Mattern moved to New York City as a young adult in 1971 with ambitions of becoming a fashion designer, briefly attending Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and working as a hairdresser for a while.
From 1989 to 1995, Vasquez gained national prominence, along with music industry influence - through his residency at the original Sound Factory, a club he co-founded with Richard Grant, which was located at 530 W. 27th St in Manhattan's Chelsea district.