Geoff Goddard Explained

Geoff Goddard
Background:non_performing_personnel
Birth Name:Geoffrey Goddard
Birth Date:19 November 1937
Birth Place:Reading, Berkshire, England
Genre:Pop music
Occupation:Songwriter, singer, musician
Years Active:1960s
Associated Acts:Joe Meek

Geoffrey Goddard (19 November 1937 – 15 May 2000)[1] was an English songwriter, singer and instrumentalist. Working for Joe Meek in the early 1960s,[2] he wrote songs for Heinz, Mike Berry, Gerry Temple, The Tornados, Kenny Hollywood, The Outlaws, Freddie Starr, Screaming Lord Sutch, The Ramblers and John Leyton.[3] His song for Leyton, "Johnny Remember Me", reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart.[4]

By the mid-1960s he had fallen out with Meek. Disillusioned with the music industry, he withdrew from it to work in catering.

Biography

Goddard was born in Reading, Berkshire, England.[5] He sang in choir in a local church before going on to study the viola and piano at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Following national service, he sought to move into popular music, and met Meek. He initially attempted to establish himself as a Russ Conway/Liberace styled singer-pianist under the stage-name "Anton Hollywood".[3] Meek promoted him, but he was unable to achieve success.[5]

Eventually he released his solo records under his real name. He recorded four singles as solo artist, produced by Meek, on which he sang with his distinctive regional accent:

The Oxford label CD also featured seven of the above named tracks ("Sky Men" being the exception), plus Goddard's demo of his song, "My Friend Bobby".[8]

His best known efforts were as a songwriter. The first project he worked on for Meek was the instrumental "Lone Riders" for The Flee-Rekkers.[9] He then wrote "Johnny Remember Me" for John Leyton.[3] It became a number one hit single in the UK Singles Chart.[4] Goddard also played keyboards on various of Meek's productions, most notably another chart-topper, The Tornados', "Telstar",[3] and wrote and performed on the hit single's flip side, "Jungle Fever."[10]

Despite his considerable track record as a songwriter, Goddard withdrew from the music industry after falling out with Meek.[5] He brought a breach of copyright case in 1965 against Meek concerning The Honeycombs' hit "Have I The Right?", written by Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley. Goddard claimed that it borrowed from his earlier song "Give Me The Chance". Goddard was unwilling to testify personally and lost the case.[11]

Subsequently, Goddard returned to his home town and worked for 20 years in the catering department of the University of Reading. In 1985, the royalties and the platinum disc from the Marc Almond/Bronski Beat cover version of "Johnny Remember Me", having sold over 300,000 copies, came as a complete surprise to him.[3]

Goddard died from a heart attack in May 2000, at the age of 62.[1] [5] In the 2009 film, , Goddard was portrayed by Tom Burke.[12] A memorial plaque was unveiled in 2013 at Park House on the University of Reading campus by John Leyton, actor and musician.

Releases as songwriter (RGM productions)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Doc Rock . The Dead Rock Stars Club 2000 . Thedeadrockstarsclub.com . 10 January 2013.
  2. News: Clayson . Alan . 2000-05-25 . Geoff Goddard . 2024-08-07 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  3. News: Geoff Goddard: Innovative song-writer in an era before the Beatles . Clayson, Alan . . 10 June 2010 . London . 25 May 2000.
  4. Book: Roberts , David . 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited. London. 1-904994-10-5. 320.
  5. Web site: Geoff Goddard – Music Biography, Credits and Discography . AllMusic . 15 May 2000 . 10 January 2013.
  6. Web site: Geoff Goddard* – Girl Bride (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  7. Web site: Geoff Goddard* – My Little Girl's Come Home (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  8. Web site: Various – The Exceptional Joe Meek – The Missing Recordings & Rarities – There's Lots More Where This Came From (CD) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  9. Web site: Flee-Rekkers, The – Lone Rider (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  10. Web site: Tornados, The – Telstar (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 17 August 1962 . 15 December 2015.
  11. Book: Tobler , John . 1992. NME Rock 'N' Roll Years. 1st. Reed International Books Ltd. London. 148. CN 5585.
  12. Web site: Telstar: The Joe Meek Story. IMDb.com. 10 January 2013.
  13. Web site: Gerry Temple – Seventeen Come Sunday (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  14. Web site: Voodoo Woman – John Leyton : Listen, Appearances, Song Review . AllMusic . 10 January 2013.
  15. Web site: Unterberger . Richie . The Best of John Leyton – John Leyton : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards . AllMusic . 10 January 2013.
  16. Web site: Mike Berry With Outlaws, The (3) – Sounds of the Sixties (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  17. Web site: Tornados, The – Telstar (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 17 August 1962 . 10 January 2013.
  18. Web site: Kenny Hollywood – Magic Star (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  19. Web site: Outlaws, The (3) – The Return of the Outlaws (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  20. Web site: Toby Ventura – If My Heart Were A Storybook (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  21. Web site: Screaming Lord Sutch – I'm A Hog For You Baby (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  22. Web site: Eder . Bruce . Pamela Blue – Music Biography, Credits and Discography . AllMusic . 10 January 2013.
  23. Web site: Heinz – Country Boy (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 23 October 2011 . 10 January 2013.
  24. Web site: Heinz – You Were There (Vinyl) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.
  25. Web site: Heinz – Tribute To Eddie (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs . Discogs.com . 10 January 2013.

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