Mat Devine
Encyclopedia
Mat Devine is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor and author. He is most well known for creating and fronting the alternative rock
band Kill Hannah
. Most recently he has joined the cast of the Broadway production Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
.
, Devine went through a break-up with a 17 year old girl named Hannah. He then wrote the song "Kill Hannah", which would later inspire the name of his band.
The band, formed at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, evolved over several years, self-releasing two LPs, four EPs, and earning a substantial local following- regularly selling out Chicago’s legendary live venue The Metro- before signing with Atlantic Records
in 2003.
For the next four years, the band toured across the US in support of two albums and singles, sharing the stage with bands like 30 Seconds to Mars
, HIM, AFI
, Angels and Airwaves, Chevelle
, The Used
, Flyleaf
, My Chemical Romance
, Velvet Revolver
, Alice in Chains
, The Sounds
, and Shiny Toy Guns
. Their combined albums on Atlantic sold over 200,000 copies.
In 2007, the band signed to Roadrunner Records
in the UK, which initiated several tours to UK, Europe and Scandinavia in support of the worldwide release of their album Until There’s Nothing Left of Us.
In 2009, Kill Hannah signed with New York-based Original Signal Recordings
/ Universal Motown for the release of Wake Up the Sleepers. The album features guest vocals by Amanda Palmer
, Chibi (The Birthday Massacre
), Good Charlotte
’s Benji Madden
, and the Chicago Children’s Choir. In support of the album, the band toured separately with Papa Roach
, JET
, Morningwood
, She Wants Revenge
, Smashing Pumpkins, My Passion
, and Lacuna Coil
.
(most-known for being Morrissey
’s lead guitarist and principal songwriter) and the two began to collaborate. They called in musician Dean Butterworth
(of Good Charlotte
) for drums, Davey Julson-Rieley to produce, and Joe McGrath (AFI
, Green Day
) to mix the songs. EP1 was released for digital download on September 14, 2010, and the first single “The Search” was featured in the season premier of One Tree Hill
.
in the original cast of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. He was asked to audition when a producer for the show saw a Kill Hannah CD on the desk of Devine's lawyer. The production is directed by Julie Taymor
, based on the book that she co-wrote with Glen Berger
. Music and lyrics are written by Bono
and The Edge
of U2
.
Devine was quoted in Kerrang!
Magazine as saying, "...the music is great and I can't begin to overstate how impressive the set is. It's epic and revolutionary!" Devine has signed on for a minimum one year commitment.
When the show went on hiatus to input revisions, Devine was retired as the "Geek chorus" were cut.
to write periodic blog entries for their website. Devine uses the blog to relate personal stories, experiences of the band on tour, and to dialogue with fans in Q&A entries. His friend/guest bloggers have included: Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance
), Bam Margera
, Benji Madden
(Good Charlotte
), Tomo
(30 Seconds to Mars
), Jeremy Dawson (Shiny Toy Guns
), We the Kings
, Amanda Palmer
, The Maine
, and William Beckett (The Academy Is...
).
. He spent his early years in Norwalk and nearby Westport, Connecticut
. Eventually his family moved to West Nyack, NY, where he attended Clarkstown High School South
. In his junior year, his family moved again to Lake Forest, Illinois
, where he graduated from Lake Forest High School
. He enrolled in Illinois State University
as an English major, and after 2 years, he transferred to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he graduated with a BFA in Film.
He lived in Chicago
until August 2010 when he moved to New York City
, where he now lives. He has two sisters.
Devine’s first studio experience was in the home of director John Hughes, where Hughes’s son, John Hughes III, recorded four of Devine’s songs. Hughes and Devine went on to record several songs together at Chicago Trax and Gravity Studios
with engineer Critter.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Kill Hannah
Kill Hannah
Kill Hannah is a rock band formed in 1993 in Chicago. The band has released six studio albums, seven EPs, and two compilation albums as well as three DVDs.-History:...
. Most recently he has joined the cast of the Broadway production Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is a rock musical with music and lyrics by U2's Bono and The Edge and a book by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The musical is based on the Spider-Man comics created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, published by Marvel Comics, as well as the 2002...
.
Kill Hannah
At 19 yrs old, while working on a project called In a Jar UK, in Normal, IllinoisNormal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, Devine went through a break-up with a 17 year old girl named Hannah. He then wrote the song "Kill Hannah", which would later inspire the name of his band.
The band, formed at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, evolved over several years, self-releasing two LPs, four EPs, and earning a substantial local following- regularly selling out Chicago’s legendary live venue The Metro- before signing with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 2003.
For the next four years, the band toured across the US in support of two albums and singles, sharing the stage with bands like 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
, HIM, AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
, Angels and Airwaves, Chevelle
Chevelle
Chevelle is an American alternative metal trio that formed in 1995 in Grayslake, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The band was originally composed of two brothers and a local friend: Pete Loeffler , Sam Loeffler , and Matt Scott . Matt was later replaced by brother Joe Loeffler...
, The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
, Flyleaf
Flyleaf
Flyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....
, My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
, Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
, Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
, The Sounds
The Sounds
The Sounds are a Swedish Indie Rock band. Formed in Helsingborg in 1999, the group's musical style has been compared to New Wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, the Epoxies and Missing Persons....
, and Shiny Toy Guns
Shiny Toy Guns
Shiny Toy Guns is an American indie rock band that formed in 2002 in Los Angeles, California. They released their first studio album We Are Pilots in 2006, after recording it two previous times. It featured three singles that peaked inside the top 30 in the Alternative Songs Chart. We Are Pilots...
. Their combined albums on Atlantic sold over 200,000 copies.
In 2007, the band signed to Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
in the UK, which initiated several tours to UK, Europe and Scandinavia in support of the worldwide release of their album Until There’s Nothing Left of Us.
In 2009, Kill Hannah signed with New York-based Original Signal Recordings
Original Signal Recordings
Original Signal Recordings is an American independent record label based in New York City. Original Signal is owned and operated by Music Nation, Inc., distributed by Universal Motown Republic Group, and is a member of the American Association of Independent Music. Original Signal was founded in...
/ Universal Motown for the release of Wake Up the Sleepers. The album features guest vocals by Amanda Palmer
Amanda Palmer
Amanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer , sometimes known as Amanda Fucking Palmer, is an American performer who first rose to prominence as the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the duo The Dresden Dolls...
, Chibi (The Birthday Massacre
The Birthday Massacre
The Birthday Massacre is a synthrock band, based in Toronto, Canada. The band formed in 1999, known then as Imagica...
), Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
’s Benji Madden
Benji Madden
Benji Madden is an American guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Good Charlotte, which he co-founded with his identical twin brother, Joel Madden.-Early life:...
, and the Chicago Children’s Choir. In support of the album, the band toured separately with Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
, JET
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
, Morningwood
Morningwood
Morningwood is an alternative rock band from New York City, USA, founded in 2001 by Pedro Yanowitz and Chantal Claret. Morningwood was signed to Capitol Records.-Career:...
, She Wants Revenge
She Wants Revenge
She Wants Revenge is an American musical duo, based in San Fernando Valley, California. The group's debut album She Wants Revenge was released in early 2006, with three singles to follow...
, Smashing Pumpkins, My Passion
My Passion
My Passion is an English band formed in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England in 2005. They released their debut album, Corporate Flesh Party, in May 2009 on Cool Green Recordings...
, and Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
.
Setting Fires
In the summer of 2009, Devine met up with songwriter Alain WhyteAlain Whyte
Alain Gordon Whyte is an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is most known for being Morrissey's main songwriting partner since 1991 and his lead guitarist from 1991-2004...
(most-known for being Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
’s lead guitarist and principal songwriter) and the two began to collaborate. They called in musician Dean Butterworth
Dean Butterworth
Dean "Deano" Butterworth is a professional drummer. He played for popular singer Morrissey and was announced as the official drummer for the band Good Charlotte in March 2005 after they parted with their previous drummer, Chris Wilson in 2005...
(of Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
) for drums, Davey Julson-Rieley to produce, and Joe McGrath (AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
) to mix the songs. EP1 was released for digital download on September 14, 2010, and the first single “The Search” was featured in the season premier of One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
.
Broadway
On August 16, 2010, Devine was officially announced as having accepting the principal role of teenage comic book addict Grim HunterGrim Hunter
Grim Hunter is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, in which he is an enemy of Spider-Man. He is the son of Kraven the Hunter. His first appearance was in Spider-Man #47.-Fictional character biography:...
in the original cast of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. He was asked to audition when a producer for the show saw a Kill Hannah CD on the desk of Devine's lawyer. The production is directed by Julie Taymor
Julie Taymor
Julie Taymor is an American director of theater, opera and film. Taymor's work has received many accolades from critics, and she has earned two Tony Awards out of four nominations, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, an Emmy Award and an Academy Award nomination for Original Song...
, based on the book that she co-wrote with Glen Berger
Glen Berger
Glen Berger is an American playwright.Berger has received commissions from the Children’s Theater of Minneapolis, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the Alley Theatre, and the Lookingglass Theater...
. Music and lyrics are written by Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
and The Edge
The Edge
David Howell Evans , more widely known by his stage name The Edge , is a musician best known as the guitarist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist of the Irish rock band U2. A member of the group since its inception, he has recorded 12 studio albums with the band and has released one solo record...
of U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
.
Devine was quoted in Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
Magazine as saying, "...the music is great and I can't begin to overstate how impressive the set is. It's epic and revolutionary!" Devine has signed on for a minimum one year commitment.
When the show went on hiatus to input revisions, Devine was retired as the "Geek chorus" were cut.
The Raccoon Society
In 2004, Devine was commissioned by Fuse TVFuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
to write periodic blog entries for their website. Devine uses the blog to relate personal stories, experiences of the band on tour, and to dialogue with fans in Q&A entries. His friend/guest bloggers have included: Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
), Bam Margera
Bam Margera
Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's Jackass crew...
, Benji Madden
Benji Madden
Benji Madden is an American guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Good Charlotte, which he co-founded with his identical twin brother, Joel Madden.-Early life:...
(Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
), Tomo
Tomo Miličević
Tomislav "Tomo" Miličević is a Bosnian-American musician. He is the lead guitarist of the alternative rock band 30 Seconds to Mars.- Family :...
(30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
), Jeremy Dawson (Shiny Toy Guns
Shiny Toy Guns
Shiny Toy Guns is an American indie rock band that formed in 2002 in Los Angeles, California. They released their first studio album We Are Pilots in 2006, after recording it two previous times. It featured three singles that peaked inside the top 30 in the Alternative Songs Chart. We Are Pilots...
), We the Kings
We the Kings
We the Kings is an American powerpop band formed in 2005 from Bradenton, Florida, currently signed to record label S-Curve Records. The group released their self-titled full-length debut album in 2007, which peaked at No. 151 on the Billboard 200. Their second full-length album, Smile Kid, was...
, Amanda Palmer
Amanda Palmer
Amanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer , sometimes known as Amanda Fucking Palmer, is an American performer who first rose to prominence as the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the duo The Dresden Dolls...
, The Maine
The Maine (band)
The Maine is an American rock band from Tempe, Arizona. They were formed in January 21st, 2007, they released EP Stay Up, Get Down in the same year. On December 11 2007, The Maine made their debut with a five song EP called The Way We Talk produced by Matt Grabe...
, and William Beckett (The Academy Is...
The Academy Is...
The Academy Is... was an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. Before dispersing, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
).
Personal life
Mat Devine was born on April 16, 1974 in Norwalk, ConnecticutNorwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
. He spent his early years in Norwalk and nearby Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
. Eventually his family moved to West Nyack, NY, where he attended Clarkstown High School South
Clarkstown High School South
Clarkstown High School South is a public high school located in West Nyack, New York. The school educates students in grades 9 through 12, and is one of two high schools in the Clarkstown Central School District...
. In his junior year, his family moved again to Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
, where he graduated from Lake Forest High School
Lake Forest High School (Illinois)
Lake Forest High School, or LFHS, is a public four-year high school located in Lake Forest, Illinois, a North Shore suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is the only school of Lake Forest Community High School District 115, which serves the communities of Lake Forest, Lake Bluff,...
. He enrolled in Illinois State University
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
as an English major, and after 2 years, he transferred to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he graduated with a BFA in Film.
He lived in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
until August 2010 when he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he now lives. He has two sisters.
Devine’s first studio experience was in the home of director John Hughes, where Hughes’s son, John Hughes III, recorded four of Devine’s songs. Hughes and Devine went on to record several songs together at Chicago Trax and Gravity Studios
Gravity Studios
Gravity Studios is a recording studio in Chicago, IL founded in 1993 by Doug McBride.Artists that have worked at Gravity Studios include: Veruca Salt , Smashing Pumpkins, Atari Teenage Riot, Rod Stewart, Fall Out Boy, Hawthorne Heights, Silversun Pickups, The Walkmen, Rachel Yamagata, Umphrey's...
with engineer Critter.
External links
- Mat Devine on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
- The Raccoon Society on Fuse.tv