Gerald Goode

Artist Information

Biography

Gerald Goode is a New York Metropolitan Area musician known for his incredible voice, dynamic production work, Billboard-chart-topping remixes and his long-time tenure as the lead singer of the rock band Simple Jim. With just one listen to his self-produced debut solo CD, “For Those Who Have,” it is evident that his passion for music is strong; his artistic vision - bold. The record is a refreshing return to Album Oriented Rock: it flows seamlessly from song to song, along the way blending Gerald’s soulful voice with his brooding piano riffs, his often dark & reflective lyrics, his sweeping orchestral landscapes and guitar-infused electronica. Released September 2008 on Gerald’s own imprint Vessel Music, this recording offers the commercial appeal of artists in the vein of Coldplay and Rob Thomas, but also has the dark, emotive strains of a performer like Fiona Apple. Throughout the 14 self-penned tracks on “For Those Who Have,” Gerald puts his heart out on the line as he sings about failed relationships, addiction, self-respect, the ins & outs of love and the loss of innocence.

His journey began in a modest home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as the second of three children within a family of skilled amateur musicians. Both his father and older brother were trained guitarists, and classic rock by the Beatles, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin and Van Halen served as background music for most of his early years. A self-described “unusual kid,” Gerald often found solace in music, and by the time he was in middle school, he was learning to play the piano by ear. In no time at all, he found himself saving up money to buy a multi-track recorder and studio equipment to capture the songs he was writing. Gerald’s passion for music and performance was alive and well throughout his teenage years, and he continued to work intently and methodically at honing his craft.

Upon graduating high school, older brother Jon cast Gerald as the lead singer in his college band Simple Jim, and not long after, Gerald's star began to shine. Everyone was talking about the group and the ‘crazy kid’ they had as their frontman. The band's popularity in Southern Connecticut swelled on account of Gerald’s raw performance style; he would roll around on the floor during a rendition of the Violent Femme’s “Blister in The Sun,” and strip down to nothing but his underwear. One time he came out on stage dressed in an American Flag and combat boots; another time, in full tuxedo complete with top hat and cane. For a period of time, he even taunted his audiences by doing an gender bending set that would send Kiss running back to the drawing board. His onstage antics set a new standard of performance and entertainment for cover bands throughout the region.

Not long after forming, Simple Jim began to turn their attentions to writing original music. With Gerald as chief lyricist, he would often demo songs in his home studio, and then bring them to the band to be picked apart and adapted for live performance. By their fourth year as a band, Simple Jim had released two albums of original material through their own label, and the band sold several thousand copies in the tri-state area. The band continued to draw their legion of rabid fans to such legendary venues as Toad’s Place, CBGBs, and The Elbow Room. Their song, ‘Laqueeda,’ about a gender-bending club kid, garnered the band airplay on Connecticut’s 1 Contemporary Hit Radio Station KC 101 (WKCI-CT).

It was only a matter of time before Gerald began to expand his musical horizons. He began to frequent the NYC underground club scene, spending weekend nights at the Sound Factory, Tunnel, Roxy and Limelight, and fell in love with the energy of house music. Armed with a fierce desire to have his production skills recognized, Gerald began remixing under the professional moniker ‘Blue Room’ and went on to become a presence on the Billboard Dance Charts with his remixes for Ru Paul, Lisa Hunt, and Amuka. His productions and bootleg reworkings of songs by Mariah Carey, Madonna and Mary J. Blige, were frequently incorporated into Celebrity DJ Junior Vasquez’s sets. Vasquez commissioned Blue Room to remix “Set It Free,” a song from house artist Jason Walker’s debut record, which found a place among Billboard’s Top 20 regular players in 2005. Grammy Award winning producer Peter Rauhofer also enlisted Gerald to write and produce a track for Star69 Records artist Suzanne Palmer’s full-length album, “Home." He simultaneously became a resident DJ at clubs in both New York and Connecticut.

All the while, Gerald was working on his original, more contemplative music. “For Those Who Have” became a labor of love that involved many stops and starts. “Many of my own experiences during my early 20’s are the basis for the songs on ‘For Those Who Have,’” says Gerald, "and in the end it wound up being a really cathartic experience." He adds: “Making this record was the boldest way I could think of to turn the page, so to speak - both musically and spiritually.” With veteran producer Scott White on mixing detail, and Grammy Award winning engineer Phil Magnotti in charge of mastering, the outcome is a collection of songs that are well-executed, insightful and unforgettably melodic, taking the listener over an emotional arc from start to finish.

Gerald sets himself apart from many of his contemporaries in that he not only prides himself on being a first-rate musician, but he is also involved in every aspect of the production, promotion and marketing of his music. He is the sole master of his audience’s perceptions, and an insistence on being such has beckoned Gerald to roll up his sleeves and don many different hats during the creative process behind “For Those Who Have”: producer, programmer, graphic designer, video producer/editor, writer, web moderator and promoter. He also has a genuine interest in producing, nurturing and collaborating with other artists who display exceptional talents in the creative arts. He has been fearless in acquiring whatever skills have been necessary to propel his musical career into constant motion towards success, and it is this trait coupled with a keen sense of what is going on in the music industry that makes Gerald destined to join the ranks of great entrepreneurial minds such as Diddy, Madonna and Prince. Gerald Goode is a true artist with a penchant for bearing his proverbial soul to his audience; a singer and performer with undeniable charisma and presence; a skilled producer and song stylist in the recording studio; and a sharp businessman willing to share his skillful knowledge with anyone with a desire to learn. To call "For Those Who Have" a strong first release from an up and coming singer/songwriter is an understatement; it is, in fact, yet another compelling chapter in Gerald’s remarkable musical journey.

Instrumentation

Gerald Goode - Lead Vocals/Keyboards
Ryan Parrino - Guitars
Trevor Coen - Bass
Steve DeTroy - Keyboards
Drew McKeon - Drums/Percussion
Lyris Hung - Violins
Lisa Heile - Backing Vocals

Discography

For Those Who Have (2008)

Links

• Offical Website
• Offical MySpace Page
• Digital Download on DigStation
• Gerald Goode on CD Baby!

Audio

• Better Than Myself
  Listen  
• Beautiful
  Listen  
• My Life
  Listen  
• True
  Listen  
• Here
  Listen  
• However I'm Able
  Listen  
• When I Was Younger
  Listen  

Lyrics

• However I'm Able

Video

Gerald Goode - Better Than Myself

Photo Gallery

Press

• "A Hot Polished Professional" [+ Show ]
  

  "Gerald Goode is of small stature, but don’t let that fool you. Goode is a hot polished professional..."Gerald Goode is of small stature, but don’t let that fool you. Goode is a hot polished professional who belts it out with boundless energy. He commands the stage."

• GERALD GOODE GETS PERSONAL ON SELF-PRODUCED DEBUT RECORD [+ Show ]
  

  October 14, 2008 (Connecticut) -- Singer, Songwriter and Producer Gerald Goode, a veteran of the S...October 14, 2008 (Connecticut) -- Singer, Songwriter and Producer Gerald Goode, a veteran of the Southern Connecticut music scene at age 30, has independently released his debut solo effort "For Those Who Have" on his own imprint, Vessel Music. The CD is being distributed through online independent music giant CD Baby, and is currently available for download on most major online digital retailers, including iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody and Amazon.com. Gerald served as the Executive Producer on the recording, which also features collaborations with industry heavy hitters Matt Martone (3 Doors Down, Our Lady Peace) & two-time Grammy Award winning engineer Phil Magnotti. He will consummate the release of "For Those Who Have" with a CD Release Party at Daniel Street Club in Milford, Connecticut, on Thursday November 6, 2008 at 8:30pm. The party will feature an opening performance by Lisa Heile and special guest Christopher Robin before Gerald takes the stage with his band to perform not only the CD in its entirety, but also tunes from the catalog of his former band, Simple Jim. All partygoers will receive a copy of "For Those Who Have," included with the $10 admission.
  
  Gerald wrote and recorded the 14 track album in his studio over the course of the past five years. His lyrics deal with the topics he is most familiar with: failed attempts at relationships, addiction, the loss of innocence and death. "There were too many stops and starts during the recording of this CD," says Gerald. "I was distracted by a lot of personal demons during my twenties; I spent a lot of time with all of the wrong people, and came to learn a lot of lessons I would much rather have avoided, all the while trying to figure out who I was and what I thought life was supposed to be about. But coming out at the other end of the tunnel with this collection of songs made it all worth the while."
  
  Gerald's voice evokes comparisons to Chris Martin of Coldplay, Darren Hayes and Sarah Mclachlan; his slick production can be lined up alongside the music industry's most sought after names without discernment. Throughout the record, Gerald takes on many different roles as narrator, from the jilted ex-boyfriend ('Mad') to the hopeless romantic ('However I'm Able' & 'Beautiful'); from the sympathetic companion ('True') to the insightful traveler at the end of his days ('When I Was Younger/Lament'). But while his lyrics often tend to lead his listeners through a reflective and dark spectrum of emotions, there is no denying that Gerald's expertly crafted melodies are simply sweet and unforgettable.
  
  -Scott Gantkin
  

Setlist

Better Than Myself
The Letter
Beautiful
My Life
True
Mad
You and Your Device
Here
However I'm Able
When I Was Younger/Lament
Bigger Than God (Simple Jim)
Something's Gonna Come My Way (Simple Jim)

Covers:
Freedom '90 (George Michael)
Every Breath You Take (The Police)

Basic Requirements

Calendar