Matt
Woods and The ThunderboltsCD Review Lightning has struck
again. The self-titled and much-anticipated follow-up to Matt
Woods and the Thunderbolts’ widely lauded 2007 release, "Be My
Friend," became available last week to the delight of Central
Iowa blues fans who have been clamoring for new music from
guitarist/vocalist Matt Woods....
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Something old, something new:Award-winner Woods brings traditional
blues to Iowans Blues is an old man's game, but it's the
fresh-faced Matt Woods who holds court at the state's watering
holes. The 30-year-old has been crowned an Iowa Blues Challenge
winner twice - in 2006 with the Bad Luck City duo, and in 2007
as part of Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts. The latter group
will release its third CD, comprised of mostly original songs,
in March...
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Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts
Be My Friend These blistering blues will get you spinning
out on a cool midnight ride to the crossroads. A mess of
standards, such as “Goin’ to Brownsville” (Sleepy John Estes),
“Jumper on the Line” (R.L. Burnside), “Shake ’Em on Down” (Fred
McDowell), and “Death Letter” (Son House), and a fistful of
originals from Matt Woods and the Thunderbolts just might send
you straight off to the South Side of Chicago, the Texas Hill
Country, and the Mississippi Delta to shake hands with the devil
and cut a deal, for sure. Woods plays and sings like an old
tattered soul still hacking out a living with a mule on 40
acres, and his slide guitar on songs like “Stop That Grinnin’ ”
will leave you gasping for breath. (George Thorogood — watch
your back, man). And the Thunderbolts ain’t no deadwood,
neither, with their straight-on, hearth-thumping rhythm section,
compliments of [Dirty Linen contributor] Michael Swanger
and Scott Cochran. Matt Woods and the Thunderbolts have torn up
the cornfields of their native Iowa and shared the stage with
such blues giants as Hubert Sumlin, James Cotton, Eddy
Clearwater, and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. Shake some action, and
hide the womenfolk — these boys mean business.
(TJM) T.J. McGrath Dirty Linen #136 June/July 2008 <<back to top
Blues Revue
Blues Bites Iowa blues competition winners Matt Woods and
the Thunderbolts specialize in hill country stomp, replete with
careening slide guitar, hollered vocals, pounding drums (Michael
Swanger) and bass (Scott Cochran), and optional chord changes.
Woods “ Fairfield ” and “County Road Blues” come strait from the
tradition, as do predictable selections from RL Burnside and
Fred McDowell. The self-released Be My Friend hits its stride
when the band takes the middle ground, on lowdown covers of
songs by Skeeter Brandon and CeDell Davis.
Iowa’s live music of choice is the blues, plain and simple.
Our agricultural reputation may seem suited to a country tune,
but that’s strictly a radio phenomenon. Our proximity to the
Mississippi River and Chicago— the birthplace of electric blues
— makes our fascination a fairly honest one, even if we see a
lot of bands strong on covers and chops, but short on
innovation. For every guru like Joe Price or Bo Ramsey, there
are hundreds of others running through tired versions of Mustang
Sally or the Stevie Ray Vaughan catalog... GET THE REST OF THE STORY (pg 8) >>
4-Stars! The latest from the winners of the Iowa Blues
Challenge is keeping alive the blues created by Southern
bluesmen Son House, Sleepy John Estes, R.L. Burnside, and Fred
McDowell, along with living legends Calvin “Skeeter” Brandon.
Cedell Davis’s, "If You Like Fat Women", a favorite at live
shows, is included in this set of 12 rowdy party tunes. Matt
and the guys do justice to the covers as well as the six
originals they’ve included. Next time you need a boost — put
down the Red Bull and put on Be My Friend.
Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts’ Blues
Strike Like Lightning
It’s difficult to imagine that it was only six years ago when
Matt Woods picked up a guitar. Even though he had just started
out, his love of music was already in place. Now, fronting Matt
Woods and The Thunderbolts, his smoky Mississippi Delta
groove... GET THE REST OF THE STORY>>
Matt Woodsand The Thunderbolts
Take Top Prizeat the 2007 Iowa Blues Challenge Finals held May 18th at
the Hilton Garden Inn. The band received $500 cash plus $1,200
travel expenses to Memphis as Iowa's representative at the
International Blues Challenge in February 2008. Quad Cities
representative Smokin’ Mojo Kings placed second, earning them
$400 cash. Both of the bands also receive 8 hours of studio time
as well as several paid gigs including the Mississippi Valley
Blues Fest and Nitefall On The River in Des Moines. Rounding out
the competition was Yetti Bluz Band, earning $300 cash.
INTERVIEW
Matt Woods is featured on the
Scented Vinyl Show Scented Vinyl is a weekly show at Mars
Café that is similar in format to a
live radio show. The show features local artist interviews,
performances and vinyl collections. Check out Matt's session,
hear the interview, and listen to some of his performance RIGHT
HERE >>
Midwest, via Mississippi
Matt Woods and the Thunderbolts bring Hill
Country Blues to Iowa
"Matt Woods and the Thunderbolts has become known
for its on-stage charisma—particularly
Woods' wild stage antics—and its
penchant for propelling any crowd to its feet."
GET THE REST OF THE STORY >>
The great Mississippi Fred McDowell
once said, “I don’t play no Rock n’ Roll.” This is definitely
something that can also be said about Matt Woods and the
Thunderbolts. But, if you want to hear some down-home, juke
house blues, look no further. From the delta to the hills the
Thunderbolts thumping rhythm and stomping slide workouts will
remind you what real party music is meant to be. Simple and
straight ahead, with nothin’ but a low down groove that’s raw as
a saw blade and guaranteed to make you shake your ass!
Matt Woods is a native of Des
Moines, IA. Matt has dedicated countless hours to not only
learning his craft, but learning an appreciation and respect for
its masters. As a seasoned performer of many local, regional and
national clubs and venues, Matt has developed a distinct, mature
style while still staying loyal to his blues roots. Versed in
traditional delta, hill country and urban electric blues, Matt’s
travels to Mississippi and beyond have allowed him to learn
first hand from his influences, in the fields, shacks and
barrooms that are the true birthplace of American music. Matt’s
first CD, “If I was a Fish” (featuring the Thunderbolts) has
received critical acclaim, and finished in the top five of the
International Blues Foundation’s, “Best Self-Produced Blues
album” category in 2006. It continues to receive airplay on
radio throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Michael “Thunderfoot” Swanger is a
native of West Des Moines and plays drums for the Thunderbolts.
The “Nilla Gorilla” as he is also known, kicks like a mule and
thumps like a man possessed. A versatile drummer, Michael has
played with anyone who’s anyone in central Iowa, from the Soul
Searchers to the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame House Band. His stint
with the Thunderbolts has not only shown that he is easily the
best blues drummer around, but has shown why he is now known by
many as “The Baddest Man Alive.” Like his influences, Ted
Harvey, Willie Smith and Cedric Burnside, Michael’s style
miraculously seems to toe the line between disaster and utopia,
while always being right on time.
Scott “Boogaloo” Cochran who also
hails from West Des Moines, is responsible for holding down the
fat ass of the band-AND comic relief. Scott had been playing
bass since glaciers created the North Atlantic Shelf, and it
shows. Scott has a vast knowledge of all American roots music,
and has been backing up central Iowa’s best, as well as several
of the nation’s finest touring acts for decades. Scott has
played with the great “Chicago Rick" Lussie, Sweet Betty and
Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, just to name a few.
Sometimes wild… and always greasy…
Matt Woods and The Thunderbolts will drag you kicking and
screaming from the hills of North Mississippi to the streets of
Chicago.
Matt Woods is both a native of Des Moines,
Iowa and a purveyor of its local blues scene. As a seasoned
performer of many local, regional and national clubs and venues,
Matt has developed a distinct style while still staying loyal to
his blues roots. Versed in traditional delta, hill country and
urban electric blues, his biggest influences include the likes
of: Son House, Fred McDowell, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and R.L.
Burnside, among others.
Whether as a solo act or with a band, Matt
brings a firm
understanding of the styles of these great masters to each
performance. Matt is experienced in both electric and acoustic
guitar, as well as slide guitar, lap steel and vocal
performance.
Matt's music has been featured on KUNI Public
Radio, and also can be heard on FM95 KGGO's "The Roadhouse", Des
Moines.
Matt has opened for several national acts
including: Dr. John, Kelly Hunt, Joe Price and Grinderswitch.
Often a "guitar for hire", Matt is available
for studio and performance work as either a solo acoustic act or
with his trio, "The Thunderbolts".
click the thumbnail below to download high-res
files
Photo Credit: Rebecca Swanger
Bad
Luck City consists of two-thirds of Matt Woods and The
Thunderbolts. With Matt Woods on guitar and Michael Swanger on
drums, Bad Luck City will give you a full dose of REAL juke
house party music. This duo knows how to deliver stomping slide
workouts and Blues-ified country. Coming from the North
Mississippi hill country tradition, Bad Luck City promises
nothin’ fancy, just a low-down groove that’s raw as a saw blade
and guaranteed to shake your ass!
INTERVIEW 
