Goodshirt

Goodshirt are an alternative/pop/rock band from Auckland, New Zealand. The band formed when keyboardist Gareth Thomas left his computer recording setup with the Fisher brothers, Rodney and Murray, for safe keeping.[1]

Goodshirt
Four young men standing in a field at sunset
Mike, Rodney, Gareth and Murray
Background information
OriginGrey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand
Genres
Years active2000 (2000)–2005 (2005), 2012–present
LabelsCEMENT Records, Hark Entertainment

While still a three piece, the band submitted their song "Green" to a track competition run by radio station 9inety6dot1. Subsequently, station manager Grant Hislop became their manager, and the band was rounded out with drummer Mike Beehre joining the fold.[1]

"Sophie", the fourth single from their debut album Good, was a number one single in New Zealand.[2] Good was released in Canada, Australia, and Japan.[3]

A second album, Fiji Baby, was released in 2004. Like its predecessor, it reached number 5 in the New Zealand charts.[4]

The band went on hiatus in 2005 when Rodney Fisher moved to London to work with Breaks Co-Op,[5] but reunited in 2011,[6] and in early 2012 they began playing again with support gigs for Hall & Oates and Icehouse as part of the A Day on the Green festival. In May 2012 Goodshirt released the new EP Skinny Mirror and including the singles "So Charming" and "Out of Our League".[7]

In 2014, the band released a cover of "Sierra Leone" originally by Coconut Rough. It was made available as a free download through their SoundCloud band page, along with the release of an official music video on YouTube.[8][9]

Members
  • Rodney Fisher – guitar and vocals
  • Murray Fisher – guitar
  • Gareth Thomas – keyboards/bass and vocals
  • Mike Beehre – drums

Music videos

Five videos were directed by Joe Lonie, including some that were shot in a single take.[10] Lonie notes that at the height of their close creative relationship, "they even talked about me being an unofficial fifth member of the band."[11]

Year Music video Director Notes
2000 "Green" (version 1) Florian Habicht Set at a beach, the band are buried up to their necks in sand, surrounded by hula-hooping schoolgirls. Filmed in black and white.
2001 "Green" (version 2) Joe Lonie Filmed in one continuous take and upside down and sped-up. The band take turns using the sink in a bathroom, with all objects and liquids falling up.[12]
"Blowing Dirt" (version 1) Set at a car wrecker and filmed backwards and in one continuous take, Rodney sings while a Mazda 929 is "un-smashed-up" in the background.[11]
"Blowing Dirt" (version 2) Set at a car wrecker and filmed backwards and in one continuous take, Rodney sings while an Austin 1300 is "un-smashed-up" in the background.[13]
"Place to Be" Shot in a continuous take and slowed down, the camera follows Rodney through an old building as he eats fruit while singing, coming across a series of unusual situations.[14]
2002 "Sophie" Filmed in a continuous take, a young woman listens to music on headphones, unaware that burglars (played by Goodshirt) are behind her, stealing everything in her flat.[15] "Sophie" won Best Music Video at the 2003 New Zealand Music Awards.[16]
"Monotone" Shot in a continuous take, with the camera circling a badminton court. The band are dressed as "Good" and "Evil" teams of badminton-playing beekeepers who seem unable to score a point.[17]
2003 "Buck it Up" Kezia Barnett A bullied schoolboy experiences strange visions one day at school. "Buck It Up" won Best Group Video at the 2004 Juice TV Awards.[18]
2004 "Cement" After pursuing his Rapunzel-like dream woman, Gareth finds himself trapped in a domestic gothic nightmare.[19]
"Fiji Baby" Wade Shotter Filmed primarily in a single hotel room set. Rodney checks into a fleabag hotel and messes around for a few hours.[20]
"Lucy" A current affairs show host (played by former 60 Minutes host Amanda Millar) profiles three men who are smitten with Lucy, a famous model.[21]
2011 "So Charming" Helena Brooks Dressed in sharp suits, the band members commit a number of anti-social acts and misdemeanours.[22]
2012 "Out of our League" Rodney Fisher Rodney plays a man whose two young children build a giant kite around him and fly him in the sky, with Goodshirt playing the "pro kite champions" team.[23]
2014 "Sierra Leone" Tim Brown Depicts a man struggling through a nightmarish, psychedelic desert environment. Heavily stylised and a departure from their previous video styles, combining film and animation techniques, with a nod to the original music video by Coconut Rough.

Discography

Albums
Year Title Details Peak chart
positions		 Certifications
NZ[24]
2001 Good
  • Released: July 2001
  • Label: Cement Records, EMI
  • Catalogue: 5350602
 5
  • NZ: Platinum
2004 Fiji Baby
  • Released: February 2004
  • Label: Cement Records, Capitol Records
  • Catalogue: 5770902
 5
  • NZ: Gold
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

EPs
Year Title Details Peak chart
positions
NZ[24]
2002 E.G.
  • Australia release only
 —
2012 Skinny Mirror
  • Released: 30 April 2012
  • Label: Cement Records, Hark Music
  • Catalogue: skinny2012
 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles
Year Single Peak chart
positions		 Album
NZ[24]
2000 "Green" 12 Good
"Blowing Dirt" 13
2001 "Place To Be" 50
"Sophie" 1
2003 "Monotone" 31
2004 "Buck It Up" 14 Fiji Baby
"Cement" —
"Fiji Baby" 25
"Lucy" —
2012 "So Charming" — Skinny Mirror
"Out of Our League" —
2014 "Sierra Leone" (Cover) — —

Goodshirt has appeared on many compilations and soundtracks in both New Zealand and Australia.

References
  1. "Goodshirt – AudioCulture". www.audioculture.co.nz. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  2. "charts.nz – Goodshirt – Sophie". charts.nz. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  3. Screen, NZ On. "NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  4. "charts.nz – Goodshirt – Good". charts.nz. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  5. "Album review: Rodney Fisher, Songs From The Backyard". 3 May 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  6. "Goodshirt end six-year hiatus". Stuff. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  7. "Goodshirt take a look in the mirror". The Press. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  8. "Goodshirt cover kiwi classic 'Sierra Leone'". www.muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  9. "Video premiere: Goodshirt's Sierra Leone". 6 October 2014. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  10. "Goodshirt". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  11. "The Secret Life of Music Video Directors". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  12. "Goodshirt – Green". Fish 'n' Clips. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  13. "Goodshirt – Blowing Dirt". Hark Music NZ. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  14. "Goodshirt – Place To Be". Hark Music NZ. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  15. "Goodshirt – Sophie". Fish 'n' Clips. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  16. "2003 Winners". NZMA. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  17. "Goodshirt – Monotone". Joe Lonie. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  18. "Buck It Up". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  19. "Goodshirt – Cement". Hark Music NZ. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  20. "Goodshirt – Fiji Baby". Fish 'n' Clips. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  21. "Goodshirt – Lucy". Hark Music NZ. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  22. "Goodshirt – So Charming". Hark Music NZ. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  23. "Goodshirt – Out of Our League (Official)". Hark Music NZ. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  24. "GOODSHIRT IN NEW ZEALAND CHARTS". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
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