Matthew Taylor, a founding member of the indie rock band Bellini and former art director for Touch & Go Records, has died.
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Henry H. Owings, founder of Georgia-based humor and music magazine Chunklet, revealed the sad news on his Substack. “It’s with a heavy heart that I let those know that Matthew died two days ago from a heart attack,” Owings wrote in the Jan. 10 post.
Taylor was born in Miami, Florida, in 1968. He studied music composition and improvisation under John Corbett at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In addition to being a founding member of Bellini, Taylor was also in the band Vertical Scratchers. His other projects included performing in the Glenn Branca 100 Guitars symphony and with Don Caballero, Girls Against Boys, and Paramount Styles. He also played in several of Rhys Chatham’s large-scale guitar performances, including “A Crimson Grail” and “A Secret Rose.” Furthermore, Taylor was part of Oktober People, provided backing vocals for A Hawk and a Hacksaw, and collaborated with Raven Chacon in the improv group Cobra//group and Death Convention Singers.
So sad to hear that Matthew Taylor of Bellini ( & Monotrope & former art director at Touch & Go) passed.
— Damnably Records🇵🇸 (@damnably) January 13, 2026
He was super cool, sweet and talented. RIP.
Here's Bellini's Live set at Brixton Windmill. 24.10.2010.
Picture by John Bloor https://t.co/tkhktjASKM
Additionally, Taylor produced and supervised the music for the award-winning documentary Torey’s Distraction, which featured a soundtrack by Jimmy LaValle of The Album Leaf.
Taylor later moved to Dallas, Texas, where he founded and worked as a casting director for his company, Buffalo Casting. According to IMDb, his casting work included films like 2018’s The Old Man & the Gun, starring Robert Redford, and 2017’s A Ghost Story, starring Casey Affleck.
Matthew Taylor Was Also an Accomplished Artist
Beyond his musical accomplishments, Taylor was a skilled graphic designer and artist. In the early 1990s, he served as art director for the influential independent label Touch and Go Records, creating album covers for bands like Slint, The Jesus Lizard, Shellac, Nirvana, Don Caballero, Palace Brothers, Pavement, Didjits, Rodan, Killdozer, and Girls Against Boys.
In a bit of obscure trivia, Taylor was also one of the models who posed for The Jesus Lizard’s 1991 single, “Wheelchair Epidemic.”
If you ever were into the Touch and Go bands you’ll remember the great designs. The label’s art director Matthew Taylor tragically passed last week. Good time to listen to some good music. Wishing comfort to his family. pic.twitter.com/cYHc6xPC6i
— Admiral Invalidator (@Artofhunger75) January 12, 2026
Owings recalled how Taylor helped shape the early issues of Chunklet.
“In the beginning months of Chunklet, he helped design the first logo that was subsequently silkscreened on work shirts,” Owings wrote. “These were also the earliest days of desktop publishing, before I even owned a computer or even knew what graphic design meant. His little dog, Hombre, was the centerfold to the pet issue of Chunklet. Issue 9.”
“He also worked door for a few of those early Chunklet house parties. I’ll never forget his kindness,” Owings added.
“Peaceful and kind wishes to his family and loved ones. I’ll never forget that Texas joker,” he concluded.