Matt Hayes

Director / Guitar & Bass Teacher

Matt has been surrounded by music since the day he was born, following his Dads music career throughout the 80’s and 90’s with various rock bands, and thus started to learn the guitar at 15.

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During the next few years Randy & The Rockets was created, and Matt was asked to be their bass player. Having only learned the guitar so far, he spent the next six months practising and the rest, as they say, is history.

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Randy & The Rockets have continued to gig ever since, with Matt as their bassist, rhythm guitarist, vocalist and keyboard player.

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For the next 14 years Matt also focused on his career as a graphic designer, working for global companies such as Aston Martin, Harry Potter, Nestle, Porsche and the BBC.

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It was during this time he met and bonded over music with Martin Mickels, and so began a long musical partnership, leading on to many different projects i.e. stadium rock covers bands Blacksnake, Saints n Sinners and original music for their bands Crysys and Empire Kill.

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Realising that music was his true passion; he left the corporate world to join a local music shop Uptempo, as their Manager, and guitar/bass teacher. Whilst at UpTempo, Matt toured with international band Esoterica, and played with Reckless Ambition (now, recently signed, Saltlake) and DJ’d at some of the South East’s biggest rock venues.

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In 2009 an opportunity arose to begin his own business, Idol Hands Music & Design Ltd, providing music lessons for guitar, bass, vocals, piano, drums and music production. Shortly after setting up the music lessons, Matt went on to include a professional recording, photography and design studio, with clients such as comedian and actor Neil Mullarkey, Rolling Thunder and celebrity chef Patrick Williams.

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Over the years various other projects came along, including creating The Burning Heart Festival, recording and producing for The Bear And The Bird’s debut album, co-founding mutli-genre record label Mostar Records, and originals duo LickSpittle with Luke Manning.

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Bands on the label have included The Riot Tapes, Matt and Luke’s very own alternative outfit LickSpittle (who reached #1 with their second single Lush Hound in Palembang, Indonesia in August 2011), US band Dangerous Idiots and former Queens of the Stone Age, Stewart Copeland, Martina Topley-Bird and Tricky collaborators The Future Shape of Sound.

Luke and Matt continue to write for LickSpittle with a debut album in the pipeline, coming soon.

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As well as gigging and teaching, Matt and Martin have run regular, massively successful open mic nights in and around the local area, giving and encouraging local talents of all ages and abilities, an opportunity to perform live.

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If you would like to book guitar or bass lessons with Matt, studio time or any graphic design work, please email enquiries@idolhands.net

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More recently Matt started the charity Clockwork, based in the same building as Idol Hands, which helps young adults with depression and anxiety.

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Clockwork