A Dirty Dozen with THE GOODIES – December 2023

According to a recent press release: “San Diego, CA reggae/rock/soul duo The Goodies, founded by Justin Goodman (“Goodie”) and Zan, have released the new single “Runnin” off their upcoming 6-song debut EP, due out in January 2024. The Goodies are a San Diego-based band founded by Justin Goodman (“Goodie”) and Zan. With a sound that blends reggae rock, pop, R&B, folk, and other genres, The Goodies draw inspiration from a wide range of musical styles. Justin, originally from Detroit, discovered his love for reggae music during a life-changing trip to Jamaica at a young age. Meanwhile, growing up in San Diego, Zan was exposed to reggae music at a young age by older siblings who were passionate about the Jamaican genre.” We get the duo to discuss new music, influences, and more.

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Our latest release, Runnin” is the story of Zan, who like many young people at 18, found herself entangled in a bunch of bad situations she needed to break free from! It tells her journey of doing what needed to be done at any cost and summoning the courage to leave! Well… she did, in her 1973 VW bus, to San Francisco, where she managed to make a fresh beginning, rise above, and set out on a new path in life. A little hidden nugget is that the VW bus on our cover art is actually a bus that belongs to The Goodies, which was featured in a previous music video.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Both Justin and Zan had a love for music from childhood, and grew up in very different environments that inspired their musical careers. Justin’s father was a writer and his mother, a pianist and guitar player. He grew up in a musical household, and began singing and playing instruments as a toddler, forming his first band when he was 12 years old in Detroit Michigan. Zan grew up in San Diego and was inspired by strong, female singers across multiple genres (blues, old country, pop), and from the time she could speak words she was singing and mimicking her idols.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

For both Justin and Zan, reggae was our inspiration from a young age, being introduced to Bob Marley and so many influential Jamaican artists early in our lives. Both of us were also simultaneously inspired by grunge, specifically Nirvana, which was a huge influence for both of us. Grunge was really the counterpart of reggae to us, and we had to feel both the darkness and the light.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Oh yeah, any?! we would definitely want to call in Bob Marley with the Original 1963 Wailers, because then we would also get Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in the studio 🙂

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Surfing, snowboarding, skiing, going to shows, hanging with family and friends, and traveling wherever the wind takes us.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

A blend of Reggae, Rock, Soul, country, and ska with an emphasis on strong harmonies and melodies. Some people say that Justin has a Michael Jackson feel to his voice at times, and Zan is often compared to Dolly Parton with her country influence. None of that is cringy though, and if anyone compares us to a legendary artist of kind, we’ll take that as a compliment!

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

The band usually takes turns cooking, depending on where we are and how much time we have.  Zan is usually on drink duty and Justin is definitely the first one to bust out the acoustic guitar for a jam session.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

We were hanging out at a bar on Maui and and realized Woody Harrelson was sitting next to us. We struck up a conversation, but we were definitely starstruck.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is the feeling that you get from performing, when a song comes together in the studio, when you’re chillin in the pocket, and the feeling that you give people, because music isn’t just about hearing it, it’s about feeling it.  If I (Justin) couldn’t be a musician, I would be a chef, and Zan would work in ocean conservation.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

One question we have always wanted to be asked is “How has Music, and particularly, Reggae, saved your life?” By uplifting, and bringing me  (Justin) out of very dark times in teenage years and tragic losses. Tired of answering the question “Do you wash your hair” 🙂

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

So many I could write a book about it. When I (Justin) was 7 years old, I had an opportunity to sing in a craft macaroni and cheese commercial and chickened out.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

The Beatles Abbey Road. To be able to see the creative process, production, vibe of the studio, and song writing process that went into an album that had such a deep impact on music would be amazing.

THE GOODIES LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

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Category: Interviews