Goddo

Goddo is a Canadian band formed in 1975. It enjoyed mixed major label success from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. After reforming in 1989, they revived their career with several new studio and 'best of' packages. Goddo is currently signed to Bullseye Records Of Canada and continue to celebrate more than 30 years in the business.

Band history

Following a frustrating stint with Fludd, bassist Greg Godovitz (Former member of Sherman & Peabody which also featured "Buzz" Shearman of Moxy and Gil Moore of Triumph) formed Goddo with former Brutus guitarist Gino Scarpelli and former Truck drummer Marty Morin. The band made the rounds touring clubs in Canada with occasional forays into the United States. In 1975, they released the single "Louie Louie" on A & M Records Canada which helped them secure more work on the Southern Ontario bar circuit.

Marty Morin left in 1976 and was replaced by Doug Inglis on drums. In 1977, Goddo was signed to Polydor Records. Their self-titled debut album was released later that year. Songs like "Under My Hat" began to set the stage for Goddo's place on rock radio.

The follow-up album, "If Indeed It's Lonely At The Top...WHO CARES...It's Lonely At The Bottom Too!" (1978), features a rather barbed view of rock and roll lifestyles and the music industry in general with tracks like "Cock On" (a song about a previously censored Fludd album of the same name), "Carole (Kiss My Whip)" about legendary Rough Trade vocalist Carole Pope, and "Drop Dead (That's Who)" and the CanCon Classic rock anthem "Sweet Thing".

'An Act Of Goddo' followed in 1979 along with a historical live performance of the first ever Canadian stereo TV/radio simulcast of a concert sponsored by both CITY-TV and CHUM-FM in Toronto. The performance, called 'An Act Of Goddo In Church', has since been re-issued on DVD as "Live".

And the root of Goddo's popularity hinged on these audacious live performances. Now with a new deal through Attic Records, it was decided that a proper live album needed to be made. 'Best Seat In The House' was recorded over two nights at the Roxy Theater in Barrie, Ontario and produced by Bob Segarini. As an interesting side-note, the opening act on the first of those dates was a young upstart comedian named Jim Carrey.

Goddo followed the live LP with what would become their most successful commercial release with called "Pretty Bad Boys" and the hit single title track which spent more than 16 weeks on the Canadian charts. But within a year of the release the band was broke and without a recording contract and disbanded.

In 1989, the Classic Rock revival in Canada was in full swing and Godovitz reformed the classic line-up for a series of limited shows that were sold out. Inspired that the band could have a second life, a "best of" package called "12 Gauge Goddo" was released in 1990, leading to a critical re-evaluation of Goddo's historical place in the Can Con pantheon.

The reunited group record "King Of Broken Hearts" (1992) with legendary producer Terry Brown and produced a new hit single and video in "Was It Something I Said?". The band toured frequently when the demand was there promoting the album and doing double bills with legendary Hamilton punk band Teenage Head

In 1994, Godovitz returned to the stage as a member of Carpet Frogs who released one CD in 1995 called "Frog Curry". Godovitz and the band parted company in the late '90s and Godovitz returned to focusing on Goddo.

To celebrate Goddo's 25th anniversary as a band, an elaborate party was organized at Toronto's Warehouse Club in 2000 featuring the original Goddo (including Marty Morin), Ronnie Hawkins, The Partland Brothers, Andy Curran (Coney Hatch) and members of Godovitz's new British Invasion act The Anger Brothers including Bob Segarini. The show and the subsequent tour that year became the basis for the sequel to 'Best Seat In The House', called "2nd Best Seat In The House". Goddo's first three albums were remastered and re-issued on CD by Bullseye Records to co-incide with the tour.

With an eye to continue keeping Goddo in the spotlight, Godovitz released his memoirs called 'Travels With My Amp' also on Bullseye Records. He toured Canada to promote the book through 2001. Footage from the book tour and a live acoustic performance at Hugh's Room in 2004 became the basis for his Bullseye Records solo DVD 'Up Close And Uncomfortable'. Featuring Goddo hits along with some rare tracks performed live as they were originally written on an acoustic guitar. In 2003 Godovitz along with Bob Segarini, drummer Doug Inglis, keyboardist Brad Lovatt, guitarist Steve Jensen Surrender and bassist MIke Pellarin, released a CD self-titled under the name The Anger Brothers.

The core of that band and that album became the basis for a brand new Goddo record -- 2003's "Kings of The Stoned Age" on Bullseye Records. The band toured Southern Ontario in support of the new album which saw two radio singles hit the airwaves "Rock Star" and "Such A Fool".

2005 saw a change in the band's line up as guitarist Gino Scarpelli left. Taking his place on lead guitar was Steve Shelski Coney Hatch, who was joined by Anger Brothers keyboardist Brad "Mr. Anger" Lovatt, fleshing out the line-up with original Goddo members Godovitz and Inglis. With the new line up the band could dig deeper into their seven-record catalog and perform live, which was not possible with their traditional 3-piece line up.

In 2006 Greg Godovitz along with Bob Reid began Rock Talk, a weekly Toronto based radio talk show on 1010 CFRB, with a rich variety of musical guests and topics from all corners of the rock and roll world, past and present.

That same year Godovitz began working in the studio producing the Canadian rock group Three Quarter Stone on their debut CD "It Starts Right Here". Although known as an accomplished producer for Goddo's albums under the pseudonym "Thomas Morley-Turner", work on this CD and that of other up-and-coming local bands has helped to keep Godovitz at the forefront of the Canadian music scene, not because of past successes, but because of continued skill in recognizing and shaping new music talent and song hits.

In 2007 Linus Entertainment finally released the "An Act Of Goddo In Church" DVD called 'Live' featuring the band's historic 1979 broadcast from CHUM FM and City TVs first ever stereo multi-media simulcast.

Also in 2007 Canadian label Bullseye Records indicated there were plans to release two double-disc anthology sets called "Under My Hat" featuring alternate takes, live material and rare B sides.

As of summer 2008, Godovitz is working in Axe Music in Calgary.

Discography

Albums

*1977 "Goddo" (Polydor)
*1978 "If Indeed It's Lonely At The Top...WHO CARES...It's Lonely At The Bottom Too!" (Fat Cat/Polydor)
*1979 "An Act Of Goddo" (Polydor)
*1981 "Pretty Bad Boys" (Attic)
*1982 "Live: Best Seat In The House" (Attic)
*1990 "12 Gauge Goddo" (BEI/MCA)
*1992 "King of The Broken Hearts" (Justin/MCA)
*2001 " Live : 2nd Best Seat In The House Bullseye Records
*2003 " Kings of The Stoned Age" Bullseye Records
*2008 " Under My Hat Box, Volume 1&2 Bullseye Records

ingles

*1975 "Louie Louie" (A & M)
*1977 "Under My Hat (Fat Cat/Polydor)
*1978 "There Goes My Baby (Fat Cat/Polydor)
*1979 "Chantal" (Fat Cat/Polydor)
*1980 "Fortune In Men's Eyes" (El Mocambo)
*1981 "Pretty Bad Boy" (Attic Records)
*1981 "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (Attic Records)
*2003 "Rock Star" Bullseye Records
*2003 "Such A Fool" Bullseye Records

[Category:70's, 80's, 90;s, and beyond

External links

* [http://www.bullseyecanada.com Bullseye Records]
* [http://www.godobilly.com Gregs Latest news]

* [http://www.threequarterstone.com Three Quarter Stone website]