Meet Gabe Goodman

The Popping rocking sweet sounds of Gabe Goodman are here to stay! The tunes are perfect for guiding me out of the sporadic grey days that dot my quarantine times. Their new track “The Villian” Is a soft swelling dizzying treat. Give it a listen and get to know the fellah Below.

A Self-portrait by Gabe Goodman

Would you rather…

only be able to communicate with Morse code or dolphin noises?

Morse code. Making dolphin noises in public is not a good look, I don’t think. With Morse code, I could just, like, pass napkins with all these dots and lines on them and even if the recipient of this napkin didn’t also understand Morse code it could give off some vague genius vibes. Like “this guy’s weird, but he’s trying to say something important with these little designs he’s got going on. I’m sure of it.” I like that.

Some questions with Gabe Goodman

Did you go through any musical phases in high school? Has it in any way shaped what you are making now?

I was very fortunate to go to a high school outside of Boston where there were a lot of folks listening to interesting music and taking their craft seriously from a young age. It had a huge impact on me for sure. When I arrived at freshman year I was into jam bands, John Mayer and, oddly, obsessed with the Black Crowes. Like fully obsessed. Downloaded bootlegs, knew all the b-sides. The Black Crowes. But anyway, I then made some friends who showed me bands like The Pixies and Grizzly Bear, which really opened my mind right up. I still very distinctly remember the moment that my man Zach Levine-Caleb (who now makes amazing music under the name Jachary) played “I Will Truck” by Dirty Projectors off his iPod Classic for me on the bus. Digging into that band changed me deeply. I also was very touched by the kids who were a little older than me and what they were doing––this band The Craters put out a couple records when I was just starting high school that blew my mind. Shout out to the Craters. I also met one of my best friends Will Radin in high school, whom I still make all my music with to this day––a brilliant collaborator, producer and engineer. So yes, this was a very important time in my development as a musician beyond just what I was listening to. The significant bands were definitely the ones mentioned above, and also all the “big indie” stuff of the time: Bon Iver’s first album, Animal Collective, Vampire Weekend. You know the vibe.

What was the inspiration behind your latest release, "The Villian?"

While I was writing it, I was thinking a lot about the process of getting older and trying to get emotionally tougher. I grew up not being very good at creating boundaries for myself or being willing to be the bad guy in order to protect my own interests. It’s still very hard for me, and hard for a lot of people I think. After a while, that can sort of break you down and you can find yourself very displaced from the person you had hoped you’d be in your heart. So the “you” of the song is both others in my life who maybe exacerbate those types of feelings but mostly to myself. Being “the villain” is both sides of this coin––you either stand up for yourself and maybe hurt people (or become anxious about that possibility), or you begin to not recognize who you are and feel some shame. To me, it’s very much about that paralysis. Trapped in the rituals; texting a sister, crying at a Dunkin Donuts. There’s not really a happy ending or a solution. It just acknowledges. Which some say is the most important step! Fittingly, I also felt really trapped by the production and the arrangement. Getting it right took a very long time and I credit my co-producer Will with helping me break through some walls on it, as well as my live band who has been playing it with me for a while. It’s only been throughout working on it that I’ve been able to tease out this explanation and gain a deeper understanding of the song and myself which has been a really rewarding, personal experience, I’ll say. How nice is that.

How has your sound developed or changed since your debut release, Dismissing The Gardner?

I think I am more OK with the idea that I do love pop music and classic songwriting structures. I’m less squeamish about making something that feels upbeat and feels a bit cleaner or clearer. That EP was very stark and somber and I had a pretty specific process in place for writing it––I was making little, like, quick song/poems with just me and my acoustic guitar in a song-a-day type practice and eventually turned them into slightly bigger productions, but the point was always to be sort of minimal. Since then, I’ve returned to my normal mode of working which is to make a decently fleshed out demo with all sorts of nonsense going on in it over the course of a couple days and then tinker with the final 30% of it for literal years of my life. All the new music I’m working on feels more ~*accessible~* as that’s maybe more of what I’m listening to. It just feels more 3-dimensional and spacious.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A (very rich and very famous) musician. I started playing guitar when I was four and did a bunch of acting and stuff when I was a kid, so entertainment has been a focus forever but most specifically it’s always been music . That has now evolved to a simpler goal of wanting to be a musician who can pay bills and have health care.

Do you have a party trick?

I have, in my past, sometimes gotten drunk and yelled about Tom Brady and assorted members of the New England Patriots in a Boston accent.

What are the highs and lows of being a musician in New York?

I should preface this answer by saying I’m sure corona is going to change everything about the way we live...BUT I’m an anxious Jewish lad and need to always be moving or doing something or I feel a little crazy. So the “hustle” required to live here and the sort of inherent discomfort is something I can find a bit of perverse pleasure in. It’s cliche but it’s just that NYC energy baby! I love it. It keeps me pushing myself to be more creative and to work harder. The lows are that rent is absurdly expensive and quarters are extremely tight, which means finding the time and space to make stuff is a challenge itself beyond the actual making of a thing.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Probably still finding ways to balance making music and supporting myself. Quarantine has gotten me excited about getting better at cooking and running, two things I have historically been very bad at. I would like to see myself hopefully continuing to do those things and getting better at them. In this moment it’s hard to really imagine what any future looks like. I hope I can move my body, make music, pay my bills, and eat food. I will be grateful if that’s the case.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

IDK who needs to hear this but it’s totally OK if you don’t feel comfortable “going live” or making one of these lil videos of you playing a song in your bedroom!!!! The entire nature of sharing music in a space with people has changed for the first time in maybe centuries. You can take some time to adjust! Also, of the countless segments of people / industries hurting right now, I want to take a moment to politely invite you to consider touring professionals (beyond just your fave artists who are also definitely struggling). Techs, merch people, photographers, tour managers, drivers –– all careers built on being able to move and move efficiently. Gone. Show these folks love and money.

Ok that’s enough from me––smash that follow on your favorite social media platform (@gabegoodman) and send me a nice cookie recipe! Much love. You can find my tracks wherever you listen to tracks. I appreciate you.

Gabe Goodman