Matthew Good's manifestos.

September 1, 2002 3:27 AM

Matthew Good's manifestos. The opinionated leader of the defunct Matthew Good Band has written a series of "manifestos" since 1997. For the uninitiated, Mr. Good has managed to insult many major Canadian bands, alienate his own band, and sell millions of albums while doing it. Since this hardly sums him up, you can read more about him here.
posted by Joey Michaels (16 comments total)

Too... Many... Manifestos...
Joey: Where to start? Which are your favorites?
posted by soundofsuburbia at 4:51 AM on September 1, 2002

Being a matthew good fan, i spent hours and hours reading his stuff.

The guy has, indeed, serious problems. From what i know, he was addicted to motion pills for a long time, and in one of his manifesto he mentions his addiction to alcohol.

BUt his written work is seriously priceless. I truly think he's an excellent (if not f'ed up) writer.
He knows his style, he knows good stories, and has a great imagination, sometimes too good that it makes it non understandable...

I remember that while reading his work, i was thinking:
'damn, i'm sure this guy is a schizo or something like this'.

His lyrics are quite inventive and remarquable too.

Unfortunately, this guy seems to enjoy destroying everything that can be GOOD to him.

Last thing: he's amazingly well read and intelligent. His fav writers are Murakami and Vonnegut, if i remember.
posted by Sijeka at 4:54 AM on September 1, 2002

as say read the August 1998 - Disorientation one, and the Night opus one (this one is heavy).
posted by Sijeka at 4:57 AM on September 1, 2002

As a side note, I'm pretty sure that, as a Canadian artist, he hasn't sold "millions of records." Actually, I'm 100% positive of the fact. I believe his/their best-selling album sold between 300-400k, which is triple platnium in Canada.

While I think there's a good intent behind most of his writing and some extremely quotable lines, he's definitely an amateur writer (and makes no claims to the contrary). Thankfully, he's not afraid to speak his mind, even at the cost of record sales, which is refreshing in today's music market.
posted by The God Complex at 5:06 AM on September 1, 2002

I'd like to know (even if i agree 100% with the amateur adjective) what makes an amateur writer, and what makes a real writer.
posted by Sijeka at 5:11 AM on September 1, 2002

[off-topic]

he was addicted to motion pills for a long time

I had no idea people took motion pills for kicks, though reliable old Erowid isn't exactly enthusiastic. I do remember, however, how pre-junkiely excited my brothers and I would become at the prospect of the Lisbon to Southampton sea passage, when my father would slip us a Dramamine each before boarding, thereby ensuring we'd be blissfully knocked out within the hour. Leaving my mother and him to the (probably) greater pleasures of Manhattans and child-proof romancing on the panoramic deck.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:40 AM on September 1, 2002

>what makes an amateur writer, and what makes a real writer.

I am an amateur, as I have never been paid for tickling the plastics, and frequently use tired cliches like 'richer than Croesus'. Miguel on the other hand is a professional, and perhaps as a result of eschewing such banalities has been made richer than Croesus with his word-smithing.

Richer than Croesus I say!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:48 AM on September 1, 2002

Oh, right.
posted by Sijeka at 5:55 AM on September 1, 2002

I should have mentioned a specific manifesto. Try "Villain of the Year." I found that one to be fun...

Millions was an overstatement, though not a deliberate one. Sorry.
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:02 AM on September 1, 2002

musically this man has always had the same effect on me as an overdose of nytol, and since i just woke up and have a long day ahead of me i'm not going to risk reading him and falling back to sleep.... and anyone with that many manifestos... well, i'd be happy to lend him a crowbar in case he ever wants to pry his nose out of his navel.
posted by t r a c y at 6:55 AM on September 1, 2002

Ugh, agreed Tracy. Isn't this the guy whose been having an on going pissing match with those other masters of mediocrity Nickleback? On behalf of my home town (Vancouver) I'd like to apologize to the world for the likes of these two bands. Oh, and while I'm at it, sorry about that Loverboy and Bryan Adams thing too.
posted by btwillig at 8:08 AM on September 1, 2002

'who's', I mean
posted by btwillig at 8:25 AM on September 1, 2002

I've seen him live a couple times, amazing show.
They sold TShirts that said "I hear Matthew Good is an ASSHOLE". I didn't even know they broke up.
posted by Blake at 9:43 AM on September 1, 2002

Windy, formless essay-stories, characterized by mixed metaphors, sloppy sentence construction, and a general air of self-importance unfounded in anything he has to say.

Sounds like most of the weblogs I encounter (mine included, natch) -- why would anyone want to publish this stuff? It's clearly straight out of his head and dumped into the laptop.

But perhaps he's a musical genius.
posted by BT at 10:04 AM on September 1, 2002

... Matthew Average....
posted by sunsolid at 10:27 AM on September 1, 2002

funny tidbit.. I'm in a no-name punk band, and our singer said that Mathew Good used to the guy that was dying to hang around your band (well his old band in particular), you know, willing to help move stuff and everything just to be around the band. Funny, our singers with us, and MG is on MTV.
posted by imaswinger at 10:41 AM on September 1, 2002