Fayetteville’s A Good Fight has had a pretty crazy year.
Back in August, they won a contest that got their song “The Drama” on two MTV shows, as well as their video on MTV.
They just got back from the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, and have been in the studio in Little Rock working on a new EP. They were nominated for 3 NAMA Awards including Best Male Vocalist, Best Power Pop Band, and Band of the Year
This weekend, they’ll be at George’s with Tulsa’s My Solstice, or you can check out some of their tunes on their myspace page.
We got in touch with Eddie from the band, and he was nice enough to answers some questions for us.
Fayetteville Flyer: What have you been listening to lately?
A Good Fight: I’ve been listening to alot of Apartment 5, Fle, Shari Lewis Sex Puppets, Fleet Foxes & jazz, and of course TV on the Radio’s latest, “Dear Science”, has been playing on repeat since the day it came out.
FF: You guys just got back from SXSW. Where’d you play? How was it?
AGF: We played the Habana Bar on Saturday nite @ 8pm. Our showcase was sponsored by Nightflying Magazine. It was good. 3 of the 4 of us had been sick that whole week leading up to it, so we werent 100%, but, we made the best of it, the crowd was really into it, big cheers after every song, which is always awesome and surreal. The room was about the size of the front of Georges, and it was pretty much packed to the gills. We did alot of promo on Friday, we had a massive campaign with a bunch of friends that came down with us, including Batman & Robin – which was just hilarious. We gave out 1000 balloons, 5000 handbills, stickers, some cds if people were especially interested. We had some hecklers, but we made it thru, overall it was great.
FF: Who are some other bands in Fayetteville that you guys admire?
AGF: Well theres two different levels on this one for me. I truly admire anyone who is willing to pursue something that they’ve created in public, put themselves out there for the world to see, and judge.
Me personally, Apartment 5 is my favourite band of the moment. Not just in Fayetteville, but the entire world!! It just happens they are from my hometown & I’ve gotten to be really good friends with them. But i really believe it would be the same no matter what. It’s just i’ve got the inside info on them now, im able to get more involved with the material than the average listener. They have crafted some of the best pop songs i’ve ever heard, & ive never had someone who listens to them say a single negative thing about them. I have 110% faith in those kids, i think they are going to be huge stars one day, probly sooner than later. Theyve been playing together 7 years now and theyre only 20!!! They have every element a band needs to be successful, which is the hardest part. The drummer, JD Paul, just left to go pursue a different direction he felt his life was taking, in NYC, but, it doesnt matter, theyve already had lined up several possible replacements. They’re to quote one of their songs “unstoppable”. So look out planet earth, APARTMENT 5 is coming!!
Also gotta give it up to lots of other bands, Indiana & The Byrds is a new group i just saw for the first time on Fat Tuesday @ Ryleighs. They were really badass.
No one can deny Benjamin’s imprint he’s made on the scene here, and if they do they’re either jealous/bitter or just havent paid much attention & really shouldnt be speaking about it. The.Radio.Sky, Memphis Pencils (who also played TWICE at SXSW!!) Jarris is doin well.. I really enjoy David’s Pegasus – though i havent seen them in a long while. Oh, and Cletus Got Shot, theyre friends, and they’re just really really good at what they do. Theres loads more, those come to my mind right off the bat.
FF: Not too long ago, you guys had an MTV appearance. Tell us about that.
AGF: They had this contest, which they had such a response to they’ve now decided it will be annual, but we won the first one. it was called “The I Want My Music on MTV” – like 5,000 bands signed up, and, thru luck and good friends and good marketing, we won. Our video for our debut single “THE DRAMA” actually played on MTV, and then they used the song as a soundtrack to two hit shows “Tila Tequila” and “MADE”
FF: Who has the best taco in town?
In Austin, man, thats a tough one, we had some good ones. i think i might have been too incapacitated to remember the names of any of them. but yeah, austin is taco town, its crazy, people there eat tacos like most of us drink… water, or beer.
In Faytown, im a big fan of Taco Place over on 6th st.
FF: You guys have a state representative in your band. Are you a political band?
AGF: We’re not. For the most part we keep politics out of the band. Though our first record did have “White Flag” which is pretty much an FU to the powers that have been causing this mess the past 8 years. But, it just came out, and it was catchy as all getout, but we try to make things a little personal and vague at the same time, so it hits people where it counts but also lets them put their own spin on the song. Lets just say if we were a political band it would be called “A Great Fight”:)
FF: Word on the street is that you’ve been recording some new material. Where are you recording?
AGF: We have, were recording with Barry Poynter in North Little Rock out in the mountains. Its secluded and very peaceful. Barry is really great. We recorded our first EP with him and have recorded 3 new ones so far.
FF: Any idea on when you’ll be releasing it?
AGF: Well we keep going back and forth on it, at first we wanted to do a full length, then we realized we didnt have any money, and it costs ALOT to record professionally. So we’ve thought about doing 1 – 3 more, then putting it out, hopefully that will happen before the summers over.
FF: What’s your favorite place to play in Fayetteville?
AGF: Im sure we can all unanimously agree Georges Majestic Lounge, we’ve developed a really good relationship with them over the past 2+ years. The people are great, the crowds are great, the 2 venues are great! It’s just great.
FF: What’s next for you guys. Any touring plans?
AGF: We are planning on getting out of town soon. Rizz just put his 2 weeks notice in at work. He was the manager of a popular restaurant and his schedule was really grueling and prevented us from going very far out. But now…. now its on. Our goal is to get our songs out to the rest of America, then the world!!
Click below to hear “The Drama” by A Good Fight
[audio:https://fayettevilleflyer.com/mp3/agoodfight_thedrama.mp3]
