Disability no bar for rockers' frontman

Matt Perry (foreground) with fellow band members (from left) Hayden Sharples, Luke Vesly and Reuben Conn. Picture / Nick Reed

Since birth, Matt Perry was never expected to walk, yet now, at 22, he stands on stage to snarl out the vocals of his rock and metal band, which has made it to a regional final of the Battle of the Bands.

Perry, the vocalist and songwriter of West Auckland band Halo of Ashes, has cerebral palsy, a condition he describes as having no effect on his mental capacity but causing a communication breakdown between his brain and his limbs.

He was born three months prematurely and had a major blood infection that he was thought unlikely to survive.

"I was born with cerebral palsy and I'm supposed to be a quadriplegic but I'm up on my feet moving around. My muscles lock up and go tense and I can't move around for extended periods. I look like I am walking with bent knees all the time.

"When I was a kid I couldn't walk on my own until I was nearly 5. I would fall over a lot."

He used a wheelchair at times and also had his legs strapped into splints. He walks but says his condition can be painful.

"Doing things like band practice and playing shows, it's hard work for anyone ... it's probably 10 times more brutal on me but I don't consider it a disability.

"The only limitations you have are the ones you choose to believe in or put on yourself. With hard work and determination, there's nothing you can't do," says Perry, a freelance audio engineer who has always been interested in music and as a teenager began playing bass, then drums and guitar.

"What I wanted to do all the time was sing. Ever since I was a little kid I hummed melodies. I had this vivid picture of me being on stage playing guitar and that's still with me."

Inspired by Brett Scallions of the band Fuel and the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, Perry says this year was his band's first time in the Battle of the Bands.

"We are quite blown away with how far we have come so quickly."

Perry says it is rare to see disabled rock musicians performing, although he has met one online, an American with cerebral palsy.

Battle of the Bands organiser and promoter Andrew Featherstone says it is rare but not unique for contestants to have disabilities.

"We have had blind and deaf musicians take part before.

"Anybody with disabilities is most welcome to get involved. We applaud that. It's nice to see somebody with a disability not let that restrict their opportunities."

Battle of the Bands

• More than 130 bands entered.
• Regional finals held in seven cities.
• Finals in Auckland on July 31 and August 1.
• Top prize includes a 10-date performing tour of Europe.