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Matt Katz-Bohen
First published on Lauperland.com
March 1st, 2021
By Curtis Newart
Matt Katz-Bohen (Photo credit: Ky Digregorio)
Greetings from Matt!
Thanks Matt! xx Lauperland
Check out the debut full-length album THANKS FOR COMING from glam-rockers Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum.
Matt Katz-Bohen (keys) and his bandmates Michael C. Hall (vocals) and Peter Yanowitz (drums) released the 14-track album on February 12th, 2021.
Longtime Blondie Keyboardist Matt Katz-Bohen
has worked with Cyndi Lauper, Boy George, Tony Bennett, RuPaul, Jody Watley, Ashford & Simpson, Lady Miss Kier, Miss Guy, Toilet Boys, Princess Superstar, and Psychic TV.
At age seven, Katz-Bohen started playing piano, then cello, violin and guitar. The Manhattan-born musician attended New York City’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, on which the movie and TV series Fame were based.
Matt Katz-Bohen and Cyndi Lauper in Tokyo, Japan on October 25th, 2019 (Photo credit: Colin McLeod)
"I joined the Cyndi band in 2018, to play the make-up shows that she was doing with Sir Rod Stewart," said Katz-Bohen.
"After that, I played a slew of private events with her, including New Year's Eve in Turks and Caicos Islands in 2018, Phuket in 2019, and the Colorado gubernatorial ball for Jared Polis, the state's first openly gay governor, in 2019."
Katz-Bohen Toured Japan With Lauper's Band in 2019
in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the release of her She's So Unusual album in Japan. They played Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, Sendai, and Kanazawa.
Cyndi Lauper 35th Anniversary Japan Tour © Udo
Lauperland concert contributor Colin McLeod (who's seen Cyndi in concert 179 times) travelled from Saint John, Canada to Tokyo, Japan to attend the tour - seven shows in 17 days, from October 8th through the 25th.
“My favorite thing about this setlist was the inclusion of rare songs,” said McLeod. “She hadn't performed ‘Eventually’ since 2004. ‘I'm Gonna Be Strong’ has been a treat she's performed very rarely in the past 25 years, so it was thrilling to hear it seven shows in a row.”
Cyndi Lauper Japan 2019 setlist
I Drove All Night
She Bop
All Through the Night
Hope
The Goonies 'R' Good Enough
I'm Gonna Be Strong
Eventually
You Don't Know
Shine
Money Changes Everything
Change of Heart
Time After Time
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Not My Father's Son
True Colors
(Setlist courtesy Colin McLeod)
KANAZAWA, JAPAN - October 18, 2019 (L to R: Kat Dyson, Cyndi Lauper and Matt Katz-Bohen) (Photo credit: Colin McLeod)
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN - October 21, 2019 (L to R: Matt Katz-Bohen and Cyndi Lauper) (Photo credit: Colin McLeod)
OSAKA, JAPAN - October 23, 2019 (L to R: Matt Katz-Bohen Kat Dyson and Cyndi Lauper) (Photo credit: Colin McLeod)
OSAKA, JAPAN - October 23, 2019 (L to R: Kat Dyson, Matt Kat-Bohen, Cyndi Lauper, Elaine Caswell, Caitlin Kalafus and William Wittman) (Photo credit: Colin McLeod) CLICK TO ENLARGE
KANAZAWA, JAPAN - October 25, 2019 (L to R: Toku, Kat Dyson, Matt Katz-Bohen, Cyndi Lauper, Caitlin Kalafus, Yoyoka Soma, William Wittman and Elaine Caswell) (Photo credit: Colin McLeod) CLICK TO ENLARGE
"Cyndi is an exacting artist
who knows exactly what she wants to hear. She has a vision. It has been an honor and a pleasure to share the stage with her, and to watch people fall under her spell, these last few years.”
-Matt Katz-Bohen
Home For The Holidays
2018 & 2019
Katz-Bohen played keyboards in the house band for Cyndi Lauper & Friends: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS at the Beacon Theatre in New York City in 2018, and in Los Angeles at The Novo in 2019.
Cyndi Lauper, Matt Katz-Bohen and Henry Rollins perform at Home For The Holidays 2019 at The Novo in Los Angeles (Photo credit: Colin McLeod)
Matt Katz-Bohen rehearsing with the melodica used to create the harmonica-like instrumental in Money Changes Everything (Photo credit: Joe Barbarisi)
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Home For The Holidays 2018 band at the Beacon Theatre in New York City (L to R: Alex Nolan, Matt Katz-Bohen, Cyndi Lauper, William Wittman, Elaine Caswell, Neal Coomer and Caitlin Kalafus)
Live With Blondie & Cyndi IN 2017
Katz-Bohen played keys for Blondie during their co-headlining tour with Lauper in Australia and New Zealand in 2017.
Cyndi Lauper and Blondie official Australia 2017 tour poster
Cyndi Lauper and Debbie Harry at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch, New Zealand in April 2017 (Photo credit: Joseph Johnson)
Cyndi Lauper and Blondie's poster for their 2017 co-headlining tour of Australia and New Zealand. (Official)
Blondie, and Cyndi Lauper's band (L to R: Chris Stein, Tommy Kessler, Jon Graboff, Alex Nolan, Steve Gaboury, Debbie Harry, Andy Burton, Cyndi Lauper, Elaine Caswell, Matt Katz-Bohen, William Wittman, Clem Burke and Leigh Foxx) (2017) CLICK TO ENLARGE
Matt's
True Colors Tutorial
Matt Katz-Bohen - True Colors Piano Tutorial from Matt's Patreon Page
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum (L to R: Matt Katz-Bohen, Michael C. Hall, Peter Yanowitz) (Photo credit: Paul Storey)
Katz-Bohen met Golden Globe® Award-winner Michael C. Hall (TV's "Dexter") and Peter Yanowitz (The Wallflowers) while working on the Broadway musical HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. The trio formed a band while on the road with the production.
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum (named by Katz-Bohen's daughter) released their first full-length album THANKS FOR COMING on February 12th, 2021.
New! THANKS FOR COMING from Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum © Morpho Music
Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum - "Armageddon Suite" (2021)
Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum - "Cruel World" (2020)
The David Bowie-esque vocals by Hall will come as no surprise to those who have seen him in the Bowie-penned Lazarus stage production. Bowie's last public appearance was at the December 7th, 2015 opening night of the show. New York City's mayor Bill de Blasio declared January 20th as David Bowie Day (the date of the show's final performance in 2016).
Katz-Bohen hosts the annual Bowieball in New York City.
Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum - "Eat An Eraser"(2020)
Meeting Debbie Harry
"I introduced Debbie and Matt at Don Hills, the venue where I deejayed at the time, in maybe 2002 or 2003," said Miss Guy. "I told Debbie if she ever needed a guitarist for anything that she should use Matt because not only was he cute but he was really talented."
"About five years later, when Blondie needed a new keyboard player, I told Debbie that Matt also plays keys. And the rest is history."
Katz-Bohen agreed to play guitar for Blondie at the SqueezeBox! movie premiere in 2008, and has been with them since.
Debbie Harry, Matt Katz-Bohen and Miss Guy (2020)
SQUEEZEBOX! The Movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25, 2008
Katz-Bohen joined Blondie on keys
for their 2008 Parallel Lines 30th Anniversary Tour, and has continued playing, writing, recording and producing with them.
He's toured with Blondie for the Call Me Invincible Tour (2009), Endangered Species Tour (2010), Panic of Girls Tour (2011), Whip It To Shreds Tour (2012), Blast Off Tour/No Principals Tour (2013), and the Blondie 4(0) Ever Tour (2014).
He co-wrote hit songs for them including “What I Heard”, “A Rose by Any Name”, “Take Me In The Night”, “Already Naked” and “Too Much".
Parallel Lines 30th Anniversary Tour (2008) (Official)
Blondie
Matt Katz-Bohen and Debbie Harry
Blondie - Panic of Girls (2011) © Five Seven Music
Blondie - Love Doesn't Frighten Me (Live at The Isle of Wight Festival 2010) (Written by M. Katz-Bohen / L. Katz-Bohen)
Matt Katz-Bohen and Debbie Harry (3/1/16) (Courtesy: M. Katz-Bohen)
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Blondie - Blondie 4(0) Ever (2014) and Blondie - Ghosts of Download (2014) © Noble ID
Blondie 4(0) Ever is a double album released on May 12, 2014 in celebration of the band's 40th anniversary. The two-disc package includes Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux, and the band's tenth studio album Ghosts of Download.
Katz-Bohen served as a producer on Ghosts of Download, and co-wrote the track "A Rose by Any Name".
Blondie - Pollinator (2017) © BMG
Blondie (L to R: Tommy Kessler, Clem Burke, Chris Stein, Leigh Foxx, Debbie Harry and Matt Katz-Bohen)
RuPaul
Blondie on RuPaul's Drag Race (2016)
Katz-Bohen remixed RuPaul's "Drag U" (with Conrad Kaneshiro and Pointy Paradise) in 2012.
He also worked with RuPaul's Drag Race cast, producing, and performing in Manila Luzon's "Best XXXcessory" (#37 on the iTunes dance chart), and Raja Gemini's "Zubi Zubi Zubi", plus projects with Sharon Needles, Jiggly Caliente and Latrice Royale.
Hedwig And
The Angry Inch
Hedwig And The Angry Inch © Playbill
From 2015 to 2017, Katz-Bohen served as the Substitute Music Director, plus played guitar and keys in the Broadway production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH.
He was also Associate Conductor for the national tour from October 2016.
Michael C. Hall played the role of Hedwig in 2014 and 2015, and Peter Yanowitz performed drums/vocals.
Mason Park and Matt Katz-Bohen onstage for Hedwig 2016
Merry Effin' Christmas
Miss Guy and Katz-Bohen co-produced and performed "Merry Effin' Christmas" in 2012.
Miss Guy - Merry Effin' Christmas (STRONG LANGUAGE)
"Matt and I met in 1998 or ’99 at a rehearsal space that my band and his band both rehearsed at," said Miss Guy. "We hit it off right away and he started going to the Friday night party I deejayed at the time. We are both Geminis and our love of music led us to working together on many musical projects over the years."
"At some point, we realized we lived on the same block when I first moved to New York City. I was 18 years old and it was my first apartment and he was probably about 10 years old. We decided that he probably saw me prancing around in my full face of make up and high heels which was how I dressed every day at that time."
"I got him to admit that he’s been in love with me ever since then."
THE TOUCHABLES
Katz-Bohen is Music Director and guitarist for the New York City drag queen rock & roll troupe The Touchables.
GoonSquad
was formed by Katz-Bohen, Laurel Barclay and Guy Furrow (Miss Guy) in 2006. Katz-Bohen and Furrow were in the house band at the nightclub Speed in New York City, with Furrow spinning and Katz-Bohen on guitar. Celebs would often jam with the band.
Film
He composed the soundtrack for Between Love and Goodbye (2008), and in 2016, he scored the music for Dear Henri.
HOT SEAT
Matt Katz-Bohen (Photo credit: Dikkayl Rimmasch)
Breakfast cereal: Cheerios
Next Halloween costume: Wilford Brimley
Birthday wish: to be covered in whipped cream and carried out onstage by Cyndi Lauper; casually tossed into the audience.
Fave cartoon: Death Note (anime)
Fave movie: The Wicker Man (1973)
Fave song: I'm Too Sexy
Celebrity run-in: William Wittman
Celebrity crush: Catherine Deneuve
Fragrance: fresh lemon peel
What do you drive: Bugatti La Voiture Noire
Pet peeve: when the Bugatti is in traffic
Room service food: Beluga caviar and truffle gnocchi
Matt Katz-Bohen with daughter Ana Elena Katz-Bohen, who is credited with naming the band Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum. (Photo credit: Jonathan Osofsky)
Visit Matt on Social Media
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum
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