Q&A with Good Dear Good

Good Dear Good (contributed)

On June 16, indie pop outfit Good Dear Good made waves with the release of their highly anticipated debut EP, "Arrival." Following the EP launch and their first out-of-province performance, frontperson Tim Hatcher shared insights into the band's formation, the recording process of Arrival, and what they have on the go in the coming months.

Can you tell us about how the band formed?

All four of us graduated from the Music Arts program at NSCC Ivany Campus, but it wasn’t until after our time at school that we actually banded together. Connor and Izra graduated a year before Brandon and I (Tim), but we had all played with one another in some fashion throughout school and were pals before the band was formed. Not long before Brandon and I graduated, I asked Izra if she would be interested in playing keys for a project I was thinking of and thankfully she was really interested in the idea. A few months after bringing Izra on, graduating, and working on some tunes and plans, we brought Connor onboard and played our first show in October of 2018.

Earlier this year, you signed with Lulo Music Group, another group of talented people from NSCC - How has it been working with them so far?

Lulo has been such a driving force in what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last few months. They are a really lovely and supportive group of people that are always willing to help out and offer advice. It’s a pleasure and benefit to have them in our corner.

How has the band evolved over the years?

As far as structure/members, not really much at all! Aside from a few subs here and there to fill places, we’ve had the same lineup since our very first show thankfully. I would say our branding and vibe has definitely changed a bit over the years. In the beginning we had a sort of neon/floral aesthetic

You’ve recently taken part in NXNE in Toronto - how was that experience?

It was great! It was a really cool experience to play our very first out of province show in Toronto. Not to mention it just happened to fall on the same day that our EP was released. The crowd was great, and even though we all had to share one monitor on a stage smaller than my kitchen table, it went better than we could have hoped!

You’ve had some single releases and other performances leading up to the EP release - will there be a release show in Halifax in the fall?

The details are still TBD but that’s the plan! Sometime in early fall we’re hoping to have a proper release show here at home.

Can you tell us about the recording process of Arrival?

So for our first 3 singles (The Storm, Guess Again, and If I Can) we recorded everything with John Mullane (Future Dad) at his studio in Spryfield. Except for ‘If I Can’, I (Tim) did some lead guitar, synth and background vocals at home. For the additional tunes (Arrival, Coffee and Sunshine, Better, and Other Thing) we recorded Bass, rhythm guitar, and drums at Fang in Dartmouth with Thomas Stajcer, and I recorded lead vocals, lead guitar, synth and background vocals at home. Once everything was tracked we sent everything over to John again for mixing which really helped keep all of the tunes cohesive with one another.

What experiences influenced the songs on Arrival?

I would say the EP as a whole focuses mostly on experiences with life’s struggles and mental health. Without going into too much detail that is. I always hope that people can listen to the tunes and take what they need from them. I like the idea that they can make their own conclusions of what’s going on without injecting too many of our thoughts into their outlooks.

Were the songs written around the same time period?

Sort of, but not really. They all came together over several years. With the earliest tune being written sometime in 2017 and the most recent being written in 2022. But I would say most were written between 2017-2019.

Do you have any favourite songs from the EP? IF SO, Why?

It’s hard to say. For me (Tim) each song has something about it that makes it special amongst the others. The Storm, for instance, was our first ever release as a band and has always held a special place for that reason. I also really like Better because it’s a song that’s been with us since day one and has evolved over the years and I’m happy with how far it’s come. I think every song is my favourite depending on the context like recording, playing it live, lyrics, songwriting etc etc. it’s hard to pin down.

What are your hopes and expectations for Arrival and how do you think it will resonate with fans?

WORLD DOMINATION! But realistically we’re just super happy to finally have a collection of work released for people to check out. It’s been a long time coming and we’re so happy with how it’s being received so far. It also allows us to apply for some awards and showcasing opportunities, so we’re hoping it’ll give us more chances to get outside of Halifax and on the road.

What’s next for Good Dear Good?

As of right now we have a recording in the works that will be released this summer, but we also have some cool shows coming up. On August 5th we’re playing Cape Smokey in Ingonish for their Smokey Sessions: Chill on the Hill Festival. On August 19th we had to Mabou for Blueberry Jam. And in September we were fortunate to be accepted into the Contact East Festival which takes place in Woody Point NL this fall. We have some other things planned further in the fall but that’s all still a secret so shhhhh.

Is there anything that you’d like to add?

Our brand new EP can be purchased online at Bandcamp or also at the Halifax and Dartmouth TAZ locations!