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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Rock Duo Takes Act Coast to Coast

COURTESY AUSTIN GRISWOLD The laid-back musical pair from Seattle is taking its blues-rock sound across the country and enjoying its unexpected success.
COURTESY AUSTIN GRISWOLD
The laid-back musical pair from Seattle is taking its blues-rock sound across the country and enjoying its unexpected success.

Based out of Seattle, blues rock group My Goodness has recently embarked on its first national tour. However, the group is not entirely new to the stage: My Goodness first took the stage three years ago but has gone through some serious changes since its inception. At its first performance, current guitarist and lead singer Joel Schneider and his former bandmate dubbed the band “My Goodness” because they thought they were only ever going to play one show. The name was meant to represent the band’s good fortune at having the opportunity to perform. After receiving a great reaction from the crowd, Schneider and his ex-bandmate decided to keep making music. Differences caused them to separate along the way, but Schneider went on to team up with current member drummer Andy Lumand Cody Votolato, a longtime member of another Seattle-based band called Black Brothers.

Surprisingly laid back and soft spoken for a rock and roll musician, Schneider grew up with an affinity for music, although maybe not the kind that he is making now. He grew up in a very conservative Christian household and was forbidden from listening to secular music, although his parents did allow him to have a guitar, and he learned to play through performing with his church group. The ban on secular music was one of the reasons that Schneider ended up moving out of his parent’s house when he was in high school. During this period he took a break from merely playing guitar in order to write songs as well.
Although the duo is just starting to make their name known nationally, they did have the opportunity to play at Capitol Hill Block Party, an annual music festival and block party held in Seattle. The experience of performing at such a popular West Coast festival has also been one of their most proud moments to date, especially because the crowd was so receptive to their music.

“The experience was gratifying,” Schneider said.

My Goodness’ Seattle roots have meant it has had a lot of exposure on the West Coast but hasn’t had much experience playing anywhere east of San Diego. It is currently on a nationwide tour with the band Augustines that will take it to East Coast venues for the first time.

“What’s so great about it is that nobody from these arenas has seen us yet, so the show will be a new experience for everybody,” Schneider explained.

The band is excited to share its music with a new group of listeners. The excitement is mutual, and the New York and Boston venues have already sold out.

While My Goodness is definitely enthusiastic about its tour, it’s not getting ahead of itself with grandiose plans.

“I just hope that we’re still playing and we’re still having a good time and still progressing. You have to take it slow and not expect for it to happen overnight,” Schneider said of where he hoped the band would be in five years.

My Goodness is still discovering and defining itself as a band.  The members want to take baby steps and give themselves the opportunity to experiment with different sounds. Schneider hesitated describing the band’s sound, throwing out phrases like “aggressive music,” “blues and soul, but a little bit heavier” and finally settled on labeling it “blues-y rock.”

Although they may not have labeled their genre yet, Schneider doesn’t think that’s integral in attracting who comes to their shows.

“We hope our audience will be people into live music and who want to have a good time and dance,” Schneider said, adding that My Goodness has a lot of fun performing: It wants to share that experience with its audience. “We have a lot of energy on stage.We want people to feel what we put in to the music.”

Brimming with passion and a desire to please people with its music, My Goodness has the potential to garner a large fan base as it makes  its way across the United States in the coming months.

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