Matthew Jay British singer songwriter
In loving Memory
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I suppose the comparisons with Nick Drake will always be made, especially now,
but he always reminded me of Drake in that he came across as a slightly tortured
soul yet full of love and wrote exquisite, dreamy, imaginative tunes.

Matthew wrote some beautiful songs in the purest sense of the word 'song'
and left a very positive mark on the world and many people's lives in general.
I can't think of a better way of leaving the world than that, though obviously he
will be sorely missed by many for a long time to come.

I saw him play a small set in Covent Garden, and remember shaking his hand
and telling him what an inspiration he was afterwards; as an aspiring musician
I really meant it. My thoughts go out to his family.

Dominic


Reading these messages makes me realised just how lucky I am
to be a fan who has seen him live.

When I saw him at the London Forum supporting Starsailor, I had only
the tail end of "Call My Name Out" on MTV2 to guide my expectations,
but he really out-did himself. Despite most of the crowd standing there
like lemons, wondering when the headliners were coming, Matthew gave it everything, totally rocking out, and that is the memory of him I will always have.

That said, I didn't fall in love with the music straight out. I listened to
the free sample CD from the gig for a few days ("Become Yourself" and a
live version of "The Clearing"), and then sorta forgot about it, until I picked up
'Draw' in a record store. In the two years since then, its got more and more
airtime and, while Starsailor gathers dust, 'Draw' is overplayed to the point
of needing a new copy. There is a Mtthew Jay song on every compilation I
make and there is always a song on my MP3 player, so I never leave home
without him.

Like many of you, I got back into MJ in a big way after his death, but
unusually, I didnt know about it. After listening to the album solidly for
about two months, it occurred to me to have a look see if he was
producing new material or going on tour. So it was then that I heard the
news on a Google search in December, and just couldn't believe it was
the same Matthew Jay.

It was strange to think that the excited, enthusiastic, talented guy on stage
I thought of whenever I listened to his songs was no more... but I still get
that picture of him, so in truth, that man will live on as long as we
remember him.

May you live forever Matthew. I hope you reach your clearing.


Thomas Fieldhouse
What a shame, I really enjoyed the 'Draw' album, and went
to see Matthew.

When I used to live in a flat in London, everyone had
different tastes in music, except for Matthew Jay.
I expected so much for him, and thought he could easily
be the next John Lennon.

Alas, we all live in a world where values have
changed from the 60s. We idolise people on Pop Idol,
we love ppl eating beetles in the jungle, but where's
the soul? The world is changing fast, and if Matthew
did a song like 'Imagine,' it probably would be at number
75, because his publishing company didn't back
him up one bit! Where was the promotion for his
album? Did we ever see him in the paper? Disgusting!

There will never be another Matthew Jay, and I
personally think this is just as tragic as Lennon
dying (but he was promoted, unlike Matthew)

Does anyone know if his 'new material' will ever get
released?

All you need is love

John

 


I initially found Matthew Jay's music after seeing the 'Let Your Shoulder Fall'
video on the Q music channel. I was fascinated by this tune and went out to
get the album the next day. I still listen to the album now - it's a wonderful
bunch of songs. Unfortunately, I never managed to get around to seeing
Matthew live...

I hope that Matthew was happy during his short life because his music
certainly made me happy. In a world of Pop Idols and falseness, Matthew
Jay wrote songs from the heart. It was and still is a privilege to be one of
too few who knew Matthew Jay's music.

He will be much missed.

RIP Matthew.

Sam Weston

 



I first saw this unassuming, folk-poppy 'kid' on Later and within 8 bars of
'Let Your Shoulder Fall' I was hooked. You can tell when something is going
to be THAT good. 'Draw' was/is inspirational, emotional, and artistically
would have only been surpassable by one thing...the second album.
It's nothing short of tragic that there will never be one. I always wondered,
listening to Draw's lyrics, how someone so young could be so reflective and
poetical...such is genius I guess. Words cannot really do the guy justice...
sadly, very sadly, missed.

Gary

Hudds UK

Matthew,

I found your music late in your life. I came upon it when I was looking to buy
my own website, but I couldn't buy it, because someone else owned it already.
My name is Matthew Jay also.
When I saw your website I got interested in your music, so I bought the CD
and really liked your music.
Sorry to see you go so soon. You were only a year older than I.
I'm from the States, and never got to see you live in concert. I always thought someday, but that's never going to happen now.

A Fan with the same Name
Matthew Jay

I was fortunate to see Matthew at the Northampton Roadmender gig (and I
mean fortunate). Had gone to see Lowgold, and had never heard of him before,
but the gig blew me away, and I went straight out to buy the album.

Was very sorry to hear of his passing last year. There was so much more great music to come from him. My favourite memory was seeing him on Jools Holland, which I still have recorded: fantastic stuff.

Rest assured his music will live on forever, and I thank him for that gift to the world.

ADAM
www.thecut.4t.com

I was in a bar in Thailand when I first heard 'Please Don't Send Me Away'.
I had never heard of Matthew before, but I decided to remember his name
because I liked the song so much. Two months later, I was in a record shop in Australia, and I magically remembered his name. The album was in stock,
and I couldn't believe how brilliant the music was. I was raving about the
album after the first play, and I make sure everyone hears it.

I couldn't believe it when I heard he had died. I was so looking forward to hearing more music from him, and I'm hoping that that the the records he made
shortly before he died will soon be made available.

He made a big impact of me, and I only hope that his music continues to live on.

Warren


I didn't post a message on here when I first heard the news. To be honest,
I couldn't believe it. At the time we had all been waiting so long for the
new album, and for me in particular for the tour that would no doubt follow.

It never happened, and now all I have is regrets that I never saw him sing
his songs live in time. He was number one on my list of people to see.
However I can be thankful for 'Draw' - one of the most underrated albums
I can think of.

Matthew's music was to me a hidden gem of talent that the world was yet
to discover. It's good news about the family's plan to release a second
album. It would be a fitting tribute. And hopefully more and more people
will get to discover Matthew's beautiful music.

It took me a while to be able to listen to 'Draw' after he died. His songs
seem so much more poignant now.

Matthew, thank you. You will not be forgotten.

Gemma Coleman X

A great CD was produced by Matthew Jay.
I really enjoyed listening to the CD, and still do.
Rest in peace Matthew.
Your songs will always be in my mind.
Jonathan

I saw Matthew Jay the first time in Hamburg/Germany, supporting Starsailor.
At that point it wasn’t possible to buy the album in Germany, so we did
everything to get it. And it is still one of the albums I can listen to again and
again, and like every single song. I was talking to the band on that night, and
I think everyone of them is a very special person.

I lost three friends that way during the last year, and I know what it’s like,
and I know the questions you are asking yourself and all the ‘what-if’s’…
I know these moments when you think ‘now it can’t get worse’ but it does.

But anyway, you all know that words aren’t enough to describe what
we’d like to share with each other…

Nicole


I'm sorry for my bad English...but I don't think that it will be a trouble..not a word,
not a language, can tell what sadness take a loss like this..surely we lost a poet,
but not his words, and I think that in the bad way the world is going on, is good
find people that talk about love like he did...
I'm sure that he will be an example for someone, and if this is true only for one
person it will be a great thing...

Alberto-Italy

I remember going on a website called cdnow.com to find some new music
because I realized that all my music, like The Doors and Beatles, was not in this decade. Upon looking for some new artists I stumbled upon Matthew.
I picked a song from his play list and downloaded to see if I would be intrigued.
The song I picked was "Become Yourself" and it absolutely blew me away.
I did not download any more songs because I wanted the rest of the songs to
be a surprise when I bought the CD. Was I ever surprised!
I would compare this CD with any Beatles or Doors album because it hit all
the right places, great melody, great lyrics, and a very harmonious voice similar to another great we lost in 2003, Elliot Smith.

I don't find the Nick Drake comparisons to be all that accurate. I say this because Nick Drake truly talked about one thing, the negatives of life. Matthew wrote
similar to Nick Drake in the sense of the human condition, but where Drake
was limited Jay surpassed. In one album, Matthew Jay talked about the loss of a family member (Meteorology), the infatuation with his muse (Call My Name Out),
and the unavoidable meeting with death and the after life (Please Don't Send Me Away). It took the greats like Lennon and Morrison to have an album or two to
really let their creativity flow. Imagine what Matthew would have done, being that
this masterpiece was his first attempt at a musical album.

This man puts my whole life into perspective. I am almost 20 years old and I feel
that if I die at an old age, I will not even have touched the people that Matthew
has touched in the course of his short 24-year life. Listening to this album,
especially the song "Please Don't Send Me Away" makes me want to help as
many people as I can before time runs out and I have nothing to say when it is my turn to present myself at the gates of heaven.

Friedrich Nietzsche once said “though the favorites of the gods die young,
they also live eternally in the company of gods”. This quote is applicable for
Matthew, for I believe god took him away from us for selfish reasons (not that
I can blame him).

Matthew Jay will forever live in my heart and I hope that soon my fellow
Canadians will see the greatness that we lost. I feel that this loss is
equivalent to the early departure of John Lennon in 1980, if not more
because at least we got to hear Lennon at his best.

Thank You,

Evan MacKinnon

Edmonton, Canada



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