Louder Than Words: Beyond The Backstage Pass will be released on April 30, and tells of Joe’s musical influences, insights into touring life, the impact of MTV, and his many life-changing experiences.
Kyabram-born and former Shepparton resident, Joe has spent his life on the road as a guitarist for group and solo projects, and later as a music journalist.
He has played in bands including Rough Rockers, Double Vision, and Geisha, and a solo act alongside Taxiride, Dragon, Steve Harley and the Bay City Rollers.
As a journalist, some of his interviewees include Metallica, Queen, Blondie, Bon Jovi, KISS, and Black Sabbath. He has featured in magazines like Guitar Player, Goldmine, Guitar World, and Record Collector.
These experiences provide great material for his upcoming book, a follow-up to his first autobiography, Backstage Pass: The Grit and the Glamour.
It features a foreword by internationally acclaimed musician and Grammy award winner, Bryan Adams.
The book has also been backed up by testimonies from musicians Gerry Beckley, Billy Squier, and Janne Schaffer.
“With Louder Than Words, Joe Matera has gone beyond the usual ‘deep dive’ into the history of rock music to something more akin to an archaeological dig,” said Gerry Beckley.
“His passion and patience are truly a gift to us all.”