Matthew Good

Matthew Frederick Robert Good was born on June 29, 1971, in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. His musical journey began in high school, writing lyrics for a folk group and later teaching himself guitar at age 20. His early career included folk demos and a stint as the lead singer of The Rodchester Kings. In 1994, he won a prize from 99.3 The Fox’s Seeds, a local band competition, which provided recording time. This led to the recording of “15 Hours on a September Thursday” with his then-current band members. In December 1994, the group secured a publishing deal with EMI Publishing. After a Canadian tour in March 1995, the original band disbanded, and Good formed a new rock trio.

In 1995, Good formed a three-piece rock band, which would later become known as the Matthew Good Band, releasing their debut album, “Last of the Ghetto Astronauts,” independently. The album gained traction in 1996 with singles like “Alabama Motel Room” and “Symbolistic White Walls” receiving significant radio play in Canada. In December 1996, the band signed a two-album deal with Private Music, though this contract was short-lived due to a merger. Despite this, the band proceeded to record their second album, “Underdogs,” released later in 1997. This album, produced by Warne Livesey, yielded hits such as “Everything Is Automatic,” “Indestructible,” “Apparitions,” and “Rico,” achieving Platinum certification in Canada by January 1999. In September 1999, the band released “Beautiful Midnight,” which debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart and became their best-selling album, reaching Double Platinum status.

The Matthew Good Band released “The Audio of Being” in October 2001, amidst internal conflict, and officially broke up in February 2002. Good then transitioned to a solo career, releasing his debut solo album “Avalanche” in 2003, which featured the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He continued with “White Light Rock & Roll Review” in 2004, taking a stripped-down approach. The 2005 compilation “In a Coma: Matthew Good 1995–2005” marked the end of his initial career era. In 2007, Good released “Hospital Music,” an album influenced by his personal struggles with divorce, addiction, and a bipolar disorder diagnosis. This album debuted at the top of the Canadian albums chart. His subsequent solo albums, including “Vancouver” (2009), “Lights of Endangered Species” (2011), “Arrows of Desire” (2013), “Chaotic Neutral” (2015), “Something Like a Storm” (2017), and “Moving Walls” (2020), have further explored his musical and lyrical themes. He has also been recognized for his writing and political activism.