| Ricardo Autobahn (John Matthews) | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Name: | John Matthews |
| Alias: | Rikki (in Rikki & Daz) |
| Birth Date: | 1978 3, df=y |
| Genre: | Pop, hip hop, dance, Europop |
| Associated Acts: | Daz Sampson Rikki & Daz Barndance Boys Cuban Boys Spray Attery Squash Pop Inc Lolly Pop Helen Love |
John Matthews (born 8 March 1978), better known by his stage name Ricardo Autobahn, is an English producer, songwriter and musician. He is also known in collaborations with Daz Sampson as in Rikki & Daz and the projects like Barndance Boys, Cuban Boys, and his current project Spray.
Matthews is a member of the band Spray and earlier in the Cuban Boys. The latter was most famous for their UK Christmas hit “Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia”. The band allowed their label to market "Cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" as "The Hampster Dance Song".
In addition, Matthews was Rikki in the duo Rikki & Daz (with Daz Sampson), who also recorded under the name of the Barndance Boys. Rikki & Daz scored a UK top 20 hit with their version of the song "Rhinestone Cowboy", involving Glen Campbell who re-recorded his vocal and appeared in the video. The Barndance Boys, infamous for their papier mache heads, had a top 40 hit in 2003 with "Yippie-I-Oh". With Daz Sampson, Matthews co-wrote and produced the UK's 2006 Eurovision entry "Teenage Life" with Daz Sampson and the European hit "The Woah Song" by DJ Daz.
In 2006, Matthews co-wrote and co-produced the eponymous debut album for US electro artist Lolly Pop. He was also involved in Pop Inc, known for their single "Looking 4 The KLF". In 2008 he formed the musical project called Attery Squash, who had their single "Devo Was Right About Everything" remixed by Devo members Robert & Gerald Casale[1]
In 2009, Matthews released a video on YouTube called "The Golden Age of Video".[2] This was a mash-up of video clips from various TV Shows and movies. In 2012, he collaborated on a Christmas single release titled "And The Salvation Army Band Plays" with Helen Love,[3] and playing keyboards with the band.[4] Matthews also co-founded Pound Shop Boys with Phil Fletcher, performing covers of songs from children's television programmes in the style of the Pet Shop Boys.[5]
As a remixer and producer, Ricardo Autobahn has remixed Becky's dance single, "Less Than Three", The Crimea's "Loop a Loop", along with singles by Nathalie Archangel, Jane Badler and Christopher Anton. And he directed work vocalist/performer Brooke R. Calder's on-stage personae Lolly Pop in collaboration with Minneapolis producers Monte Moir and Doctor Fink.
In 2014, Matthews joined the band Helen Love to play keyboards for a number of dates, including at Primavera Sound in Spain. He also remixed Helen Love's "Pogo Pogo".