Editing Matt Freeman

{{Short description|American bassist}}
{{other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image               = 2017 Rancid Matt Freeman.jpg
| caption             = Freeman performing in 2017
| name                = Matt Freeman
| birth_name          = Roger Matthew Freeman
| alias               = Matt McCall
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1966|4|23}}
| origin              = [[California]], U.S.
| occupation          = Musician
| instrument          = {{flatlist|
*Bass guitar
*vocals
}}
| genre               = {{flatlist|
*[[Punk rock]]
*[[ska punk]]
*[[street punk]]
*[[hardcore punk]]
*[[psychobilly]]}}
| years_active        = 1980–present
| associated_acts     = {{flatlist|
*[[Basic Radio]]
*[[Operation Ivy (band)|Operation Ivy]]
*[[Downfall (band)|Downfall]]
*[[MDC (band)|MDC]]
*[[Rancid (band)|Rancid]]
*[[Shaken 69]]
*[[Devil's Brigade (band)|Devil's Brigade]]
*[[Social Distortion]]
*Charger
*[[Auntie Christ]]}}
}}

'''Roger Matthew Freeman''', also known as '''Matt McCall''' (born April 23, 1966) is an American musician. He is best known for his [[bass guitar|bass]] work with the punk rock bands [[Operation Ivy (band)|Operation Ivy]], [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]] and as the frontman of [[Devil's Brigade (band)|Devil's Brigade]].

== Playing style ==
In an interview streamed from the Rancid website before the release of ''[[Rancid (2000 album)|Rancid]]'' (2000), he revealed that his style was heavily influenced at an early age by [[John Entwistle]], bassist for [[the Who]]. He plays both with a pick and [[fingerstyle]].

Freeman's playing style is considered atypical in the punk rock world due to his frequent use of [[Musical scale|scales]] and [[arpeggios]] as opposed to "motoring" through a chord progression's root notes as is typical of punk bass playing.

== Singing style ==
Although [[Tim Armstrong|Armstrong]] and [[Lars Frederiksen|Frederiksen]] are the principal singers in [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]], Freeman has taken the lead vocal duties in a number of gritty sounding songs through the years, including the songs "Black and Blue", "Rigged on a Fix", "Black Derby Jacket", "Tenderloin" and, "L.A. River". He is known for possessing a deep and raspy singing voice. Freeman was also the primary co-lead vocal for the first Rancid album, before Frederiksen joined the band, with his role subsequently being reduced by choice.

== Gear ==
Freeman plays [[Fender Precision Bass|Fender Precision]] and [[Fender Jazz Bass|Jazz Basses]]. His 1977 Fender Precision was used as the basis for the 2011 Squier Matt Freeman Signature Bass.<ref>https://www.long-mcquade.com/files/13025/lg_0301080541_xl.jpg {{Bare URL image|date=March 2022}}</ref>

He has also played [[Music Man Stingray]]s, Ibanez ATK's and [[Rickenbacker 4003]]'s in the past.

== Bands ==
[[File:Mattlive (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Freeman performing in 2007]]

=== Operation Ivy and Downfall ===
In May 1987, Freeman and Armstrong formed the band [[Operation Ivy (band)|Operation Ivy]]. After Operation Ivy broke up in May 1989, they formed a new band, [[Downfall (band)|Downfall]], which included all but one member of Operation Ivy and two additional members. Downfall recorded a 10-song album which has never been released, then broke up. Freeman and Armstrong next formed Generator, who played a number of shows, but are not known to have recorded anything. After that, Freeman played with the political punk band MDC for about a year.

=== Dance Hall Crashers ===
After Operation Ivy, Freeman and Armstrong formed the ska band the [[Dance Hall Crashers]], but they left the band shortly after its formation. The band went on to become moderately successful throughout the 90s.

=== MDC ===
He joined [[MDC (band)|MDC]] in 1990, completing one US and one European tour and playing bass on their 1991 release ''Millions Of Dead Cops II: Hey Cop! If I Had A Face Like Yours....'' The lineup for this version of the band consisted of Freeman, original singer Dave Dictor, original drummer Al Schvitz and guitarist Bill Collins, formerly of Fang, Special Forces and Intensified Chaos.

=== Gr'ups and Rancid ===
He joined [[the Gr'ups]] in 1991. In 1992, Freeman and Armstrong recruited drummer [[Brett Reed]] and formed [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]]. Rancid is his most successful band yet. He considered Rancid a side project until Armstrong had proved to him that he had his alcoholism under control. Guitarist [[Lars Frederiksen]] joined the band later in 1993. The band released their tenth album, ''[[Tomorrow Never Comes (Rancid album)|Tomorrow Never Comes]]'', in June 2023. Their partnership has continued with Freeman contributing basslines to selected tracks by [[the Transplants]], one of Armstrong's side projects.

=== Social Distortion ===
During Rancid's 2004 hiatus, Freeman replaced bassist [[John Maurer (Social Distortion)|John Maurer]] in [[Social Distortion]] shortly before the release of their then-new album ''[[Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll]]''. Freeman did not intend to stay in the band permanently and he was replaced by current bassist [[Brent Harding]] in late 2004.

=== Charger===
In 2020 Matt formed a [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band, [[Charger (band)|Charger]].

=== The Crew ===

In May 2021, Freeman along with fellow Rancid bandmate [[Tim Armstrong]], Fletcher Dragge ([[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]]), Byron McCracken (Pennywise), and [[Mike Muir]] ([[Suicidal Tendencies]]) formed a punk rock [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] called the Crew.<ref name="breihan">{{cite web|last=Breihan|first=Tom|title=Members Of Rancid, Pennywise, & Suicidal Tendencies Form Punk Supergroup The Crew & Share Debut Single "One Voice"|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2148110/members-of-rancid-pennywise-suicidal-tendencies-form-punk-supergroup-the-crew-share-debut-single-one-voice/music/|work=[[Stereogum]]|date=May 18, 2021|access-date=May 18, 2021}}</ref> The band's first single, "One Voice", was released on Epitaph Records.<ref name="breihan" />

== Health issues ==
Following his departure from [[Social Distortion]], Freeman was diagnosed with [[lung cancer]] in May 2005, but was dismissed as abnormal [[Biological tissue|tissue]] growth and not terminal to his health in June 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://operationivy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202037#202037 |title= Bursa Taruhan Bola Asian Handicap: Kesempatan Bermain di Profit88|website=operationivy.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930073710/http://operationivy.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=202037#202037 |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> He had been a smoker for 20 years but had quit, seemingly by coincidence, shortly prior to this. He learned to play the [[mandolin]] so he would have something to do with his hands as heard on the [[Lars Frederiksen and the Bastards]] album ''[[Viking (album)|Viking]]''.

== Discography ==

=== Operation Ivy ===
* Turn it Around compilation (1987)
* ''[[Hectic]]'' EP (1988)
* ''[[Energy (Operation Ivy album)|Energy]]'' (1989)

=== Downfall ===
* ''They Don't Get Paid, They Don't Get Laid, But Boy Do They Work Hard!'' compilation album (1989)
* ''Very Small World'' compilation album (1991)
* ''Can of Pork'' compilation album (1992)
* ''Later That Same Year'' – "My City"

=== MDC ===
* ''Millions of Dead Cops II'' (1991)

=== Rancid ===
* ''[[Rancid (EP)|Rancid]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Rancid (1993 album)|Rancid]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Radio Radio Radio]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Let's Go (Rancid album)|Let's Go]]'' (1994)
* ''[[...And Out Come the Wolves]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Life Won't Wait]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Rancid (2000 album)|Rancid]]'' (2000)
* ''[[BYO Split Series Volume III]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Indestructible (Rancid album)|Indestructible]]'' (2003)
* ''[[B Sides and C Sides]]''  (2008)
* ''[[Let the Dominoes Fall]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Honor Is All We Know]]'' (2014)
* ''[[Trouble Maker (album)|Trouble Maker]]'' (2017)
* ''[[Tomorrow Never Comes (Rancid album)|Tomorrow Never Comes]]'' (2023)

=== The Gr'ups ===
* ''The Gr'ups'' (1992)
* ''Vinyl Retentive'' compilation album (1993)

=== Auntie Christ ===
* ''Life Could Be a Dream'' (1997)

=== Devils Brigade ===
* "Stalingrad" / "Psychos All Around Me" 12" single (2003)
* "Vampire Girl" 12" ep (2005)
* ''[[Devils Brigade (album)|Devils Brigade]]'' (2010)

=== Charger ===
* charger ep (2019)
* warhorse (2022)

=== hellfire ===
* reckoning (2022)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{cci}}
*[http://www.roomthirteen.com/features/790/Interview_with_Rancids_Matt_F.html Room Thirteen interview – August 2010]

{{Rancid}}
{{Social Distortion}}
{{Transplants (band)}}
{{Operation Ivy}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Matt}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:American punk rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:Singers from California]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Rancid (band) members]]
[[Category:Social Distortion members]]
[[Category:Operation Ivy (band) members]]
[[Category:Guitarists from California]]
[[Category:20th-century American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:Downfall (band) members]]
[[Category:Transplants (band) members]]
[[Category:Devils Brigade (band) members]]
[[Category:Shaken 69 members]]
[[Category:Dance Hall Crashers members]]