Goodtime Boys

Goodtime Boys
OriginCardiff, Wales
Genres
Years active2009–2015
LabelsBridge Nine, Tangled Talk, Palm Reader
Spinoff ofThe Automatic
Past members
  • Alex Pennie
  • Kai Woolen-Lewis
  • Samuel Phipps
  • Leigh McAndrew
  • Tom Pitts
  • Lewis Johns
  • Casey McHale

The Goodtime Boys was a Welsh post-hardcore band from Cardiff. Formed in 2009 by Alex Pennie (vocals) Kai Woolen-Lewis (guitar), Samuel Phipps (guitar), Leigh McAndrew (bass) and Tom Pitts (drums), the band's merger of screamo, melodic hardcore and post-rock put them as a forefront act in the post-hardcore movement UKswell. They released two studio albums, two solo EPs and two split EPs.

History

In 2009,[1] the Goodtime Boys was formed by guitarists Kai Woolen-Lewis and Samuel Phipps, bassist Leigh McAndrew, drummer Tom Pitts and vocalist Alex Pennie, with the intention to play a small number of low capacity shows, in a chaotic musical style inspired by the Chariot. Their name was chosen as a joke, suggested by a friend at a house party.[2] It's members were from across the United Kingdom, though they were based in Cardiff.[3] On 29 May 2010, they released a split EP with Solutions.[4]

On 30 May 2011, they released the EP Are We Now, Or Have We Ever Been through Tangled Talk Records.[5] Between 13 and 17 June 2012, they toured the UK supporting Suis La Lune, alongside Veils.[6] On 25 June 2012, they released the EP Every Landscape through Bridge Nine Records.[5] On 25 July 2012, they released the single "Callous", premiered by DIY. It was a part of their debut album What's Left to Let Me Go, released on 28 August via Bridge Nine Records.[7] From the 21 to 31 October 2012, they toured the UK with Rolo Tomassi and Oathbreaker.[8] Between 16 March and 6 April, they toured the United States alongside Loma Prieta.[9]

On 11 November 2013, they released a split EP was released with the US emo band Self Defense Family on Palm Reader Records.[10] In 2014, Lewis Johns joined on guitar and Casey McHale on drums.[3] On 4 April 2014, they released the single "Moral Decay"[11] Between 24 April and 1 May 2014, they headlined a tour of the UK with support from Grappler.[12] On 20 May, they released the single "Wallflower".[13] The second album, called Rain, was released on 19 May 2014.[14] Between 26 and 29 May, they supported Birds in Row on the lowlands tour, then headlined a tour of central Europe between 23 and 31 June.[12] On 26 July 2014, they played Fluff Fest.[15] Between 30 October and 12 November, they toured the United States with Self Defense Family.[16] The group toured mainland Europe with Landscapes, More Than Life, Caspian and Defeater.[17] On January 6, 2015, the group announced their dissolution, citing that "the band has become harder to manage over the past year or so and various things have contributed to us deciding to end it".[18]

Musical style and legacy

Critics have categorised the Goodtime Boy's music as melodic hardcore,[11][19] screamo,[20][21][22] melodic emotional hardcore,[23] emo[24][21] and post-hardcore.[20][21] They incorporated elements of post-rock,[20] indie emo[20] and math rock.[25]

The band's vocals were generally screamed. On occasion, they would use clean singing, a practice uncommon amongst their contemporaries.[26] Songs were often lyric-centric,[27] often being poetic[22] and philosophical.[28] Sometimes, they would make use of spoken word vocals.[20] Instrumentally, they made of grandiose guitar leads,[29] often melodic and emotional,[30] as well as both dissonant[31] and twinkly riffs.[32] The BBC called their music "fast-paced, intelligent hardcore".[33] Rain was more melodic, including more singing.[20]

They have cited influences including Suis La Lune, the Saddest Landscape, Pianos Become the Teeth and the Chariot.[2]

Legacy

The Goodtime Boys were one of the forefront UK emo bands of their time,[34] with a 2010 BBC article, noting them as one of the bands forming the future of Welsh punk.[33] In 2013, Crack writer Tom Howells called them "mainstream darlings to be".[35]

Alongside Pariso, Bastions, Kerouac and the Long Haul, the Goodtime Boys were a foundational act to the UKswell movement, which began around 2009. Typified by angry, depressive and sentimental post-hardcore, UKswell actively subverted the horror imagery and toxic masculinity of hardcore of the time, instead seeking radical inclusion. It would go on to produce Ithaca, Vales, Svalbard and early Employed to Serve.[36][37] UKswell was a response to the United States movement the wave,[38] with BrooklynVegan editor Andrew Sacher also nothing them as a part of the wave.[20]

They were cited as a favourite by Kris Coombs-Roberts of Funeral for a Friend.[39]

Members

Final line-up

  • Alex Pennie – vocals (2009–2015)
  • Samuel Phipps – guitar (2009–2015)
  • Leigh McAndrew – bass (2009–2015)
  • Lewis Johns – guitar (2014–2015)
  • Casey McHale – drums (2014–2015)

Former members

  • Kai Woolen-Lewis – guitar (2009–2014)
  • Tom Pitts – drums (2009–2014)

Discography

Studio albums

  • What's Left to Let Go (2012)
  • Rain (2014)

EPs

  • Goodtime Boys / Solutions (2010; split EP with Solutions)
  • Are We Now, or Have We Ever Been (2011)
  • Every Landscape (2012)
  • Good time Boys / Self Defense Family (2013; split EP with Self Defense Family)

References

  1. ^ Aylott, Tom. "GOODTIME BOYS SIGN TO BRIDGE9". Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Goodtime Boys - Interview zur EP 'What`s Left To Let Go'". BurnYourEars Webzine (in German). Retrieved 29 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b Connors, Ollie (21 May 2014). "Album Review: Goodtime Boys - Rain". Already Heard. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  4. ^ KNAPMAN, STUART (26 May 2014). "Goodtime Boys - Rain". DIY. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  5. ^ a b PAUL, AUBIN (24 October 2012). "Music: Goodtime Boys: 'What's Left To Let Go'". www.punknews.org. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  6. ^ Kamiński, Karol (7 May 2012). "SUIS LA LUNE / GOODTIME BOYS / VEILS U.K. tour dates. - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Goodtime Boys Showcase New Track 'Callous'". DIY. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  8. ^ Kamiński, Karol (31 August 2012). "GOODTIME BOYS detail their new album - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Loma Prieta announce North American tour with Goodtime Boys, including St. Vitus (dates)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Goodtime Boys and Self Defense Family Split 7" Announced". Already Heard. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  11. ^ a b Manchester, Guy (4 April 2014). "Goodtime Boys stream taster off their soon to be released Bridge Nine album Rain". Louder Than War. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  12. ^ a b Kamiński, Karol (17 May 2014). "GOODTIME BOYS streaming their new album in full! - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  13. ^ Kamiński, Karol (17 April 2016). "GOODTIME BOYS premiere "Wallflower" - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  14. ^ Brian Kraus: Alternative Press: Goodtime Boys announce new album on Bridge Nine Records
  15. ^ Kamiński, Karol (3 February 2014). "Fluff Fest 2014 details! [UPDATE] - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  16. ^ Kamiński, Karol (5 September 2014). "SELF DEFENSE FAMILY release new song! - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  17. ^ Brian Krauss: Alternative Press: Defeater announce European/UK tour with Caspian, Landscapes, More Than Life, Goodtime Boys
  18. ^ Kamiński, Karol (6 January 2015). "GOODTIME BOYS break up! The band is no more!". Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  19. ^ Connors, Ollie (10 September 2014). "Album Review: Crows-An-Wra - Kalopsia". Already Heard. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Sacher, Andrew. "Goodtime Boys releasing a new album (stream "Wallflower")". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  21. ^ a b c "LAUV – „Paris In the Rain" - Echte Leute" (in German). 23 November 2017. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  22. ^ a b Lohan, Aaron (30 October 2012). "Live Review: Goodtime Boys, Oathbreaker, Iced Out and The Pact – V Revolution, Manchester - 27/10/2012". Already Heard. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  23. ^ Kamiński, Karol (4 April 2014). "GOODTIME BOYS reveal new track! - IDIOTEQ.com". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  24. ^ Stephen Farkas: The Punk Site: Goodtime Boys Announce 7″ and Full Length in 2014 + UK/Euro Tour
  25. ^ "Goodtime Boys Are We Now, Or Have We Ever Been". Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  26. ^ Berning, Sebastian. "Review Goodtime Boys/Rain - Sebastian Berning". POWERMETAL.de (in German). Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  27. ^ "Terrible Love - Change Nothing [EP]". www.punknews.org. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  28. ^ "GOODTIME BOYS Are We Now, Or Have We Ever Been". Ox (in German) (102). June 2012. Texte, sie sind poetisch und philosophisch [Texts are also worth mentioning, they are poetic and philosophical]
  29. ^ Forrester, Benjamin. "LIVE: ROLO TOMASSI – 27/10/2012". Silent Radio. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  30. ^ Lohan, Aaron (29 May 2013). "Live Review: The Long Haul, Goodtime Boys, Pariso, Grappler and Let It Die - The Black Heart, London - 17/05/2013". Already Heard. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  31. ^ "Goodtime Boys - Rain". www.punknews.org. 20 May 2014.
  32. ^ Davenport, James. "House Olympics – 'Nothing Feels Better Than Feeling Better'". www.punktastic.com. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  33. ^ a b McLaren, James. "The shape of (Welsh) punk to come". BBC. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  34. ^ Staff, Blow The Scene (18 September 2012). "Goodtime Boys Exclusive Song Premiere of Breathe". Blow The Scene. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  35. ^ Staff, Crack. "RAEIN". Crack. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  36. ^ Connick, Tom. "Plaids – 'Plaids'". www.punktastic.com. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  37. ^ Connors, Ollie. "Interview: Alex Fitzpatrick of Holy Roar Records". www.punktastic.com. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  38. ^ Connors, Ollie (9 March 2015). "Interview: Maths". Already Heard. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  39. ^ Hammond, Shawn. "2014 Metal & Hardcore: Council of Steel, Blood & Bone - Premier Guitar". Premier Guitar. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
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