The Godz (NYC band)

:"For the Columbus, Ohio rock band that emerged in the mid-70s, see The Godz (Ohio band)."Infobox musical artist
Name =Godz


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Origin =Flagicon|USA New York City
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Genre =experimental rock, garage rock, psychedelic rock
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Years_active = 1966-1973; 2007-present
Label = ESP-Disk
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URL = [http://www.myspace.com/originalgodz myspace.com/originalgodz]
Current_members =Jim McCarthy
(vocals, guitar, flute, harmonica)
Paul Thornton
(vocals, guitar, drums, maracas)
Jay Dillon
(vocals, autoharp)
Larry Kessler
(vocals, violin, bass guitar)
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The Godz were a New York City-based garage rock band that existed from 1966 to 1973. Their music varied from early noise rock to avant-garde and psychedelic rock.

According to John Dougan of "Allmusic", they “coughed up some of the strangest, most dissonant, purposely incompetent rock noise ever produced.”

In early 2007 the surviving members of Godz, Jim McCarthy, Larry Kessler, and Paul Thornton, reunited to produce new recordings which will be made available later in the year.

Members

*Jim McCarthy (vocals, guitar, flute, harmonica)
*Paul Thornton (vocals, guitar, drums, maracas)
*Jay Dillon (vocals, autoharp)
*Larry Kessler (vocals, violin, bass guitar)

The Godz started in 1966 on the *ESP-Disk label. The first recording produced by ESP-Disk at the close of 1966 was an attempt to rise above the limitations and accepted norm for popular music at the time. 1967 produced the second recording, a bolder, more adventurous soundscape which is, in some people's opinion, the group's masterpiece. The third album, in 1968, saw the quartet become a trio. In 1973, a fourth and last group LP "Godzundheit" was recorded. Unfortunately, in July 2005, a posting on the Hummingbird Mountain website, a message was posted from Jay Dillon's niece, that a showing of his art would take place and he passed on several years before. This is how the Godz heard about Jay's death. In 2007, the Godz re-united and are planning a new album.

Discography

*"Contact High With The Godz" (ESP-Disk 1037, 1966)
*"Lay in the Sun" b/w "I Want A Word With You" (ESP 4503 (single), 1966)
*"Godz 2" (ESP-Disk 1047, 1967)
*"Wiffenpoof Song" b/w "Travelin' Salesman" (ESP 4547 (single), 1967)
*The Third Testament (ESP-Disk 1077, 1968)
*Godzundheit (ESP-Disk 2017, 1973)

External links

*http://www.myspace.com/originalgodz GODZ
*http://www.myspace.com/paulthorntongodz Paul Thornton
*http://www.myspace.com/larrykesslerband Larry Kessler
*http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/6115/godz2.htm Fan Site