Former Kartica frontman gets a kick out of releasing new music after turbulent times

Mat Hook’s new single Runaway Road marks his reinvigorated approach to life after a period of turmoil including births, breakups, job losses and deaths.

Singer-songwriter Mat, who lives in Dore, said: “There’s been some really testing times and I can say without question that for the majority of it (time away from music) I never thought I’d be involved in releasing music again.”

Mat made his debut with Sheffield group Kartica in 2008 at the Hare and Hounds pub on Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, which is now Chesters fish and chip shop.

Kartica shared stages with the likes of Bruce Foxton (The Jam) The Beautiful South, Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Coral, Feeder, Lightning Seeds, The Twang and Little Man Tate’s Jon Windle and regularly had their music played on local radio, at both Sheffield United and Wednesday football grounds and even on episodes of Hollyoaks.

Amid growing tensions in 2014, Mat left the band, lost his day job, split with the mum of his one-year old child and saw his father develop life-altering cancer which he later died of.

The once touring musician, who had performed in front of KT Tunstall and sung at venues such as as The Cavern in Liverpool and The 100 Club in London, found himself at the precipice of spiralling.

But his saving grace came when he launched a seven-a-side football team and then league. Four years later, Kickabout Sheffield now has 28 men’s teams on its showpiece Wednesday night, with a further 10 in a smaller ‘Summer only’ league, whilst also incorporating a women’s six a side league.

The success of the league has transformed Mat’s life and has given him the inspiration to get back into writing and performing music.