The self-proclaimed kings of the underground music scene White Boy and the Average Rat Band, the dynamic power-trio rock band founded by Mike Matney, is excited to announce the release of their new single and video “Holy Cow.”
Their single, which was released on February 3, 2022, came to life during the heart of the pandemic and the nation’s social and political unrest. The message of the song faces these issues artistically as well as spiritually.
In 2017, White Boy and the Average Rat Band signed a deal with Heaven and Hell Records to reissue their first album. The release would re-introduce the band to old fans and new ones, while discovering an underground cult audience that had been lying in wait for the band’s return to the rock world. Close to four decades after the band’s debut, in 2019 the label released the band’s sophomore effort, “Love My Ride.”
After touring nationally twice, the band was gearing up for what would have been their most considerable live effort yet when the pandemic struck. “I could not have anticipated the devastating personal loss of my mother,” shares band founder, Mike Matney. “That loss, combined with the bombardment of images on the nightly news of the pandemic, riots in the streets, chaos and political unrest, forced me to do some real soul searching. As a result, each song was painstakingly crafted over the last two years. ‘Holy Cow’ represents 52 years of faith, musicianship and two years of hardships!”
“Holy Cow” was recorded in Mike’s home studio in Southwest Virginia. He built it after graduating from MTSU’s recording industry program in 1997. He searched for a raw and bare-bones sound that is the band’s trademark and added a slight funk element in it. He laid down the guitar riff first, and the lyrics came over the next couple of weeks. After it all came together, Mike decided to try something new. Instead of mixing the songs himself or sending them off to one of his buddies in Nashville, he got on Fiverr and found the artist Oliver Wagner, who is from Taiwan. According to Mike, he threw the stuff up on DropBox, then Oliver worked his magic.
Clawing their way back is a crucible that this band knows all too well. It has been close to two years since the band had to cancel their tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Yet two years is nothing compared to the forty-plus years of anonymity since the release of their 1980 self-titled debut—an album that is now highly collectible, seeing original copies fetching prices of $1,000 and higher on the secondary market. Today, Mike and the crew hope that their music will reach more people, inspiring them in the process. They’re ready to get back to the rhythms of hustling hard to advance their art and message.
