By Dave Hill
E-mail Dave
The Tonawanda News
Mon, May 12 2008
Music has been Matt Surowiec’s greatest passion ever since his mother introduced him to the likes of Kenny Rogers and Paul Simon at age 3.
During the day, Surowiec, 35, works as a software engineer, but he’s devoted much of his life to music and has spent the past nine years recording and performing in area coffeehouses and clubs. He cites as his influences Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and the Beatles. Surowiec submitted the song “Buffalo Girl” to local radio station WLKK-FM 107.7, and it’s been in regular rotation on the station, plus it appears on a compilation of local music.
With three folk CDs under his belt, the City of Tonawanda resident recently released his first children’s disc, “On the Moon.” He’s also busy organizing the fourth annual Tonawanda Folk Festival, which is scheduled for June 7 and 8 at Niawanda Park. Surowiec spoke about his music in this week’s question and answer.
QUESTION: Why did you decide to record a children’s CD?
ANSWER:
I decided to make a children’s CD last year. I found out that my wife
was going to be expecting our first child and I started listening to
some of the children’s music that I enjoyed growing up and the
influences that I had in Jim Henson and the Muppets, Fat Albert and the
Monkees, and I wanted to see if I could create something of a similar
nature for kids.
Q: How would you describe ‘On the Moon’?
A:
It features a combination of styles, from folk and blue grass to
Beatles or REM inspired pop rock. The lyrics are all very kid friendly
subject matter. One of the songs is called “New Kid in Town,” and it
talks about a boy who moves into a new neighborhood, so he has to get
to know new people and it talks a little bit humorously about the
experiences that he has. Another song is called “Yes I Can,” which is
sort of a positive message that if they put their minds to it they can
do anything.
Q: Did you draw from your experiences as a child when making this CD?
A:
Yeah, absolutely. Some of the songs, in particular “New Kid in Town,” —
I had changed schools a few times growing up, so I did draw from my own
experiences there. Some of the songs, I just drew from my imagination.
The title song itself just imagines what it would be like to live on
the moon, to go to school on the moon.
Q: What’s more challenging, making a folk CD or a children’s disc?
A:
I found it more difficult writing the lyrics, because depending on what
age group you are presenting to or singing to, there are words that
kids can understand and there are words that kids don’t understand. So
I had to be very careful in choosing the words for a children’s song.
Something that I might find very poetic, very creative for an adult
song would be totally lost if a child didn’t understand the words that
I was using. Musically, I think music is music. As long as you make it
fun, I think kids will enjoy it.
Q: Growing up, who inspired you to become a musician?
A:
I was inspired to become a musician by two people and one group. My
favorite group growing up was KISS, because I liked superheroes and to
me they were superheroes that played music. My grandmother (Ann Hochul)
was also a pretty well known singer on the East Side of Buffalo during
the 30s, 40s and 50s, and she definitely encouraged me and inspired me
to become a musician. And the third person was myself. I always had an
interest in music from as far back as I can remember.
Q: What was the first song you wrote, and how old were you when you wrote it?
A:
I was probably 5 or 6 years old and I wrote a song about trying to give
a cat a bath. And I don’t know why because I didn’t have a cat. At 5
years old, it seemed like a funny thing to write about. I don’t even
have a copy of it. I wish I did.
Contact reporter David J. Hill at 693-1000, ext. 115.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
Photo credit: Michelle Kisluk
MUSIC MAN: City of Tonawanda resident Matt Surowiec recently released a children’s CD titled “On the Moon.”
Photo credit: Danielle Wardak
MUSIC MAN: City of Tonawanda resident Matt Surowiec recently released a children’s CD titled “On the Moon.”