Goat

Remember songs? Those three or four minute things with all the great lyrics, melodies, and instrumentation. Well, Goat does and his stunning new album All Of My Friends is full of them. I just love music. I can't explain it, enthuses the New York City-based singersongwriter. All I do is play piano or guitar and write songs. I love it. And I thank my stars that I'm able to do this. Goat relocated to New York City from Cleveland to actualize his musical ambitions. He quickly picked up a gig at the famed Power Station recording studio, which led to playing on a Nils Lofgren song Oh Baltimore. He began his performing career in earnest, joining local rockabilly revivalist Will Rambeau's band, pausing only to become the aide-de-camp to Otis Blackwell, writer of Great Balls of Fire and Don't Be Cruel. Between albums he worked as the accompanist for the modern dance program at Julliard. Following a showcase at an NYC club, onetime Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison signed him to a deal with Interscope Records. Music fans may remember Goat from his critically-acclaimed 1998 debut "Great Life" (Ruffhouse/Columbia). With no support from the label, Goat scored a hit at radio with the title track, which also landed in the teen slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer, and things appeared to be on the upswing. However, thanks to a bit of corporate shuffling at the label, Goat was released from his contract shortly after the album hit record shelves. While such incidents tend to derail most artists who find themselves in this situation, Goat rocked on undeterred. And he was right recently "Great Life" has taken on a life of it?s own backing the most recent Kia commercial with such strength that it has gone worldwide with both a :30 and a :60 second spot. I'm one of those fortunate souls that turns all the negatives into positives and that keeps me fruitful, Goat offers matter-of-factly. I wanna do something good with my life and sometimes it seems like it takes forever. But I don't mind if you don't mind.