# Matthew Simms

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{{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](/source/Post-punk)|[experimental rock](/source/experimental_rock)|[electronic](/source/Electronic_music)|[alternative rock](/source/alternative_rock)}}
| occupation        = Guitarist
| years_active      = 
| label             = {{hlist|Pink Flag|ORG Music}}
| associated_acts   = [Wire](/source/Wire_(band)), Slows,<ref name="quietus"/><ref name="slows">{{cite web|title=Enormous Pause |url=https://umorrex.bandcamp.com/album/enormous-pause|work=[Bandcamp](/source/Bandcamp)|date=28 September 2018|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref> [It Hugs Back](/source/It_Hugs_Back),<ref name="quietus"/> [FITTED](/source/FITTED)
| website           = 
}}

'''Matthew Simms''' is an English guitarist best known for his work with the band [Wire](/source/Wire_(band)).<ref name="quietus">{{cite web|title=LISTEN: Slows|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/17596-matt-simms-slows-stream|work=[The Quietus](/source/The_Quietus)|date=17 April 2015|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref>

Simms formed the band [It Hugs Back](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Pitchfork_(website))|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](/source/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](/source/Red_Barked_Tree)'' tour<ref name="rc">{{cite web|title=Forever Change|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/forever-change|work=[Record Collector](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Uncut_(magazine))|date=14 September 2018|accessdate=17 January 2020}}</ref> He went on to appear on: ''[Wire](/source/Wire_(Wire_album))'',<ref name="pinnock"/> ''[Nocturnal Koreans](/source/Nocturnal_Koreans)'',<ref name="pinnock"/>  ''[Silver/Lead](/source/Silver%2FLead),''<ref name="pinnock" /> and ''[Mind Hive](/source/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](/source/Uncut_(magazine))|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](/source/Graham_Lewis) Simms joined bassist [Mike Watt](/source/Mike_Watt) ([Minutemen](/source/Minutemen_(band))) and drummer Bob Lee to form [FITTED](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Facebook)|date=April 7, 2017|accessdate=November 9, 2019}}</ref>

''[First Fits](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/London_South_Bank_University)|accessdate=18 January 2020}}</ref>

Simms, [Verity Susman](/source/Verity_Susman) and [Kat Duma](/source/Kat_Duma) received a [Canadian Screen Award](/source/Canadian_Screen_Award) nomination for [Best Original Music in a Documentary](/source/Canadian_Screen_Award_for_Best_Original_Music_in_a_Documentary) at the [12th Canadian Screen Awards](/source/12th_Canadian_Screen_Awards) in 2024 for their work on ''[Tramps!](/source/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!](/source/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)](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matthew Simms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Simms) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Simms?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.