Matt Freeman

Biography

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. With Freeman on bass, Rancid is known for combining "high-energy punk with the infectious, quick-time bounce of second-wave ska." 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. 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." 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. 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. 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. 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.