Good Charlotte swinging back to punk rock

MANILA, Philippines - American punk-pop band Good Charlotte’s high-profile vocalist Joel Madden, husband of famous socialite and US TV personality Nicole Ritchie, proves he is not only a true-blue rocker but a doting father and a loving husband as well.

The heavily tattooed lead singer and his band mates blew into town for a special one-night performance at the Glorietta Activity Center last Wednesday.

At a press conference last Tuesday, Joel revealed a tender side of him — that of a loving dad to his kids, three year-old Harlow Winter Kate and one-and-half year-old Sparrow James Midnight.

Good Charlotte, one of the most durable bands in the US, has spawned hits like The Anthem, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Hold On, Girls and Boys, and Keep Your Hands Off My Girl.  The band has sold over 12 million albums all over the US.

At the press conference at Hard Rock Café, Joel shared he would encourage his children to pursue their dreams.

“I’ll tell them to follow their dreams. They can be anything they want. If they want to be doctors or musicians someday, I will encourage them to be whatever they want to be for as long as it’s what their hearts want,” beamed Joel.

Fatherhood and married life have kept Joel grounded and helped him cope with the pitfalls that come with superstardom. In an industry where rock stars who fails to handle the pressure of fame can turn into emotional train wrecks, Joel was able to keep his sanity intact because of his family.

He credits Nicole, their children and his family for a stable, settled life. In Good Charlotte’s fifth album titled Cardiology, Joel expressed his gratitude towards his family.

“Never could have I dreamed that life will be this good. I am thankful for my two children, Harlow and Sparrow. I am truly living my wildest dreams. Harlow, you’ve given me so much love and laughter. You teach me every day to stop and enjoy life. Forever my best little friend, Sparrow, you’re the son I dreamed of. I’m proud to call you my son and that you will carry my name on. You fill me up with pride,” he said in the album’s leaflet.

Likewise, he credits Nicole for being his “rock.”

“My little champ, Nicole, you made my life real. You are the best mother to our children. And my best friend. You created a place I called home and for the first time, I feel settled. I know that I wouldn’t have the guts to follow my dreams and keep fighting for the things I believe without you,” Joel said.

Few American bands can claim longevity in the fickle world of the US music industry. Good Charlotte is one of the few bands that has managed to stick together through the years, through thick and thin.

The members, comprising of Joel, his twin brother Benji Madden (guitar and vocalist), Dean Butterworth (drums), Paul Thomas (Bass) and Billy Martin (guitar and keyboard) said they went through every conceivable travail a band can go through, including being on the brink of breaking up, in the 15 years that they were together.

“We started the band when we were 16 years old in Paul’s basement. We’ve been to hell and back. We’ve seen each other’s worst and best. And we’ve done something so many bands haven’t been able to do. We stuck together. I consider them my real friends, my God-given brothers,” Joel said in his tribute to his fellow band members in their fifth album.

Inspired by a Beastie Boys performance, the band based from Waldorf, Maryland, was first assembled by Joel and Benji in 1996. They took their name from the children’s book Good Charlotte: The Girls of Good Day Orphanage by Carol Beach York.

Asked by reporters at the press con about the significance of the name, Benji answered: “At that time, seriously we thought it was a cool name. There was no significance to it, that’s an honest answer.”

They jumpstarted their musical career in 2000 with teen-friendly lyrics and guitar-driven riffs with their self-titled album but it was their second album which propelled Good Charlotte into mainstream popularity. Their songs were considered kid-friendly, loved by both young people and their parents.

The Young and the Hopeless sold over 4.9 million copies, earning them triple platinum sales and achieving hit charts over the globe in both the pop and rock genre.

They’ve won accolades in the US and abroad, winning the Best Rock Video for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous for the MTV Video Music Awards, Best Rock Video for Anthem for the MTV Video Music Awards Japan, to name a few.

They were likewise featured on CNN, The Today Show and The New York Times.

After 15 years and a dozen hits to their credit, Good Charlotte said they’re going back to their roots which is punk rock.

“We enjoy the old stuff. I think we’ll go back to a little more rock because there’s less of that these days. We’re swinging back to guitar-driven songs,” Benji said.

Asked what lessons they have learned from their decade and half journey as one of America’s beloved bands, members cited the importance of loving what you’re doing and to always have fun, no matter what.

“We don’t take ourselves seriously, we make the records for fun. We started this band for fun and we’ll make sure we’ll have fun along the way, “said Benji.

“We have experienced a lot of things down the road. We run into the wall but we kept on getting up. We never quit, we kept on rising,” Billy said.

There are also no signs that the band is going to retire very soon.

“ Definitely, we want to continue doing records. We want to write more songs and meet our fans all over the world. We want to continue inspiring a lot of people through our songs,” added Billy.

 (Good Charlotte Live at Ayala Malls was made possible by Music Management International and The Ayala Malls.)