Music

You may know the story. You may not. It doesn’t matter. All you need to know is: Never give up. Always fightback. And surround yourself with the people who love you.

mattguitarThis October marks two years since I was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer at the age of 25. But it also marks two years since the start of something else just as significant  – the start of a Fightback.

Music plays a big part in all our lives and I’m no different. But for me – since that diagnosis – music has inserted a special drive in me to achieve something; to focus on something that is both positive and honest.

It all started with a trip to my dad’s home studio. I’ve written and recorded songs in there for a long time but never about something like cancer. But that’s what I felt like I needed to write about. I felt like I needed to get it out of my system.


The heap of emotions I’ve felt about the disease could have become too much for me to bear but not in there. That space gave me the chance to pick up my guitar and pen and just see what happened. And the result? Any dark feelings I might have had inside were replaced by positive thoughts only – and a handful of songs that represented how I felt about my situation.

In the end I managed 13 songs: some that chronicle dark moments, most that chronicle good – and a handful more that just tell their own story. But each and every one of them I’m proud of. Because they represent my Fightback – a tough fight and a long one against what is a horrible disease. But what this CD has become is my legacy for that fight. And so with that in mind, I think it’s time I shared it with the world.

Start the Fightback here: Buy the album now


Here are some 30 second teaser clips to whet your appetite (they may take a while to load from Soundcloud). To listen directly on Soundcloud, click here.