Good Riddance

Formed in Santa Cruz, California, Good Riddance emerged from the late‑1980s North American melodic punk and hardcore scene around vocalist Russ Rankin and guitarist Luke Pabich, later rounded out by Chuck Platt on bass and various drummers, notably Sean Sellers and then Dave Raun. After several demos and EPs, the band solidified in the mid‑1990s with the release of For God and Country in 1995 on Fat Wreck Chords, which established a blend of fast punk, pronounced melodies and politically charged lyrics. The albums A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion (1996), Ballads from the Revolution (1998) and Operation Phoenix (1999) refined that aesthetic — energetic hardcore, skate‑punk influences and catchy choruses — with lyrics focused on anti‑militarism, power relations, human rights and personal ethics. Their discography continued with Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit (2001), Bound by Ties of Blood and Affection (2003) and My Republic (2006), a period marked by sustained touring on independent punk circuits across North America and Europe. After announcing a split in 2007 and issuing a farewell live album in 2008, the band reunited in 2012 and resumed writing, resulting in Peace in Our Time (2015) and Thoughts and Prayers (2019), which carry on Good Riddance’s line of tense melodic punk, fast tempos and consistent lyrical commitment.