Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Munoz.
Hi Matt, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The romantic but 100% true version: My story is like that of many creatives with big dreams coming from very small farming towns all over California with parents who were committed to social causes. I am a child of the 80s in the purest sense. If it was on TV, it was on the radio, or in magazines – I absorbed it like a sponge and kept it close to my heart. One thing about the 80s decade was that the more limited access you had to newer media – including cable – the bigger the dream. So, between MTV, Rolling Stone, Creem, Spin, and KROQ (when I was able to get the signal,) I was fed a perfect, sugary diet of the ‘big eighties’. Never a dull moment, but with that the dream of eventually working in the entertainment industry as a media pro or (drumroll) a performer. Once I left the home for college, the rest of the world opened up and my goals became pretty clear that I’d end up doing both and that’s where the adventure begins.
I started as a music major in college, performing in all the performing groups – jazz, marching, and concert band. Had a blast, learned what I need to learn to become more proficient. But it wasn’t until I sat in with my first band in a dank, smoky dive bar in the alley that my collegiate goals took a detour. It was a blues band, so following along was easy. But the challenge of not looking like a stiff board in front of a crowd is much different. I stayed onstage for two hours and went home with an itch to be back onstage.
Fast forward to placing an ad in the local music rag looking for musicians to form a band. After a few weeks of silence and crossing paths with various musicians, the band I’d looked for was finally in place. Much like a first relationship, I was completely devoted to nurturing this musical marriage – a blend of world sounds from Jamaica to Latin America. It was ska, reggae, Latin and jazz with a punk edge. (I’m an 80s kid!) Part Oingo Boingo, part Fishbone, The Untouchables,, The Specials with some Tito Puente in for good measure. The Los Angeles music scene was so hot in the 80s that the influence stuck with me through the formation of my band Mento Buru in the early 90s.
But what about college? I dropped out within a year of my degree but found my way back to pursue communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Life started to sound familiar to the dreams of my youth. Here I was playing music in the energetic youthful environment I loved, soon to be jumping into the throngs of entertainment media.
After graduation, I packed my bags and couched surfed at my musician buddy’s tiny apartment near Venice in Mar Vista. I loved the area. Close to everything cool about LA life. A few minutes to the beach, cool shopping, cheap dives to have a drink and catch cool bands. I made a lot of friends fast in LA because so many of us had similar aspirations after college.
I had some great early gigs, working productions at The Grammy’s, Paramount Studios, The Latin Alternative Music Conference, Steve Harvey Productions, I was even a personal assistant for actress Nia Peeples (Remember “Fame”?), who remains a close friend to this day.
Those experiences would bring me back to the central valley to become a full-time entertainment writer. I stayed in the newsroom for a decade, covering local and international artists during tour stops in our area. I must have attended every major music festival in California – Coachella, Outside Lands, Lightning In a Bottle, Warped and all in the media tent and photo pit. Through it all, my friendships and contacts made during my time living, working and interning in Los Angeles helped a lot and remain active to this day.
But wait, there’s more… During the dawn of social media (remember MySpace?), I also produced one of the first locally-produced podcasts in my area, Bakotunes, which has since been reintroduced at all digital platforms. Who would’ve thought this podcasting thing would get so big?!
So, here I am today – busy as ever straddling multiple worlds in media as a digital content producer for a radio group while still performing regularly with my band Mento Buru as the lead vocalist, instrumentalist and lyricist. I’m also a deeply committed social activist who will jump into action for farmworker and immigration rights and LGBTQ+ causes. I will always use my voice and platform for the people.
It’s funny looking back to see how far a little dream can take you in life with the right people supporting you.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has had its rough spots, but I think that’s part of the journey and what ultimately makes you stronger. I don’t think I’d have had much fun and stuck with it had it been smooth every day. There were some days my car would break down on the busy 405 in the middle lane (!) Talk about near-death experiences. Then comes all the costs that pile up. The mental and physical tolls can be a dream buster too, but I would always tell myself, ‘One day, you’re going to look back and laugh at this.’ I can honestly say I do sometimes because I know I’m not the only one whose dealt with various levels of struggle during the career-building phase of life. I have to give a shout to family and friends who have always been supportive and just a text away when I was in a bind. I can’t count how many car transmissions I went through. But I’m here today and life is good. Amen.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve been working as an entertainment journalist and multimedia professional for nearly two decades. I’ve worked in a busy newsroom as a writer with my nose to the grindstone, rolling with the punches of an ever-changing media world. When news media jumped from print to digital, I hopped aboard to stay in the game. If you don’t allow or push yourself to adapt to change in your chosen profession, you might end up stagnant. One of my strengths has always been to keep up with the latest trends in media, music and entertainment. As we know, the media never sleeps and when it comes to something you love to do every day, just do it. Pitch that story, edit that podcast, apply for that grant. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a lot of time for introspection and learn new skills, one of which was applying for grants to fund a few music projects. I hunkered down and did my thing and it paid off.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Taking risks can be exciting depending on the situation. You certainly don’t want to risk your life for work. You can always get another job, but you can’t get another life. Ask yourself if the risk outweighs the benefit and follow your heart. You never know where it might take you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/mattomunoz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattomunoz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattomunoz/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmunoz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattomunoz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mattmunoz
- Other: https://linktr.ee/mentoburu
Image Credits
Jeremy Gonzalez, Frank Sullivan
