Born in Scotland, Matt Irving showed a great interest in music from an early age, quickly mastering keyboards, bass guitar, and accordion.
In 1967, he moved to London with the Dream Police (later renamed The Crocodiles) as their keyboard player. He then joined the underrated band Longdancer, where he contributed his talents as a keyboard player and played a significant role in shaping their sound. His involvement with Longdancer included songwriting, vocals, and guitar credits on tracks from their album Trailer for a Good Life. After about a year with Longdancer, he became a member of The Babies.
Throughout the mid-1970s, Matt primarily played bass guitar while touring the UK and Europe with several American acts, including Ann Peebles, Eddie Holman, and The Times. His next venture was with the Zaine Griff band.
After leaving Zaine Griff, Matt formed Special Branch with ex-Manfred Mann’s Earth Band guitarist Dave Flett. He also became deeply involved in studio work as a writer and musician, collaborating with artists such as French singer Sapho, Philip Rambow, The Lords Of The New Church, and Anthony More. Additionally, he worked on one of his own projects, The Vampire Bats.
In 1981, Matt joined Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, where he played both bass and guitar and served as the band’s programming expert. His contributions in the studio and on stage showcased his technical brilliance and versatility.
