A Good Fight

A Good Fight (commonly abbreviated AGF) is an American Rock Band from Fayetteville, Arkansas. The current members are Eddie Love, Rizz, Jon Woods, Eddie Mekelburg and Christian Sanchez. The band's first album, "The City Could Be Ours By Morning", was released in February, 2008. Their second album, "A Good Fight", was released May 1, 2010. The band is currently in the studio, recording their third release (their second full-length album), "The Kids Keep Asking for More".

2004 - 2006: Formation and early years
Jon and his brother Dustin (stage name Rizz) founded A Good Fight in 2004. They secured the federal trademark of A Good Fight through the law offices of Asa Hutchinson, who is now the governor of Arkansas. Dustin came up with the name of the band one evening, but then he and Jon decided the band name would be final after reflecting on close friend, Tim Berry, who had died in 1994 at the age of 16 in a fatal car accident. The verse in the Bible from II Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight", is a tribute to their friend. They then reached out to local and popular drummer, Sean Marriott of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who at the time resided in Fayetteville, Arkansas. After the three met, they agreed this would be an attempt to form a band with the goal of seeking national recognition. Their next focus was finding a lead singer. During this time, Jon ran successfully for state representative. Drummer Sean Marriott also was briefly married during this time to Juliet of Fayetteville, Arkansas. She is a good friend of Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day. Billy Joe wrote the song, "One for the Razorbacks", about her on the Kerplunk album ". The band had set high goals and they were in no hurry to settle for a singer.  After a grueling two year period and over 30 auditions, the band agreed to add vocalist Eddie Love to the lineup in 2006.

2007 - 2009: First performance and success of first album
With the lineup complete in 2006, the band rehearsed and wrote material during most of 2006 and 2007. They performed their first show at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, Arkansas to a crowd of 400 fans on April 21, 2007. Their first album, The City Could be Ours by Morning, was released in February of 2008. It was released at a sold out show at George's Majestic Lounge to critical acclaim. Within just months of the release of the album, the band won a nationwide MTV contest in which 4000 bands competed to have their music played during an MTV reality show.[5] Over a half a million votes were cast and A Good Fight received an overwhelming number of them for the music video for their debut single, "The Drama". MTV contacted the group, after they won the competition, and hosted a party for them at the Embassy Suites John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, Arkansas, August 1, 2008. The song was played during the season finale of A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, several episodes of Made, and their music video for "The Drama" was also played on MTV. Due to the popular response of their first album, the band was invited to play at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas on March 21, 2009.

2010 - 2013: Second album release and continued commercial success
They went back into the studio in 2009 and began working on their next album, the self titled, "A Good Fight". The second album was released on May 1, 2010, to another sold out show at George's Majestic Lounge to critical acclaim. With extensive touring, the lifestyle of the road took its toll on the drummer, Sean Marriott, who asked to be replaced on good terms. In October of 2010, drummer Rob Lee replaced Sean as the new drummer of A Good Fight. The band toured extensively. In early 2011, Rob Lee approached the band about bringing in a good friend and talented guitarist, Eddie Mekelburg. The band was hesitant at first but became open to the idea of having the sound of a second guitar in their live performances. Eddie Mekelburg's talent impressed the band members and they all agreed to add him to the band.

On May 28, 2011, the band played at Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma and again on May 26, 2012, where drummer Rob Lee met his future wife. Several months later, Rob asked to be replaced on good terms so that he could focus on law school and his new relationship. In August of 2012, Christian Sanchez was named the new drummer for A Good Fight. Jon took a break from the road to focus on his new position. He had recently been elected to the Arkansas State Senate and was replaced on the road by experienced, local bassist, Jake Norton in August, 2012. Jon still had a presence in the band, producing the new recordings for a third album, and a manager role. In 2013 the band consisted of Eddie Love, Rizz, Eddie Mekelburg, Jake Norton and Christian Sanchez. The band toured extensively and expanded their influence into the video game industry by landing on Sony PlayStation's MLB 13: The Show. The group played a sold out reunion show on November 8, 2013, at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, Arkansas with former drummers Sean Marriott and Rob Lee, and bassist Jon Woods.

2014 - Present: Third album recordings and a break from touring
It was announced at the November 8, 2013 show that the band would be taking a break from the road to spend time with their families, and to focus their efforts in the studio working on their third album, "The Kids Keep Asking For More".

Albums

 * 2008: "The City Could be Ours by Morning"
 * 2010: "A Good Fight"

"The City Could be Ours by Morning"

 * 1) "Dejavu In A Suitcase"
 * 2) "The Drama"
 * 3) "White Flag"
 * 4) "Waiting Room"
 * 5) "Sayonara"
 * 6) "History"
 * 7) "Town.House.Fire"

"A Good Fight"

 * 1) "The Captain"
 * 2) "Kill Me, What a Love"
 * 3) "Rips Like a Motor"
 * 4) "Ordinary"
 * 5) "Every Other Moment"
 * 6) "Someone to Call"
 * 7) "Emergency"
 * 8) "Because of the Times"
 * 9) "The Only One" featuring Amyh K. Hart from Fayetteville, AR band, Dreamfast
 * 10) "Sparks Were Flying"
 * 11) "I'll Take it From Here"
 * 12) "All Day, All Night" featuring Colin Hardaway, "Organic Hip-Hop"

Band members
Current Members Touring Members Past Members
 * Eddie Love – lead vocals (2006-present)
 * Rizz – lead guitar, backing vocals (2004-present)
 * Eddie Mekelburg - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2011-present)
 * Christian Sanchez – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2013-present)
 * Jon Woods - bass guitar, backing vocals (2004-Present); Record Producer (2004-present)
 * Jake Norton - bass guitar (2013)
 * Sean Marriott - drums, percussion, backing vocals (2004-2010)
 * Rob Lee - drums, percussion, backing vocals (2010-2012)

Reviews

 * The Fayetteville Free Weekly predicted that A Good Fight will be "the first Northwest Arkansas band to land on MTV".
 * "The Arkansas, USA based band A GOOD FIGHT already has had fifteen minutes of fame on MTV with some of their material, and while listening to their first full-length CD, it becomes clear that this is a high quality band. What they are doing is very impressive and deadly catchy at times. A GOOD FIGHT is playing modern day American Melodic Pop-rock, a few steps away from bands like Weezer, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, The Click Five and such, but somehow with a wink to the 1980s in the guitar riff department, such as the glam metalHair Metal riff in the song “Rips Like A Motor”. However, the music is American High School catchy day catchy Melodic Pop-rock, short but sweet and....quite good. The band also released a mini-CD, but with this [self] titled full-length CD they show they are ready for the major labels, because also the sound/production is of a high level, despite this is an independent release. Check out this band at: www.agoodfight.net" - STRUTTERZINE MAGAZINE - HOLLAND
 * “Arkansas pop-rockers have a buoyant Strokes-ish energy, propelled by deftly arranged group vocals a la Taking Back Sunday. Frontman Eddie Love shines, especially on the ballad “Ordinary,” proving the group is multi-dimensional.  “Kill Me, What A Love” has an All American Rejects feel, which is not to say the band lacks an altogether distinctive profile. In fact, this expertly rendered production, together with the photogenic frontman’s star quality, go beyond the band’s influences and should have major labels starving for A Good Fight. “ - MUSIC CONNECTION MAGAZINE - OCTOBER 2010 ISSUE
 * Alternative Press magazine described the band as having "mature, punk-infused vocals and catchy choral arrangements balance between genres—but that's part of what gives the band personality".

Contests

 * Winner - "I Want My Music on MTV"
 * Winner - ROCKNATION magazine GRAND PRIZE
 * Winner - AMP Magazine "Unsigned Band Contest - Part Duex"

Awards

 * NAMA (Northwest Arkansas Music Awards) - 2007 Best New Band
 * Celebrate Magazine - 2007 Best Band of the Year
 * NAMA (Northwest Arkansas Music Awards) - 2012 Best Band of the Year