Argyle Goolsby

Argyle Goolsby (born Steve Matthews; September 15, 1978 ) is an American musician, best known for being the lead vocalist, bassist and co-founder of horror punk band Blitzkid (1997–present). He performs with both his live electric band, The Roving Midnight, as well as his fully acoustic band, The Hollow Bodies. which emerged in the wake of the Misfits.

In the 2000s, Blitzkid developed an underground following in the US and especially in Europe. Most of the band's albums were released through German horror punk group The Other's label, FiendForce Records.

Between 1997 and 2012, Goolsby recorded seven studio albums with Blitzkid and performed with several other bands and artists like Nim Vind, Stellar Corpses, The Cryptkeeper Five, The Damned, Leftöver Crack, The Crimson Ghosts, Strung Out and Face to Face.

When questioned about the band's retirement, Goolsby stated:

"It is not that we don't believe in what we are doing anymore. It's not that Blitzkid has become a burden. I have still plenty of music that I have written and that I am currently writing. Our music is not an extinguished flame. Retirement is more of a practical decision for right now." The documentary was co-written and produced by Goolsby. Goolsby was also a tour member for Chud's band

In 2004, Goolsby collaborated with Mister Monster, performing back vocal duties and playing bass on the Deep Dark EP (Hell's Hundred Records). Following the departure of Wednesday 13's bassist Kid Kid in 2006, Goolsby was hired as a replacing bassist to fill in for three shows.

In 2007, ex-Misfits lead guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein was looking for a vocalist for his solo band project, Gorgeous Frankenstein and finally recruited Landon Blood for the recording of an eponymous album. Blood left the band shortly after and was replaced by Argyle Goolsby who played bass and performed vocal duties for Gorgeous Frankenstein first tour, opening for Danzig. Dr. Chud (drums) and Stephanie Bellars ( Gorgeous George, Doyle's ex-wife) were also part of this line up.

In 2009, Goolsby took part of what is sometimes referred as the Misfits "Near-Reunion" in New Jersey. Performing as an opening act for Danzig, this lineup included Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (lead guitar), Dr. Chud (drums), Michale Graves (vocals) and Goolsby (bass) (Jerry Only, the Misfits original bassist, did not participate in the event).

Goolsby had written many songs that he intended to work on with Gorgeous Frankenstein, but since the band project was abandoned, most of this material became part of Blitzkid's last album, Apparitional. From the ashes of Gorgeous Frankenstein, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein founded a new horror metal band eponymously named Doyle with vocalist Alex Story in 2012.

Recent projects (2012–2017)

Following Blitkid's disestablishment in 2012, Goolsby started a solo career with a new band project named Argyle Goolsby and the Roving Midnight. He has been steadily releasing EPs and singles since 2012. In 2015, a compilation album, Saturnalia of the Accursed which collects two EPs and a few other songs was released as well as a cover of "Save Me Tonight" by White Sister, originally featured on the soundtrack of Fright Night (1985)."

Inspiration and songwriting

Goolsby has always been fascinated by cryptozoological monsters, Horror movies and horror fiction, which are the core inspiration for his songwriting

His work is also inspired by the aesthetics of the Gilded Age, German Expressionist films and the era of silent cinema in general.

He married his longtime girlfriend Jordan Paoletta on October 21, 2017. The service was officiated by Victoria Price at Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum in Bristol, Connecticut.

Discography

Blitzkid (1997–2012) Albums Terrifying Tales – Death by Jersey, independent, 1999; A Corpse with No Name Music, 2006 Let Flowers Die, Antidote Records, 2001 Trace of a Stranger, Fiendforce Records, 2003 Five Cellars Below, Fiendforce Records 2006 Apparitional, People Like You Records, 2011

Split EPs, 7", 10" Blitzkid / Mister Monster, Exhuming Graves and Making Dates, EP, Fiendforce Records, 2004 Blitzkid / The Spook, Everyday Is Halloween – Tales of Terror And Unspeakable Horror, 7", Fiendforce Records, 2004 Blitzkid / The Cryptkeeper Five, No Balls Records, 2007 Blitzkid / Nim Vind, Fistfull of Balls, Volume 1, 7" (2x), No Balls Records, 2010 Blitzkid / The Cryptkeeper Five, Split Personalities, 10", The Black Sneer, 2012

Singles "Head Over Hills", 7", "I Used to Fuck People Like You in Prison" Records, 2011

Compilation Anatomy of Reanimation, Fiendforce Records, 2008

Video Terrifying Tales – Death by Jersey, A Corpse with No Name Music, 2006 (live at Connections in Clifton, New Jersey on May 28 and October 31, 2005)

Mister Monster Deep Dark (EP), 2003

Dr. Chud's X-Ward Dr. Chud's X-Ward, Diagnosis for Death, Bloodwork Records, 2004

1476 A Wolf's Age, not on label, limited edition, 2009 (vocals, two songs written, credited as Steve Matthews)

Solo releases A Dream Not Quite Remembered..., EP, No Balls Records, 2012 Under The Witness Stars, EP, A Corpse with No Name, 2013 Argyle Goolsby / The Big Bad, The Wild And Woeful West Virginia, 7", A Corpse with No Name, 2013 "Thickets", Single, A Corpse with No Name, 2015 "Your Enemy's Best Friend", File, MP3, Single, A Corpse with No Name, 2015 "Baskerville", Single, A Corpse with No Name, 2015 Saturnalia of the Accursed, Compilation, No Balls Records/A Corpse with No Name, 2015 (Includes "The Being", a song inspired by the Flatwoods monster) Darken your Doorstep, A Corpse with No Name, 2017 "Save Me Tonight", Single, A Corpse with No Name, 2017 Hollow Bodies, A Corpse with No Name, 2018

Guest appearances Serpenteens, "Destroy Your World" (vocals), The Superhuman Monstershow, Blood and Guts Records, 2007 The Spook, Let There Be Dark (vocals), Fiendfoce Records, 2008 The Crimson Ghosts, Dead Eyes Can See (vocals), Fiendfoce Records, 2008 The Crimson Ghosts, Generation Gore (vocals), Contra Light Records, 2010 The Cryptkeeper Five, The Unbeatable Cry (vocals), The Cryptkeeper Five self-released, 2011 Zombina and the Skeletones, "Love Is Strange" (vocals), Zombina and the Skeletones self-released, 2014 The Big Bad, The Big Bad, (vocals), Digital release, 2014 Pyogenesis, A Century in the Curse of Time (vocals), AFM Records, 2015 The Fright, "Edward" (vocals), Rising Beyond, 7Hard, 2015 Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space, Mister Barlow (vocals), Earthquake Files, 2016 Mister Monster, Life at the end of October (bass/vocals), 2017 (upcoming album)

Films and videos Michael P. Russin, Blitzkid: Death by Jersey, 2009 (live at Connections in Clifton, New Jersey, on May 28 and October 31, 2005) You Must See It to Believe It!!!, Live, Evilive, 2010 (includes two videos ("Gorgeous Frankenstein" and "Man or Monster") and a 2008 tour documentary) Paul Basile, Living the American Nightmare, 2011 (documentary about Myke Hideous) Jeff Frumess, Blitzkid: Return to the Living, 2016 Lloyd Kaufman, Shakespeare's Sh*tstorm, Troma Films, 2019

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