One of the questions I ask musicians during an interview is where they get their inspiration for the songs they write. Frequently the answers are personal experiences, things they see around them, and even family.
But, novelty songwriter Matt Farley has taken it to a whole new level. Under the guise of several different names, Farley boasts over 26,000 compositions to his credit over the past 20 years…and counting. Farley and all of his pseudonyms can be found at Motern Media (moternmedia.com).
To busy to hold down a “real job”, Farley’s numerous songs create a livable income via streaming. While each stream brings in very little, it adds up; especially with 26,000 songs floating around.
As if all that songwriting didn’t make Farley busy enough; he also is a filmmaker, podcaster, and author.
Farley creates silly songs, thought provoking, rhyming, and songs on every subject. His most popular songs have created out of goings-on in the bathroom.
Farley writers under some 80 pseudonyms including Papa Razzi and the Photogs, The Singing Animal Lover, The Guy Who Sings About Cities & Towns – who wrote an entire album about every state in the union -, The Toilet Bowl Cleaners, Athletic Sports Band, The Very Nice Interesting Singer Man, Athletic Sports Band, the Boston Baseball Band, and The Hungry Food Band. There are some 31 novelty bands (pseudonyms) related to sports alone. There are some 500 songs about baseball alone and all 30 MLB teams are featured in at least one song.
And as it would happen, it was a baseball game – the 2004 Red Sox/Yankees series that started it all. Farley with his band Moes Haven wrote the song “ALCS 2004 (Red Sox v Yankees)” and took it to the local radio station who played the song on the air.
Speaking on the song Farley said, “that definitely got the gears turning in my head. People like it when it’s a specific song about a specific event, and they know that it had to be written recently, because it just happened.”
His ”Wild and Crazy” songwriting capers has earned him an appearance on “The Tonight Show”, a New York Times article, an appearance on NPR’s World Café, and fans around the world.
Farley admits that his songs will not be number one hits; but says that he does it “because it’s fun.”
In what Farley calls “a mind boggling moment,” George Brett’s song Jackson contacted Farley about writing a song about his father…but not Brett’s baseball prowess…an incident of food poisoning!
Said Farley, “one of my most prized possessions as a kid was a George Brett rookie cars. Him running out of the dugout for ‘the pine tar thing’ and whatnot. He’s just a legend. The fact that he had a batting title in three different decades is just super cool. So I’m a big fan, and what a hilarious turn of events.”
Some Minor League players are even using Farley’s songs about them as their “walk up” songs.
Farley notes that having a Major League player use one of his songs as a “walk up” song would be a major achievement.
Every rock fan knows the phone number 867-5309; but Farley is hoping that his phone number will become just as popular. He frequently includes his mobile phone number into song lyrics.