In January 1980, Matt Finish's line-up changed when Clayton was replaced on bass guitar by Rick Grossman (ex-Eric Gradman's Man and Machine) who had attended Sydney Boys High School with Prior. In February they undertook a month-long tour of Queensland tour, the band recorded at Music Farm Studios near Byron Bay and radio stations around Australia added these recordings to their regular play-lists. Upon returning to Sydney in March, Glen White left the band. Moffitt, Prior and Grossman performed live as a three-piece while auditioning over fifty guitarists until in May Clayton rejoined on rhythm guitar.
In mid-1980, Matt Finish recorded at ABC Sydney Studio 221, from which radio station 2JJ also broadcast, with the songs "Indicator" and "Red Lights" becoming underground hits. The band was touring interstate regularly and attendances at live performances increased. Matt Finish signed to Peter Dawkins-owned, The Giant Recording Company, which on-signed its rights to CBS Records International. In November 1980, released their debut double A-sided single, "Matt Finish Play Africa" with the tracks "C.I.A." and "Mancini Shuffle". Radio stations around Australia broadcast it on high rotation.
On 18 January 1981, Matt Finish performed at the Last Double Jay Concert to an audience of 40,000 at Parramatta Park with the concert broadcast live-to-air. That same week, the group performed at the Sydney Musicians Club, which was filmed and, in 2009, was released on a DVD, Matt Finish Live at the Musicians Club 1981. In February 1981 Matt Finish released their first album, 'Short Note', on Giant/CBS Records, it was produced by Dawkins (Finch, Mi-Sex). It peaked at #14 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. The title song, "Short Note", peaked at #18 on the related singles chart. The newly established Triple J (successor to Double Jay) FM radio network played tracks from 'Short Note' nationally, followed by the commercial networks. In July that year, Matt Finish recorded a live five-track extended play, 'Fade Away' at PACT Theatre in the old Corn Exchange building in Sussex Street, Sydney. The EP was released in October 1981.
Due to Moffitt's declining health, the band split up at the end of 1981. Grossman joined Divinyls for six years (1982–1987) and later was a member of Hoodoo Gurus. In May 1983, Matt Finish reconvened with Moffitt, Prior and Clayton – they recommenced touring and recording with a variety of musicians including Bertie Dorset (bass guitar and guitar), Anthony Smith (keyboards), Jim Cox (percussion), Ken Francis (guitar), Rob Riley (guitar), Doug Ironside (guitar), Dave Leslie (guitar) and Russell Nelson (guitar).
In November 1983, Clayton, Prior and Moffitt released the EP 'Matt Finish' which was followed in May 1984 by their second album, 'Word of Mouth' – co-produced by the band and Colin Freeman. The following September, Matt Finish performed 15 shows on U2's Under Australian Skies Tour, including five sold-out shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. In November 1984, Moffitt and Prior recorded 16 songs at ATA Studios in Glebe to secure Moffitt's solo recording deal with CBS Records Australia. By early 1985 Moffitt had disbanded Matt Finish and pursued his solo career.
In March 1985, Moffitt and Prior travelled to London and Belgium to record Moffitt's first solo album 'As Little as a Look'. It was recorded by UK producer Nicky Graham with session musicians Pete Glennister, Felix Krish, Simon Climie and Rob Fisher. "Miss This Tonight", the first single from album, reached #17. The song was played on FM rock stations in Australia. Matt Finish remained inactive from 1986 to 1989 while Moffitt and Prior pursued other projects, Prior produced recordings in New York with Moffitt in 1989 but the tracks were never released. At about this time Moffitt toured outside Australia with a group called Blue Max.
In 1990 Matt Finish was reformed by Moffitt and Prior with former Eurogliders members Guy Le Claire (guitar) and Lindsay Jehan (bass), and New Yorker Jennifer Barrett (guitar, vocals, ex-Blue Max). Managed and promoted by Prior, the band completed a tour of 50 performances around Australia. The band recorded four songs produced by Peter Blyton at Studios 301 and Bondi Road Studios which were never released.
In April 1992, Moffitt released a limited edition solo acoustic CD EP 'Euroka', produced by Blyton. In June that year, Moffitt re-signed with producer Peter Dawkins and using the name Matt Finish (with permission of Prior – his company Mammal Music owns the Matt Finish trademark) released the single "One Day at a Time". The album, 'By Heart' (September 1993), and an EP 'Earthbound' (July) featured a line-up of Moffitt with Adrian Cannon (drums), Rohan Cannon (guitar and vocals) and Bobby Christian (bass guitar) with Paul Dawkins (son of Peter Dawkins) on keyboards. The line-up of Moffitt and Paul Dawkins with Eliot Reynolds (guitar) and Justin Leef (drums) released the singles "Blue" (September 1993) and "Will I Ever Know?" (May 1994). Early 1996 to late 1997, Matt Finish reformed as a live touring act and embarked on a substantial touring schedule (The Boys Are Back In Town tour, Back To The Beach tour, plus dozens of hotel and club dates) featuring Matt Moffitt guitar and vocals, Geoff Marr bass and vocals, Chris Parkinson guitar & Mark Mansfield drums (both also played with SKIN- a regular support act of Matt Finish), Neil Marr drums, Darrel Smith drums. recorded Need You Tonight; 1997 (unreleased; featured in live set)
In 2001, Matt Finish's track "Short Note" was compiled on 'Australian Made Volume 2' issued by Rajon Music Group. Also, that year, Moffitt and Grossman released the limited-edition compilation CD entitled, 'Just a Short Note'. On 13 August 2003, Moffitt died suddenly in his sleep, aged 46. His funeral, on what would have been his 47th birthday, 20 August, was attended by hundreds of people including Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil), Don Walker (Cold Chisel), Doc Neeson (The Angels), Scott Johnston Rose Tattoo, Swanee (aka John Swan) and Grossman. The numberplate of Matt's hearse was MF-47. In 2004, ScreenSound (National Film & Sound Archives) released a compilation CD album called 'Running in the Shadows: Oz rock rarities 1983-1994' featuring Matt Finish. In May that year, "Short Note" was covered by Wendy Matthews and appeared on her album 'Café Naturale'.
In late 2006, Prior reformed Matt Finish with Clayton, Luke Dixon (vocals and guitar) and Matt Cornell (vocals and bass guitar) for the Matt Moffitt Memorial Tour, which was promoted by Rob Prior, John's elder brother. At The Basement, Sydney, Grossman joined the band as a special guest. In December that year, Matt Finish released "Don't Fade Away", a new version of "Fade Away", free on the internet to commemorate the tribute tour.
Since 2007, Prior has continued to perform Matt Finish shows featuring acclaimed musicians David Adams (vocals and guitar), Harry Brus (bass guitar and vocals), Steve Edmonds (guitar and vocals), Kevin Borich (guitar and vocals), Tim Gaze (guitar), Eliot Reynolds (guitar), Russ Nelson (guitar and vocals), Barry Leef (vocals and guitar), Al Slavik (bass guitar), Les Rankin (guitar and vocals), Seven Hawkes (guitar), Tom Ruki (bass guitar), Guy Le Claire (guitar), Glenn Bidmead (guitar and vocals), Dennis Val (guitar and vocals), Parrish Muhoberac (guitar and vocals), Dale Barlow, Dai Pritchard (guitar), Justin Bianchi (bass guitar and vocals), and since 2017, Ric Herbert (guitar and vocals), Steve Williams (guitar) and Phil Hall (bass guitar and vocals). The band have performed a number of sold out shows around Australia with Empire Touring, including Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Wagga Wagga and Gosford Racecourses, Goulburn Workers Arena, WIN Entertainment Centre Wollongong, Roche Estate Hunter Valley, Sandstone Point Queensland, and Parramatta Park on Australia Day 2019 attended by more than 20,000 people.
Members
Chris Raggett (guitar), Tony Georgeson (drums), Ken Francis (guitar), Matt Moffitt (vocals, guitar), Brian Alcorn (bass), Jeff Clayton (bass, guitar), Glen White (guitar), John Prior (drums),
Rick Grossman (bass), Bertie Dorsett (guitar, bass), Rob Riley (guitar), Russell Nelson (guitar),
Doug Ironside (guitar), Anthony Smith (keyboards), Jim Cox (percussion), Jennifer Barrett (guitar), Lindsay Jehan (bass), Guy Le Clair (guitar), Rohan Cannon (guitar), Paul Dawkins (keyboards), Darrio Bortolin (bass), Adrian Cannon (drums), Bobby Christian (bass), Eliot Reynolds (guitar), Justin Leaf (drums), Luke Dixon (guitar), Matt Cornell (bass), Les Rankin (guitar, vocals),
Steve Edmonds (guitar), David Adams (guitar, vocals), Parrish Muhoberac (guitar, piano, vocals), Harry Brus (bass)
SINGLES
Mancini Shuffle
| 1 DEC '80 | #57 |
Short Note
| 20 APR '81 | #33 |
Always Another
| 28 MAY '84 | #77 |
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Finish
http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/
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