Luke and Chuck from Good Riddance are looking for a drummer in the Santa Cruz area.  We are interested in putting together a heavy/aggressive band with old school punk and metal influences.  If you live in the area, are a good drummer and are interested in learning more...contact Luke Pabich through his myspace page (www.myspace.com/lukepabich).

Most bands throughout their illustrious careers could only dream of the success some bands manage to capture without any sort of solid mainstream airplay and success. Started in 1990 in the small coastal town of Santa Cruz, CA, Good Riddance immediately made an impact with their thoughtful, heartfelt lyrics and their attention to delivering the fast-paced punk rock that was slowly becoming a mainstay in the underground music community. Signing to Fat Wreck Chords in 1994 was only the beginning for Good Riddance as they released their first demo, Decoy, in 1994 and followed it up with three of the greatest punk rock albums to come out in the 90s: For God And Country, A Comprehensive Guide to Modern Rebellion, and Ballads From The Revolution. Bands come and go, members leave the bands they started with, and the direction of what’s popular changes all the time, but none of that holds with Good Riddance, who managed to captivate audiences for over a decade. A proper farewell tour to top it all off is something most bands only hope to achieve, but Good Riddance managed to have a heck of one. Remain In Memory: The Final Show took place May 27, 2007 at The Catalyst in the bands’ hometown of Santa Cruz, CA to a soldout crowd of faithful fans and is captured on this release.

Kicking off the 31-track final show was the intro which showcased the introductions of the band before opening up to come classic tracks which, upon first listen, sends chills down your spine as it’s a perfect start to a tearful and emotional night and it was only right to showcase a part of each album the band released up front. One interesting thing to note is the band had gone through some line-up changes, including their drummer Sean Sellers departing in the mid-nineties only to find his way back and play in the band for the past year or so before the final show, and his returning skills are part of what makes this band so incredible.

Russ Rankin’s controversial yet truthful way of storytelling throughout each track, as well as the energy and talent Chuck Platt and Luke Pabich brought show after show, are other elements that this band has had on display year after year. The first song gets underway with, "Where’s the fucking money Keith?" a quote made popular as the kickoff to the track "Heresay, Hypocricy, and Revenge" over the years, and from the opening second Good Riddance are in superb form and ready for one hell of a send off.

Blasting through such memorable tracks such as "Weight of the World", "Flies First Class", "Think Of Me", "Yesterdays Headlines", "Without Anger", and "Salt" - all within the first 10 songs played - this show is powerful. The band then gets some help from Cinder Block on the always epic "A Credit To His Gender" before hitting on all cylinders and performing the rare demo track "21 Guns" which is still one of my favorite songs of all time. Then it just seems like hit after hit keep coming, Russ asks the crowd "Anybody sad?" they reply with a loud "YES!" and Russ just lets them remember "Don’t be sad. We’ll always have tonight," which adds to the overall atmosphere of the night.

Those kids were there to have the times of their lives and Good Riddance was there to go out with a bang, hopefully never to be forgotten. Scorching through one two minute song after the other they finally got to the encore, which upon listening, you could feel the crowd step it up a notch and you could sense the end being near, "Libertine" straight into sing-along-happy "Pisces/Almost Home" then "Winning the Hearts and Minds" followed by "Mother Superior," which got the sing-along-chants to a deafening high before closing down the show with the always intense "Waste."

Good Riddance had such a huge impact on my life, growing up in high school, discovering the track "Trophy" when I only had a dial-up modem so I downloaded the smallest song I could find. I think it’s safe to say Decoymusic.com wouldn’t be here today without this band turning me onto this alternate form of music and to stop listening to only what’s on the radio. Throughout listening to this entire thirty one track album I’m not afraid to say there were moments while listening to tracks such as "Last Believer", "Fertile Fields", and "Letters Home" I got a little teary eyed thinking about how much this band changed my life and how much I will miss them. I can’t say it was a huge shock when they announced they were breaking up as they had lived longer than most bands only dream of and have seen more of the world than most people will in their entire lifetime. This band is the definition of pop-punk to me, none of this cookie cutter perfect hair bands who took the genre and made it something it wasn’t. Good Riddance will always remain in memory and this live album is only fitting to send off one of the greats in the genre... now we can only hope someone comes along and wants to release the DVD to the show as well.

--Aaron Yarborough

4 piece Orange County Percussion kit used by Sean Sellers for sale. Contact sean directly for more info: seandrummerdad@hotmail.com

Many of you have been writing us asking about a live DVD of our Final Show in Santa Cruz. Here's the deal: A group of people we know did in fact film the entire show with several cameras. They are prepared to render the footage should anyone with a decent vision come forward with the means to produce and release a live DVD (FAT decided they didn't want to release a DVD). We (the band members) aren't in a position to deal with the headache of producing and releasing a DVD so, for now, the footage is just sitting in someone's garage or something.

There you go. Quit asking about it.

~ GR

go to peta2.com (the "out there" section) and vote for RUSS RANKIN as "SEXIEST VEGETARIAN"

yes it's silly but who cares.

Even though GOOD RIDDANCE is no more you can still follow our other bands!!

- Luke and Sean play in OUTLIE http://www.myspace.com/outlie

- Sean also plays in THE REAL MACKENZIES http://www.myspace.com/realmackenzies123456789

- Chuck plays in I WANT OUT http://www.myspace.com/iwantoutrock

- Russ plays in ONLY CRIME http://www.myspace.com/onlycrime

Heresy, Hypocrisy & Revenge
Made to Be Broken
More Depalma, Less Fellini

Weight of the World
Flies First Class
Think of Me
Yesterday's Headlines
Without Anger

Out of Mind
Salt
A Credit to His Gender
United Cigar
21 Guns
Last Believer

Fertile Fields
Darkest Days
One For the Braves
Shadows of Defeat
All Fall Down

Letters Home
Indoctrination
Not So Bad
30 Day Wonder
Steps
Shit Talking Capitalists
Libertine

Pisces/Almost Home
Winning the Hearts and Minds
Mother Superior
Waste

Adam
Providence, RI

Good Riddance was one of my biggest influences in my punk rock life and I had never had the opportunity to see them live. When I found out about the last show at the Catalyst, I bought 2 tickets the day they went on sale.My friend and I flew out all the way from Rhode Island..... sat through 13 hours of screaming babies, layovers and planes with broken air-conditioners that had been sitting in 100 degree Arizona heat. After missing our last flight because of delays, we had to rent a car in San Fransicso and try to find a way to get to Santa Cruz. We haluled ass and got there in just enough time to grab a quick bite and get to the show. Inside, we met some awsome Californians and some kids who came out from jersey who informed us that we had no idea what we insanity were about to witness. The show was more than I could have possibly hoped for. I heard every song I was hoping to hear. The crowd was incredible, much different than the east coast. Everyone was cool about everything and was just there for a good time. I couldn't believe how loud everyone was singing, it just made me want to sing along even louder..... It was a total blast probably the greatest show i've ever been, or will ever be a part of. I just didn't want it to end. But its great knowing that it will be on a cd some day (hopefully soon), and I can say that I was a part of it. The trip was worth every single second, and I will take the memory of it with me for the rest of my life. Thank you guys so much for the years of great tunes, influence and inspiration. You will be truly truly missed. But it's like what Russ said....Don't be sad, cause we'll always have that night........... Thanks for everything guys


Julia
Santa Cruz/Los Angeles


My first real Punk Rock Show was at the now defunct Palookaville. It was a show for the release of a CD called Santa Cruz Sucks. Pretty fitting, I think. Basically, this was the beginning of the end of a
punk rock scene in Santa Cruz because all the hippie liberals who were sooo accepting didn't want these scary looking kids with spikey hair and chains playing their loud music and dancing in those freaky mosh
pit things where they just slam into each other hanging out around their town.

Anyway, at that first show at Palookaville, a little band named Good Riddance played, and my life was forever changed. Okay, so it wasn't that straight forward, but I did learn alot at that first show. I learned that you don't stand right next to the stage because when you
get slammed into from behind by one of the guys in the mosh pit, you end up with bruised ribs. I learned that people who had cars would always drive you home because your parents didn't want to come pick you up that late and the nice guys with cars wanted you to see the rest of the show...they were staying for the whole thing. I learned the rules of a circle pit (watch your face because there are alot of elbows and they hurt when they hit you in the nose). But mostly I
learned that these freak kids, though some of them would end up strung out or pregnant, were mostly smart, politically conscious kids who didn't fit in with the Water Polo players and surfers who ruled the school in Santa Cruz, just like I didn't fit in with the dumb girls
who didn't care about anything but drinking and having bonfires at the beach.

At first, I didn't really know what I was doing, but as I started getting more and more into this scene I started learning the major players...everyone listened to Fury 66, Good Riddance, and Riff Raff...they were the local Santa Cruz bands. Everyone listened to the Sex Pistols, Crass, and the Ramones...they were the classics. And everyone listened to A.F.I. (before they sold out to capitol records). It was a great time: shows happened one, two, sometimes three times a
week. They usually didn't cost more than $5, and I went to every single one.

Over the years, shows became harder and harder to put on. Cops cracked down on us poor punks, Palookaville closed, thursday night showcase (where local bands played at the catalyst for $3) stopped.
There were very few shows. There was, however, one constant throughout my time in Santa Cruz. A band named Good Riddance.

I can't even count how many times I've seen them, but they seem to have been around throughout my young adult life. I remember seeing them when A.F.I. jumped onto the stage and played about three songs while waiting for Good Riddance (whose van was experiencing technical difficulties). I remember seeing them right before the fateful election of 2000, when Russ, the lead singer, reminded us not to vote for the lesser of two evils just because he's the lesser of two evils. I even saw them in London when I was there. But it's not just that I got to see them a million times. It was also that the music they sang was exactly what I believed. They sang about respecting women, about being anti-war, about not getting in fights in the middle of a mosh
pit, they would stop playing if people started fighting. Good Riddance, in a very big way was responsible for a huge part of my political and social awakening.

Okay, I'll get to the point. On Saturday night Good Riddance played their second to last show in San Diego. On Sunday night they played their last show in Santa Cruz. On Saturday night I saw them for the
last time. And I have to say, I was a little choked up. Okay, I was more than a little choked up. It was one of the most bittersweet nights of my life. It was one of those nights where one part of your life comes full circle. Of course, my friend and I got lost and ended
up at the Mexican border (in a maneuver that can only be pulled by a Callahan I actually got lost and ended up in another country). We did manage to get back and watch the show.

Now, I need a little flashback. Think back to the Election of 2004. This is really one of the first times in my life that I changed over night, Literally. I had just spent a year of my life defending america to many a Briton who had a good question. Why on earth is
Bush the president? And I told them...He stole the election. That was the only explanation. So in November of 2004 when he was elected by this country, I lost it. I lost all my idealism. I pretty much
lost hope. I became a little more bitter, a little more angry.

But you know what, on Saturday night, I gained back a little bit of my youthful hope and idealism. It's hard to be in a room of people, mostly young people, all of whom throw their fists in the air and chant, 'I STILL CARE,' at the top of their lungs, and not gain some
hope. Maybe if we all start caring, and I mean really caring again, things can change. And in the immortal words of Good Riddance:

I'LL BE THE LAST BELIEVER AS LONG AS I STILL CARE. AND I STILL CARE.

Peace, Love, and Good Riddance,

If you went to any (or all) of our FINAL SHOWS this past weekend we want to read about it. Send us your accounts of your travels, any funny road stories, the lengths you had to go to get to the shows, get tickets etc. and any memories or special things that you experienced at the show(s). We will pick a few of these and post them in our "blogs" section!!!

Thanks to every single one of you for the years of support!! We couldn't have done this without you!!

~ GR

After over ten years, eight albums and countless tours, Santa Cruz, CA's GOOD RIDDANCE have decided to call it a career. We have deliberated heavily on this decision and we all agree that it is the logical and practical next step for our band. It is with the utmost sense of gratitude and humility that we have arrived at this conclusion. We have been given a truly great gift and a tremendous opportunity to pursue a dream and we have accomplished far more than any of us ever thought possible.

All of the members of GOOD RIDDANCE have become increasingly busy with other life interests (work, family, etc.) which has made it difficult for us to tour with the same frequency we (and our fans) have grown accustomed to. It has also become evident that the musical landscape has continued to change and the material we play has been, to some degree, left behind. We understand that we still have some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in the world and without all of you none of this would have been possible. However, we have seen bands burn out and we have seen bands slowly decline. It is our ultimate goal to be able to walk away from this with a degree of grace and dignity and be able to look back on our modest career with nothing but fond memories. We have no desire to limp along until some outside force has the good sense to put us out of our misery. We hope all of our fans will understand.

We are planning to play 3 "Final Shows" in California over this upcoming Memorial Day weekend 2007(May 25, 26 & 27) in Hollywood, San Diego and finally ending in our hometown of Santa Cruz. We hope as many of our fans as possible can make it out to these shows and help us finish strong. More info on these dates (venues, times, etc) will be released soon so keep checking both the Good Riddance and FAT Wreck Chords websites as well as our band profile on My Space. Smoke or Fire and No Trigger will be opening all the shows.


A massive thank you to the people at FAT Wreck Chords, our families, all of the incredible bands and people we've met through the years and especially to all of our incredible fans and supporters. It has been an amazing journey – THANK YOU!!

PEACE,

GOOD RIDDANCE – Chuck Platt, Russ Rankin, Luke Pabich & Sean Sellers