From playing in punk and hardcore bands as a teenager to learning to love Jeff Buckley, music plays an integral role in the life of designer Matt Raskas.

Matt Raskas has always loved the eclectic style of inner Melbourne architecture - it’s what attracted him to his Abbotsford terrace house in the first place. Living with his best friend, Matt’s routines involve plenty of our inner-Melbourne favourites, from record shopping to vegan pub fare.

Outside his work as a graphic designer, music is Matt’s most persistent passion; from teenage years spent playing in hardcore bands to expanding his taste into genres like soul, jazz and gospel—and even a composition or two of his own along the way!

Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a graphic designer at Evolved Group, specialising in screen content for events and conferences.

Who else lives here?

I live with my best friend Jordan. We’ve known each other since we were about 5 or 6 years old. We met in the very early years of school and have been friends ever since. Our families have become very close over the years too, so we’ve always been very involved in each other’s lives. He has a much more impressive collection of records than myself and is an incredible cook, so I definitely get the better end of our living arrangement.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It always starts with the most important meal of the day—coffee. Once I knock off of work, I always try to come home and end the day with some guitar playing, reading, or by heading to the local half court to shoot some hoops. Weekends are pretty much the same but at about 20% of the pace hahaha.

What do you love about your home?

I’ve always had such a soft spot for the quirkiness of Melbourne’s inner-city homes, they’re so rich in character. The brick and timber work of our kitchen area very quickly turns our home from terrace house to ski lodge which I love. We’re in such an amazing part of town; surrounded by record stores, amazing (vegan) food and delicious beers so I couldn’t be happier.

Do you have any daily or weekly habits or rituals around music in your home?

Oh absolutely. At any given time, I’m either listening to or playing music. My favourite tradition though by far is heading down to Dutch Vinyl on a Sunday afternoon with my roommate to pick up some new records to listen to over a beer while we make dinner and prepare the week ahead. It’s a surefire way to ease those Sunday blues.

What spaces of your home do you play in?

My bedroom. I have a pretty modest studio setup, but it’s the most comfortable place for me to just play and get lost in what I’m doing.

Tell us about a time when playing guitar has positively impacted your life, or a highlight of your guitar ‘career’.

In my mid-to-late teens, I used to play in a few different bands. We managed to get a few opening slots for international acts, but one that stood out was getting to play with The Getaway Plan. I used to listen to them all the time in school, so it was really incredible to play alongside a band that influenced me so much.

Do you feel like your taste in music has changed over the years?

Oh for sure. I grew up a metalhead, and from that begun to explore the hardcore and punk side of things (which I still have such a soft spot for). But when I was around 19, I discovered Jeff Buckley and he changed everything for me. It was a turning point for me, and tracks like ‘Lover, You Should’ve Come Over’ would eventually lead me to explore genres such as soul, gospel and jazz which is very much where my tastes predominantly reside today.

You’re at a party and get corralled into playing your guitar for the crowd—what do you play? Do you have a go to song?

Oh god, my worst nightmare hahaha. When I play guitar, I tend to not really play songs and just kind of jam, so whenever somebody hands me a guitar I tend to have no idea what to play. Maybe it’s time I bite the bullet and finally look up the chords for Wonderwall.

Tell us about your guitar—where did you get it and what do you love about it? What makes it special to you?

I play a Fender Squire J Mascis Jazzmaster, which I picked it up from KC’s Rockshop in Boronia nearly 2 years ago. I had started to find that my playing really stagnated about 5 years ago and as my music taste changed, I struggled to translate that to my playing and began to lose my passion for it. I decided to pick up the Jazzmaster and reteach myself in hopes it would reignite a bit of a flame, which it did more than I could have hope for.

What's an album you never get sick of?

Wildlife by La Dispute. My favourite album all time. It’s a very confronting, emotional listen, but it completely changed what music could be for me. The way it so effortlessly blends spoken word passages, poetry and yelled vocals over a perfectly crafted soundscape still leaves me awestruck almost a decade later.

And your favourite album cover?

I’d probably have to give this one to Trouble Will Find Me by The National. A beautiful but abstract photo of a woman’s face obstructed by a mirror which appears to be perfectly staged and shot for the album, is actually taken from a photo of an installation by Korean artist Bohyun Yoon.

Any great resources, lessons, books or tips and tricks for learning guitar?

I actually predominately turned to YouTube when it came to getting back into my playing. Finding great videos of different blues licks helped me build a repertoire which drastically enhanced my lead guitar playing.

Do you write songs and if so can we link to some of them?

I do write, but I am pretty bad at finishing songs. I tend to record bits and pieces, but seldom complete them. Artists like Magic Sam really influenced my guitar playing, but my biggest inspiration for songwriting and producing comes from artists like James Blake, The National, FKJ and Jordan Rakei. I’m still refining my sound, but you can check out my soundcloud here. It’s mostly a dumping ground of ideas, but it gives you an idea of what I do.

What keeps your musical spark alive?

I think for me, it’s constantly just being immersed in it. Going to gigs where I can, jamming with friends, collecting records. Music has always been such an integral part of my life and I love being able to express myself through my playing.

Listen to Matt’s music here →

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