Liberating Rock
Starboy (Matt Bowden) has studied classical, jazz and rock music from an early age, taught and played the guitar for decades and today produces classically fused psychedelic rock music, using digital technology to create soundscapes and musical journeys. "I like to take listeners on a journey with my music, taking modern music where it perhaps hasn't gone before, using quite a broad palette to bring something fresh to the table as it were."
Matt is also a political activist who successfully lobbied for drug law reform in New Zealand to foster development of safer alternatives to alcohol and the other drugs. "The war on drugs is based on principles of racism and slavery and an affront to human rights and equality. Many non-Europeans literally cannot stomach alcohol and our colonial culture still criminalises them for it. I took a public stand for ten years until my country Aotearoa (New Zealand) set international precedent in changing laws to begin recognising those rights. That work goes on but today my emphasis is on producing progressive music to approach the cleanest high. Do stop by and listen to my music here, buy my back catalogue of albums and enjoy them at your leisure."
"This is top shelf music. Rare in its genre, at times its cell-vibrating, often its rich harmonics and exhilarating precision work, very rare can you be distracted."- AucklandMusic.com
STATEMENT BY MATT BOWDEN CONCERNING TEMPORARY CLASS DRUG NOTICE
For immediate release
Matt Bowden announced today that neither he nor his company would be involved in the import and manufacture of synthetic cannabinoid products in the future.
“The Government’s decision to ban synthetic cannabinoids will send the legal high industry to a place I don’t want to go,” said Mr Bowden.
Mr Bowden said that while the synthetic cannabinoids his company had imported were safe and had never caused a single reported fatality, consumers would be much safer if they had been properly regulated as restricted substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
STATEMENT BY STARGATE OPERATIONS LIMITED ON RECALL OF KRONIC PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
Stargate Operations Limited is the importer of the cannabinoid compounds used to produce Kronic Pineapple Express, which was recalled by the Ministry of Health today after testing indicated that Pineapple Express had been contaminated with a small amount (300 parts per million) of phenazepam, an anti-anxiety drug. Read more
Law Commission’s Drug Report a Big Step Forward – PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Law Commission’s Drug Report a Big Step Forward
Matt Bowden, co-founder of Stargate International, today congratulated the Law Commission on the release of its report on its review of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, and hopes that the Government will adopt many of the Commission’s recommendations.
“The Law Commission has produced a comprehensive report, of which the Commissioners should be very proud. The Law Commission’s report is a big step forward in terms of evidence-based drug policy.”
Law Commission Report
Today (03/05/2011) the Law Commission are due to report to the government on how we should reform drug law in New Zealand.
As part of the review process the Law Commission asked for submissions from the public.
You can download my submission to the Law Commission here, and while you are reading that you should check out this video for ‘Higher’ that talks about the same issues.
New video for “Higher” out now
INDUCTION EP available now…
“I don’t do drugs. I am drugs.”
— Salvador Dali
Plenty of musos take inspiration from mind-altering substances, but songwriter/guitarist Matt Bowden lived them for several years. When dealing with these substances, come hell, and high water (and often both at the same time) Matt succeeded in staying on the right side of the law.
Matt’s learned a thing or two about the law, and the science of drugs, enough to be a tireless, and informed campaigner for law reform. There’s a serious side to the campaign in that Matt believes the current laws are discriminatory, and an affront to human rights, but ultimately, the fight is about people’s right to have a good time.
In keeping with Matt’s life long mission to provide a good time, he is preparing to drop his new EP: Induction, -a recorded slab of psychedelic rock goodness. Think Pink Floyd meets Nine Inch Nails, only groovier. The effects in Induction are designed to take the listener to a higher plane of existence. -A journey,which is necessary preparation for the experimentation of Matt’s later planned projects.
Click BUY NOW at top of page to get one!