{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Matt Drenik | image = Matt Drenik Bowery Ballroom.jpg | caption = | birth_name = | alias = Battleme | origin = | instrument = Guitar, bass, piano, vocals | genre = folk, garage, post-grunge, classic rock | occupation = Musician, writer | years_active = 2004–present | label = El Camino Media, Sony Music Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Records, Get Loud Recordings, Trashy Moped Recordings, Maybe Records | website = {{URL|https://www.getloudrecordings.com/matt-drenik|getloudrecordings.com/matt-drenik}} }}

'''Matt Drenik''' (born June 18, 1979){{citation needed|date=February 2026}} is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He's best known for his work as Battleme as well as a record producer for many acts including Louise Post of Veruca Salt. His songs have been featured in numerous films and television shows, most notably FX's Sons of Anarchy.

== Early life == Drenik was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended prep school St. Xavier High School, achieving All-American honors as a swimmer.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Boys Gold Star Awards |work= Swimmeet | date = 1997 | url =https://www.swimmeet.com/ohio/pantheon/gold-star/1990-1999/boys.html}}</ref> His father, Doug Drenik, played football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ohio State Beats Wildcats by 10-0 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 11, 1964 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/11/15/archives/ohio-state-beats-wildcats-by-100-stiff-defense-stops-myers.html}}</ref> He has two older brothers, Doug Drenik Jr. and Jason Drenik. Jason was the founding member of Columbus, Ohio, cowpunk band, The Hairy Patt Band.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Breen | first = Mike |title = Bufford's Last Pusser Review | work= Cincinnati CityBeat | date = February 16, 1995 | url =https://issuu.com/biglouholdings/docs/citybeat_february_16_1995}}</ref>

After attending the University of Florida on a swimming scholarship,<ref>{{Cite web | title = 1997-1998 Roster |work= University of Florida | date = 1998 | url =https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-swimming-and-diving/roster/1997-98}}</ref> Drenik dropped out and enrolled at Emerson College in Boston to study film. In 2000, he moved to Austin, Texas, and enrolled at University of Texas where he graduated with a degree from the RTF department.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Battleme: Saturday March 2 | newspaper= Willamette Week | date = February 26, 2013 | url =https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-20298-battleme-saturday-march-2.html}}</ref>

== Career ==

Shortly before graduating, Drenik formed the garage rock band, The Good Looks, with fellow Austin musician, Christian Glakas.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Midnight | first = Chip| title = Interview: Christian Glakas (Merciful Heavens)|work= Big Take Over | date = November 9, 2021 | url =https://bigtakeover.com/interviews/InterviewChristianGlakasMercifulHeavens}}</ref> After a South By Southwest showcase and opening slots for bands like The Black Keys, the band broke up and Drenik formed Lions, a hard rock, post-grunge band, with drummer Jake Perlman, guitarist Austin Kalman, and bass player Trevor Sutcliffe.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Lions Sync Placements|work= Tune Find | date = 2010 | url =https://beta.tunefind.com/artist/lions}}</ref>

== Lions ==

A hard rock, post-grunge band, Lions made several records and toured with Toadies, Local H, and others.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Local H, Lions|work= Dallas Observer | date = May 29, 2008 | url =https://www.dallasobserver.com/music/local-h-lions-6374103/}}</ref> They were briefly under a development deal with Roadrunner Records which helped fund their debut LP, ''No Generation'', in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Visiting Act: Lions |work= Charleston City Paper | date = October 17, 2007 | url =https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2007/10/17/visiting-act-lions/}}</ref> Ultimately, the band decided to self-release it later that year. Their song, "Metal Heavy Lady", from their first EP ''Volume 1'' was included in Activision's ''Guitar Hero 3'',<ref>{{Cite web | last = Van Buskirk | first = Eliot| title = Guitar Hero III Leak |work= Wired | date = September 21, 2007 | url =https://www.wired.com/2007/09/guitar-hero-iii-6/}}</ref> gaining them a cult following. Their last tour was in support of Monster Magnet in the UK in December 2009 after releasing their record, ''Let No One Fall'', on UK record label Maybe Records. They had several high-profile UK press pieces, including spreads in ''Rock Sound'' and ''Classic Rock Magazine''.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Ticket |work= Concert Archive | date = December 6, 2009 | url =https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/lions/photos?year=2009}}</ref> Before disbanding, the band met a FX executive at a SXSW show and began helping to replace early soundtrack songs on a new pilot, ''Sons of Anarchy''.<ref>{{Cite web | title = South Music's Matt Drenik brings rock and roll to the Sound Studio |work= LBBOnline | date = November 7, 2023 | url =https://lbbonline.com/news/south-musics-matt-drenik-brings-rocknroll-to-the-sound-studio}}</ref> Most of ''No Generation'' was licensed for use in the first season, including songs "White Angel" and "Machine". Their unique cover of Bob Dylan's "Girl from the North Country" used in the montage of the ''Sons of Anarchy'' Season 2 premiere has millions of streams.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Sons of Anarchy Recap |work= Cinema Blend | date = September 8, 2009 | url =https://www.cinemablend.com/television/Sons-Anarchy-Recap-Albification-19749.html}}</ref> This led to a further collaborations between Drenik and show composer Bob Thiele Jr. that would last the entirety of the series run.

== Battleme ==

In 2010 Drenik moved from Austin, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, and started performing under the moniker Battleme,<ref>{{Cite web | title = Battleme: Saturday, March 2 | work= Willamette Week | date = February 26, 2013 | url =https://lbbonline.com/news/south-musics-matt-drenik-brings-rocknroll-to-the-sound-studio}}</ref> putting out four full-length LPs and two EPs on indie record labels Trashy Moped Recordings (owned by Thomas Turner Ghostland Observatory) and El Camino Media.

Drenik signed to Turner's Trashy Moped Recordings after his manager sent some rough demos to Turner. Turner had a favorable reaction and agreed to produce, mix, and put the record out on his label. Explaining in an interview to Best New Bands, "After he (Thomas) heard the songs, we hooked up on the phone and just started rattling off ideas. It was great. I don’t think he really cared about what others thought, or how many units would sell, or if we had a single. He just really dug the songs and wanted to put out the record because he thought it was cool. And that kind of meant everything to me."<ref>{{Cite web | title = A Conversation with Battleme's Matt Drenik | work= Best New Bands | date = April 29, 2012 | url =https://www.bestnewbands.com/interviews/a-conversation-with-battleme-s-matt-drenik/}}</ref> The two went on to collaborate with director Adam Kurland on a music video for lead single, Touch, which premiered on MTV Buzzworthy in 2012.

While the earlier releases relied on more folk and indie pop, the later ones transitioned into garage and 70s inspired rock and roll. Magnet (magazine) featuring Drenik in 2014, discussed the early transition away from folk during his first LP, "I cut eight songs that were more acoustic, bedroom-y stuff, and I started to get really bored, so I just started writing different kinds of songs,” says Drenik. “The cool thing was I didn’t have an audience yet, so I wasn’t really writing for anybody but myself.”<ref>{{Cite web | title = Battleme: Seeing The Light | work= Magnet Magazine | url =https://magnetmagazine.com/2014/05/19/battleme-seeing-the-light/}}</ref>

In 2013, Drenik began working with producer Doug Boehm on what would become his second full-length LP, Future Runs Magnetic.<ref>{{Cite web | title = AP Album Review | work= American Pancake | date = 2014 | url =https://www.americanpancake.com/2014/02/ap-album-review-battleme-future-runs.html}}</ref> By the time it was released in 2014 via El Camino Media, Drenik has transitioned the project into a full-fledged rock band. Seattle's KEXP-FM first premiered the album to listeners noting, "Future Runs Magnetic is his first with a full band behind him, resulting in what KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes as "a bigger, more muscular rock sound inflected with glam, folk-rock, power pop."<ref>{{Cite web | title = Battleme: Album Premiere Future Runs Magnetic | work= KEXP-FM | date = March 4, 2014 | url =https://www.kexp.org/read/2014/3/4/album-premiere-battleme-future-runs-magnetic/}}</ref> The band embarked on tours supporting both Toadies and Veruca Salt on their respective US tours throughout 2014.

The last Battleme El Camino release, 2017's ''Cult Psychotica'',<ref>{{Cite web | title = Battleme | work= El Camino Media | url =https://www.elcaminomedia.com/battleme}}</ref> received 8/10 stars at AllMusic w/ reviewer Matt Collar stating, "the album is a red-eyed collection of fuzzy rock anthems, all centered on Drenik's throaty, nasal-pitched sneer. What he lacks in outright vocal resonance, he makes up for with strutting rock attitude and literate, philosophical lyrics that are equal parts Lou Reed and Elliott Smith."<ref>{{Cite web | title = Battleme Cult Psychotica| work= allmusic.com | date = October 27, 2017 | url =https://www.allmusic.com/album/cult-psychotica-mw0003102421}}</ref> The last Battleme tour took place in December 2019 across Germany with English punk rock band, Peter and the Test Tube Babies.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Tour Announcement | work= Get Loud Recordings | date = October 27, 2019 | url =https://www.getloudrecordings.com/news/tour-announcement-battleme-heads-to-germany-with-uk-band-peter-and-the-test-tube-babies-dec-2019}}</ref>

== ''Sons of Anarchy'' ==

Drenik was also a guest member of Los Angeles-based group ''The Forest Rangers'', alongside Bob Thiele, Dave Kushner, and Katey Sagal.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Daunt | first = Leslie | title = Former Lions frontman Matt Drenik turns his personal battle into Battleme |work= AXS | date = June 8, 2014 | accessdate = June 8, 2014 | url =http://www.axs.com/former-lions-frontman-matt-drenik-turns-his-personal-battle-into-battl-11853}}</ref> They served as the house band for ''Sons of Anarchy''. While being credited as Battleme, Drenik performed with the band on several occasions live, most notably at 2013's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park.<ref>{{Cite magazine | last = Hasty | first = Katie | title = Forest Rangers - The Weight |magazine= YouTube | date = February 24, 2013 | url =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Lfg_orw-c}}</ref> His version of Neil Young's "Hey Hey, My My" featured in the Season 3 finale has over 60 million YouTube hits.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Battleme - Hey Hey, My My (Sons of Anarchy SO3E13) | work= YouTube | date = 2011 | url =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbeIv39s04s}}</ref>

== Critical response ==

In addition to his song "Metal Heavy Lady" being included in ''Guitar Hero 3''.<ref>{{Cite magazine | last = Hasty | first = Katie | title = Lions |magazine= Billboard | date = February 24, 2009 | accessdate = February 24, 2009 | url =http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/269344/lions}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' has written about his music,<ref>{{Cite magazine | last = Gentile | first = Josh | title = Battleme takes a mind-trip on "Nights on the Strand" |magazine= Rolling Stone | date = January 24, 2014 | url =https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/battleme-takes-a-mind-trip-on-nights-on-the-strand-song-premiere-20140124}}</ref> as well as ''Billboard'', ''Esquire'', MTV,<ref>{{Cite web | last = Greenwald | first = David | title = Video Premiere : Battleme, 'Touch'|work = MTV Buzzworthy | date = March 18, 2012 | url =http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2012/03/08/battleme-touch-video/| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120310042352/http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2012/03/08/battleme-touch-video/| url-status =dead| archive-date =March 10, 2012}}</ref> ''Rock Sound'',<ref>{{Cite web | last = Newbound | first = Tim | title = Lions – Let No One Fall|work = Rock Sound | date = | url =http://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/read/lions-let-no-one-fall}}</ref> ''Classic Rock'' magazine, ''Metal Hammer'' and others. In 2017, ''Classic Rock'' picked his song "Testament" as one of the year's best.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://battleme.org/new-blog/2017/12/15/classic-rock-magazine-uk-includes-testament-on-2017-best-of-playlist|title=Classic Rock Magazine (UK) includes "Testament" on 2017 Best of Playlist..|website=BATTLEME|language=en-US|access-date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517082314/https://battleme.org/new-blog/2017/12/15/classic-rock-magazine-uk-includes-testament-on-2017-best-of-playlist|archive-date=May 17, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Production ==

Drenik has worked with dozens of acts as a producer, including a solo effort from Louise Post of alternative rock band Veruca Salt.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Veruca Salt's Louise Post comes home |work= Chicago Reader | date = July 14, 2023 | url =https://chicagoreader.com/music/veruca-salt-louise-post-sleepwalker/}}</ref> Drenik joined her on the US Sleepwalker tour as a band member. In addition to Post, Drenik has produced two albums by Seattle rock band Acid Tongue, as well as Grizzled Mighty, Charlie Hilton (Blouse), Battleme, Danny Dodge, and Miller Campbell. His most recent work with Miller Campbell was featured in ''SPIN''{{'s}} August 2024 print issue, as well as a world premiere for the single "All Night".<ref>{{Cite web | title = Song Premiere |work= Spin | date = June 20, 2024 | url =https://www.spin.com/2024/06/song-premiere-miller-campbell-all-night/}}</ref>

When Drenik moved to Los Angeles in 2018, he took a role as Creative Director at Los Angeles-based music company, South Music,<ref>{{Cite web | title = South Music and Design |work = Adland | date = November 30, 2018 | url =https://adland.tv/south-music-and-sound-design-widens-talent-pool-creative-director-matt-drenik}}</ref> a music production company primarily known for its award-winning work in short form advertising scores. Since joining the company, he has overseen music campaigns for Nike, Google, Activision, Cadillac, Jeep, AT&T, and Yeti.<ref>{{Cite web | title = High-Stakes Match Play |work = Little Black Book | date = April 25, 2024 | url =https://lbbonline.com/news/high-stakes-match-play-on-the-course-of-creativity}}</ref> In late 2025, Drenik left South Music and started a new music company with fellow musician and creative director, Johanna Cranitch, called Little Beast.

== Writer ==

Drenik first contributed as a writer to an underground publication, ''Whoopsy Magazine'', in Austin, Texas, owned by Chad Holt. He mainly published a column entitled, "Spitfire and Southern Grease", that chronicled the musings of barflies he encountered while running a bar in South Austin. After his move to Portland, he began contributing op-ed pieces to ''American Songwriter'',<ref>{{Cite web | title = Us Vs. Them |work= American Songwriter | date = July 2, 2014 | url =http://www.americansongwriter.com/2014/07/writers-room-us-vs/ | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20210804055454/https://americansongwriter.com/writers-room-us-vs/ | archivedate = August 4, 2021 | first = Matt | last = Drenik }}</ref> ''Magnet'', ''Talkhouse'',<ref>{{Cite web | title = Trolling Is Over If You Want It |work= Talkhouse | date = August 1, 2018 | url =https://www.talkhouse.com/trolling-is-over-if-you-want-it/}}</ref> and ''OPB Music''.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Neko Vs. The Volcano|work = OPB Music | date = April 29, 2015 | url =http://www.opb.org/opbmusic/article/drenik-neko-vs-the-volcano/}}</ref>

==Discography== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=February 2026}}

===With Lions=== * ''Volume 1'' (2006 EP) * ''No Generation'' (2007 LP) * ''Let No One Fall'' (2009 EP)

===With Battleme===

* ''Big Score'' (2009 EP) * ''Battleme'' (2012 LP) * "Touch" (2012 single) * ''Weight on the Brain'' (2013 EP) * ''Future Runs Magnetic'' (2014 LP) * ''Habitual Love Songs'' (2016) * ''Cult Psychotica'' (2017)

===Production===

* Battleme * Louise Post of Veruca Salt * Miller Campbell * Acid Tongue * Chief White Lightning * El Madre (Louise Post of Veruca Salt) * Danny Dodge * Aaron Behrens (Ghostland Observatory) * Charlie Hilton (Blouse) * Grizzled Mighty * The Furies * Jesse Vain * Far Lands * Felix Rose * Hairy Patt Band * Moon Darling * Johanna

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.getloudrecordings.com/matt-drenik}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Drenik, Matt}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century American singers Category:American male guitarists Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock singers Category:Guitarists from Ohio Category:Guitarists from Oregon Category:Musicians from Austin, Texas Category:Musicians from Cincinnati Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon Category:St. Xavier High School (Ohio) alumni Category:Singers from Austin, Texas Category:Singers from Cincinnati Category:Singers from Portland, Oregon Category:Songwriters from Ohio Category:Songwriters from Oregon Category:Songwriters from Texas Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni