Matt Joe Gow

Matt Joe Gow

Matt Joe Gow is a folk-rock, country and roots rock artist from Auckland, Australia. He grows up in Dunedin, New Zealand, and his songwriting is shaped by country music themes of land and elemental force, alongside the independent music culture of Dunedin. He begins piano lessons at an early age, later switching to guitar in his teens.

Early development

As a young musician, he sings and plays in various bands while listening to artists including Grant Lee Buffalo, Whiskeytown, Neil Finn and Dave Dobbyn. He then travels with a round-the-world ticket through Asia, Europe and North America, spending evenings playing and writing material as he works on developing his own sound.

First recordings and Tearlighter

After about three years playing in bars and clubs around the world, he forms a band in Vancouver, Canada called Tearlighter. The band’s EP The Truth This Winter receives national airplay. After a year of shows in Canada, he moves to England to record an album of his own.

Solo work

He records his debut solo EP, Bullet, in August 2005. The release contains five songs written within a week and presents a raw sound that matches his live performance style, with lyrics reflecting his time overseas. He later relocates to Melbourne, Australia, where he continues developing new material. Two years after the first EP, he completes another record at Woodstock Studios and at home. This recording features an eight-piece studio band including members of Augie March and other Melbourne musicians, and it presents a fuller country-influenced sound.