Rodchester Kings
| Matthew Good | |
|---|---|
Matthew Good performing acoustically in Fredericton, NB.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Matthew Frederick Robert Good |
| Born |
June 29, 1971 Burnaby, British Columbia |
| Origin | Coquitlam, British Columbia |
| Genres | Rock, alternative rock, acoustic |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, bass, percussion |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Labels | Warner Music Canada, Universal Music Canada, Darktown, A&M, Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Matthew Good Band |
| Website | matthewgood |
Matthew Frederick Robert Good (born June 29, 1971) is a Canadian rock musician. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the Matthew Good Band, one of Canada's most successful alternative rock bands in the 1990s, before dissolving the band in 2002. In the years since the Matthew Good Band's disbanding, Good has pursued a solo career and established himself as a political and mental health activist.
Good's early career in music involved a variety of folk demos and a stint as the lead singer of a folk band, the Rochester Kings. Matthew Good and guitarist Simon Woodcock were discovered at an open mic at Simon Fraser University by manager Brent Christensen. Early Rochester Kings demos were recorded at Fragrant Time Records in Burnaby by Greg Wasmuth and Steven Codling.
From 1992 to 1993, Good recorded short demo tapes called "Left of Normal", "Broken", and "Euphony", which featured acoustic songs like "Mercy Misses You", "Heather's Like Sunday", and the title track "Euphony". In 1994, he won a prize from 99.3 The Fox's Seeds competition, an annual competition of local Vancouver-based bands. The prize included recording time at a local studio/recording school, where, in September 1994, Good, along with band members Steve Codling, Judy Renouf, Eran Vooys, and Ariel Watson, recorded "15 hours on a September Thursday". This demo tape included songs like "Second Sun", "The Ocean", and "Last of the Ghetto Astronauts". In December 1994, the band signed a publishing deal with EMI Publishing.
In March 1995, the original band went on tour across Canada. Upon return, the band split up and Matt started over with a new group of musicians.
In mid-1995, they released their debut full-length album, Last of the Ghetto Astronauts. Although initially popular only in the Vancouver area, the album began to catch on across Canada in 1996, with the singles "Alabama Motel Room", "Symbolistic White Walls", and "Haven't Slept in Years" becoming significant hits on radio and MuchMusic. Last of the Ghetto Astronauts, made on a budget of roughly five thousand Canadian dollars, eventually set the mark as the highest selling independent label release by a Canadian artist.
The band's 1997 album Underdogs spawned the hit singles "Everything Is Automatic", "Indestructible" and "Apparitions". Good's political outspokenness and brash confidence were unusual in the Canadian rock scene of the 1990s, and he was soon recognized as much for his seemingly difficult disposition as for his musical talent. As a nod to his reputation, merchandise with the phrase "I Hear Matt Good Is a Real Asshole" was sold at MGB shows. He also maintained a subversive image, sometimes posing for publicity photos in a gorilla mask.
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Wikipedia