{{short description|English guitarist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Matthew Simms | image = Matt Simms sep 2013.jpg | caption = | image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = | birth_place = | origin = England | instrument = {{hlist|Guitar|organ}} | genre = {{hlist|Post-punk|experimental rock|electronic|alternative rock}} | occupation = Guitarist | years_active = | label = {{hlist|Pink Flag|ORG Music}} | associated_acts = Wire, Slows,<ref name="quietus"/><ref name="slows">{{cite web|title=Enormous Pause |url=https://umorrex.bandcamp.com/album/enormous-pause|work=Bandcamp|date=28 September 2018|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref> It Hugs Back,<ref name="quietus"/> FITTED | website = }}
'''Matthew Simms''' is an English guitarist best known for his work with the band Wire.<ref name="quietus">{{cite web|title=LISTEN: Slows|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/17596-matt-simms-slows-stream|work=The Quietus|date=17 April 2015|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref>
Simms formed the band It Hugs Back with schoolmates Paul Michael, Jack Theedom and Will Blackaby.<ref>{{cite web|title=It Hugs Back live in session for Marc Riley|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01gl3vs|work=BBC|accessdate=18 January 2020}}</ref> Their debut album, ''Inside Your Guitar'', was released in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|last=Perpetua|first=Matthew|title=It Hugs Back: Inside Your Guitar|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12892-inside-your-guitar/|work=Pitchfork|date=6 April 2009|accessdate=18 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Nicolson|first=Barry|title=Album Review: It Hugs Back|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-it-hugs-back-10303-338402|work=NME|date=3 April 2009|accessdate=18 January 2020}}</ref> Their second album, ''Laughing Party'', was released in 2012.<ref name="howarth"/>
In 2010 Simms joined Wire for their ''Red Barked Tree'' tour<ref name="rc">{{cite web|title=Forever Change|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/forever-change|work=Record Collector|date=|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref> initially as a touring guitarist but then as a full member of the band.<ref name="rc"/> The first Wire album Simms appeared on was 2013's ''Change Becomes Us''.<ref name="pinnock">{{cite web|last=Pinnock|first=Tom|title=Wire discuss their best albums: "Talking only gets you so far… it's the intuition that's important"|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/wire-discuss-best-albums-talking-gets-far-intuition-thats-important-107286/4/|work=Uncut|date=14 September 2018|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref> He went on to appear on: ''Wire'',<ref name="pinnock"/> ''Nocturnal Koreans'',<ref name="pinnock"/> ''Silver/Lead,''<ref name="pinnock" /> and ''Mind Hive'' (2020).<ref>{{cite web|last=Richards|first=Sam|title=Wire announce new album, Mind Hive|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/news/wire-announce-new-album-mind-hive-112542/|work=Uncut|date=22 October 2019|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref>
Since joining Wire Simms has balanced his work with both Wire and It Hugs Back.<ref name="howarth">{{cite web|last=Howarth|first=Benjamin|title=Interview: Matthew Simms|url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/MagSitePages/Article/6792|work=Penny Black Music|date=12 June 2012|accessdate=18 January 2020}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
With fellow Wire-mate Graham Lewis Simms joined bassist Mike Watt (Minutemen) and drummer Bob Lee to form FITTED.<ref name="pearis">{{cite web|last=Pearis|first=Bill|title=FITTED, ft. Mike Watt & members of Wire, share first single from debut LP|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/fitted-ft-mike-watt-members-of-wire-share-first-single-from-debut-lp/|work=Brooklyn Vegan|date= August 21, 2019|accessdate=November 9, 2019}}</ref> Initially formed as a one-off group for Wire's DRILL festival in Los Angeles,<ref name="pearis"/><ref name="helman">{{cite web|last=Helman|first=Peter|title=FITTED – "Training Pit Bulls For The Navy"|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2055499/fitted-training-pit-bulls-for-the-navy/premiere/|work=Stereogum|date=August 21, 2019|accessdate=November 9, 2019}}</ref> the four decided to record an album.<ref>{{cite web|last=Watt|first=Mike|authorlink=Mike Watt|title=I got to be in FITTED...|url=https://www.facebook.com/wattfrompedromusic/photos/a.406615476276/10154245497116277/?type=3|work=Facebook|date=April 7, 2017|accessdate=November 9, 2019}}</ref>
''First Fits,'' their debut album, was recorded from 2017 to 2018<ref>{{cite web|last=Phillips|first=Marc|title=Fitted, First Fits - The Vinyl Anachronist|url=https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2019/10/23/fitted-first-fits-the-vinyl-anachronist/|work=Part-Time Audiophile|date=October 23, 2019|accessdate=November 9, 2019}}</ref> with Lewis and Watt trading lead vocals.<ref name="helman"/> "Training Pit Bulls For The Navy" was the first single.<ref name="pearis"/>
Simms also records solo work under the pen name "Slows",<ref name="slows"/> an experimental electronic project in which Simms plays electric organ.<ref name="quietus"/> He performed at London South Bank University at their inaugural Magnetic South festival in April 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Meet the artists of Magnetic South 2016|url=https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/our-schools/arts-and-creative-industries/magnetic-south/artists|publisher=London South Bank University|accessdate=18 January 2020}}</ref>
Simms, Verity Susman and Kat Duma received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Original Music in a Documentary at the 12th Canadian Screen Awards in 2024 for their work on ''Tramps!''.<ref>[https://www.northernstars.ca/blackberry-leads-csa-nominations/ "BlackBerry Leads CSA Nominations"]. ''Northern Stars'', March 6, 2024.</ref>
Simms and Susman formed the band MEMORIALS in 2022, having previously collaborated and worked on film soundtrack projects together. The duo officially launched MEMORIALS around their 2023 film scores of Tramps! and Women Against The Bomb. They later signed to Fire Records for their albums Memorial Waterslides (2024) and All Clouds Bring Not Rain (2026).<ref>{{cite web|title=MEMORIALS (Verity Susman from Electrelane & Matthew Simms from Wire) announce new album ‘Memorial Waterslides’|url=https://www.firerecords.com/memorials-verity-susman-from-electrelane-matthew-simms-from-wire-announce-new-album-memorial-waterslides-listen-to-new-single-cut-it-like-a-diamond|publisher=Fire_Records_(UK)|accessdate=8 May 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Wire}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, Matthew}} Category:English rock guitarists Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Fitted members Category:Wire (band) members