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Matt Freeman
Roger Matthew Freeman, also known as Matt McCall, (born April 23, 1966) is an American musician best known as the bassist of punk rock band Rancid. After forming several bands with guitarist and vocalist Tim Armstrong in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including ska-punk pioneers Operation Ivy, he and Armstrong formed Rancid with drummer Brett Reed. The band's success helped revive mainstream interest in punk, and they have released ten albums since their formation. Freeman has several side projects as well, including Devil's Brigade, in which Freeman sings lead vocals and plays bass. Freeman's style is characterized by aggressive walking lines and fills, typically played on a Fender Precision Bass.
With Freeman on bass, Rancid is known for combining "high-energy punk with the infectious, quick-time bounce of second-wave ska". Freeman plays a fast-paced style, characterized by "aggressive walking lines and monstrous flatpicked fills", as opposed to mostly playing root notes like many punk bass players. Freeman began playing music at the age of seven, taking lessons and learning to read sheet music while playing in his high school jazz band. The Who's Live at Leeds inspired him to take up the bass, and he credits the Specials with turning him on to ska. Freeman also cited John Doe of X as an influence. For his playing in Rancid and other bands, Guitar World dubbed him "one of punk's most iconic bassists".
Although Armstrong and Frederiksen are the principal singers in Rancid, Freeman has taken the lead vocal duties in a number of gritty sounding songs through the years, including the songs "Black and Blue", "Rigged on a Fix", "Black Derby Jacket", "Tenderloin" and, "L.A. River". He is known for possessing a deep and raspy singing voice. Freeman was also the primary co-lead vocal for the first Rancid album, before Frederiksen joined the band, with his role subsequently being reduced by choice.
Freeman's main bass is a 1977 Fender Precision he purchased for $400 in 1984. He generally prefers his instruments to be "players", rather than collector's pieces, because such basses are cheaper and more worn-in. Freeman owns multiple basses made in the mid to late-1970s: a Precision Bass from 1974 (and another from 1966), 1977 editions of the Fender Jazz Bass and Rickenbacker 4003, and a 1978 Music Man StingRay. When writing songs, Freeman and Armstrong typically use acoustic instruments. For this, Freeman favors a Guild B-50 acoustic bass. He plays through an Ampeg B-15N amplifier for practices, but as it "does not like pedals", he also uses a Fender Bassman 100T head with a 1x15 cabinet.
In May 1987, Freeman and Armstrong formed the band Operation Ivy. After Operation Ivy broke up in May 1989, they formed a new band, Downfall, which included all but one member of Operation Ivy and two additional members. Downfall recorded a 10-song album which has never been released, then broke up. Freeman and Armstrong next formed Generator, who played a number of shows, but are not known to have recorded anything. After that, Freeman played with the political punk band MDC for about a year.
After Operation Ivy, Freeman and Armstrong formed the ska band the Dance Hall Crashers, but they left the band shortly after its formation. The band went on to become moderately successful throughout the 90s.
He joined MDC in 1990, completing one US and one European tour and playing bass on their 1991 release Millions Of Dead Cops II: Hey Cop! If I Had A Face Like Yours.... The lineup for this version of the band consisted of Freeman, original singer Dave Dictor, original drummer Al Schvitz and guitarist Bill Collins, formerly of Fang, Special Forces and Intensified Chaos.
He joined the Gr'ups in 1991. In 1992, Freeman and Armstrong recruited drummer Brett Reed and formed Rancid. Rancid is his most successful band yet. He considered Rancid a side project until Armstrong had proved to him that he had his alcoholism under control. Guitarist Lars Frederiksen joined the band later in 1993. The band released their tenth album, Tomorrow Never Comes, in June 2023. Their partnership has continued with Freeman contributing basslines to selected tracks by the Transplants, one of Armstrong's side projects.
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Matt Freeman
Roger Matthew Freeman, also known as Matt McCall, (born April 23, 1966) is an American musician best known as the bassist of punk rock band Rancid. After forming several bands with guitarist and vocalist Tim Armstrong in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including ska-punk pioneers Operation Ivy, he and Armstrong formed Rancid with drummer Brett Reed. The band's success helped revive mainstream interest in punk, and they have released ten albums since their formation. Freeman has several side projects as well, including Devil's Brigade, in which Freeman sings lead vocals and plays bass. Freeman's style is characterized by aggressive walking lines and fills, typically played on a Fender Precision Bass.
With Freeman on bass, Rancid is known for combining "high-energy punk with the infectious, quick-time bounce of second-wave ska". Freeman plays a fast-paced style, characterized by "aggressive walking lines and monstrous flatpicked fills", as opposed to mostly playing root notes like many punk bass players. Freeman began playing music at the age of seven, taking lessons and learning to read sheet music while playing in his high school jazz band. The Who's Live at Leeds inspired him to take up the bass, and he credits the Specials with turning him on to ska. Freeman also cited John Doe of X as an influence. For his playing in Rancid and other bands, Guitar World dubbed him "one of punk's most iconic bassists".
Although Armstrong and Frederiksen are the principal singers in Rancid, Freeman has taken the lead vocal duties in a number of gritty sounding songs through the years, including the songs "Black and Blue", "Rigged on a Fix", "Black Derby Jacket", "Tenderloin" and, "L.A. River". He is known for possessing a deep and raspy singing voice. Freeman was also the primary co-lead vocal for the first Rancid album, before Frederiksen joined the band, with his role subsequently being reduced by choice.
Freeman's main bass is a 1977 Fender Precision he purchased for $400 in 1984. He generally prefers his instruments to be "players", rather than collector's pieces, because such basses are cheaper and more worn-in. Freeman owns multiple basses made in the mid to late-1970s: a Precision Bass from 1974 (and another from 1966), 1977 editions of the Fender Jazz Bass and Rickenbacker 4003, and a 1978 Music Man StingRay. When writing songs, Freeman and Armstrong typically use acoustic instruments. For this, Freeman favors a Guild B-50 acoustic bass. He plays through an Ampeg B-15N amplifier for practices, but as it "does not like pedals", he also uses a Fender Bassman 100T head with a 1x15 cabinet.
In May 1987, Freeman and Armstrong formed the band Operation Ivy. After Operation Ivy broke up in May 1989, they formed a new band, Downfall, which included all but one member of Operation Ivy and two additional members. Downfall recorded a 10-song album which has never been released, then broke up. Freeman and Armstrong next formed Generator, who played a number of shows, but are not known to have recorded anything. After that, Freeman played with the political punk band MDC for about a year.
After Operation Ivy, Freeman and Armstrong formed the ska band the Dance Hall Crashers, but they left the band shortly after its formation. The band went on to become moderately successful throughout the 90s.
He joined MDC in 1990, completing one US and one European tour and playing bass on their 1991 release Millions Of Dead Cops II: Hey Cop! If I Had A Face Like Yours.... The lineup for this version of the band consisted of Freeman, original singer Dave Dictor, original drummer Al Schvitz and guitarist Bill Collins, formerly of Fang, Special Forces and Intensified Chaos.
He joined the Gr'ups in 1991. In 1992, Freeman and Armstrong recruited drummer Brett Reed and formed Rancid. Rancid is his most successful band yet. He considered Rancid a side project until Armstrong had proved to him that he had his alcoholism under control. Guitarist Lars Frederiksen joined the band later in 1993. The band released their tenth album, Tomorrow Never Comes, in June 2023. Their partnership has continued with Freeman contributing basslines to selected tracks by the Transplants, one of Armstrong's side projects.