Mikes music under the WBATARB name has been written about in books and magazines for years The Acid Archives, LA Record, etc... Most recently featured in the new book, Heroes of American Metal. In 2017 Mike toured Sweden with Canadian blues Rock band Zed Head. 2017 also seen the self-released album MATNEY. Recorded on Music Row in Nashville at Jays Place. Matney was signed to the Heaven and Hell Record Label In 2018 for a reissue of his WBATARB debut album and the subsequent release of the second album ‘Love My Ride’ under that band name.  In 2023 the first WBATARB album was signed yet again to another label, Los Angeles based Riding Easy Records.    

Rolling Stone Called Stevie Salas one of the 50 greatest guitarists of all time. He was Rod Stewart's guitar player, and he has 2 separate million solo albums. He has produced and performed with such greats as Mick Jagger and Justin Timberlake, George Clinton, Jeff Healey, etc. He was musical director on American Idol for ten years. He is a former advisor of contemporary music at The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. his recent documentary ‘Rumble’ won the Sundance Film Festival award. He has a new movie just out, “Boil Alert.”   

The collaboration began when Matney reached out to Salas online. They soon found out they had mutual friends and Salas agreed to produce a record for Matney. The sessions were in Austin TX at Assembly Line Studios with Kevin Gutierrez engineering.  Matney had told his wife and friends that being a big fan he hoped Salas might play on one of the tracks but Stevie had told Mike earlier that he hadn't been playing as much lately. Before the first sessions were over songs were arranged and rearranged and verses were taken out, others were put in and Salas had helped write and played on all the tracks. He also brought in Vincent Ruby for backing vocals. The result was a combination of styles that resulted in The Redneck and The Redman.
     

Matney has been signed to UK based record Label Roulette Records. The first single, "All Fired Up," was released in February  2024 and the full album in April of 2024. 

          
With Matney playing guitar and singing, Stevie Salas co-writing, producing and playing guitar and Matt Noveskey playing bass on some of the tracks, The UK based Roulette Records is sure to have a hit on their hands with ‘The Redneck and The Redman’. It is destined to be a big seller and push the envelope for Outlaw Southern Rock.