Biography
Matthew Wilder's 1983 single "Break My Stride" opened with a resilient chorus declaring "Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride/Nobody gonna slow me down," a phrase that captured the arc of his own path through the music business. He stands among the rare performers who shed the shadow of a lone chart-topping track and still built lasting achievements behind the scenes. In the early '70s he performed as half of the Greenwich Village folk duo Matthew & Peter. After settling in Los Angeles in 1978, he recorded vocals for television commercials and served as a backup singer for Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler. His debut album, I Don't Speak the Language, appeared in 1983 and carried "Break My Stride" into the Top Ten in the U.S. The follow-up LP, 1984's Bouncin' Off the Walls, failed to connect with listeners. Wilder nevertheless kept composing and producing for other artists. He oversaw No Doubt's multi-platinum debut Tragic Kingdom in 1995. His contributions to the Mulan soundtrack in 1998 brought him an Oscar nomination.
Albums
