Goodshirt was an innovative New Zealand pop/rock band from Grey Lynn, Auckland. Its members were Gareth Thomas, brothers Rodney and Murray Fisher and drummer Mike Beehre.
History
Goodshirt first came to prominence in 2000 with the independent release "Green". After a string of further singles, the band's debut album Good was released in August 2001. Early Goodshirt tracks were self-produced, often using secondhand and homemade instruments and most frequently recorded in Murray's garden shed.
A few more singles were released off the album (through their own label 'Cement' - linked to EMI New Zealand). One of these, "Sophie", reached No.1 on the NZ singles chart in 2002 . Following this success the album was released in Australia, Canada and Japan.
A second album, Fiji Baby, was released at the beginning of 2004. Its notable singles include "Fiji Baby", "Buck It Up" and "Lucy".
Goodshirt disbanded in 2004. Rodney Fisher has since played with Breaks Co-Op and two other members are now in Auckland band Voom. Gareth Thomas plays accordion and keyboard with Steve Abel and his group The Chrysalids.
Videos
Goodshirt was known for its whimsical music videos. Generally low-budget, many were directed by band friend Joe Lonie (formerly of 1990's pop-funk band Supergroove).
- "Green" Version #1 - The band are on a beach, buried in the sand, surrounded by hula-hooping schoolgirls.
- "Green" Version #2 - The band using the bathroom at morning with reversed gravity: All items fall or flow up to the ceiling.
- "Blowing Dirt" - A Mazda 929 or Austin 1300 (depending on the video's version) is seen at a car-wrecker's being "un-smashed-up".
- "Sophie" - A girl in a dressing gown listening to the song out of her headphones which are so loud that she does not realize that the band is stealing everything out of the room she is in.
- "Monotone" - The band play a game of badminton, dressed in white suits.
- "Buck it up" - An abstract day in the life of a bullied schoolboy.
- "Fiji Baby" - Filmed entirely in a motel room of some sort, mostly of the lead singer sitting on the bed with a suitcase. Since the lyrics say "when we went to Hamilton", it's presumable that the motel is, or at least, is supposed to be in Hamilton, and that he was there on a business trip, as he wears a suit in the video, and the line preceding "when we went to Hamilton" is "I said, just pretend it's a holiday". The video ends with him leaving the motel room in response to a cell-phone call.
Discography
Singles
Featured appearances
Since its inception Goodshirt has appeared on many compilations and soundtracks in both New Zealand and Australia.
External links
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