Matt's love for music was apparent even as a little boy. His father was a guitar player and noticed that Matt and his little brother Gabe would dance, sing and make up their own lyrics to Elvis songs while still in their diapers. At the age of seven he got a job selling stereos and speakers at the Orange County swap meet with his uncle. Forced to listen to his seventeen year old uncle's music it was at the swap meet where he was exposed to rock bands like Led Zepplin, Aerosmith, Queen, The Beatles and Van Halen. At eight years old his mom bought him his first guitar and he wrote his first song that week.
In Jr. High Matt was exposed to pop music and fell in love with the songs of artists like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. He would practice his Michael Jackson moves for hours and was always very popular at school dances. Once he unknowingly cleared the dance floor while dancing to Billy Jean. Classmates at the time said he was in his own little world.
He continued writing music and learning to play the guitar through high school and college, postponing starting a band until his athletic career as an All American swimmer and water polo player were through. When Matt graduated from college his first priority was to start a band.
He founded the Tijuana Dogs with original member Marcos de la Cruz in 1997. Later that year he asked his college guitar teacher (Dave Murdy) to join the band and in early 1998 long time friend and bass player Rick Deeb joined the group.
Matt is a Spanish teacher at a private school in Corona Del Mar and is a Huntington Beach lifeguard during the Summer. He loves playing basketball, swimming, water sports, traveling, writing music, going out to dinner and watching movies.
He hates birds.
MARCOS DE LA CRUZ
Reynaldo de la Cruz and Mary Beth Wolters met in Tokyo while teaching for the U.S. Department of Defense. They had seven babies. One was a 10lb. fatso who grew into a 145 lb. beanpole named Marcos.
The family moved to England where Marcos played soccer and fell deeply in love with music. Earliest influences include The Monkees, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Marvin Gaye, and Smokey Robinson. Then Sweet, David Bowie, Queen, Chicago, Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Rush, and Van Halen.
After banging on coffee cans with chopsticks, Marcos convinced his folks to buy him a set of drums at age 14. He would jam with his older brother, Vince on guitar. Vince went on to play bass for Katrina and The Waves who had a worldwide hit with "Walking on Sunshine". Vince is now semi-retired. (Bastard!) Marcos moved to California in '82 and joined popular Orange County band The Tickets. They prospered until the early 90's when they split up because of hatred.
Marcos has since recorded with various local musicians including former Beach Boy Jeffrey Foskett. In '96 he played drums on "Yesterday's News Now" with Walter Clevenger which ended up in "The Five Aces" starring Charlie Sheen. This was a spectacular film that went straight to video.
In 1998, when Matt Mauser was looking for a drummer, mutual friend Matt Karl referred him to Marcos who was at the time(and still is) drumming with L.A. pop-rock faves, The Andersons. Robbie Rist, former child star of Brady Bunch fame (he was Cousin Oliver) also is in The Andersons.
Marcos lives in Huntington Beach with his 16 lb. cat, Lola. In his spare time he plays soccer and guitar.
Other influences ... The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Smashing Pumpkins, Elvis Costello, Sublime, James Brown, The Eagles, Radiohead, Lyle Lovett, Prince, Weezer, Ramones, Little Richard, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, Pretenders, Bonnie Raitt, Tupak Shakur, Fleetwood Mac, AC-DC, and DJ Quik.
Favorite food... Indian, Japanese, Thai.
Favorite movies... Good Fellas, Spinal Tap, Sling Blade.
Fave artists... Queen, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Ramones, Lyle Lovett, James Brown
DAVE MURDY
Dave received his bachelors degree from U.S.C. in Jazz and commercial guitar. Since graduating Dave has gone on to lead a very diverse musical career. Dave has performed with a wide range of artists from Jazz to classical to pop, Rock and Country.
Dave was an original member of Kilauea, a very successful pop Jazz band that Dave toured the country with and performed on four c.d.'s, two of which went top ten on the Billboard charts. While performing with Kilauea, Dave released his own Jazz c.d. "That Goes to Show Ya" which made it to the airplay charts and was heard around the country.
Dave has performed with Jazz artists as varied as Art Davis, Brandon Fields, Eric Marienthal, Tony Guerrero, Bobby Shue, Warren Hill, and many others. Dave has also performed with 60's pop stars Mel Carter and Jackie Deshannon.
Currently Dave has released two c.d.'s with his trio, Toxic Jazz and also performs with the Big Band Wartime Radio.
Last Summer he performed and toured back east with "Steely" an independent artist with a national release and airplay.
Dave continues to be very active as a session musician playing on numerous independent releases, as well as arranging and writing. Dave has written, arranged and recorded original music for Universal Studios theme parks, as well as composed original music for "Muzak" which is heard around the world. Dave continues to be involved with education, teaching the studio guitar course at Orange Coast College and several private students as well as writing his own guitar book.
MARK NOREYKO
Mark received his Bachelors degree in cello performance in 1991 from Arizona State University all the while playing bass in various rock, jazz, pop, fusion and R&B bands. After graduation Mark moved to L.A. to pursue a career in music. Mark has worked with a wide range of artists in the L.A. area including session work for artists such as Mary J. Blige and Natalie Imruglia. Mark has performed with many of the top session players in L.A. and continues to do session work on both cello and bass.
Mark has appeared on records with such artists as Alex Ligertwood, Alphonso Johnson, Alex Acuna, Tony Braunagal, Tim Pierce, Scarlet Rivera, L.A. Guns, Alexis Pena, and Tommy Eyre. Mark has experience playing in large orchestras and small ensembles of all shapes and sizes and currently teaches cello, bass, viola, privately at Jim's Music in Irvine. He even taught for two years at Claremont H.S. and was the conductor of the orchestra, jazz band, concert band and assisted with the marching band and various theatre produtions.
Mark was introduced to the Tijuana Dogs via a friend while playing in two or three other bands locally and since has become a full on dog with honors and is lovin' every minute of it.
HEY MATT!! I HOPE YOU AND THE BOYS R DOING GOOD? I HOPE TO GO SEE YOU GUYS UP AT LAKE ARROWHEAD, ITS NOT FAR FROM ME! MISS SEEING YOU GUYS! TAKE CARE! GINA
