M. Ward
Matthew Stephen Ward, who records and performs under the name M. Ward, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer working in the folk and indie folk traditions.
Ward was born on October 4, 1973, in Newbury Park, a community in Ventura County. A citizen of the United States, he conducts his work in the English language. His practice spans performing, recording, and production, reflecting the range of roles he occupies as a musician.
As a guitarist and singer, Ward operates across the overlapping genres of folk music and indie folk. These two related traditions form the consistent framework within which his output sits. His standing as both a performing artist and a record producer has allowed him to engage with music from multiple positions within the recording process.
The folk and indie folk genres that define Ward's output have remained central to his practice as a musician and singer-songwriter. His work, grounded in these traditions and produced in the English language, reflects a sustained engagement with forms of music that continue to shape his identity as a guitarist, singer, and producer.
Quotes by M. Ward
M. Ward's insights on:
It's no fun for me to cover a song and produce it the exact same way as it already exists. When I hear that happening, I have to say, 'What's the point?'
The production process has a great way of bringing songs to light and that’s a big part of it.
I get most of my inspiration from older records. Most of the records that I listen to were probably made before I was born, and I was born in the mid-’70s. I don’t know why, exactly, I’m drawn to those sounds.
The way that I’m working now is basically the way I’ve been working since I was a kid: Find the greatest artist in whatever you do, and rip them off with respect. I think there’s a big difference between ripping off with respect and ripping off in disrespect.
In order to make a normal-sized record, a singer songwriter should have a couple dozen finished songs. Once they go through the process of production, the ones that scream out at you that they’re finished are the ones that make the record.
I’ve worked with just as many talented women as I have talented men, and I feel fortunate enough to have that great balance.
My favorite recordings are the ones that feel like there were no middlemen in the creation. That’s the biggest problem with most films and records being made today – too many people involved. I think it dilutes the artist’s intent and inspiration.
It’s a hard thing to explain, but the more I arrange for strings, the more I realize the possibilities.
