Your Point Of View

[Sim]

I was just reading last Matt post on his blog about year 2005 in review (well let say, his career on review)

 

 

To view the post:

 

http://www.matthewgood.org/mblog/?p=718

 

 

I know that "in a coma" didn't sell great (even if i still don't understand why... see other post)

 

Post your though about it...

[Russell]

It's a shame that the industry drives artists to such ends, though it's not surprising to see it happening again. It's hard to make real music in an age when it's all so commercial and manufactured. It's amazing that Matt has held on as long as he has.

 

I suspect that he will record the final record he owes Universal and then take a hiatus for awhile to figure himself out artisically again. Based on what he wrote, it looks like what he wants/needs.

[anitanium]

it is sad how many still feel matt is no longer a big name in music...

 

some friends of mine swear that underdogs was matt's definite moment, and they take any other albums afterward as blasphemy to their true belief as to who and what matt is signified as. not even an open ear to listen to all of who matt has brought himself up to be as a genuine artist.

right now, matt needs every fan he can get, and as long as he continues to create music, i will keep supporting him

[Russell]

it is sad how many still feel matt is no longer a big name in music...

It all really depends on how you define big...

[Guest Prosis]

Personally, I think, from what I can gather reading Matt's blog and whatnot, that Matt's a really sensitive guy. This is why he tends to react heavily to negative things. There are probably loads of things we don't know about which is why we can't really judge.

 

Also, I think Matt didn't have the confidence he should've had at the beginning of the band.

 

See the MGB was an accident really. Matt was just aiming at doing an independant record with people just like he did with "15 hours on a September Thursday". But LOTGA got to people and before you know it, they were a band.

 

But I don't think Matt believed in himself enough back then to go out alone with Underdogs. We all know now that he could've done it but he didn't know then.

 

There began the tensions in the band. Because basically, the band didn't really make the songs but it was rather Matt who made them. The rest of the guys added their own flavor (Dave more than others which is why he co-wrote) but basically, Matt wrote by himself and presented songs to the band who worked with them after. Matt could've made it by himself by hiring musicians as he has always done bar the MGB.

 

The music business, especially a small canadian contract, leaves very little depth to an artist. Especially in the days when Matt stepped into it. It's like you have to have a chorus and whatnot or your songs are worthless because they won't go on the radio.

 

Music is, nowadays, a mass produced product. It's more important to have a radio-friendly formula than a well-made piece of art. That is why Matt has had to go back into the studio to record songs I think. At first, WLRRR was a short 10 songs 40 minutes long record. Everyone was going "oh crap that sucks". Then he announced he went to record three more and people were happy.

 

I think that also explains why Matt doesn't really like previous records he's made. Take Hello Time Bomb and The Future is X-Rated off of Beautiful Midnight and, in my opinion, it doesn't lessen the album. Imagine Underdogs is he had done it by himself.

 

Anyhow, I think maybe Matt should go back at being independant. Universal doesn't do much to promote his work anyways so, only through his previous stardom, I think his work would sell rather well. He could record on his computer and he could still make quality music without paying for studio time and whatnot. He could then sell his music from his website or make a deal with HMV or something to get the record around.

 

There might be some things I'm not thinking about in that solution because I know very little about the industry, but maybe he should consider a way that resembles to this.

Edited December 31, 2005 by Prosis

[LexyGirl]

I put on rooms this morning and I belted my heart out to it...... I sang like I do at the concerts.. Until I couldn't anymore. And upon talking with my roomate I realized that the part about that post that made me the saddest... Was the fact that he doesn't just listen to music to listen to music anymore.

 

Having that happen to any music lover is a damned shame.

[Shiri]

I agree. That part touched me the most as well.

[gursky]

One thing I was curious about was Matt's career after the Universal contract was up, specifically touring. I'm not sure how much sponsorship the label gives him to tour but if there was no label support would we still see multiple dates in cities, or even a cross-Canada stops? Sure, indie artists still tour but I'm just wondering if there would be a noticeable difference in the touring before and after the Universal contract is up.

[Prometheon]

A very sad and moving post. Poor Matty...

[Audio of Being]

This was a very moving post indeed, music has changed alot in the past 20 years. It seems more now about selling albums, and making hits, and not really perfecting the art.

[no yu begin wher i end]

I think maybe he'd be better suited for an indie label. When you look at all the bands coming out of Canada and gaining accolades everywhere (eg. Metric, Arcade Fire, New Pornographers etc), then those labels must be doing something right to promote their artists. A smaller label would work harder anyway to promote their artists because they don't have as much money to blow.

[Ryan44]

the people matt is targeting, in my view are older teens, early 20's probably close to 30? but the world is all hip hop and r and b. it is ridiculous, people who are actually good bands, like the band that have proved by selling millions of records, and having hardcore fans, are being forgotten thanks to acts like: black eyed peas (MY HUMPS? WTF?) the pussycat dolls, the simpson sisters, and these 14 yr old slutty girls who cant sing, just suck. i feel bad for matt, and real bands, being overshadowed by such crap, music has turned to sludge as of late, and it doesnt seem like it will recover for a while.

[Shiri]

Actually, I've been noticing Indie acts getting more recognisition lately so maybe a change is starting occur. Pop has to lose its strenth at some point, no music genre stays on top for a very long time.

[Audio of Being]

In the US, where I am from, indie bands fly under the radar, oh sure there are a few that break out, but the rest are left to fend for themselves. Not alot of the record stores carry indie music at all. I am glad I live in a place that has a number of indie records shops.

 

But of the indie bands that have made, people realized how good that music was, and maybe later on, more bands like that will break out into the mainstream.

 

I am getting sick of top 40 radio, and the crap that record companies push out on people.

[shenanigans87]

A very sad and moving post. Poor Matty...

Personally, I didn't find it the least bit moving. No more moving than if I were to lament about the negative aspects of my own job. It's a shame that a career in the music industry has jaded him so and destroyed his love of music and so on and so forth, but name a profession that is completely without corruption? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find one that is 100% morally pure. I've always felt the old adage about doing what you love as a career is complete bullshit. I think when one begins to rely on something they were once passionate about as a means of earning money, that passion seems to disapear.

 

Also, I was skimming the comments and found it funny that Matt kind of lashed out with this little comment after people were offering words of encouragement, "Before everyone decides that they

[neil]

While I'm still a big Matt Good fan, I suppose most of us need to come to the realization that he isn't a big name star anymore. I dont have any stats to back it up, but I imagine WLRRR sold less albums than Avalanche, which probably sold less than AoB with BM being the peak. Since WLRRR didn't have great sales Universal probably didn't push as hard with his Greatest hits cd, which of course leads to lower sales.

 

Matt's commercial career is in the decline, but hopefully he continues to make the records he wants to make.

[MarketTomato]

Yeah, I'm not sure about AoB selling more than Avalanche though. I read on some record site that AoB went gold only about 2 months before Avalanche did, and Avalanche had only been out for a couple of months. So I'm not sure about that. :S

[reg]

Mr. Matty Matt really has no one to blame but himself for his career going down the shitter. He's pissed off so many people over the course of his career that no one will work with him anymore, least of all any indie label. This is a guy putting down such bands as Arcade Fire a short half year ago.

 

He'd be better off by shutting his mouth for awhile, putting out music via the website, and trying to be nice to people for once.

[Scot]

i think what matt is trying to say is that we as a source of commercialism, ruined the fun he would have had at the junos, and robbed him of a grammy.

[Guest Prosis]

Mr. Matty Matt really has no one to blame but himself for his career going down the shitter. He's pissed off so many people over the course of his career that no one will work with him anymore, least of all any indie label. This is a guy putting down such bands as Arcade Fire a short half year ago.

 

He'd be better off by shutting his mouth for awhile, putting out music via the website, and trying to be nice to people for once.

First of all Arcade Fire are complete and utter shit (this is my opinion mind you)

 

Second of all, I don't see why Matt shouldn't say what he thinks. If that makes people not want to listen to his music (two things that have absolutely nothing in common except if you are a fanboy. I don't see why you would stop listening to an artist because he says this band is shit or whatnot. Would you stop going to see a painter if he said that another painter was shit?). Personally, if someone would stop listening to my music because I spoke my mind (and we're not talking about saying that the Nazis were right, we're talking about saying what you think about a band...big fucking deal) I wouldn't want them as fans...

 

Third, who refused to work with him? Who, when?

[marik]

what did he ever say about Arcade Fire? I thought i heard him say he liked them

[Guest Prosis]

I thought so too actually

[no yu begin wher i end]

I seem to recall him saying on the jackpillowhead blog that they were over-hyped or something like that, and if he wanted to listen to Echo and the Bunnymen, he would.

[Guest jjazz]

While they ARE overhyped, they're incredibly innovated and talented, when it comes to delivering a fresh new product.

 

Nobody should have to keep their mouth shut when it comes to anything. If a band refuses touring with Matt, do you think they should suck it up and go through with it if they're not feeling it?

 

The last thing the industry needs is more fake bullshit. It's starting to show that people are digging what artists have to say. Even if this speaking out stuff is coming off like a fad, it's selling records, and on a plus side, it's grasping at a more intelligent range of people, who are sick of the stuff that we are. So everybody's happy.

 

You're not a music lover if you abandon an artist's music because of their beleifs and opinions. Especially if they're being real to themselves. It's different when you get manufactured bands to do this and say that just to sell records and make people happy, and completely. If it starts to bleed through and show in their product, that's another thing, though.

[Peter Griffin]

A very sad and moving post. Poor Matty...

Personally, I didn't find it the least bit moving. No more moving than if I were to lament about the negative aspects of my own job. It's a shame that a career in the music industry has jaded him so and destroyed his love of music and so on and so forth, but name a profession that is completely without corruption? I think you'd be hard-pressed to find one that is 100% morally pure. I've always felt the old adage about doing what you love as a career is complete bullshit. I think when one begins to rely on something they were once passionate about as a means of earning money, that passion seems to disapear.

 

Also, I was skimming the comments and found it funny that Matt kind of lashed out with this little comment after people were offering words of encouragement, "Before everyone decides that they