Eric Matthews

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For the television character on Boy Meets World, see Eric Matthews (Boy Meets World).

Eric Matthews (composer, musician, recording artist, record producer)

Born in 1969 in Compton, California. Eric came to the world's attention as one half of the band "Cardinal." Cardinal was formed with Australia's Richard Davies in 1992 while the two both lived in Boston, MA. Cardinal introduced Eric as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger while Richard contributed most of the songwriting. Cardinal, while not a huge commercial success, made a big splash among sophisticated music fans in most of the West's big cities and with its 1994 self titled debut cemented itself as one of the pivotal bands of the 1990's. Eric’s love of the symphonic tradition matched with his appreciation for the great Bee Gees and Beatles records of the 1960’s were both a great blend for Cardinal as well as a template for what Eric hoped to achieve in his own music later.

Richard and Eric went separate ways, and in 1995 Eric released his debut solo record on Sub Pop Records in 1995. "It's Heavy In Here" featured the radio hit FANFARE and went on to be a top seller for Sub Pop and one of the most talked about albums of 1995. In 1997 the follow-up album "The Lateness of the Hour" was released on Sub Pop and, while it did not sell as well, was filled with more demonstration of Eric's ability to weave orchestral instruments with more traditional rock stylings.

Eric and Sub Pop parted ways in 1999, and Eric began a steady stream of projects (as side-man) with such groups as Tahiti 80, The Dandy Warhols, Ivy, Man of the Year, Elliot Smith, Paula Kelly, Pugwash, Volovan, and Bug 2000.

In 2004 Eric began a relationship with Empyrean Records for the purpose of the long awaited re-issue of the Cardinal record. Out of this project grew the opportunity for Eric to begin making new records again under the Empyrean label.

In 2005 Eric released his third solo record, entitled "Six Kinds of Passion Looking For An Exit," and in 2006 another album entitled "Foundation Sounds." In the summer of 2006, Eric announced that he had formed, with an unknown Ohio native, a new instrumental recording band called Seinking Ships.

Collaborations/Guest musicians include: Richard Davies, Jason Falkner, Spookey Ruben, Elliot Smith, Gregg Williams, Tony Lash, Christopher Seink, Mark Eitzel, Lou Barlow, Bob Fay, and Steven Hanford.