record in december...
the tracks with steel on are called 'lonestar' and the title track 'radlands'

I believe you can download the entire album pre release now so have a listen if you can...i'm not sure where it is so you may have to do some digging.

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 26 Apr 2012 11:45 am

Dave, all songs should have pedal steel on them!!!!

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 26 Apr 2012 12:04 pm

Here's the site that's streaming..

http://www.nme.com/news/mystery-jets/63403

Listening now.. whether it's your 'style' or not, this is a very musical band IMO, talented guys. I like..

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 27 Apr 2012 7:40 am

Cheers Bill, and thanks for putting up the link.
They actually recorded a lot of the album in Austin so I'm glad you like it

Matt Park · Post by **Matt Park** » 28 Apr 2012 4:04 am

And just for the record i LOVE that 'old timey' country stuff...all i listen to is '96.3 kswg real country' out of wickenberg AZ...that station rules!!!