History/ Biography Terry began his solo music career while fronting his band- The Urchin. Playing solo/ acoustic allowed Matsuoka to concentrate on his songwriting and play songs that were a little more laid back than the ones he was playing with his alternative rock band. He began by playing consistently at the Innerchange Coffeehouse in San Diego as his primary venue (at the same time as singer-songwriter Jewel- who eventually recorded her first album there live). The Urchin eventually broke up and then resurfaced with a different line-up as an even harder edged- Blue Elder. After representing Southern California in the Musician Magazine/ Ticketmaster Showcase, Blue Elder disbanded. Matsuoka's solo acoustic gig represented a more consistent artistic outlet than the band dynamic. Even still, Matsuoka has much experience being a band member. In addition to the aforementioned bands in which he sang and played guitar, he has also done the same in indie rock band- Scapegoat, has rapped and human beatboxed in various acts, played just guitar in the hip hop gospel group- Chosen Generation, bass in punk rock band- Halfwit and drums in punk/ funk band- Funkapotimus and funk/ soul band- Blackmilk. In 2000, Matsuoka released his first solo CD. Appropriately titled, "Raw Acoustic Stylee" was recorded indie-style in Matsuoka's bedroom with an analog tape machine with no electric instruments (acoustic guitars, upright bass, toy accordion, maracas, cardboard boxes, human beatboxing, etc.). In addition to this, no effects (such as compression or reverb) were used in the recording. Jason Riggs of The Weekly described "Raw Acoustic Stylee" as "...a handmade piece of art. The warmth and craftsmanship offers a direct connection to its creators... damn refreshing in this age of computer-generated beats and over-dubbed sample and guitar riffs". On Matsuoka's new album “Totally Rad”, he takes his alterna-pop to a new level. He uses influences from his love of music like 60's soul, dub reggae, rock-a-billy, and folk blues as stylistic touches to make his own brand of indie pop. Matsuoka brings together his skill and experience performing and recording with different bands by producing and playing all of the instruments on the album (with exception of guest percussion by former Alfred Howard and the K23 Orchestra percussionist Aaron Irwin and human beatbox on one song by longtime collaborator JNav). Whether solo or with his 4-piece band, Terry Matsuoka's live show is an entirely unique experience in itself. In addition to performing his songs with enthusiasm and passion, his shows can sometimes enter the realm of a variety show. In past performances, Matsuoka has performed stunts like drinking poison, getting possessed by Elvis' ghost and doing dances choreographed by audience members. He also delivers hip hop spoken word and human beatboxes with remarkable ability. He has shared billing with artists as diverse as Steve Poltz, Patricia Barber, The Furious Four, Gregory Page, Carol Bui, Tim Flannery, Vienna Teng, The Far East Movement and Jewel at venues like LeStat's, The Viper Room, Java Joe's, Twiggs and the Casbah and events like the San Diego Asian Film Festival, Kollaboration, Street Scene and the San Diego Music Awards Acoustic Festival.