Dub-rock reggae group Goodbye Beatdown are turning heads as Vancouver Seeds '09 finalists, and the more you hear from these good times rockers, the more you've got to have. Combining feel good grooves with a loose and laid back style straight out of BC, we are really excited to bring Goodbye Beatdown to the Toronto stage on June 19th, for Supernova.com's Unofficial NXNE showcase!
Formerly known as Critical Element, Goodbye Beatdown has smoothed out a unique sound since switching gears. The 4-man outfit includes a number of instruments, mashed up to create something deliciously unique - in the words of band mate Mark, something that "sounds like melting in slow-motion, glazed in Day-Glo frosting." Mmmmmm.
Introduce your band mates and explain what each brings to the band?
"Dizzy" Dustin Overhill
(Singer/MC/HypeMan Extraordinaire)
D Dizzle brings more personality to GBBD than Cheese Whiz ever could - he's the spark plug, the heart-beat, the swift kick to the balls and the cherry on top all at once. To slap Dizzy with the word "intense" is an understatement at best and would probably get you a slap back so hard that your children's children'll inherit the bruises.
Sean Michael Simpson
(aka Seany Mics, Seanzo and Scene)
Axe-wielder of the Blues Conspiracy (aka guitarist)
SMS is the band souldriver. His grinding, dirty blues guitar styles combined with supacool stage presence make him a musical force to be reckoned with. Sean loves earth tones and has been known to rock green jeans on more than 1 occasion (and by 1 we mean at least 27).
Brani Shibilev
(aka Brani Taylor cuz nobody can pronounce this man's last name)
He's the group's European connection-slash-stowaway and he's not so bad behind a drum kit either. Aside from being our token exotic import, Brani brings his trademark brand of double kick induced "jah-metal" and aggressive, hip hop laced "boom-shnik"...or is it "shnik-boom"!? (I'm pretty sure it's boom-shnik-boom)
Mark Luongo
(aka Lu aka Skillz)
Last of the Beatdown brethren (and most recent to join) is this former D-Dub (as in Daniel Wesley) bassisto whose box of rumble and rock-your-socks off (and then back on again) bass steeze was the lost piece of puzzle which now builds the Beatdown Dy-Nasty. The End.
How would you describe your band’s sound?
Goodbye Beatdown sounds like it's melting in slow-motion, and glazed in Day-Glo frosting...a sweet yet horrible noise that the old folks might just barely recognize as something they would nod their heads to. It's party music, or at least let's-get-drunk-and-dance music, or (if you don't have friends) take-the-roof-off-the-car-and-drive-somewhere-fast music. Like a barbed-wire fence wrapped in velvet. Yeah, just like that....
Seriously though, if we were a house we'd be located at the intersection of "Blues Rock" and "Reggae" with a front yard full of "Funk" and a garage full of "Crunk"...don't even ask what we keep in the basement.
What is the most rewarding thing about being in a band?
Haha...hahahaha...haha...ha? Oh you're not kidding. Come on, there's gotta be at least a bit of "wink wink" to this question. Taking the high road... (Know what's funny? Almost every band thinks this is a monetary question, and then laughs it off... I think we all deserve a raise!)
I like that this question includes the words "rewarding" and "band". Making music can be a very personal experience and any artist/performer who's serious about their craft spends a great deal of time honing skills and creating on their own. This said, when musicians join forces in artistic dialogue the product always seems to be greater than the sum of the parts. Nothing beats the camaraderie of working for a common goal, sharing moments of inventive clarity and building a collective sound that reflects a vibrant mosaic of unique personalities. Except maybe meeting hot babes on tour. (A given, hehe...)
Was there any particular moment or event that made you realize you wanted to pursue music full time?
We've learned quite a bit about each other trying to answer this question. Each of us can actually point to a defining time in our lives when music transformed from a basic hobby or passing interest into a way of life.
Dustin can vividly remember being inspired to become an MC after his first rap battle at age 13 and went on to devote countless hours for years to come in his bedroom freestyling over anything he could find.
Mark was born to a pair of music educators and thus began piano lessons at the age of 4 but never really developed a passion for music until circumstance lead him into a self directed study of the acoustic bass from age 12 through his teenage years.
Music in general and the guitar in particular became Sean's sanctuary during a trying time in his family life at age 17. Forced out of the house and into a hard labour job, he lived alone in a trailer for 3 years developing a love affair with music unlike anything any of us has seen before.
Brani just likes to bang things. Seriously though, while everyone hits pots and pans as a kid, Brani was fortunate enough to be dealt the drum card in a family of musicians. Back in Bulgaria he'd jam day and night with his brothers and through this woodshedding developed a razor sharp technique that's allowed him to stay on top of his game in spite of less opportunity to practice here in Canada.
Where is your favourite place to play?
Can a band that's never left South Western BC really answer this question? We're stoked to play everywhere and anywhere really, although Victoria's always been good to us and our May 8th show at Richard's on Richards in Vancouver was prettttty hype. In fact, we'll be taking the stage there again on June 5 and short of playing The Commodore see it as something of a permanent "home" venue in good ol' Vanland. (And... you'll be playing in Toronto on June 19th for our secret unofficial NXNE showcase!)
Who would you most like to tour with?
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gym Class Heroes, Down With Webster, John Butler Trio and Streetsweeper Social Club.
If you had to listen to one album on repeat for the rest of your life, what album would it be and why?
We have to answer this individually:
Mark: Blood Sugar Sex Magic (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - Epic album, first CD I ever bought with my own money (at a Best Buy in North Carolina, for the record). Was forced to throw it out by my parents on 3 separate occasions but kept bringing it back...this record was formative in my understanding of all things rock, funk 'n soul.
Dustin: Illmatic (NAS)- Who can contend a hard core hip-hop-head's love affair with an album that's universally hailed as one of the quintessential hip hop recordings of the 1990's.
Sean: Electric Ladyland (Jimi Hendrix)- You need only spend a maximum of 20 minutes with Sean on any given day at any given time to sense his undying passion for Hendrix...and that's providing he doesn't even touch a guitar in that span of time. Catch this man playing, electric or acoustic, and you'll know within seconds.
Brani: Le Mystere des voix Bulgares (Trio Bulgarka)- You can take the boy out of Bulgaria but you can't take the Bulgaria out of the boy. He actually loves Alice in Chains' self titled album and lives to rock hard.
Seeds is the ultimate springboard for independent rock bands and remains one of the last great radio station sponsored competitions in Canada. Mark's past with Daniel Wesley is enough testament unto itself that while not every band can translate success in Seeds to Nickelback-esque platinum record status, it's a major resume booster and gets attention from music and program directors from coast to coast. We're honoured to be a part of the 30th anniversary festivities.
Is there anything else that makes your band unique that new listeners should know?
Hell yeah there is! Aside from matters of autobiography, our name has a unique and interesting back-story. Formerly known as Critical Element, the band decided to find a new name to match the changing identity brought about by Mark's involvement. While assisting at a VIP artist lounge over Juno weekend in Vancouver, the boys began brainstorming with Ill Scarlett's tour manager Donnie Kitchen. (another band that's played a Supernova.com stage...)
After about 20 minutes of hilarity and straight up silliness the name "Hello Throwdown" came out. Digging the direction but not wanting to join the ranks of Hello Beautiful, Hello Operator and Hello Disaster (etc...), close friend Sarah Bisch suggested Goodbye Beatdown.
Initial reviews were positive but it wasn't until Dustin found himself in a confined space with Rick Campanelli and George Stroumboulopoulos (could you ask for better sounding boards in the Canadian pop/rock music scene?) and ran the group's entire list of prospective names that it all came to a decisive end - Goodbye Beatdown was a hit and THAT is the rest of the story.
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With a cool band story and get-up-off-your-ass-and-dance songs, Goodbye Beatdown are ready to rock the Seeds vote and take their music on the road; catch them at one of the bands upcoming gigs, including June 19th at the Supernova.com Homecoming Showcase - our awesome, off-the-chart NXNE film-shoot/party!
