GoodcaT was born out of a spontaneous jam session in the summer of 2012, when Nels Dovre and Mark Owens needed a break from the heat of Des Moines largest music festival, 80/35. Four months later, after many more jam sessions, GoodcaT had found a name, talented electric guitarist, Ben Dixon, and the rest of their five-piece band. Around this time Nels had a dream about subjective reality that would grow and become the basis for GoodcaT’s three album collection, And So…, Keep Sinking In and To Eternity. GoodcaT brings intense focus to every song, incorporating heady bass lines and lush soundscapes by means of acoustic guitar, violin and tasty spacious electric guitar effects over a dance pocket. With each track, GoodcaT’s musical mastery shines through with thoughtful orchestration and an unexpected fusion of genre. GoodcaT’s captivating live performances are said to get the audience members’ thoughts flowing and bodies grooving.
The band has spent the last four years producing these three albums, developing their brand, building a following in Des Moines and many surrounding mid-west cities. With the release of their upcoming album GoodcaT looks to expand their horizons with national tours and wide reach. Each component to the three part project focuses on existence within the concept time. And So…, the first installment of the project, is about releasing from the past and looking forward; Keep Sinking In, the second part, is about finding presence in the ever-now; and To Eternity, the final component, is about the singularity of all action existing in the same moment, displayed in the infinite cycles found throughout nature.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
We all live in Des Moines, IA – one of the chilliest towns in the Union. Our music is styled after our imaginations and our sounds continue to develop and change and our writing becomes more collaborative as we continue our journey together as a band. The driving force behind our sound is our dedication to our live performance. The energy and groove we create is all about sculpting a space for humans to fall in the pocket with us.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
This path was formed the way the best paths are formed, by repeated visits to the same place. We didn’t actively pick our style. It is the synthesis of our parts and how they combine. We create and preform in the way that comes naturally while constantly looking forward towards the exciting landscape ahead!
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How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
On our previous albums we reached a consensus about what type of sound we were going for by the time we were done mixing. On To Eternity we knew exactly what we were going for before we got started on the scratch tracks. We put more than 4 times the resources on this single album than we did on our first into creating our first two albums combined. Before going into the studio we put a lot of thought in to making the arrangements to be as succinct and powerful as possible and put a lot of effort into crafting transitions that allow the message of one song to set the stage for the following song. All three of our releases were conceived as a three part album. So To Eternity is the final chapter in the story we started with our first two releases, And So… (2013), and Keep Sinking In (2015).
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
There is so much great music out there! And the whole world has access to it. Isn’t it amazing! It’s impossible for me to fathom the sheer amount of creative output that has gone into music in the last two decades. There has literally been lifetimes worth of sound created that deserves a solid listen. Finding an ear with enough attention to really listen for more than 27 seconds is one big challenge. I think connecting the younger generation to live music that is being created on instruments by a group of humans that are trying to share an emotion or idea with an audience is another huge challenge. Technology is both the solution and the issue.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
To keep up with all things GoodcaT check out our Web Page: https://good-cat.org
If you want to buy our music check out our bandcamp page: https://goodcat.bandcamp.com/
If you want us to pop up in your newsfeed check out our FB: https://www.facebook.com/goodcat.sounds
If you want to see our videos check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvUKkfOBuDSoVLNdudsomgA
Anything else before we sign off?
Breathe deep, drink lots of water, and find some time for you. Come visit Des Moines, IA! It’s a super diverse little hub here in the Midwest. Really, I think you’ll like it here and it would be great to see you at an upcoming show!
