If you’re up for ska revival at Sun God, get your checkered shoes on and get ready to skank to the sounds of ska-punk band Goldfinger. Based in Southern California, Goldfinger made their start in the ska-punk scene of the mid-nineties with their 1996 self-titled debut on Mojo Records.
In the past decade of their existence, Goldfinger have rotated more members than Destiny’s Child, but never once compromised the quality of their music. The two original members, guitarist/singer John Feldmann (previously of the Electric Love Hogs) and bassist/singer Simon Williams, started up Goldfinger in 1994 by recruiting drummer Darrin Pheiffer at their local Starbucks. After listening to a rough demo Feldmann and Williams offered, Pheiffer found himself air drumming along the rest of the day. When their original guitarist left the group to become a professional surfer in Costa Rica, Feldmann brought on Charlie Paulson, who learned the songs from a demo tape a day before his first show with Goldfinger. The group released a six-track demo, “Richter,” in 1995 to rave critical reviews, and a record contract with Universal Records soon followed.
The first single off their self-titled debut album, “Here In Your Bedroom,” made it into heavy rotation on the radio and television waves. Goldfinger set off on whirlwind tours playing with the Sex Pistols, No Doubt and Reel Big Fish. They were also part of the Vans Warped Tour festival. However, the quartet didn’t slow down in their musical production as they ground out their 1997 Hang Ups, which released to disappointing record sales. The first single “This Lonely Place” didn’t live up to the expectations and popularity set by “Here In Your Bedroom,” but Goldfinger managed to keep their heads above water by lending their cover of the Spiral Starecase song “More Today Than Yesterday” to Adam Sandler’s “The Waterboy” soundtrack.
In 1998, Williams left the band due to creative differences and Feldmann brought on fellow ex-Electric Love Hogs’ member Kelly Lemieux, who showed up on Goldfinger’s next EP, a collection of live covers released in 1999. Darrin’s Coconut Ass: Live included punk, tongue-in-cheek remakes of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” and the Who’s “The Kids Are Alright.” In the spring of 2000, Goldfinger released their third full-length album, Stomping Ground. North America was introduced to “Counting Days” while Europe was stormed by “99 Red Balloons” (another cover). That year, the band toured with Eve 6, Showoff, the Bloodhound Gang and Mest throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. Goldfinger liked the UK so much, they recorded a live record in Great Britain titled “Foot In Mouth” (only available at shows or through their Web site).
In 2001, Goldfinger replaced recently departed guitarist Paulson with Ünloco-alum Brian Author and record label Mojo with Jive/Zoomba. Their fourth studio album, Open Your Eyes was released in 2002, followed by another grueling tour. Now let’s recap the lineup: Brian Arthur (guitarist and ex-metalhead), Pheiffer (drummer and Canadian), Feldmann (bassist, vegan and original member) and Lemieux (guitarist and previously habitual band-hopper). The band recently went back into the studio to prepare for their fifth release sometime in 2004. In the meantime, the band will rock Sun God with a nostalgic set of ska-punk originals and covers.
