Interview
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Goodngone
Goodngone is captivating audiences with their originality, distinct lyrical style and edgy country production, on full display in their new radio single Road Trip To Austin. We wanted to ϐind out what drives this dedicated country group to push the limits of the genre. You can generally tell when an artist is ready for the next stage of their career. It shows up in timing and tonal certainties, and there's a sense of conviction that just can't be faked. Goodngone's catchy new track Road Trip To Austin has that audible conviction, but its sheer inventiveness and mainstream digestibility fulfill the other half of the equation that determines who gets radio time and who goes home unheard. It also doesn't hurt that the critics have raved about their award- Goodngone's
gravelly lament is a lushly scored investigation of recurrant life insecurities replete with deft bluegrass accents and a wry denouement. Independent reporter Alexis Adams recently caught up with Goodngone to talk about their new single and the passion for home-grown country music that gave rise to it.
ALEXIS: Let's just get this out in the open- What is the craziest thing that has happened to you in your music career?
GOODNGONE: I think the craziest thing was having a DJ in Austria find a song off of our first EP, "Up and On the Road", online, playing it and having it become the number one most requested song at his station. We had no idea this was happening and it was a good lesson in how small the world has become in the digital internet era of music.
ALEXIS: Your song Road Trip To Austin is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on radio?
GOODNGONE: We knew it was a great "feel good" song that just needed a chance to be heard. We started getting emails from listeners all over the world saying that it was magical or was their new favorite song. I'm not sure if they know where Austin is, but it doesn't really matter, it could be anywhere that you want to go on a roadtrip with that someone special. Its that someone that makes life more fun, with whatever you're doing.
ALEXIS: What was the inspiration behind your debut radio single?
GOODNGONE: Again, it was the realization that you know you have found a good match when you don't mind taking a road trip with that person and being stuck in the car (or truck in this case... it is Texas after all) for a whole day of driving with them. In fact, its fun. Actually, its sometimes as fun as the destination and there are many songs about life being about the journey, not the destination. I also wanted to point out a few other things that I had noticed were not just tolerable, but fun, with the right company.
ALEXIS: It is often said that great art arises from difficult experience. Is there something in your life experience thus far that you would describe as the catalyst or fuel for your desire to create music?
GOODNGONE: If I had a publicist, they'd probably want me to make up some kind of interesting life trauma or circumstance, as people seem to enjoy a good story of hardship. But, I've really had a blessed life with great parents, a great daughter, and a great wife. We never had much growing up, so nothing has been easy financially, but none of that really matters much as long as you have good family and good friends to share your experiences with.
ALEXIS: How would you characterize yourself as an artist/musician? (Ex. Down-to-earth, serious, fun-loving, complicated)
GOODNGONE: I like to be diverse in my song writing, as the influences throughout my life have been very diverse as well. I don't like being categorized really and we often struggle to fit into a genre but understand that marketing requires it. Thus, the closest thing we can find to describe us is country rock or "rocking country" as we like to call it.
ALEXIS: What has your experience been like working with the other people on your team?
GOODNGONE: Dave, Richie, and I have been together since the beginning in 2009. Forrest is the new guy. I couldn't ask for a better second family. We, amazingly, all get along real well. None of us are trying to dominate the direction our music goes. I usually come up with the basic music, melody, and words, then hand it over to each guy to do his own thing with it. That's how we get "our" sound, which is different than "my" sound on the demos. Its much better, of course, as they are much better than I am at what they do.
ALEXIS: Did you come from a musical background? Are there other musicians in your family?
GOODNGONE: My grandfather used to play the piano in movie houses when he was young, back before there were "talkies" (audio tracks for movies). Its amazing how far we've come in just a hundred years. He was a big band kind of guy and I was influenced quite a bit by him and his musical tastes.
ALEXIS: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?
GOODNGONE: The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to share your creations with others around the world and have a positive impact on their lives. I think getting mail from people in every part of the world has been the most rewarding part. It can be a taxi cab driver in Puerto Rico who loves playing our songs in his cab or an armed services professional stationed in Korea who enjoys a particular track because it takes them back home for a little while. The most challenging is the current state of the music business. The current model isn't paying the creators enough to make a living at playing music anymore, and in fact, barely covers the costs involved with making it. Hopefully an answer will come soon, but things tend to work themselves out naturally over time and Im sure this is no different.
ALEXIS: Who are your role models in music?
GOODNGONE: They are the artists who have dared to make the music they want to make, not what they are told to make for any particular demographic or
market. Jason Boland and the Stragglers come to mind, as does Roger Creager, and Randy Rogers for the most part. The Texas country guys.
ALEXIS: Describe your best or most memorable performance.
GOODNGONE: The most memorable performance was at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas. They have such pro quality production there. We have never had a dedicated front of house engineer, monitor engineer, and a lighting engineer at any other venue. The sound and presentation is just fantastic. It really makes for a memorable performance. We have had the opportunity to play there three times now and its always a blast!
ALEXIS: What advice would you give to young, aspiring artists out there who are unsure and need guidance?
GOODNGONE: Make sure you have a plan B, or at least some kind of vocation outside of music. I know you want music to be your primary focus and it can be, but you have to be able to survive in this challenging environment, that is the music business (the internet / free era).
ALEXIS: What's next for you as an artist? Is there a new single in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?
GOODNGONE: The next single will be "Its Just Stuff" and its a fun, up-tempo song that makes light of people fighting over physical possessions upon their
dissolution of marriage! The message is, you cant get your pride back, but "stuff" can always be replaced... so just let it go and move on. No inanimate thing is worth fighting over or hurting someone over. Coming soon!
ALEXIS: Wow, that all sounds very exciting! Thank you so much for letting us get to know you a little better. I look forward to hearing and seeing more great things from you in the future.
http://www.numberonemusic.com/goodngone
2016 Marquix Global Network
Goodngone is captivating audiences with their originality, distinct lyrical style and edgy country production, on full display in their new radio single Road Trip To Austin. We wanted to ϐind out what drives this dedicated country group to push the limits of the genre. You can generally tell when an artist is ready for the next stage of their career. It shows up in timing and tonal certainties, and there's a sense of conviction that just can't be faked. Goodngone's catchy new track Road Trip To Austin has that audible conviction, but its sheer inventiveness and mainstream digestibility fulfill the other half of the equation that determines who gets radio time and who goes home unheard. It also doesn't hurt that the critics have raved about their award- Goodngone's
gravelly lament is a lushly scored investigation of recurrant life insecurities replete with deft bluegrass accents and a wry denouement. Independent reporter Alexis Adams recently caught up with Goodngone to talk about their new single and the passion for home-grown country music that gave rise to it.
ALEXIS: Let's just get this out in the open- What is the craziest thing that has happened to you in your music career?
GOODNGONE: I think the craziest thing was having a DJ in Austria find a song off of our first EP, "Up and On the Road", online, playing it and having it become the number one most requested song at his station. We had no idea this was happening and it was a good lesson in how small the world has become in the digital internet era of music.
ALEXIS: Your song Road Trip To Austin is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on radio?
GOODNGONE: We knew it was a great "feel good" song that just needed a chance to be heard. We started getting emails from listeners all over the world saying that it was magical or was their new favorite song. I'm not sure if they know where Austin is, but it doesn't really matter, it could be anywhere that you want to go on a roadtrip with that someone special. Its that someone that makes life more fun, with whatever you're doing.
ALEXIS: What was the inspiration behind your debut radio single?
GOODNGONE: Again, it was the realization that you know you have found a good match when you don't mind taking a road trip with that person and being stuck in the car (or truck in this case... it is Texas after all) for a whole day of driving with them. In fact, its fun. Actually, its sometimes as fun as the destination and there are many songs about life being about the journey, not the destination. I also wanted to point out a few other things that I had noticed were not just tolerable, but fun, with the right company.
ALEXIS: It is often said that great art arises from difficult experience. Is there something in your life experience thus far that you would describe as the catalyst or fuel for your desire to create music?
GOODNGONE: If I had a publicist, they'd probably want me to make up some kind of interesting life trauma or circumstance, as people seem to enjoy a good story of hardship. But, I've really had a blessed life with great parents, a great daughter, and a great wife. We never had much growing up, so nothing has been easy financially, but none of that really matters much as long as you have good family and good friends to share your experiences with.
ALEXIS: How would you characterize yourself as an artist/musician? (Ex. Down-to-earth, serious, fun-loving, complicated)
GOODNGONE: I like to be diverse in my song writing, as the influences throughout my life have been very diverse as well. I don't like being categorized really and we often struggle to fit into a genre but understand that marketing requires it. Thus, the closest thing we can find to describe us is country rock or "rocking country" as we like to call it.
ALEXIS: What has your experience been like working with the other people on your team?
GOODNGONE: Dave, Richie, and I have been together since the beginning in 2009. Forrest is the new guy. I couldn't ask for a better second family. We, amazingly, all get along real well. None of us are trying to dominate the direction our music goes. I usually come up with the basic music, melody, and words, then hand it over to each guy to do his own thing with it. That's how we get "our" sound, which is different than "my" sound on the demos. Its much better, of course, as they are much better than I am at what they do.
ALEXIS: Did you come from a musical background? Are there other musicians in your family?
GOODNGONE: My grandfather used to play the piano in movie houses when he was young, back before there were "talkies" (audio tracks for movies). Its amazing how far we've come in just a hundred years. He was a big band kind of guy and I was influenced quite a bit by him and his musical tastes.
ALEXIS: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?
GOODNGONE: The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to share your creations with others around the world and have a positive impact on their lives. I think getting mail from people in every part of the world has been the most rewarding part. It can be a taxi cab driver in Puerto Rico who loves playing our songs in his cab or an armed services professional stationed in Korea who enjoys a particular track because it takes them back home for a little while. The most challenging is the current state of the music business. The current model isn't paying the creators enough to make a living at playing music anymore, and in fact, barely covers the costs involved with making it. Hopefully an answer will come soon, but things tend to work themselves out naturally over time and Im sure this is no different.
ALEXIS: Who are your role models in music?
GOODNGONE: They are the artists who have dared to make the music they want to make, not what they are told to make for any particular demographic or
market. Jason Boland and the Stragglers come to mind, as does Roger Creager, and Randy Rogers for the most part. The Texas country guys.
ALEXIS: Describe your best or most memorable performance.
GOODNGONE: The most memorable performance was at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas. They have such pro quality production there. We have never had a dedicated front of house engineer, monitor engineer, and a lighting engineer at any other venue. The sound and presentation is just fantastic. It really makes for a memorable performance. We have had the opportunity to play there three times now and its always a blast!
ALEXIS: What advice would you give to young, aspiring artists out there who are unsure and need guidance?
GOODNGONE: Make sure you have a plan B, or at least some kind of vocation outside of music. I know you want music to be your primary focus and it can be, but you have to be able to survive in this challenging environment, that is the music business (the internet / free era).
ALEXIS: What's next for you as an artist? Is there a new single in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?
GOODNGONE: The next single will be "Its Just Stuff" and its a fun, up-tempo song that makes light of people fighting over physical possessions upon their
dissolution of marriage! The message is, you cant get your pride back, but "stuff" can always be replaced... so just let it go and move on. No inanimate thing is worth fighting over or hurting someone over. Coming soon!
ALEXIS: Wow, that all sounds very exciting! Thank you so much for letting us get to know you a little better. I look forward to hearing and seeing more great things from you in the future.
http://www.numberonemusic.com/goodngone
2016 Marquix Global Network
