Good Guy Dies

REVIEW

Amazing duo with a unique sound of Rock/Pop/Industrial. These guys are just fantastic, right from the start the sounds grab you and talking of sounds this is where there talent beams through in leaps and bounds, with a multitude of instruments, beats and riffs accompanied by some of the best female vocals I have heard in a long time. Vocally Superb, Lyrically supreme and the music is just pure awesomeness. - Rock Bandom

Latvian singer & Irish Guitarist rock band release their second single “Restart” 28/9/15.

“Restart”, the second single from Good Guy Dies, sees the London based duo continuing with their hybrid cocktail of classic rock, electronica and post-punk pop. From the pulsating intro, through the angst-ridden verses and anarchic, anthemic choruses, Good Guy Dies lay down a wall of sound that doesn’t ask, but demands attention. Cherry Makej’s majestically vitriolic vocal is perfectly complemented by Joe Hodgson’s razor-edged riffs and searing solo, and set against a backdrop of pulsating, driving beats, listeners are kept on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This is a duo not to be messed with. The accompanying David Lynch-esque video is now available on youtube and the single will be available for download on itunes from 28th September. - Ethnic Now

Based in London and comprised of (absolutely amazing!!!!) lead vocalist Cherry Makej and guitarist extraordinaire Joe Hodgson, Good Guy Dies is a buzz-worthy indie project that has previously been covered here at Heavy Metal Time Machine. For those of you might not remember that special occasion (and it really was a special time seeing as it served as my first introduction to this up-and-coming/must-hear electronic rock duo!) then let's play catch-up before we drive on forward. Once upon a time I covered this band's (domestic abuse awareness) single, "Hit Me Back" and I thoroughly enjoyed not only the positive message of the track, but the way in which it mixed together the best parts of classic rock, electronica, and punk-pop! That thought-provoking single was a slam dunk moment for the pair of Cherry and Joe and it showed just how far you can get when you work hard and are dedicated to the to the task at hand! It was all at once enlightening and energetic and for Good Guy Dies a smash hit in the making like "Hit Me Back" should have been the perfect launching pad to finally get this (deserving) dynamite duo from point B to point A (with point B serving as the group's initial formation back in 2012 and point A representing wide-spread praise and admiration!). For whatever reason that didn't happen so the logical question is where do you go from here if you are Good Guy Dies? The answer seems simple enough. You head back to the studio and get hard at work on a proper follow-up. And that is where "Restart" comes into play. In some ways "Restart" is just like "Hit Me Back" in that it combines large amounts of classic rock and electronic rock with tiny flakes of punk-pop. It is also lyrically-deep and thought-provoking and just like it's 2014 precursor this image-rich single is dripping with passion. The raw emotion on display here is right in line with where "Hit Me Back" left off. Even so these two singles are like night and day. Whereas "Hit Me Back" was powerful and got right in your face with a positive message this forthcoming single is much more angry and confrontational. For "Restart" lead vocalist Cherry Makej and guitarist Joe Hodgson added industrial rock elements to the studio mix as well as some slight instances that could be construed as alternative rock. While it still sounds like Good Guy Dies it is a bit more temperamental and it comes across as edgy. But then again so is the video for "Restart"! You can check that out below this article and you can find Good Guy Dies online here.With a scheduled release date of September 28th, "Restart" goes a long way towards showing the full-extent of this duo's talent and just how all-encompassing their music can be. They may have been absent for way too long (again, it was almost a full year in-between the sweet "Hit Me Back" and the equally awesome "Restart"!), but Good Guy Dies is back all the same. And I for one couldn't be happier!!!! - Heavy Metal Time Machine

Rock/Pop-punk duo ‘Good Guy Dies’ are a fresh new act on the UK music scene, powerfully protesting against injustice and discrimination. Made up of Latvian vocalist Cherry Makej, and guitarist Joe Hodgson from Northern Ireland, the pair have spent the past two years perfecting their sound and style; their album was produced by none other than George De Angelis (Seal, Rod Stewart, LeAnn Rimes).
Listen to ‘Hit Me Back’ here (Video to follow soon!): https://soundcloud.com/good-guy-dies/hit-me-back-single-mix
The listening experience can only be described as an eclectic fusion of sounds and genres – think classic rock and punk pop, synthesized with elements of electronica, underpinned by thunderous driving beats. Cherry’s powerful yet sultry vocals are complemented by Joe’s punchy guitar playing with a profusion of razor-sharp riffs. They deliver compelling and electrifying live performances and their stage persona oozes charisma and attitude.

The single ‘Hit Me Back’ is based on a story of a relationship which spirals into domestic violence and confronts the idea that love can be expressed in a relationship through violence. This has been drawn from Cherry’s background, as that particular belief is rife through many Eastern European relationships – a saying in Russia being “if he hits me, he loves me”. This song encourages women all over the world to stop hiding their abuse.

George De Angelis, Ivor Novello award winning songwriter and producer talking of Good Guy Dies:
“I really enjoyed producing the Good Guy Dies album. They have some really great songs and what I like is that they’re not scared to tackle subject matter that other bands either wouldn’t think of, or would be too scared to talk about. I’m thinking particularly of “Hit Me Back” and “Whether She Wants It Or Not”. I also love the fact that they’re always up for experimentation and are always seeking a unique direction; something which gives me great latitude on the production side of things.”

‘Hit Me Back’ is due for release on Friday 14th November.

www.facebook/goodguydies
www.twitter/goodguydies - Indie Biscuits

1. Where did it all begin for you?
Cherry, it all began when she was little girl, standing on a chair singing to entertain family members at informal get-togethers.

For Joe, it was seeing old footage of Rory Gallagher playing live on RTE back in N. Ireland. He then proceeded to beg his father to buy him his first guitar.

2. What would be your ultimate aim in the industry?

To headline Madison Square Garden, win song of the year at The Grammys and then play a gig at Folsom prison.

3. How long have you been writing your own music?

Cherry has been writing songs since childhood, and Joe since the moment he picked up a guitar. They started writing together in 2012.

4. Who are your top three influences and why?

Cherry explains that her idols are “Bjork, because she doesn’t give a damn about being crazy, Tori Amos for the way she makes love to the piano when she plays it, and Jonathan Davies from Korn for his voice, his honesty and his intimacy.

For Joe it was “Gary Moore, because in my humble opinion he was the greatest guitar player ever to pick up the instrument; Rory Gallagher because he was a fantastic player and an incredible frontman- his shows were electrifying; and Phil Lynott because he had spellbinding stage presence, was a great songwriter and an amazing romantic poet.”

5. Is there anything you would like people to know about your current release?

The single ‘Hit Me Back’ is based on a story of a relationship which spirals into domestic violence and confronts the idea that love can be expressed in a relationship through violence. This has been drawn from Cherry’s background, as that particular belief is rife through many Eastern European relationships – a saying in Russia being “if he hits me, he loves me”. This song is a rallying cry from Cherry and Joe, to women all over the world to stop hiding their abuse.

6. Where are you based and what’s your local scene like? Any favourite venues?

The band are based in London. Cherry lives in Hoxton where she describes the scene as “vibrant, brave and experimental” and Joe lives in Brockley, where there’s a “small, intimate scene”. The guys’ favourite venue they’ve played to date is the 229 in Great Portland St and the oddest one was at a deserted airport in Riga, Latvia, as part of a midsummer night’s carnival.

7. Who else can you recommend from your local scene for people to have a listen to?

Joe says “As far as new bands go there’s an outfit called Speaks who are a hardcore hip hop outfit from Brighton, who are really nutty, very experimental, and bring rock guitars into the mix.” Cherry says “I really like FKA Twigs, she’s got a certain poise, sexuality and elegance.”

8. Give our readers a round up of where they can find you online and hear more of your music.

www.facebook.com/goodguydies

www.twitter.com/goodguydies

The guys release their debut single “Hit Me Back” on Fri 14th November with the accompanying video. It’ll be available to download exclusively from itunes.

You can also catch Good Guy Dies live at the following shows.

Fri 31st October: The Enterprise, 2 Haverstock Hill, Camden, London, NW3 2BL. Onstage 8.15pm

Saturday 15th November: The Scala, 275 Pentonville Rd, King’s Cross, London, N1 9NL (supporting Primal Scream and The Libertines). Stage time TBC. - Know Me Better Nusic

1 – When did you first get into music? What or who Inspired you?



For Cherry, it all began when she was little girl, standing on a chair singing to entertain family members at informal get-togethers. “I used to get such a buzz from it and that’s where the singing bug started for me.”



For Joe, “it was in my early teens after seeing old footage of Rory

Gallagher playing live on RTE television back in N. Ireland. “I couldn’t

believe what I was seeing and from that second onwards I begged

my father to buy me a guitar. Eventually he relented.”



2 – Who did you grow up listening to, and does that impact on what you create now?



Cherry explains that one of her singing idols growing up was Bjork “because she didn’t give a damn about being crazy and always pushed boundaries. I also love Tori Amos for the way she makes love to the piano when she plays it, and Jonathan Davies from Korn for his voice, his honesty and his intimacy. The common denominator is that these guys were, and still are, totally unafraid to experiment and that’s what I always try to bring to Good Guy Dies.



For Joe, his primary influences were Gary Moore, “in my humble opinion the greatest guitar player ever to pick up the instrument; Rory Gallagher because he was a fantastic musician and an incredible front man- his shows were absolutely electrifying; and Phil Lynott because he had spellbinding stage presence, was a great songwriter and an amazing romantic poet. All these guys had a lasting impact because of the great depth they had in their music, their records still sound as fresh today as the day they were made. It was a case of wild abandonment meeting beautiful melodies and great songs.



3 – How long have you been playing/writing?



Cherry has been singing and writing songs since childhood.

Joe has been playing and writing since the moment he picked up

a guitar, aged 14. They started writing together in 2012.



4 – How often do you play live (include details and links for any upcoming gigs)?



We are inclined to gig every couple of weeks in London, though we’re currently in discussion with a few booking agents regarding a nationwide tour. When we’re not gigging, we’re working every day on one thing or another, whether it be rehearsing, writing new songs or working on some other band related activity.



You can catch Good Guy Dies live at the following London shows:



Fri 31st October: The Enterprise, 2 Haverstock Hill, Camden, London, NW3 2BL. Onstage 8.15pm.



Saturday 15th November: The Scala , 275 Pentonville Rd, King’sCross, London, N1 9NL (supporting Primal Scream and The Libertines). Stage time TBC.



5 – What has been your favourite moment in music?



“I think as a band it was the experience of recording our album

With George De Angleis” says Joe, who goes on to explain: “He’s

Worked with some legends in music like Seal, Cher and Rod

Stewart and is himself a legend in the production world, so it was

an immense honour to work with him. He’s the finest musician

I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing; an incredible talent and a

great guy as well.”



Cherry adds, “Apart from that, it’s every time I walk on stage with

Good Guy Dies. It’s an electrifying experience, I just can‘t wait

for every gig to come around.”



6 – Where is the best place to find you online?



www.facebook.com/goodguydies

www.twitter.com/goodguydies



We’ll be releasing our debut single on Friday 14th November

entitled “Hit Me Back”, which will have the accompanying

video available to watch on you tube. - UNSIGNED INTERVIEWS

Hi guys, welcome back to VENTS! How have you been?

Very good thank you and very busy too.

Can you talk to us more about the story behind ¨Hit Me Back¨?

Cherry: “‘Hit Me Back’ is based on a story of a relationship which spirals into domestic violence and confronts the idea that love can be expressed in a relationship through violence. This has been drawn from my background- I‘m from Latvia. This warped belief is rife through many Eastern European relationships – a saying in Russia being “if he hits me, he loves me”. Joe “It’s a rallying cry from us both, to women all over the world to stop hiding their abuse.

Can you talk to us more about the recording and writing process?

Joe: “As with every song we write, it was collaborative on every level- melodies, riffs, lyrics- we don’t have any strict boundaries or rules on who comes up with what . Cherry had the initial idea of writing a song about domestic abuse and as it was a subject that I feel very strongly about , so I found it quite easy to tune in to what she was trying to say.

Cherry: “Yeah and like all the songs we write, we demoed it firstly in Joe’s little home studio. We always try to make sure we’re happy with lyrics, melodies, chords, riffs etc and nail down the structures as much as we can. Then we go to our producer George De Angelis to record them properly and let him sprinkle his magic.”

So the song is about domestic violence, how did you come up with the idea of writing a song about this topic?

Cherry: “Well apart from us both feeling very strongly about it, we also felt that no one is addressing things like that in songs” Joe: “Yeah it’s like a taboo subject and why should it be? We wanted to help give a voice to people who are trapped in such violent relationships and show that there is a way out.”

What was like to work with George De Angelis and how that relationship developed?

Joe: “When myself and Cherry had written our album, I quickly realised that we needed a proper old school musician/producer to work on our tracks, not just some kid who is a technical wizard in the studio. We needed someone who could direct us musically, help us find a certain sound and who understood what we were trying to achieve. George fitted the bill perfectly. I’ve known him for many years, he’s a great friend of mine and he’s produced a couple of other projects I’ve been involved in. He’s an amazing musician, undoubtedly the best I‘ve ever met, and he leaves no stone unturned in giving every song the best treatment possible. We‘re delighted with the results.”

Cherry “For me it was a great experience, an absolute pleasure. I learnt so much from George and I really hope he’ll produce our next album as well.”

I heard there´s a video in the works, can you tell us more about it?

Cherry: “Yes we shot a video over two days in Perugia, Italy and it’s getting edited as we speak. It’s mainly the band playing interspersed with a storyline that’s related to the domestic violence theme.”

Joe: “We’re delighted with the footage and can’t wait to get it out there. It also includes our onstage drummer Nicholas “Fullabeatz” Fullerton, who’s a fantastic player.”

I guess new single means we can expect a new material – how´s that coming along?

Joe: “Well we’ve completed eight tracks so far on our debut album and we’re going into the studio in December/ January to record a couple more to complete it. So far it’s going brilliantly and we’re very excited with the results.”

Any official release date, title in mind?

Cherry: “’Hit Me Back’ is gonna be out on Friday 14th November, then we’re gonna be releasing our second single in March and the album will hopefully be released soon after that.”

Will you be hitting the road this year?

Joe: “Not this year but we’re planning a tour to coincide with the album release next Spring. We’re talking to a few booking agents about that at the moment. In the meantime we‘ll be gigging in and around London every few weeks or so.”

What else is happening next in Good Guy Dies´ world?

Cherry: “ Next up we’re supporting Primal Scream and The Libertines at The Scala in King’s Cross, London on Saturday 15th November. They’re both doing DJ sets, so we’re pretty excited about that. It coincides with the single release, so it’s sure to be quite a party. For anyone who wants tickets, inbox us at www.facebook.com/goodguydies ” - VENTS MAGAZINE

“The listening experience can only be described as an eclectic fusion of sounds and genres - think classic rock and punk pop, synthesized with elements of electronica, underpinned by thunderous driving beats. Cherry's powerful yet sultry vocals are complemented by Joe's punchy guitar playing with a profusion of razor-sharp riffs. They deliver compelling and electrifying live performances and their stage persona oozes charisma and attitude.” - Top40-Charts

Our Rating: 8 ourt of 10.
The first thing that hits me about Good Guy Dies song 'Hit Me Back' is the ridiculously catchy beat that instantly gets inside my brain. The pop-punk duo fuses feisty electronica with classic rock, and challenge the idea held by many, that love can be expressed through violence.

The two themes perfectly complement each other - resulting in a dynamic overload in your eardrums. It is due for release on Friday 14th November. - Whisperinin And Hollerin

REVIEW

Great duo indeed and there sound is very unique and can be described as Punk/Rock/Pop. They are very good to listen to with great catchy beats and some assume guitar rifts to, as well as this the female singer has one extremely powerful voice which compliments the music to make one fantastic set up. Vocally fantastic. Lyrically superb and the music is second to none. - Rock Bandom

“Good Guy Dies are a up and coming new act whose fashionably fresh and absolutely fierce sound has all but rocked the UK music scene! Made up of vocalist Cherry Makej and guitarist Joe Hodgson, with the one and only George De Angelis (Seal, Rod Stewart, LeAnn Rimes) sitting in the producer's chair when it comes to the duo's first album, Good Guy Dies are a tasty cocktail comprised of classic rock, punk-pop and electronica. While the duo's upbeat and urgent music will no don't quench the thirst of rockers and hipsters alike it's actually the powerful message behind "Hit Me Back" that should be taken to heart. The band's new single (which is more like a battle cry!) deals with the subject of domestic violence as it encourages women worldwide to stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Vocalist Cherry Makej wanted to highlight this message in part because of an old Russia saying which is "If he hits me, he loves me". "Hit Me Back" is music with a sincere message and it's a message that all women should hear! Really it's a message that EVERYONE should hear as physical abuse is never OK whether the perpetrator is a man or women! And neither is emotional abuse for that matter. Love and violence simply do not mix folks so here's the deal folks. While you lose yourself in these beats please stop and consider the message of "Hit Me Back" don't be afraid to stand up for yourself or friends and family that you suspect might be the victims of abuse. It's never too late to do the right thing!” - Metal Mark blog spot: Heavy Metal Tim Machine.com