While Vancouver based singer/ songwriter Matthew Good ‘fell into music’ at a late age, he hasn’t had a lot of 
time to look back.
“I’ve always been into fine arts. If I wasn’t doing music, I would be doing something creative,” noted Good enjoying a day off in Calgary.
He will be playing the Stone, Nov. 17 with Daniel Wesley — a rare bar show on a tour dominated by theatre shows — which is where he’d rather be playing.
The theatre they wanted wasn’t available, so they got booked into the Stone.
“I enjoy theatre shows more by far. I‘ve been doing this for 18 years and they’re a different atmosphere. People are there to listen to the show. In a bar, alcohol is an integral part of the experience and it takes people’s attention away from the show,” he said.
Lyrics are an important part of his music. But he’d rather write them ambiguous enough so people can interpret them on their own and find their own significance in them.
“ The last two albums were written about two very particular subjects,” he said adding the latest CD “Lights of Endangered Species,” doesn’t have a common theme.
“ There is no overall theme to the new album. I’d prefer people to interpret the music for themselves and find their own meaning then say this is what it means to me. That’s the power of music,” he said.
While the Lethbridge show will concentrate on the new CD, he’ll choose a few older tracks as well.
“I only have a finite amount of time to play. We’ll be focussing on the latest CD, but I try to choose songs from throughout my career. I just love to play music,” he said. He is playing with Matthew Good Band drummer Ian Browne.
As expected, a lot of people sing along with him.
“Oh yeah, there’s lots of singing along. It’s a great experience. After playing for music for so long, it’s only natural people would be doing that. That’s a beautiful thing to experience,” he said.
He is an avid observer of U.S. foreign policy and has been known to be very outspoken about it. But he enjoys touring in the United States and will soon be starting a solo “Dylanesque” tour down south.
“ American foreign policy has always been an interest of mine and half of my family is American,” he said.
“I read (Joseph Heller’s famous wartime novel) Catch 22 at age 13 and I started get me interested in the reality of war. And I very much grew up with the reality of the Cold War,” he said.
And while he is not above criticizing the United States administration, he has nothing against Americans themselves.
“A lot of Americans don’t identify with their politicians,” he said.
“It’s a very complicated problem. I do enjoy playing there. It’s a lot of fun,” he said.
While he has a lot of interests including jazz music and horses, music is his main interest. Albeit one that drew him in at a later age than most.
“ Some buddies of mine had a band and they needed a singer. I didn’t pick up a guitar until I was 20 and I only started writing songs when I was 20. But I didn’t like the what the guitar player was doing, so I taught myself to play guitar and went off and did my own thing instead,” he said.
He songwriting process varies.
“It changes from day to day. I don’t try to do the same thing over again,” he said.
While he has a couple new songs, that hasn’t been his primary focus.
“I’ve written a couple new songs, but I’ve been more interested in getting ready for this tour and supporting the record. But I’d like to get back into the studio at the end of the year. But I’m not sure what the next CD will be like,” he said.
He has a lot of fond memories of Southern Alberta.
“ When you’re touring, it all becomes a blur, especially when you have been touring as long as I have. It’s very much a blur. I have a lot of family around Medicine Hat. I remember taking the train out from Vancouver to go and visit them. And I’ve played in Southern Alberta lot. They all used to come out to see me,” he recalled.
“Looking back, I never expected to still be doing this. But when you’re born a creative person, you have to create,” he said.
He was a painter first, but fell into music.
“I haven’t painted anything in years. A friend of mine wanted me to paint something for him a few years ago, so I did and that was the last time I painted,” he said.
Matthew Good plays with special guest Daniel Wesley, Nov. 17 at the Stone. Tickets for the show, which is close to being sold out, cost $40.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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