THE STORY OF MATT WALUS
Lead Vocals

I often dream…dream of fuzzy, little people with tiny, soprano voices that giggle and cackle like a symphony of helium-toking pigeons…and there's pickles…pickles everywhere! Little, fuzzy people throwing pickles and cackling…and I'm naked. No, I've never used drugs.

I got my start in this fascinating industry about 6 years ago when I started a college cover band called Kodiak Jack. We had the 12-bar rock/blues thing down pat as we took our pieced-together PA system to frat row for nights of excessive drinking and musical fornication. After college I joined a half cover/half original group aptly named Caught Naked. We hit the Chicago scene pretty hard for about 3 years until we fizzled out. Hey at least we went out on bottom…wait that's bad. Damn.

So after a nice long hiatus from music, late 2001 rolls around and the stir-craziness sets in. Every time I walked past one of my stored PA cabinets it said in a whispery, dreamlike manner, "I'm going to murder you in your sleep if you don't use me again." So out of paranoia and subconscious fear, Huxter was formed from a series of jam sessions and later became the high-strung, musical anomaly you see today. I'm proud to report the voices have ceased too…

So about me…I love the blues and a lot of the early rock that evolved from it. I guess that's where you can say I've drawn a lot of my influence. The canned crap on the radio today merely pisses me off. About the only "pop-culture-friendly" singers I give a damn about are Brandon Boyd of Incubus and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Since Huxter began, though, I've been busy sowing my musical oats. I've been dabbling in the underground jazz, R&B genres opening my mind…Open Wiiiiiiiiiiiiide!

My philosophy has been to keep it simple, straightforward and tell a story. Combine that edge with the excellent musicians surrounding me and WHAMMO! Gold was struck. People tell me my voice doesn't really mimic anybody they know although I'm proud to report I've had comparisons to both Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdink. YEAH BABY!!! I'm on my way! Seriously, I love the fact that my vocals are unique, that this band is unique and that we're making noise in the Chicago area. Don't follow the crowd…Blaze your own f&*@in' trail! Come see a Huxter show or forever hold your peace.

Send Matt an email at matt@huxterband.com (NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVE)>.