Hello one and all,
It is my dubious task to inform you that The Good Gods! have officially disbanded.
We have had a wonderful time these past two and a half years both on stage, in the studio and in the pub. But it has become evident that as a group we no longer have the time that the band deserves. We remain great friends and continue to work on each others solo projects. Below are links to our individual twitter and bandcamp accounts. Thanks for all the support, see you around.
The Good Gods!

Tom – http://twitter.com/thomashatfield - http://thomashatfield.bandcamp.com/

Ed - http://twitter.com/edseed - http://edseed.bandcamp.com/

Duncan - http://twitter.com/duncanjbrown

David – http://twitter.com/davidjohnhardy

tonightwedancetomorrowwecry.wordpress.com

In hard economic times like these, when you hear the word ‘recession’ on your radio more often than you hear the latest Kings Of Leon enormo-chorus and the term ‘double dip’ means something more than an ambitious sexual manoeuvre, you do not get much for free.

Odd then, that The Good Gods! have decided to give their F.T.E.P – an EP home-made and packaged using pages of the Financial Times – away for absolutely nothing.
Odder still, perhaps, that they really should be charging for tunes like this.

Their sound is a strange mixture of angular guitars and often spoken vocals – somewhere between Pulp and The Divine Comedy. It may all seem slightly bizarre but it works wonderfully well on these 4 tracks.

Opener ‘Heavy Heart’ is probably the catchiest song on the record, driven by impressive percussion and a jangly little guitar riff that dances lightly along. It is essentially a well constructed, bouncy pop song that could easily have held it’s own amongst the Brit-Pop records of the mid ’90s. The rather serious subject matter doesn’t dampen the spirits because it is conveyed with more than a hint of humour ‘There’s no need for crying / Unhappiness does not exist / It’s a just a state of mind… I’m in.’

It is almost a blueprint for what is to follow in as much as they have a gift for writing about fairly straight faced or mundane subjects with enough humour and wit to raise a smile.

‘Lying On Our Bright Red Backs’ has been chosen as a single and it is not too difficult to see why as it is a clear highlight. It is a slow burner that evolves nicely into a frantic climax. Again they display their knack for light hearted lyrics as Tom Hatred sings over a gentle bass line ‘Life can mean all kinds of things / Plants and trees, birds with wings / I hope mine’s good, but I bet it’s not / Because misery likes company and I’m just her sort.’
I cannot pay the song any higher compliment than to say that it would sit very comfortably on The Divine Comedy‘s Fin de Siecle album.

‘Shut Up Tom (Just Fucking Run)’ is as amusing as the title suggests. It could have been plucked straight from 1996 such is it’s similarity to some of the great Brit-Pop songs of that time – think Blur, Suede, Sleeper and of course Pulp.

However they save their biggest ‘Pulp moment’ until last with an incredibly well imagined version of Robert Palmer‘s ‘Addictive To Love’ that just sounds as if Jarvis Cocker himself has worked on it.
It is both charming and amusing and it wraps up a hugely enjoyable EP perfectly.

So if you like your music to be both free (legally) and completely fucking brilliant, then head over to their official website and get yourself a copy of this EP.
Good God! you would be mad not to.

The F.T.E.P is a free 5 track CDR with hand made case, badge and sticker. You can get your copy by joining The Good Gods! mailing list before Christmas.

The story of the F.T.E.P

As some of you may know The Good Gods! spent large chunks of 2010 holed up in Moles studio in the historic city of Bath, recording their first album. The F.T.E.P is two singles and two other tracks off the album, burnt on a CDR then wrapped up in a page of the Financial Times. It also often contains a secret bonus track which won’t feature on the album and is only available by joining The Good Gods! mailing list within the next three months.

The concept for the F.T.E.P was inspired by Tom’s paternal grandmother, Doris. Like many of her generation, Doris found it hard to shake the wartime ‘make do and mend’ spirit long after the bombs stopped dropping. This was evident with her unusual cooking, which often consisted of all the leftovers she had, mixed together without much regard to compatibility. It was also apparent in her choice of Christmas wrapping paper, the Financial Times chosen for its pink pages and its resourceful thriftiness. Due to financial problems within the band and the whole world this seemed the perfect cover for a home made DIY release. There will be proper releases in the near future but to tide you over and to get a few more email addresses on the list, The Good Gods! present you with the F.T.E.P.

Fill out your email address in the form below then reply to the automatic email with your address and we will send you a one off hand made copy of the F.T.E.P

If you’re already on the list send an email here thegoodgods@gmail.com with the subject F.T.E.P and your postal address.

We will only use your address to send you the F.T.E.P. We won’t use it for any other reason and we will not give it to any third parties. Promise!

These things are called badges. They live in the ground and can’t see red light.

The other day I posted another new track up on myspace called

Shut Up Tom (just fucking run)

it’s the 3rd track down so you’ll have to skip two to get to it.

Here’s a video of me playing the recently uploaded Heavy Heart.

I’m going to try and make making acoustic videos a habbit. Stay tuned!

I just posted a new track up on our myspace player. It’s called Heavy Heart. I hope you like it.

http://www.myspace.com/thegoodgodsuk

here’s a picture of a kakapo.

I just spotted this review whilst doing the thoroughly uncool practice of googling the bands name. Such nice words were said that I thought I would post it up here even though it was a way back in June.

http://www.live-music-scene.co.uk/cd-reviews-content.asp?id=190

Forget any notions you have about summer anthems, because ‘Lying On Our Bright Red Backs’ firmly fits in that category whilst destroying any ideas you might have about puerile lyrics, three-chord wonders and sub par pop music. Instead, this sensational single from The Good Gods! is packed with catchy riffs, unique vocals and a brilliant music video to boot.

If Jarvis Cocker and Morrissey had a baby, it would be Tom Hatred of The Good Gods! His ability to manipulate his voice from a deep purr to an almost operatic countertenor gives the single great dynamics. However, it’s the harmonies by the other band members that will lead to a Wayne’s World moment of singing and dancing in unison for any group on a road trip.

Blurring the lines between indie and pop, it would be easy to compare the musical styling’s on ‘Lying On Our Bright Red Backs’ to any number of musicians, but the band’s sheer talent for subtle melodies and clever guitar flourishes far surpasses anything I’ve heard before. In fact, if I absolutely had to make a comparison, I’d have to mention Ian Dury and the Blockheads purely because neither band take themselves too seriously, yet still manages to produce spectacularly timeless songs.

This review would not be complete without a special mention of the band’s drummer, Edward Henry Seed, who is tighter than a mouse’s ear hole. Whilst remaining fairly restrained throughout the single, his brilliant beats drive the song forward and give the last section a real feel-good finish.

‘Lying On Our Bright Red Backs’ is a very distinctive single that will divide audiences and give the band that Marmite appeal, but I defy you not to break out into a smile after just one listen.

Hello! and apologises for the quietness from The Good Gods! of late. We’ve not been idle  in our absence and have been doing all manner of exciting things which will be revealed very, very soon. In the mean time why not come along to the HungaMunga Festival at the Bethnal Green Working Mens Club next weekend. We’re playing the evening of Sunnday the 22nd, its gonna be a really great day!

click the pic for the facebook event…

I am currently in the process of moving house which is a comparatively minor upheaval when renting at the bottom end of what east London has to offer. Not much stuff is my point, one car journey should do it. Maybe two if I decide to bring my favourite chair. But now my folks have decided to up sticks too. Which is a good thing, as I don’t live there any more and they could do with somewhere with less stairs. So that’s all fine then, except my little demo studio lives there! I’ve recorded in this space for years and years and the thought of leaving it has me overcome with a strong sense of nostalgia. I only started bedroom recording as a self indulgent practice with no thought of ever recording anyone else or letting anyone hear my own no-fi creations. But gradually as I grew in confidence a steady stream of friends and friends of friends wanted demos recorded and my mini demo factory was born. Here’s a few polaroids taken over the years I’ve been recording here. There’s also a few taken elsewhere but I liked them and I needed padding.

Below is a list of people who have in no particular order recorded demos/bsides or had some mixing done in my old bedroom in Chiswick.

Emmy the Great http://www.myspace.com/emmythegreat
Hookers Green No1 http://www.myspace.com/hookersgreenno1
Noah and the whale http://www.myspace.com/noahandthewhale
Ed Seed http://www.myspace.com/itsthemules
Micachu http://www.myspace.com/micayomusic
Sam Beer http://www.myspace.com/samuelbeer
The Morrison Steam Fayer (now Tree Top Flyers) http://www.myspace.com/treetopflyersband
Larkin Grimm http://www.myspace.com/larkingrimm
Morvern Caller http://www.myspace.com/hazeyjane (possibly the only one with tracks still up)
Carter Weber http://www.myspace.com/carterweber
Tom Hatred and the Angryband  …………………………………
The Good Gods! http://www.myspace.com/thegoodgodsuk

Sorry if I’ve missed anyone out, this was spread over a long time and I’m very forgetful.
Now just to see if the walls are thick enough in Mile End to set up shop there!

Tom
x

we’re on the A New Band A Day midweek mixtape www.anewbandaday.com here’s what they say about us..

FIRST! The Good Gods may well have had their name yelled in exasperation many times when England misplaced yet another pass against Algeria. Clever viral marketing.

Why are their backs red? Are they England hoolies who have spent too many hours drinking in the baking sun, and are about to thrown their plastic chairs at police armed with water cannons? We may never know. But their songs are noisy, sharp and clever – as if we’re listening to the secret rock ‘n’ roll recordings of the uncool kids at school, unleashing their frustration with the world for the first time. Really good stuff.

Below are some photos take on the day of our video shoot with Greg Buttler!
If you’re looking at this on a phone click here…m.flickr.com/#/photos/51378794@N03/ <>

www.theregoesthefear.com

As the summer sun blankets parts of the world with oppressive heat, what better song to listen to than the tale of a nasty, burned back? There’s no better at that moment than “Lying On Our Bright Red Backs” by a relatively new indie bunch dubbed The Good Gods!

The song itself is highly contagious, with a seemingly simple rhythm that drives the overall song into a tailspin of wonderment from front man and guitarist Tom Hatred (Yes, that is his name) who asks, “Will I ever get to see the sunshine? Or will I forever burn my back?”

Kicking off as a quirky slow-burner and then steadily building as a clear collision of both chaos and noise, Hatred’s vocal ability come out as something similar to Art Brut singer Eddie Argos, a comparison that is nothing short of excellent.

There’s more to come from this UK band, as an album is in the works for this autumn, when the sun is a little less harsh. For now though, enjoy this song of sunburnt woe.

We need characters in music and The Good Gods! Seem blessed with quite a bit of that. Thank The Good Gods!

www.artrocker.tv/videos/article/the-good-gods-lying-on-our-bright-red-backs

Here’s what they say…

Newcomers The Good Gods! are one of 2010s most intriguing new acts. Fronted by the brilliantly named Tom Hatred (a man whose dulcet vocal tones you will have heard on the Noah & The Whale debut album, plus who has previously written songs for Emmy The Great), The Good Gods! are announcing their arrival on the music scene with one of the years oddest videos. click here…

Look at us, we’re only in Mizz magazine! www.mizz.com

http://www.artrocker.tv/singles/article/artrocker-magazines-single-reviews-for-the-week-commencing-june-7th

The Good Gods! Lying On Our Bright Red Backs

One of the highlights of the summer season – and by the time you read this, we’ll hopefully be having one – is the sight of overweight men falling asleep in the sunshine, completely unaware that their ‘cockney neck’ and ability to Lambeth walk will not protect them against the sun’s harsh glare. No sir. The Good Gods! have clearly shared this experience and, like all good troubadours, committed themselves to writing a song about sunburn.‘Lying On Our Bright Red Backs’ is a slow-building track that creeps up on you and threatens to happy-slap your already sore skin, before the Frank Turner-esque vocals and soft guitar lines slip in like a massive vat of aloe vera to soothe the burn. A truly lovely little summer track. Rory Carroll

Here’s the new video for our current single ‘Lying On Our Bright Red Backs’!

Once again it was directed by the wonderful Greg Butler http://www.youtube.com/user/gregbutler1 Check it out!

Next Wednesday the 9th of June we Good Gods! are putting on a gig at the Lexington with the help of our friends a Games Today Music. We’re really looking forward to it! Should be a belter as we have two of London’s finest acts playing along side us that night, headlining we have the brilliant Eugene Mcguinness and opening we have the equally brilliant Young Husband. To get on the guestlist put yourself down as attending on the facebook event or you can also buy tickets here… for only £4!!!!!!

download our single for free. Click it……..

Lying On Our Bright Red Backs is featured on the sentric podcast. You can stream/download from here: http://senmusi.cc/cKzh19 And subscribe via iTunes here: http://senmusi.cc/a0Ljzs

http://youlikewelike.com/#/good-gods/4537655463

The Good Gods! An Exciting Process

Fresh from the release of their Double A-Side single (Addicted to Love/Heebie Jeebies) and a brilliant show at Old Blue Last, The Good Gods! talk to Tom Turnbull about soldering, soldiering on and er, selling vegetables.

Tell us about how The Good Gods! came to be?

David and I [Tom] used to be in a band called the Angryband and we got to know Ed when he invited us to play at his band The Mules residency in 2007. A year later we parted company with our drummer and promptly posted an ad for a replacement on our MySpace page. Ed responded and kindly volunteered to fill in as a temporary measure. The chemistry of the band was so different and exciting that we decided to start afresh with new material and a new name.

Do you have day jobs?

Yes! Ed and I sell vegetables, David solders wires though he use to be a butcher.

Tom, where does the ‘Hatred’ name come from? You don’t strike me as an angry man.

It’s a name I started using while I was playing solo acoustic gigs back in 2004. I was really keen not to be include in the dour singer songwriter sect and somehow Hatred seemed the right choice.

Tom, who does your voice remind me of? I’ve thought of Charlie Fink from Noah and the Whale, Jarvis Cocker and David Bowie, but none are quite right. Who have others compared it to?

The two that used to spring up a bit were Morrissey and Johnny Cash. I’ve got no idea!

What should we expect from the album?

Scrubbed up indie pop.

What do you think Robert Palmer would have thought of your Addicted To Love cover?

It’s hard to say if he’d have liked it or not but I hope he would have thought that the song was treated with respect.

Ed, you’re very good. How long have you been drumming for?

Thanks very much! I’ve been playing properly for about six years. I originally only learnt to play for the Mules, because we didn’t know any drummers, but I soon came to enjoy it. In the Good Gods we don’t use much kit, because it forces you to play with imagination, and also means we don’t have to carry much stuff.

Who do you all listen to?

As a band we would probably cite the Talking Heads above most. Also when we were away recording the first part of the album we had the Tropicalia and The Stax of Funk compilations on constant rotation. They’re pretty important records to us now.

How do you write your songs?

I start by sketching a song out with lyrics, basic chords and melody. I’ll then take it to the Ed and David and they’ll adjust it till we’re all happy with it.  It’s an exciting process that seems to be getting evermore fluid as we evolve.

What’s your favourite album of the year?

Micachu’s Jewellery is pretty incredible as is Lime Headed Dog’s Kfum & Kfuk.

The other side of the Addicted To Love single is the rockabilly Heebie-Jeebies, but what gives you the Heebie-Jeebies?

Almost anything.

And what do you think of the British involvement in Afghanistan?

There isn’t really a band stance on the British involvement in Afghanistan, though The Good Gods! aren’t keen on war.

www.youlikewelike.com

Old Blue Last, London (03/11/09)

There’s something heart-warming when you sense the lack of arrogance in a new band. Brash, bold front men are all well and good, but it can often take a special kind of innocence for an audience to really warm to inexperienced young outfits. Fitting this mould are the slightly cautious The Good Gods, though it’s hard to see why they might doubt themselves, for Tom, David and Edward are clearly far more accomplished than their withdrawn on-stage persona suggests.

The crowd at the attic-like upper floor of Old Blue Last tonight evidently expect good things from the boys, and for a blustery, cold Monday night in East London, the turnout is impressive. The audience will not be disappointed.

The Good Gods can no doubt be pigeonholed as ‘anti-folk’, but their output isn’t defined by semi-pretentious, patronising genre stereotyping. Their set kicks off tonight with a funk-laden bass-line that wouldn’t have felt out of place on the B-side of a Violent Femmes record – that is, until the unique vocals of Tom Hatred kick in (‘Hatred’ is ironic, surely, I’ve never seen a man with less visible loathing). Comparisons to Charlie Fink (Noah and the Whale), Jarvis Cocker (that conversational ‘talky’ tone), David Bowie and even Mungo Jerry spring to mind, though all are inadequate. Hatred’s voice at times nears pitch-perfection, fluttering comfortably between a very British bass and a New York hipster falsetto, and is full of passionate personality that encourages you to take note of his every word.

The gig has been scheduled to promote the new double A-side single, available on the Games Today label, and the obvious ‘hit’ tonight is a cover of Robert Palmer’s Addicted To Love. As strong, entertaining and well-worked as this is however, it is not really representative of what the band actually has to offer (even if it is wisely balanced with Heebie Jeebies, a nice tonic to the almost misleading electro feel of the flip side).

Addicted To Love will no doubt grab the band some attention (Mr Bestival, Rob Da Bank has already deemed the song “great” and Da Bank is not wrong), though fans of the track should venture deeper and not expect more of the same.

The Good Gods are not another kooky electro band. Their brand of lyric-driven jaunty indie-folk has the much desired knack of vitalising the audience tonight as if it is the most natural thing in the world. They should not be taken for granted. A tight outfit with interesting and at times funny lyrics (“Shut up Tom, you’re no fun, just fucking run”), and three-part-entire-band harmonies (who doesn’t love a singing drummer?) point to a definite future for The Good Gods.

There is a lot of competition in a market right now for folksy bands, but the brilliant bass, unique vocals and warm-hearted nature of this trio should ensure a successful future.

Lying On Our Bright Red Backs – is going to be the first single off our devut album which we have been recording at Moles in the beautiful city of Bath. It’s been so much fun and continues to be. As I write this I am sat in the control room listening to some of the rough mixes….