M.D.G. - Matthew D. Guarnere

M.D.G. Band - City Magazine 7/05

NOWTHEN - City Magazine 7/04

M.D.G. Band - Freetime Magazine 8/03

M.D.G. Band - City Magazine 8/03

M.D.G. mp3.ep - Freetime Magazine 10/02

M.D.G. - City Magazine 12/01

Behind the Music Man - City Magazine 10/00

Radio U - Freetime Magazine 11/94

What's Real - Freetime Magazine 9/93

What's Real - Freetime Magazine 12/92

M.D.G. Band
by Frank De Blase 7/27/05
City Magazine
USA

M.D.G. Band plays it Wembley big. Most rock bands in town rattle the walls and shake the rafters, but M.D.G.?s sonics scrape the sky, not just in volume but in power, enthusiasm, and desire as well. Their new single ?Roadmap? is thunderous and unforgettable. I?m sure it has a lot to do with singer Matthew D. Guarnere?s 60-octave vocal range. I mean, holy shit.

NOWTHEN
by Frank De Blase 7/7/04
City Magazine
USA

Matt Guarnere - Mr. Studio himself - does it again this time by stripping away all the layers to expose the song in the duo NOWTHEN. Along with Pompous Pilate guitarist Justin Roeland, who met up with Guarnere while recording his last album, the duo plays starkly and simply with plenty of atmosphere for the lyrics to swim around before getting in your head. This is a pleasant surprise from two dudes who come from more heavy and graniose backgrounds. The subtlety and restraint offers as much punch as anything either two has done.

NOWTHEN plays with guests Paul Smoker and Eric The Taylor Friday, July 16, in the Bop Shop Atrium, 274 North Goodman Street, at 8 p.m.. Free 271-3354. All ages.

M.D.G. Band
by Michelle Picardo 8/6/03
Freetime Magazine Vol. 27, No. 5
USA

...The M.D.G. Band is set to rock the house in only their second performance on Thursday, August 7th (9 pm) at Milestones, with opening act, Jen Kerner (ex-Black Olive). Led by the very musically inclined Matthew D. Guarnere, the group's new single, "Unobtainium," is a timely track about the evils of the music industry, as revealed through the naive eyes of a wishful band. Boasting a big sound, loaded with catchy hooks and knowing vocals, this well-crafted song is a promising sign of what's to come from this adventurous rock band...

M.D.G. Band
by Frank De Blase 8/6/03
City Magazine
USA

Where, oh where has all the big rock gone? Matthew D. Guarnere knows. His M.D.G. Band carries the torch for big, almost operatic rock. People may confuse the size of the music with the size of the venue (i.e. "arena rock"). But M.D.G. is grandiose in any setting. Kinda like Queen in a coffee house. Guarnere's music is of a purpose that digs deeper into humanity's need for music after rock 'n' roll had exhausted all the obvious avenues. There are so many other unexplored roots besides just jazz, blues, and country.

Guarnere's voice goes from angel to anger in a flash and he is compelling and competent singing from both perspectives. Progressive and open minded, M.D.G. proves that there are still a few notes out there waiting to be played, waiting to be heard.

M.D.G. Band with guest Jen Kerner plays Thursday, August 7, at Milestones, 170 East Avenue, at 9:30 p.m. Tix $5. 325-6490

M.D.G. mp3.ep
by Michelle Picardo 10/02/02
Freetime Magazine Vol. 26, No. 9
USA

One-man band, M.D.G. (a.k.a. Matthew D. Guarnere), recently made a new CD available at http://www.mp3.com/guarnere, featuring some remixes of previously released songs, some new tracks (like my fav "I Think It's This City"), and a full-out interview with the artist. Guarnere's progressive rock style is complemented by a voice that can reach the high notes and still stay grounded in the feeling of a song, always exuding great passion. Also a talented producer and engineer, Guarnere takes care of business for What's Real Unlimited and he recently gave me a tour of the fine facilities where he records for himself as well and other area artists (most recently Derelict Brew & Tommy Gravino). Interested musicians should check it out themselves when ready to take the next step towards recording, as you'll undoubtedly be impressed.

M.D.G.
by Frank DeBlase 12/19-25/2001
City Magazine
USA

The beauty of a one-man band is that it can never break up. Matthew D. Guarnere has been leaving his fingerprints on recordings produced at his What's Real Unlimited studios in the East End for years. Willing and more than just a little capable of capturing the whims of artists like the Hi-Risers, Gregory Paul, Liqwid and Andre Foxxe, Guarnere has released "M.D.G." to shed some light on the man behind the music.

"Consistency usually leads to boredom for me," he says. "So I'll go from a complete death wall of amplifiers to a soft acoustic ballad, and that keeps things interesting." It is rather apparent Guarnere draws his influence from the majestic prog of Queen, Alan Parsons and Todd Rundgren. With the help of hired guns like A.D. Zimmer, Ethan Porter, Robert Scribble and Paul Smoker, Guarnere plays a multitude of instruments that support his soaring four-octave voice.

BEHIND THE MUSIC MAN
by Chad Oliveri 10/4/2000
City Magazine
USA

When Matthew D. Guarnere was a boy, he joined his family on a fateful trip to New York City. During his vacation, Guarnere entered a revolving door which suddenly shattered down on top of him. The accident left only a slight scar on Guarnere's chin, but it also had some positive residual effects. After winning a lawsuit against the owners of the building, Guarnere bought his first 8-track recording device, and effectively launched his career as a musician and sound technician.

Today, Guarnere runs a studio in the East End - What's Real Unlimited - where he engineers albums for local bands like The Veins and the Hi-Risers, and national acts. He's also been recording himself: under the name M.D.G., he has recorded almost an entire album's-worth of Queen-esque rock operas.

"I'm primarily a rocker," Guarnere admits. And his taste in both music and recording techniques reveals the indelible mark of years spent awash in records by KISS, Todd Rundgren, The Beatles, and, of course, Queen.

But there's more to Guarnere than rock 'n' roll fantasy. Fans of the Bop Shop free jazz series have grown accustomed to the sight of Guarnere, who has become the official recording tech of Bop Shop live sessions. Like it or not, Guarnere has been exposed to free improvisation, electronic music, bebop, free-form noise, and laptop computer concertos by some of the most in-demand new musicians in the world through his Bop Shop gig. His recordings of these shows are drop-dead accurate, and highlights from them may be compiled by Guarnere and Bop Shop owner Tom Kohn for official release in the near future.

To record the Bop Shop sessions, Guarnere relies on a technique he read about back when he was an audio-addicted teenager. his custom built "binaural head" is literally, a mold of a human head with condenser mics attached to each ear. It never fails to draw curious glances from musicians and audience members alike. And for Guarnere, it's a perfect symbol for what he tries to do when recording both inside and outside of his studio-capture great sound as it interacts with a great space.

"My recordings have to be real," he says. "I make real records, not glorified demos. I didn't go to school for this, but it's really all about listening. I practice the art of listening."

RADIO U
by Kathie Zaccaria 11/23/94
Freetime Magazine
USA

Matthew D. Guarnere is a man of many talents; always has his fingers pushing some buttons, tweaking some knobs or his voice exercising it's vocal dexterity in the studio, on stage, and hey, probably in the shower as well!! (Practice, practice). He's a producer, arranger, performer, writer...a guru of the musical kind. His newest release comes in the form of Radio U - a band that had it's genesis under the moniker What's Real (named after Matt's studio, What's Real Unlimited) with with fellow bandmate, keyboardist, Robert Scribble. Robert has since moved [to England]. And in walks Michael Ciranni, who has worked with Matt in the past and has also played with singer/songwriter Bill Crosby...Radio U has a 3-song cassette out entitled "I Think It's This City." I've come to expect nothing short of brilliance from Matt. His vocals are strong, clean and precise. He also laid down the drum tracks for this release. (A drummer will be added in the future for their live performances). The title track as well as "Listener Man" - which Matt nobly stated in a recent interview with [WCMF's] Unkle Rog as a 'rock 'n' roll soulful look at making music' - are two great, straight-forward rock songs each with a slight progressive twist to them. "Where's Everybody Gone," one of the first songs recorded [for the EP], is a beautiful creation and I can't help but hear a splice of Queen, one of Matt's major influences, between the lines. As someone once told me, Queen's older music came well before its time. And that's too bad, for it should have been appreciated then, more so than now. For Radio U, they have just begun, with lots of living and creating to do. Don't let them pass you by.

WHAT'S REAL
by Kathie Zaccaria 9/15/93
Freetime Magazine
USA

What's Real consists of the fine-tuned talents of Matthew D. Guarnere (engineering, vocals, guitars, drums & percussion) and Robert Scribble (keyboards & programming). They recently released a 3-song self-titled cassette on What's Real Unlimited records. Tracks include "Film & Video" - a song about (if I'm tuned in correctly, that is) mankind's obsession with television and it's effect on one's everyday living, "You Never Have To Grow Old, My Dear," a song dedicated to the memory of Freddie Mercury of Queen, and the instrumental "Getwet." As well as Queen being one of their musical heroes, Todd Rundgren also fits the description. Matt and Robert's creative writing and arranging talents are incredible to say the least. These boys know how to make magic! What's Real is currently looking for a permanent guitarist and bass player so they can take this outfit to further heights...

WHAT'S REAL
by Kathie Zaccaria 12/23/92
Freetime Magazine
USA

What's Real, which is the ideas, emotions and talents of Matthew Guarnere and Robert Scribble, recently released the song "You Never Have To Grow Old, My Dear" - which is dedicated to the memory of Freddie Mercury of Queen. The song was a very important kind of therapy for the duo, as Queen was a major influence in their childhood and in their musical career. The nuts and bolts of the song spanned three months while Matt and Robert breathed life into it at their studio, What's Real Unlimited. And I must say that this is a breathtaking and beautiful song. I was truly enlightened with their spiritual and soulful energy that flowed through each and every note. They sent a specially packaged tape, which included a Queen collage on the inside flaps to the Queen International Fan Club [in London]. The chairwoman responded as I did and [her response] ended in..."have you done anything else?!" Though What's Real doesn't currently have a touring band, it is in the planning. Until then, you can purchase this cassette at the House Of Guitars, Record Theater and Fantastic Records. It's a gem!