Matthew Good Band

Matthew Good Band

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1995 in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Defunct	2002
Headquarters	Coquitlam , Canada
Products	Music albums, singles

Matthew Good Band was a Canadian alternative rock ensemble established in 1995 in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The group consisted of vocalist and guitarist Matthew Good, guitarist and keyboardist Dave Genn, drummer Ian Browne, and bassist Geoff Lloyd, who was succeeded by Rich Priske in 1998. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, they emerged as one of Canada's leading rock groups, receiving 14 Juno Awards nominations and securing wins for Best Group and Best Rock Album (Beautiful Midnight) in 2000. The band dissolved following the release of The Audio of Being in 2001.

1995–1996: Formation and Last of the Ghetto Astronauts

Originally a folk artist, Matthew Good formed a rock trio in 1995 featuring drummer Charlie Quintana—later replaced by Ian Browne—and bassist Geoff Lloyd. Guitarist Dave Genn initially participated as a session player before becoming an official member. Their debut album, Last of the Ghetto Astronauts, was self-released with the first 5,000 copies credited simply to "MGB." After the track "Alabama Motel Room" gained radio traction, demand prompted them to adopt the name "Matthew Good Band." Initially enjoying regional popularity around Vancouver, the band achieved broader Canadian recognition in 1996 through singles like "Alabama Motel Room" and "Symbolistic White Walls," aided by extensive MuchMusic rotation. By December 1996, they had secured a two-album contract with Private Music.

1997–1999: Underdogs

In January 1997, just as pre-production for their next album commenced, the band discovered that BMG Entertainment North America was merging Private Music into Windham Hill/High Street Records, causing a halt to their album's progress. By mid-March, after negotiations, the band was released from its contract by Windham Hill/High Street. They received payment for two albums and opted to independently record their upcoming release using these funds. Subsequently, they arranged distribution through PolyGram Group Canada. Following the May 1997 release of the EP Raygun, they launched their second full-length album, Underdogs, produced by Warne Livesey, who would continue collaborating on most future projects with the band and Good. This album produced Canadian hits such as "Everything Is Automatic", "Indestructible", "Apparitions", and "Rico".

During summer 1998, the band toured Canada as part of Edgefest. In November that year, Geoff Lloyd departed and was replaced by Rich Priske. On January 21, 1999, Underdogs achieved Platinum certification in Canada.

1999–2000: Beautiful Midnight

The band returned to tour Canada with Edgefest in July 1999, performing on the main stage this time. September 1999 saw the release of Beautiful Midnight, which entered the Canadian Albums Chart at number one. The album featured successful singles including "Hello Time Bomb", "Load Me Up", and "Strange Days". Notably, "Hello Time Bomb" became their highest-charting single in the United States, reaching number 34 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay. In January 2000, Good underwent surgery on his vocal cords following a sarcoidosis diagnosis and temporarily ceased smoking. That March, the band earned two Juno awards for "Best Group" and "Best Rock Album". Beautiful Midnight stands as their most commercially successful album, achieving Double Platinum status in Canada and surpassing sales of 300,000 copies by 2016. Additionally, their track "Running for Home" was featured in an episode of Higher Ground during 2000.

2000–2001: The Audio of Being

During the summer of 2000, Good retreated to Whistler for a three-week period to craft new material amid escalating internal conflicts and mounting expectations for commercial success. Recording sessions commenced towards the end of 2000, a phase characterized by considerable discord within the group. In February 2001, the band embarked on a tour across the United States in support of Beautiful Midnight. They followed this with the release of the EP Loser Anthems in June and concluded their final summer tour shortly thereafter. August saw Dave Genn briefly depart from the band, only to rejoin four days later. The album The Audio of Being was officially released on October 30, 2001.

Breakup

By November 2001, both Genn and Ian Browne had exited the band. The dissolution was officially confirmed by Universal Music Canada in February 2002. Good referred to the breakup as a deliberate decision made collectively by all members. In a 2009 interview, he revealed that his choice to end the band following The Audio of Being stemmed from his unwillingness to compromise with other members and a lack of enthusiasm for touring in support of the new album.

2002–present: Aftermath

After the Matthew Good Band disbanded, Matthew Good embarked on a prosperous solo career, with Rich Priske continuing as his bassist until 2005. Dave Genn became a member of Canadian rock band 54-40 in 2003 and has since contributed as a songwriter and producer for various artists. Geoff Lloyd passed away in January 2010. In 2011, Good reunited briefly with Ian Browne, who performed drums during Good's Lights of Endangered Species tour. Rich Priske died on July 11, 2020.

Members

• Matthew Good – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1995–2002)
• Rich Priske – bass guitar (1998–2002)
• Ian Browne – drums (1995–2001)
• Dave Genn – lead guitar, keyboards (1995–2001)
• Geoff Lloyd – bass guitar (1995–1998)

Discography

• Last of the Ghetto Astronauts (1995)
• Raygun (1997)
• Underdogs (1997)
• Lo-Fi B-Sides (1998)
• Beautiful Midnight (1999)
• Loser Anthems: B-Sides & Rarities (2001)
• The Audio of Being (2001)

See also

• Canadian rock
• Music of Canada

External links

• Near Fantastica, fansite