Matt Slocum
He wrote the shimmering, questioning guitar lines and lyrics for 'Kiss Me,' a song that defined a moment of 90s pop romanticism.
Born 1972 (age 54)·Musical artist·Birthday: December 27·Generation X
Biography
Matt Slocum emerged from the Dallas music scene not as a frontman, but as its quiet architect. As the principal songwriter and lead guitarist for Sixpence None the Richer, he crafted a sound that was both ethereal and grounded, weaving intricate guitar work with lyrics that often grappled with faith and doubt. The band's journey was a slow burn, marked by indie label struggles before their 1997 self-titled album catapulted them to global fame with 'Kiss Me.' Slocum's composition, with its instantly recognizable riff, became an inescapable anthem. Despite the whirlwind of sudden pop stardom, his musical pursuits remained thoughtful and varied, extending into solo instrumental work and collaborations that prioritized artistry over commercial glare, cementing his role as a meticulous crafter of mood and melody.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Matt was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote and performed the guitar riff for 'Kiss Me,' a global hit that topped charts in over a dozen countries.
- Served as the primary songwriter for Sixpence None the Richer, shaping the band's lyrical and musical identity.
- Released the instrumental solo album 'Christmas Eve and Other Stories,' showcasing his compositional range beyond pop.
- Co-founded the band The Astronaut Pushers, exploring alternative country and folk sounds post-Sixpence.
Did You Know?
The band's name, Sixpence None the Richer, is taken from a passage in C.S. Lewis's book 'Mere Christianity.'
He is an accomplished cellist and often incorporated cello into Sixpence None the Richer's recordings.
Before 'Kiss Me' took off, he worked in a warehouse loading trucks to support himself while making music.
“I write songs to make sense of the world, not to preach at it.”
