An indie band from the heart of Inner West Sydney, Goodmonster's style rolls from alt-rock tones to alt-country-pop melodies with punk, southern gothic and bluesy R&B elements also in the mix.
The project of guitarist-singer Dylan Reisch, Goodmonster have steadily built a local following with a string of live shows at venues like The Great Club, Petersham Bowlo and Gasoline Pony.After releasing the single 'Company Man' last month, Goodmonster will unveil another taste of their forthcoming EP 'Beautiful Illusion' this Friday (24 March) with 'Live The Dream', a song for the disillusioned trapped in a fast-paced world.
It has swirls of psychedelic production married to rootsy-flavoured indie rock that harks back to '80s AM radio as Dylan sings about feeling disenfranchised: "It doesn't matter if you're happy, you're a cog in the machine. Get up early, make some coffee, and live the dream."
Goodmonster launch 'Live The Dream' at MoshPit (Sydney) 1 April.
Who is... Goodmonster is an indie-alternative band formed by Dylan Reisch (guitar and vocals) in 2019. Its most recent line-up includes Jon Levett (drums), Oguz Kahveci (bass) and Jarad Avnell (lap steel and synth).
We sound like... Indie alternative rock, with a solid dose of '90s and a smattering of punk, southern gothic and R&B thrown in for good measure. Bit of a melting pot that tastes like a non-stop live show.
Our first gig was... With this line-up: at the Petersham Bowling Club. It was a ripper.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision? I (Dylan) came up with the name after getting a bit drunk and making a weird monster costume. The monster wasn't too evil looking, kinda sweet actually. . . hence 'Goodmonster'. It's our logo now.
In the studio we usually... Crack more jokes than we play songs. It's a good vibe.
If we could tour with anyone... Florence + The Machine. Great theatre mixed with epic tunes. I think we'd be simpatico.
Social media is... Hopefully not the downfall of us all, and more likely just a marketing tool (mostly for things that don't need to be marketed).
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... Everyone thought everyone else was bringing beer to practice.
Life on the road can be... Really, really fun, but also really, really other things.
If you'll have us on your bill, all we ask is that our rider contains... A meal for each of us. That should be on every rider! Venues, why do you keep trying to get us drunk? I want a schnitzel.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in was... Oguz got in a fight with a barbecue. It was worrying. He's ok now.
What celebrity/famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Bill Murray. I have him on a t-shirt and it does most of the work, but the real deal would be excellent.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Toronto, Canada. I (still Dylan) lived there for most of my 20s and it'd be cool to show my Canadian mates what Goodmonster is like live.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... The rest of the band. But you're invited too!
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? A butterflied chicken, grilled over hot coals, with a creamy potato salad.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? Who hates pets? We're a massive fan of all furries and the comfort they provide.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Man, life is my gym.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Funnily enough, we're gonna have some of our tracks on the next season of 'Farmer Wants A Wife'. Can't say much more about it right now, but we're stoked to be involved.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? Kex. Pickled eggs. Enough said.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Oporto.
Last show you binge-watched? 'The Orville'. It's like a modern day TNG but a bit more tongue-in-cheek; great modern questions.
