This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2020) |
Brian Godding (19 August 1945 – 25 November 2023) was a Welsh pop, rock and jazz rock guitarist. He was a founding member of the psychedelic rock band Blossom Toes and was also a member of the jazz rock big band Centipede.
Brian Godding | |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 August 1945 Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Died | 25 November 2023 (aged 78) |
| Genres | Pop music, rock, jazz rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, session musician, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 1964–2023 |
| Website | lotsawatts.co.uk |
| Audio sample | |
"Blue Sun" from Slaughter on Shaftesbury Avenue | |
Biography edit
Godding was born on 19 August 1945 in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, South Wales.[1] He died on 25 November 2023, at the age of 78.[2] He was a brother-in-law of English singer and actress Julie Driscoll.
Work edit
In the early 1980s Godding contributed to three albums by Kevin Coyne: Bursting Bubbles (1980), Sanity Stomp (1980) and Pointing the Finger (1981).[3][4][5]
Regarding his 1988 solo album Slaughter on Shaftesbury Avenue, Dave Wayne in the New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock, said:
Intense jazz-rock fusion of the highest quality. Godding's guitar playing should please fans of McLaughlin and Holdsworth to no end. Heartily recommended to all fusion fans.[6]
Reviewing the same album for the Dorset Echo, Marco Rossi said:
Fans of Allan Holdsworth, John Etheridge and John McLaughlin had best be sitting down with a fortifying cuppa when they hear, by way of example, "Blue Sun" from Godding's 1988 album Slaughter on Shaftesbury Avenue - a warm-toned, hugely imaginative and wholly involving sound picture on which Godding conjures forth such a powerfully hypnotic extended intro that I actually jumped out of my seat when the drums came in.[7]
Godding was featured in 'Crossing Bridges', a 1983 music programme based around jazz guitar improvisation, and broadcast by Channel 4.[8]
Writing for dmme.net after his death in 2023, H.-Peter Pfeufer said:
Universally praised as a jazz player, Brian Godding, who passed away on November 25th at the age of 78, has always been, in fact, held in high esteem as half of a musical unit that influenced most of the classic rock twin-guitar pairs, a part, together with Jim Cregan, of the legendary BLOSSOM TOES. Their two albums, 1967's We Are Ever So Clean and If Only for a Moment from 1969, both overseen by Giorgio Gomelsky, are considered cult treasures now, but Brian felt his horizons were limited by what the band did, and a one-off gig with Julie Driscoll in 1969 presented Godding with a chance to move forward and expand his outlook in more than one way, thus targeting genuine greatness.[2]
Discography edit
As leader edit
- Slaughter on Shaftesbury Avenue (Reckless Records: RECK16, 1988)
As sideman edit
With Blossom Toes
- We Are Ever So Clean (Marmalade, 1967)
- If Only for a Moment (Marmalade, 1969)
With Centipede
- Septober Energy, (Neon: NE 9, 1971)
With Full Monte
- Spark In The Dark (Slam, 2013)[9]
With Magma
- Köhntarkösz (Vertigo, A&M, Seventh Day, 1974)
With Kevin Coyne
- Bursting Bubbles (Virgin Records, 1980)
- Sanity Stomp (Virgin Records, 1980)
- Pointing the Finger (Cherry Red Records, 1981)
With Mike Westbrook
- Citadel/Room 315 (RCA, 1975)
- Love/Dream And Variations (Transatlantic, 1976)
- The Cortège (Original Records, 1982)
- On Duke's Birthday (Hat ART, 1985)
- Pierides (Jazzprint, 1986)
- The Dance Band (Core, 1987)
- London Bridge Is Broken Down (Virgin Venture, 1988)
With Mirage
- Now You See It (Compendium, 1977)[10]
References edit
- ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 986. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ a b "Goodbye, Brian Godding". DMME.net.
- ^ "Bursting Bubbles - Kevin Coyne" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Sanity Stomp - Kevin Coyne" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Pointing the Finger - Kevin Coyne" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "New Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock GI-GO". www.gepr.net. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ "Singular talents". Dorset Echo. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- ^ "Crossing Bridges". BRIGHT THOUGHTS.
- ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (1994). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP and Cassette. Penguin Books. p. 468. ISBN 978-0140-1794-91.
- ^ "Mirage – Now You See It... (1977, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
External links edit
- Brian Godding's official website
- The Musician's Olympus at the Wayback Machine (archived October 26, 2009)
- Godding @ Olliehalsall.co.uk
- Brian Godding discography at Discogs
- Brian Godding at IMDb