Matthew Wiseman is a Wichita musician who has played with Ricky Fitts, You’ll Be A Torso, Polar Opposite Bear, Powerlifter, Money Badger, Divorce Corpse and, now, Milkwave.
“The way I always describe it is a box. You put yourself in a box or you let people put you in a box. People only know me as a guitar player and they’re, like, ‘Oh, you are this guy.’ But, when I was 19 and I only Ibanez Talmans through a big solid state half stack and I only played as loud as I can is not the same musician I am today.
I’ve been playing guitar since I was 14, I’m 35. So what is that? Twenty-one years? My guitar playing could be able to drink now. I’m still kind of playing the same stuff. A lot of musicians will say, ‘Change tunings, put a new effects pedal in the mix.’ Sometimes a different paint brush can paint a different picture, so moving from guitar to bass, it’s nice to be able to say, ‘No, I’m not in a box.’ Even if you put yourself in it.
No, I’m not going to be.
Like, I always sing high. I don’t want to be the guy in my fifties trying to hit those notes because I probably won’t be able to do it. The power ballad, Journey and REO Speedwagon stuff. I’m a guy who plays Kirby’s. You gotta think of your crowd and work with it.”
