GoodBooks

Infobox musical artist
Name = GoodBooks

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Img_capt = GoodBooks live in 2006
Img_size = 250
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Kent, England
Genre = Indie rock
Years_active = 2005 - Present
Label = Transgressive Records Columbia Records
Current_members = Max Chris JP Leo
URL = [http://www.ilovegoodbooks.com/ ilovegoodbooks.com]

GoodBooks is an English indie rock band originating from Sevenoaks in Kent. They first received media attention upon releasing their self-published EP "Valves and Robots" in June 2005. The band signed to Transgressive Records in late-2005 for one single and released "Walk With Me" in April, before being snapped up by Columbia Records shortly after.

History

GoodBooks evolution began when Max and Leo started doing Beatles covers in their attic when they were 8 and Max’s mum used to teach Chris at primary school. It took till 2001 for the band to take shape when at Sevenoaks School in Kent, Max and Leo came together with Chris and JP to form The Fingerprints. The Fingerprints set about their musical career by self-recording two albums; "Cards on the Table, Clothes on the Floor" and "Miranda". Tracks such as "Tangerine" appeared on local radio stations such as BBC Radio Kent and KMFM. The band also started gigging locally in the South-East during this time, with regular gigs at the Tunbridge Wells Forum helping them to develop a modest regional fanbase, even performing in front of 8,000 people on one eventful Christmas.

The Fingerprints disbanded in late 2004 when their then-bassist left. The band decided to continue as a four piece and on the day of their first rehearsal "Walk With Me" was created. The band continued to write more songs but this time they had a maturer more electronic-influenced sounds. The sessions created tracks from the "Valves and Robots" EP such as "Passchendaele" and "Isabella" which not only became fan favourites but impressed influential members of the industry and in late 2005 the band signed a deal for a one-off single with indie label Transgressive Records.

The following months saw GoodBooks establishing their place within the UK alternative scene on a wider scale with gigs all over the country, notably supporting Art Brut and a gig with The Magic Numbers in Sweden. "Walk With Me" was rerecorded and was released as the band's debut single on Transgressive on 3 April 2006 on 7" vinyl and cassette only (one of only a very small number of cassette singles released that year). The video was shown on MTV2 and "NME" awarded it Runner-Up in its track of the week section, proclaiming GoodBooks "the best new band in Britain". ["NME Magazine - 15 April 2006", Tracks - "p39".]

The band were approached by Columbia Records at the start of 2006 and signed a deal in May, releasing the singles "Turn it Back" and "Leni" in the second half of 2006 as well as making important and well-received performances at the Carling Reading and Leeds Festivals and the Truck Festival and their debut album, "Control", was released on 30 July 2007 in the UK. ["An Interview with the band on the Tom Robinson show", BBC 6 Music - 1 May 2007.]

Discography

Studio albums

* "Control" (2007)
* "Control Freaks - The Remixes " (2007)

EPs and singles

* "Valves And Robots EP" (2005)
* "Walk With Me" (2006)
* "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" (Mystery Jets Cover) (2006)
* "Turn It Back" (2006)
* "Leni Mixes" (2006)
* "Leni" (2006)
* "The Illness" (2007)
* "The Illness Mixes" (2007)
* "Passchendaele" (2007) #73 UK
* "Passchendaele Mixes" (2007)
* "Lovesongs on Casio" (2007)

Trivia

* The name GoodBooks was suggested to Max at a gig by children's TV Presenter Holly Willoughby [New Musical Express, January 2006] .
* Bassist Christopher Porter has the date the band signed their record deal tattooed on his wristFact|date=July 2007.

Footnotes

Links

* [http://www.the-mag.me.uk/Band-Profiles/Goodbooks/ Goodbooks on The Mag]