REALLY good MAT THE ALIEn, WHISTLER’S SUPERSTAR DJ

Asnowboarder, mountain biker, world traveller, DJ, producer, husband and, most recently, father, Mat Andrew is a soft-spoken, easy-going, English expat with a thick Manchester accent that has hardly faded in nearly 20 years of living in the Sea to Sky Corridor. In fact, it’s the intonation in his voice that led to his nickname and DJ persona —Mat the Alien. Now recognized internationally as one of the premier scratch and sample masters, Mat’s rise to stardom began in the Manchester, UK underground, but matured right here in Whistler.

Music was an integral part of Mat’s childhood. His father owned a record store, where he could be found digging through stacks of LPs in search of the latest new track. In high school, he played the drums in a band, which set the stage for his foray into electronic music.

“When I was 14, I started going to parties where the DJs would scratch records, and I really got into it,” Mat tells me in an interview during one of his few free moments when he’s at home and his son is asleep. “I really wanted to scratch. That got me into hip hop, and then funk, and electronic— it’s endless, really.” His sincerity underscores the truth of his statement.

Over the years, Mat’s style has evolved at the cutting edge of his audience’s musical tastes, while digital technologies have enabled him to constantly expand his fan base across the world.

Mat’s life in Whistler began, as it has for many locals—visiting once, and getting hooked on the people, the natural beauty, and the community of like-minded people looking to have fun. “I came out in ‘94 with my family on holiday, and we liked it so much that we moved out a year later. The snowboarding, the mountain biking—Whistler was the perfect place. There are people from all over here for a similar reason— just doing what they love to do.”