James Mathus & His Knockdown Society - National Antiseptic

James Mathus is proudly and unmistakenly a product of his environment. At age six, the Mississippi-bred youngster started playing music, learning from his father and assorted relatives from the hills of Mississippi. "Down there music is everywhere," he explains of his upbringing. "From old-time country, gospel, blues and rockabilly to soul and rock & roll, they all have their origins from down around there. While I was growing up, I heard, met and performed with many musicians in and around the states of Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas."

Though he was steeped in music, Mathus spent his late teens and early 20s as a deckhand on Mississippi River barges. "I was in a lot of backwater bayous and I worked my ass off!," he says of that formative experience. Then at age 23 he moved to North Carolina and put his musical background to use, forming the popular group Squirrel Nut Zippers with his wife, Katherine Whalen. Together they have gone on to sell more than 2.5 million copies of their hyper-hybrid ragtime sound. "The band was really an accident," he continues. "My wife has this great old-fashioned jazz voice so I just put music to that and it took off."

Starting in 1995, the Zippers took off on a wild ride. The band performed on every major television and radio show and played for former President Bill Clinton and at some of the most prestigious concert halls across the nation. Still James' heart has always remained in Mississippi, in the people and the music that he loves.

In 1997, Mathus stepped outside of the Zippers to record a benefit album, Songs For Rosetta, for the surviving daughter of legendary blues pioneer Charlie Patton. Rosetta Patton, who happened to be James' nanny growing up, directly received thousands of dollars as a result.

"That record really got me started on my own music," says Mathus, "the music of my heart and soul--Mississippi music." Always one to create new hybrids rather than copy standards, James has continued in the blues field, drawing inspiration from Charlie Patton and a myriad of others. It was at this point that Mathus began to be recognized for his musical knowledge and talent and was asked to contribute to fellow home-boys the North Mississippi Allstars Grammy-nominated CD, Shake Hands With Shorty.

Next, Mathus was asked to play guitar for the great Buddy Guy on his most recent release Sweet Tea. "They wanted a raw, Mississippi juke-joint sound out of Mr. Guy and that's what we got," says James of the session.

That "raw juke-joint sound" is the best way to describe the current lineup of James' band, James Mathus & His Knockdown Society. "I draw on all my experiences and put them in there," he says, describing the Knockdown sound. "I play and sing about stuff I know for fact, and one thing I know for certain is that people everywhere want to Boogie."

Partial Discography
Metal Flake Mother - Beyond The Java Sea -1991 (Co-leader of the group)
Squirrel Nut Zippers - The Inevitable - 1995
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hot - 1996
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Sold Out EP(out of print) -1997
Jas. Mathus And His Knockdown Society - Songs For Rosetta - 1997
Andrew Bird - Thrills - 1998 (featured performer)
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Perennial Favorites - 1998
Andrew Bird - Oh! The Grandeur - 1999 (featured performer)
North Mississppi Allstars - Shake Hands With Shorty - 2000 (featured performer)
Squirrel Nut Zippers - Bedlam Ballroom -2000
Buddy Guy - Sweet Tea - 2001 (featured performer)
James Mathus And His Knockdown Society - National Antiseptic - 2001