A Rumble in The Bowery
My Goodness to Make NYC Debut March 3rd

Words by Audra Tracy
Photo by Jason Tang


I know, I know, you’re busy, and getting to a venue in time to catch an opening band is really a stretch these days. But this Monday night, just skip dinner, or grab some of New York’s finest street meat, or just shove a slice of pizza in your face on your walk over to the Bowery Ballroom, because I can tell you with complete confidence that you won’t want to miss the rumble of blues-rock duo My Goodness.

The Seattle-based act, which features Joel Schneider (guitar/vocals) and Andy Lum (drums), is on their first national tour, warming up crowds for another band on the rise, Augustines. This summer My Goodness will release their first full length LP, Shiver + Shake, a debut that’s sure to settle in nicely on your turntable.

We caught up with Joel in between shows to learn a little more about the band’s dynamic, and what New Yorkers can expect at the upcoming gig…

Tell us about your new album. How did it come together?

I had a handful of songs put together before Andy joined the band near the end of 2012. After he joined the focus was really intensified and we did a ton of writing. We had almost the whole record done in the next few months and then went into the studio fall of 2013 to record “Shiver + Shake”.

Will the album be available on vinyl? Do you feel this format is still important in the digital age?

Yes. We are making it the ideal way to buy our record. Mostly because I believe it’s the ideal way to listen to music. It will be a gatefold and most likely will have a limited run of color vinyl. We will include a digital download in the LP of course. Our CD packaging will be pretty simple. Vinyl is still very relevant today because if you are truly trying to enjoy music, it is the best way to listen. There is a warmth and feel in music you can only experience by putting a record down on a turntable.

What’s the dynamic like in your band…Who’s the brain? Who’s the muscle?

Ha…well it’s definitely a pretty collaborative effort. I write the majority of a song at home and then bring it into practice where we then structure it together. As far as social media goes, Andy is a little more active than I am. He can have the “brain” credit for that I guess. 😉

How is your first national tour going so far? Has it met your expectations?

We are about half way through but it has been great! I’d say for the most part it has definitely met our expectations. It’s been super rewarding to play for audiences who have never heard our music. It’s been a long time coming being stuck up in the Northwest, but it has been definitely worth the wait.

What do you do to keep things interesting on the road?

We just have a good time and try to do normal fun stuff on our days off. We went to the beach in San Diego, enjoyed the first night of Mardi Gras in NOLA, hung out at the Parthenon replica in Nashville and checked out Broadway and all the honky-tonk bars. We just try and keep it light. Might go see a movie or two before the tour is over as well.

If you won the mega-millions, how would your live shows change?

Two words….. Light Show!! Although we’d probably have to wait to be headlining to bust that out. For the time being we’d probably just hire a badass crew. I’d buy better guitars, etc. More or less the show would be the same.

What can New Yorkers expect from your upcoming Bowery Ballroom gig?

It will most definitely be loud and we will bring quite a bit of energy to the stage.

If you could cover any Jack White song, what would it be and why?

Probably “Death Letter”….although it’s originally a Son House song. I guess that’s why I’d be ok with covering it. Such a good tune.


www.mygoodnessmusic.com


TheWaster.com | Shiver + Shake
02.28.2014