Highway Matrons

The Highway Matrons were formed in 1994 by guitarist Mark Stephens and drummer Fred Friction. Stephens up to that point had been the guiding light of The Boorays, who released recordings on Faye Records. The pairing of Stephens' surf & power pop stylings with Friction's down at the heels, Waitsian ruminations may have seemed odd at the time. Andrew Alleman joined on bass in the summer of '94. The Matrons played their first show at the Focal Point, in Webster Groves, that November, with second guitarist Matt Weyerich. Weyerich left the band shortly thereafter, replaced by Miles Willard, an English transplant in the States on a student visa. The Matrons played wherever they could find bookings, and averaged about 8 gigs a month after that first show, generally to small audiences. They found a home, along with several other bands, at The Way Out Club, at that time located on Cherokee Street. Miles was kicked out of the band 1 year after because of a dispute with Fred (and his enablity to play when drunk), and Fred declared to the band that he could no longer work with Miles, and that they had to choose. Miles moved to Seattle, Washington and created the band 'Roaded'(SunIn Records).