Matto
Singer-guitarist, Kitty Little, To Hell and Back

What did you want to be when you grew up? Extremely misquoted by Metroland.

What’s your favorite album of all time? Everything by Minor Threat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Pixies . . .

What was your first live concert experience? Local hardcore shows around 1990. The first couple of shows I went to I don’t really know who played because I was too scared to go in. Plus my mother was there.

What’s the first album you bought? Run-DMC Raising Hell—RIP Jam Master Jay.

What’s your guiltiest musical pleasure? Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Who would be in your dream band? All the guys from Creed, Korn, Limp Bizkit, with George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, John Ashcroft playing a marathon version of “Sweet Home Alabama” on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Then suddenly the studio is attacked by a stealth bomber piloted by a crazed John Tesh. All are lost in the tragic event.

Who’s your dream groupie? Groupies? It sounds so dirty. I’m not that kind of a boy. I’m nice.

What’s the best thing about the area’s music scene? All the great bands and people that make this town what it is. Diversity, lots of diversity.

What’s the worst thing about the area’s music scene? Lack of unity. Lack of quality spaces to play.

I can’t imagine living without . . . Cookies.

Most people don’t know that I’m actually . . . Not Matt Loiacono.

Matthew Loiacono
Multi-instrumentalist, the Kamikaze Hearts

What did you want to be when you grew up? I thought that the world was going to end before I finished high school. Somewhat problematic for future “plans.” Sometimes, I can’t believe we’re still here.

What’s your favorite album of all time? The album that has been with me the longest is R.E.M.’s Fables of the Reconstruction.

What was your first live concert experience? The first concert that affected me enough to remember was the Bobby Watson Quintet with Victor Lewis on drums at Skidmore College sometime in the early to mid-’90s. The show was part of the Skidmore Summer Jazz program. I can still see Victor’s solid stone eyes, staring down the audience as he threw down the fastest, baddest drumming I’d ever seen. Everything was different from then on.

What’s the first album you bought? Sesame Street Christmas on cassette? Air Supply’s Greatest Hits? Bruce Hornsby?

What’s your guiltiest musical pleasure? (Note: this isn’t “guilty” to me) “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely”—Backstreet Boys; “Animal”—Def Leppard; “Electric Blue”—Ice House; etc. etc.

Who would be in your dream band? Lock the Emerson String Quartet in a room with Tom Burre composing while Sarah Paul leads a choir over the “neo”-genius of George Muscatello (on the Leaf Blower); Brian Blade would be on one side of the room handling rhythmic texture, with Jim Black on the other side handing down the bombast and, lest I forget, the Jersey Band horns—maybe the whole Jersey Band?

Who’s your dream groupie? I stopped dreaming when I realized that the world was going to end.

What’s the best thing about the area’s music scene? Matto Laque + countless others who continue to bring local gems together for amazing shows. I’m constantly amazed by incredible new groups and the progression of existing units. My favorite things about the music in the area are the extremely low pretension level and the purity of inspiration and ideas.

What’s the worst thing about the area’s music scene? The aesthetics of most local “venues.” Can we blame nonmusicians for not wanting to check out new music?

I can’t imagine living without . . . new instruments to stumble upon.

Most people don’t know . . . that I prefer being called “Matthew” instead of “Matt.”

BREAKING AWAY: Former Small Axe bassist Jimbo Burton unveils his new project, Blackloud, at Caffe Lena on Wednesday (7 PM, $5). Burton will be playing two sets of approximately a dozen songs each, a few of them from his impressive Octave Drops/Bad Sounds double CD, but the remainder of them unrecorded and unreleased. Expect some electronics, some bass, some guitar and lots of vocals in this solo performance—but don’t expect something that sounds like a Small Axe clone, as Burton’s songwriting muse takes him in a variety of stylistic and lyrical directions different from those he pursued with his former band. See www.blackloud.com for more news and to sample some of Burton’s new compositions and recordings.

RUMORS OF THEIR DEMISE ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED: And speaking of Small Axe, despite rumors to the contrary, the group are not breaking up following Burton’s departure. Guitarist-vocalist D.J. Miller and drummer Thom Hall played a show at the Lark Tavern a couple of weeks back as a two-piece, and are taking their time figuring out what the future holds—and who might ultimately anchor the bass position in the band. Bear in mind, though, that when founding drummer Dave Burton left the band, it took ‘em nearly a year to land Hall . . . so this could be a slow evolutionary process. Keep up with the band at www.smallaxe music.com.