Good as Dead is an Albuquerque band that’s been rocking for what’s nearing a decade. But in May, the group raked in three new honors at the New Mexico Music Awards for its 2009 album Learn to Swim (get your hands on the disc at cdbaby.com). To find out a little more about the musical leanings of this award-winning band, we asked drummer Sam Blankenship to shuffle his iPod to see what random items came up. Below are the “goofy” results.
Song Roulette
1) “Sweet Honey” • Slightly Stoopid • Everything You Need “Ah, my love for reggae comes out in song No. 1. A feel-good jam with some slick guitar riffs. I missed these guys when they came with Snoop Dogg—heard I missed a hell of a show.”
Song Roulette
2) “American Death” • Senses Fail • Let It Enfold You “I got a thing for Dan Trapp and his drumming style. Haven’t listened to these guys in a while, but hearing this now pumps me up. I would be lying to say these guys didn’t impact Good as Dead.”
Song Roulette
3) “I 2 I” • Powerline • A Goofy Movie Soundtrack “What are the odds? I can’t believe this song came up! Ever since my girlfriend moved from New York I’ve heard this song a million times in her car. I started digging the high-pitched vocals and the guitar solo, so I threw it on my iPod. It’s one hell of a jam, and it’s from one hell of a movie. I laugh, I cry and I learn the importance of my dad every time I watch A Goofy Movie. Plus, the ‘perfect cast’ makes for an attention-getter on the dance floor.”
Song Roulette
4) “Certain Tragedy” • Saves the Day • Stay What You Are “Saves the Day is to this day one of my top five favorite groups ever. They have a great discography. The opening track to this album, ‘At Your Funeral,’ was an anthem for my generation. Listening to these guys brings back high school and acting like an idiot. Well, less of an idiot.”
Song Roulette
5) “Be Here Now” • As Tall As Lions • As Tall As Lions “I just started listening to these guys last summer. Their self-titled album is one of my favorite albums I’ve listened to in the past few years. My other group, Faith in Foxholes, got the honor of playing with them earlier this year. As far as drums go, this guy is a tight and talented drummer, bringing an awesome dynamic to an already dynamic band.”
