Biography
The Goodtimes was originally started by an Oslo Hardcore / Punkrock "allstar team" in 1998:
Vegard Waske (Lash Out, Consolation, Thunderbolt ++), Arild Dahlen (Billion Dollar Mission), Mats Engen (Euroboys, The Team Spirit ++), Andreas Tylden (JR Ewing, Lash Out ++) and Håvard Godøy (Lash Out++).
The music on the “Here & Now” debut album was recorded live in 3 hectic days in March 2000, but the band broke up soon after a scandalous show (Don’t ask) at the Norwegian Rock Festival, WHC the same summer.
In the spring of 2001 Arild and Vegard were hanging out and listening to the album which future seemed doomed to never reach any other than the bands members ears. It still sounded fresh, inspired and energetic – with a positive fuck you attitude. They decided to start up the band again. But as the other previous members either had too much to do with their other bands or had moved out of town they hooked up Lash Out-axe swinger Bjørnar Næss on guitar, Armani-model and previous Lash Out singer Anders Wimpelman on bass and Retardos-rock’n’roller Anders Henningsen on 2nd guitar. They sent out a demo summer 2001 and got a lot of interest from various punk and hardcore-labels – with Bushido Records drawing the longest straw.
During the autumn 2001 they toured Norway with Amulet and the recording was completed with vocals and mixed by Norwegian rock guru Hugo Alvarstein. But: Bushido Records had economical difficulties and had to close down their business spring 2002. For a while the band had a deal going with a big German independent label, but they suddenly changed their minds after 2 months. Needles to say, all the setbacks, line-up problems and bad luck killed the band and they broke up summer 2002.
But…
Luck has it that the record reached the hands of Beniihana Records!
So here it is, "Here & Now": 10 tracks blending a lot of hardcore, punk, emo and rock inspirations in a bowl: Minor Threat, Buzzcocks, Black Flag, Slap Of Reality, Samiam, Gorilla Bisquits, Dag Nasty, Big Drill Car, Civ, late Bold ++. UK-punk of the late 70’s, DC-hardcore of the early 80’s, New York HC of the late 80’s, SoCal popcore of the early 90’s and a lot of what all these momentums spawned.
Pop-sensibility, hardcore power and unconditional punk rock. Who knows – maybe the band will reform one day as well? The Goodtimes are Here & Now!
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