Geoff Goddard

Geoff Goddard
Birth name Geoffrey Goddard
Born (1937-11-19)19 November 1937
Reading, Berkshire, England
Died 15 May 2000(2000-05-15) (aged 62)
Genres Pop music
Occupation(s) Songwriter, singer, musician
Years active 1960s
Associated acts Joe Meek

Geoff Goddard (19 November 1937 – 15 May 2000)[1] was an English songwriter, singer and instrumentalist. Working for Joe Meek in the early 1960s, 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.[2] His song for Leyton, "Johnny Remember Me", reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart.[3]

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.[4] 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".[2] Meek promoted him, but he was unable to achieve success.[4]

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:

It is probable that a fifth single "Don't You Make My Baby Cry", credited to Percy Evanston, was a Goddard single released, for reasons unknown, under an assumed name. This US record is rare but can be heard on The Exceptional Joe Meek – The Missing Recordings & Rarities – There's Lots More Where This Came From album.[7] 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".[7]

His best known efforts were as a songwriter. His first work for Meek was the instrumental "Lone Riders" for The Flee-Rekkers.[8] He then penned "Johnny Remember Me" for John Leyton.[2] It became a number one hit single in the UK Singles Chart.[3] Goddard also played keyboards on various of Meek's productions, most notably another chart-topper, The Tornados', "Telstar", [2] and wrote and performed on the hit single's flip side, "Jungle Fever." [9]

Despite his considerable track record as a songwriter, Goddard withdrew from the music industry after falling out with Meek.[4] 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.[10]

Subsequently, Goddard returned to his home town and worked for many 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.[2]

Goddard died from a heart attack in May 2000, at the age of 62.[1][4] In the 2009 film, Telstar: The Joe Meek Story, Goddard was portrayed by Tom Burke.[11]

Releases as songwriter (RGM productions)

References

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

External links

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