Matt Freeman

For other people named Matt Freeman, see Matt Freeman (disambiguation).

Roger Matthew Freeman, also known as Matt McCall, (born April 23, 1966) is an American musician best known as the bassist of punk rock band Rancid. After forming several bands with guitarist and vocalist Tim Armstrong in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including ska-punk pioneers Operation Ivy, he and Armstrong formed Rancid with drummer Brett Reed. The band's success helped revive mainstream interest in punk, and they have released ten albums since their formation. Freeman has several side projects as well, including Devil's Brigade, in which Freeman sings lead vocals and plays bass. Freeman's style is characterized by aggressive walking lines and fills, typically played on a Fender Precision Bass.

Matt Freeman
Freeman performing in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Roger Matthew Freeman
Also known as	Matt McCall
Born	(1966-04-23) April 23, 1966 (age 59)
Origin	California, U.S.
Genres	Punk rock ska punk street punk hardcore punk psychobilly
Occupation	Musician
Instruments	Bass guitar vocals
Years active	1980–present

Musicianship

Playing style

With Freeman on bass, Rancid is known for combining "high-energy punk with the infectious, quick-time bounce of second-wave ska."^[1] Freeman plays a fast-paced style, characterized by "aggressive walking lines and monstrous flatpicked fills", as opposed to mostly playing root notes like many punk bass players.^[1] Freeman began playing music at the age of seven, taking lessons and learning to read sheet music while playing in his high school jazz band. The Who's Live at Leeds inspired him to take up the bass, and he credits The Specials with turning him on to ska. Freeman also cited John Doe of X as an influence. For his playing in Rancid and other bands, Guitar World dubbed him "one of punk's most iconic bassists."^[1]

Singing style

Although Armstrong and Frederiksen are the principal singers in Rancid, Freeman has taken the lead vocal duties in a number of gritty sounding songs through the years, including the songs "Black and Blue", "Rigged on a Fix", "Black Derby Jacket", "Tenderloin" and, "L.A. River". He is known for possessing a deep and raspy singing voice. Freeman was also the primary co-lead vocal for the first Rancid album, before Frederiksen joined the band, with his role subsequently being reduced by choice.

Gear

Freeman's main bass is a 1977 Fender Precision he purchased for $400 in 1984. He generally prefers his instruments to be "players", rather than collector's pieces, because such basses are cheaper and more worn-in.^[1] Freeman owns multiple basses made in the mid to late-1970s: a Precision Bass from 1974 (and another from 1966), 1977 editions of the Fender Jazz Bass and Rickenbacker 4003, and a 1978 Music Man StingRay. When writing songs, Freeman and Armstrong typically use acoustic instruments. For this, Freeman favors a Guild B-50 acoustic bass.^[1] He plays through an Ampeg B-15N amplifier for practices, but as it "does not like pedals", he also uses a Fender Bassman 100T head with a 1x15 cabinet.^[2]

Bands

Freeman performing in 2007

Operation Ivy and Downfall

In May 1987, Freeman and Armstrong formed the band Operation Ivy. After Operation Ivy broke up in May 1989, they formed a new band, Downfall, which included all but one member of Operation Ivy and two additional members. Downfall recorded a 10-song album which has never been released, then broke up. Freeman and Armstrong next formed Generator, who played a number of shows, but are not known to have recorded anything. After that, Freeman played with the political punk band MDC for about a year.

Dance Hall Crashers

After Operation Ivy, Freeman and Armstrong formed the ska band the Dance Hall Crashers, but they left the band shortly after its formation. The band went on to become moderately successful throughout the 90s.

MDC

He joined MDC in 1990, completing one US and one European tour and playing bass on their 1991 release Millions Of Dead Cops II: Hey Cop! If I Had A Face Like Yours.... The lineup for this version of the band consisted of Freeman, original singer Dave Dictor, original drummer Al Schvitz and guitarist Bill Collins, formerly of Fang, Special Forces and Intensified Chaos.

Gr'ups and Rancid

He joined the Gr'ups in 1991. In 1992, Freeman and Armstrong recruited drummer Brett Reed and formed Rancid. Rancid is his most successful band yet. He considered Rancid a side project until Armstrong had proved to him that he had his alcoholism under control. Guitarist Lars Frederiksen joined the band later in 1993. The band released their tenth album, Tomorrow Never Comes, in June 2023. Their partnership has continued with Freeman contributing basslines to selected tracks by the Transplants, one of Armstrong's side projects.

Social Distortion

During Rancid's 2004 hiatus, Freeman replaced bassist John Maurer in Social Distortion shortly before the release of their then-new album Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. Freeman did not intend to stay in the band permanently and he was replaced by current bassist Brent Harding in late 2004.

Charger

In 2020 Matt formed a heavy metal band, Charger.

The Crew

In May 2021, Freeman along with fellow Rancid bandmate Tim Armstrong, Fletcher Dragge (Pennywise), Byron McCracken (Pennywise), and Mike Muir (Suicidal Tendencies) formed a punk rock supergroup called the Crew.^[3] The band's first single, "One Voice", was released on Epitaph Records.^[3]

Health issues

Following his departure from Social Distortion, Freeman was diagnosed with lung cancer in May 2005, but was dismissed as abnormal tissue growth and not terminal to his health in June 2005.^[4] He had been a smoker for 20 years but had quit, seemingly by coincidence, shortly prior to this. He learned to play the mandolin so he would have something to do with his hands as heard on the Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards album Viking.

Discography

Operation Ivy

• Turn it Around compilation (1987)
• Hectic EP (1988)
• Energy (1989)

Downfall

• They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard! compilation album (1989)
• Very Small World compilation album (1991)
• Can of Pork compilation album (1992)
• Later That Same Year – "My City"

MDC

• Millions of Dead Cops II (1991)

Rancid

• Rancid (1992)
• Rancid (1993)
• Radio Radio Radio (1993)
• Let's Go (1994)
• ...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)
• Life Won't Wait (1998)
• Rancid (2000)
• BYO Split Series Volume III (2002)
• Indestructible (2003)
• B Sides and C Sides (2008)
• Let the Dominoes Fall (2009)
• Honor Is All We Know (2014)
• Trouble Maker (2017)
• Tomorrow Never Comes (2023)

The Gr'ups

• The Gr'ups (1992)
• Vinyl Retentive compilation album (1993)

Auntie Christ

• Life Could Be a Dream (1997)

Devils Brigade

• "Stalingrad" / "Psychos All Around Me" 12" single (2003)
• "Vampire Girl" 12" ep (2005)
• Devils Brigade (2010)

Charger

• charger ep (2019)
• warhorse (2022)

hellfire

• reckoning (2022)