Bands > The Matches > Biography

Oakland natives, The Matches, began their musical legacy as "The Locals" in 1997. The line-up included Matt Whalen (drums), Shawn Harris (guitar/ vocals), Justin San Souci (bass), and Matt Esposito (guitar). Esposito was eventually replaced by guitarist Jon Devoto and the band's line-up solidified. The name "The Matches" was adopted around 2004 when Yvonne Doll, front woman of Chicago band "The Locals", asked the band to change their name due to copyright infringement. This inspired the title of the Matches' first official album E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals which was self-released in 2004. The band signed to Epitaph records in 2004 and re-released the record. Since the band's conception, The Matches have been pioneering a new genre of music, "melodic punk-rock". The band enlisted the help of nine different producers including Mark Hoppus and John Feldman, for their 2006 LP, Decomposer. Matches fans are never left to wait very long for new music, the most recent album A Band In Hope was released in March 2008. All three albums exemplify the band's musical diversity and Harris' lyrical ingenuity. Alhough they are not returning to the Vans Warped Tour after a three year run, the band will continue to tour throughout 2008. The Matches are a band for fans of everything from old-school punk, to musical theatre, ska, waltzes, and glam rock. Monotony and mediocrity will never be words in the Matches' vocabulary; they are well on their way to achieving their goal of writing the greatest rock song of all time.

[Biography written by Sarah.]