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Matty James Cassidy Releases New Single “All That Romance”

“All That Romance”, written and performed by London-based Matty James Cassidy and produced by Rex Roulette (Eagles of Death Metal / Bob Vylan), channels the raw swagger of the Stones and the sharp storytelling of Dylan to question a new puritanical world shaped by social media and cancel culture that may have just cost us life’s poetry and romance. With a gritty Camden-shot promo video and sold-out launch show, this is punchy roots rock & roll brought kicking and howling right into the 21st Century.

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Rhyme, rhythm & song

Matty James Cassidy is an Irish bass-slingin’ rocker-poet, peddling songs that swagger like The Stones in Exile, hit like The Clash in a riot, and Howl like Dylan down Highway 61 — bringing it all bang up to date. This is dystopian rock & roll — sharp-edged and wired into the chaos of today.

Each track unfolds like a story told from the smoky backroom of a dive bar that never closes — a raw blend of attitude, poetic grit, and heartfelt urgency. With a voice that carries the weight of the world and a delivery that demands attention, Cassidy channels rock’s great outlaws while forging a sound that’s entirely his own. Rooted in classic rock, his sound also channels the noir drama of Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Mink DeVille, and the raw, modern edge of artists like Jack White, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Fontaines D.C. — forging a style that feels both timeless and urgent. Whether on stage with his rip-roaring live band The Real Villains or on record, his music is alive with the pulse of rebellion, romance, and restless energy.

With several critically acclaimed, self-released records to his name, Cassidy has gigged relentlessly across the UK, Europe, and beyond — earning his stripes the old-fashioned way. In 2023, he released Trouble under the name The Balladmongrels — a cross-generational collaboration with Tyla (The Dogs D’Amour) — which broke into the UK Official Chart Top 20 and cemented his reputation as a songwriter of substance and style.

On stage, Cassidy brings a magnetic presence — an imposing stature offset by disarming Irish charm — and delivers each song with raw conviction. He’s equal parts poet and rocker, somewhere between Springsteen storytelling, Phil Lynott swagger, and Johnny Thunders’ raw edge, singing from the gut while driving the rhythm from behind a low-slung bass.

Now based in Camden, London, Cassidy began his career as a drummer, playing pubs and clubs across Ireland from the age of 13. He soon stepped out from behind the kit as the bass-playing frontman of a group of “noise monsters” (as once described by Hot Press magazine) called Filthy Angels. A few years later, he set sail for England and picked up the acoustic guitar to further his songwriting. That shift led him down the beaten path of the modern-day troubadour — bringing his own brand of roots rock & roll to venues across the country and beyond, often sleeping in train stations and relying on cheap overnight coach tickets to make the gigs.

Today, his shows run the spectrum: solo gigs are intimate, raconteur-style affairs brimming with grit, heart, and humour, while performances with The Real Villains — a lethal gang of road-hardened musicians handpicked along the way — are raucous, high-energy spectacles built for big stages and rowdy nights.

“Rock’n’roll is one of those phrases that means everything and nothing all at once. However you choose to define it though, Matty James Cassidy exudes it from every pore.” – Maximum Volume Music

“… unmistakably takes his cue from the old school rockers like Cash, Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis et al, but with lyrics and swagger that brings it bang up to date, showing that classic rock’n’roll is still relevant. Cassidy has the attitude and presence that reminds me of the late great Joe Strummer in his Mescaleros days.” – Musipedia of Metal

“Any fellow outsiders out there – pirates, cowboys, highwaymen, holy fools, loners, drinkers, writers, fuck-ups – give this a listen, your radar will twitch. He’s one of us and this is as good as outlaw music gets.” – The Midlands Rocks

“… will have you hitting the repeat button and swinging the bottle until the sun comes up!” – RPM Online