Matt Good Tried To Create His Own Broken Social Scene

Matthew Good

Matthew Good, Can-rock’s number one provocateur, says he attempted to create his own Vancouver version of Broken Social Scene, Toronto’s critically-lauded space jam indie rock outfit.

“I’ve tried to. I’ve tried to,” says Good, explaining how the BSS-imitation was one of many artistic ventures he’s embarked on since the Matthew Good Band officially dissolved in 2001. “I’ve tried to form tons of different side-projects. But you get involved with people and — a lot of the people I’ve been involved with — they just, it just turns into a power struggle. And all I ever want to do in those bands is just play rhythm guitar. I don’t even want to sing.”

As part of an interview for the cover story of Chart Magazine’s upcoming September 2004 issue — his first interview with the mag since ’01 — Good discussed BSS, as well as a wide range of topics including the final days of MGB, his new album (White Light Rock & Roll Review), his humanitarian efforts and related fights with right-wing organizations, his affection for country music, and some of the artistic ventures he hopes to tackle in the future.

Good’s Social Scene attempt came after listening to BSS’s You Forgot It In People album, one of his recent favourites.

“The last Broken Social Scene record I listened to quite a bit and I thought was really interesting,” he says. “A lot of the ideas on it were really, really good.”

Don’t think Good’s motives were all pure, though. Seeing how Good has been the rock ‘n’ roll point- person/figurehead for the last 10 years as a band leader and solo artist, being part of a jam-out gang would have given him some time to, in Don Cherryspeak, have a few “pops.”

“My idea of paradise is going on tour once in my life where I don’t have to go to bed early because I have to sing the next day,” he says. “I can just have a beer and talk to people and play guitar. Paradise.

“The collective idea is really interesting. It would probably be more interesting to see how long it would last really. ‘Cuz it can get a little convoluted… And it does have that kinda really cool factor to it.”

This news piece was originally published August 13, 2004 via Chart Communications.