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Biography
Prior to forming Goldfinger vocalist and guitarist John Feldmann had played in the band Electric Love Hogs before being discovered by A&R Executive Patrick McDowell in a shoe shop with bassist Simon Williams. Alongside drummer Darrin Pfeiffer and guitarist Charlie Paulson, Goldfinger was born and released their debut EP “Richter” in 1995 on Mojo Records. The EP earned significant airplay on college radio, the success of which led Goldfinger and Mojo to sign a deal with the major label Universal Records.
Goldfinger’s eponymously-titled debut album was released on February 29, 1996, and earned the group a large and devoted fan base. Produced by Jay Rifkin, “Goldfinger” spawned the singles “Here in Your Bedroom”, “Mable” and “Pictures”, and became a highly influential record of 1996. Following the release, Goldfinger embarked on a tour alongside the Sex Pistols, No Doubt and Reel Big Fish, and appeared on the year’s Vans Warped Tour. The band subsequently released their sophomore album “Hang-Ups” in September 1997, after which bassist Simon Williams announced he was leaving the group. The band remained in the relevant spotlight through the release of the Spiral Staircase cover “More Today Than Yesterday” which was featured in the Adam Sandler film “The Waterboy”.
Replacing Simon Williams on bass was former Electric Love Hog member Kelly Lemieux, who made his debut on the cover album “Darrin’s Coconut Ass: Live” in 1999. Goldfinger’s subsequent album of original material “Stomping Ground” appeared in 2000, after which the group embarked on their most ambitious tour to date including the U.S. and parts of Europe. A recording of one of the band’s sets from the tour entitled “Foot in Mouth” was available to purchase at shows and online. Following the tour, Paulson left the band and was replaced by Brian Arthur, who had previously played with the Alt-metal group Unloco. After signing with Jive/Zoomba, Goldfinger issued the 2002 album “Open Your Eyes” which focused the band’s energies away from reggae towards a heavier style of music.
“Disconnection Notice” was issued on Maverick Records in early 2005, however didn’t prove as popular as its predecessors. Guitarist Paulson returned to the group around this time playing his comeback show at the Key Club in Los Angeles, California. After signing with Side One Dummy in 2007, Goldfinger released their sixth full-length album “Hello Destiny” and toured the U.S. alongside Less Than Jake and performed at the UK’s Reading and Leeds Festival.
Live reviews
That ska punk is even a genre is a strange thing in itself, but not only does it exist, it’s been big business for the right bands. No Doubt are the most commercially-viable example, of course, but The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, too, have sold plenty of records and played many a sold-out show down the years. Los Angeles outfit Goldfinger are another group who, at nearly twenty years in the business, who have made the genre a firm success, particularly in that mid-nineties scene that saw such a resurrection of the sound. As time went by, Goldfinger records became more and more skewed towards standard punk rock, too, as was the case on their most recent album, 2008’s Hello Destiny. Their seventh studio album remains in the pipeline, but the band have continued to tour; they journeyed across the U.S. and Australia over the past couple of years, playing high-octane sets that traditionally kicked off with their classic hit from Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, ‘Spokesman’. They haven’t made it to the UK, though, since early 2009; expect that to change as and when the album finally turns up, as they’re already veterans of punk festivals like Leeds’ Slam Dunk.
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