John Goodsall
Encyclopedia
John Goodsall is a progressive rock & jazz fusion
guitarist most noted for his work with Brand X
, Atomic Rooster
and Fire Merchants.
Goodsall was born in Pennsylvania and has lived in Los Angeles, England, Milan
and Minnesota. He began playing guitar at age 7. At 15, he became a professional musician and joined Carol Grimes' Babylon, with members of Joe Cocker
's Grease Band
, Juicy Lucy and Jon Hiseman's Colosseum. He then toured extensively, first with The Alan Bown Set
, then with Atomic Rooster
.
After Brand X's 1979 world tour (the last with Phil Collins
), Goodsall moved to Los Angeles and worked as a session musician and as a member of the band Zoo Drive(1980–1987) which included Doug Lunn, Paul Delph
and Atomic Rooster
drummer Ric Parnell
(aka Mick Shrimpton of Spinal Tap
). Goodsall also performed and/or recorded with Bill Bruford
, Desmond Dekker
& The Aces
, Peter Gabriel
, Billy Idol
, Bryan Adams
, Toni Basil
to name a few.
The Fire Merchants released two albums, Fire Merchants and Landlords Of Atlantis before Goodsall and Percy Jones
re-formed Brand X as a trio in 1992 with drummer Frank Katz. Katz was in Jones' band Tunnels with whom Goodsall also recorded on their album Progressivity. This Brand X line-up released X-Communication and Manifest Destiny, which also featured Tunnels' midi-vibes player Marc Wagnon and some keyboards & composition by Franz Pusch.
Most of the keyboard/synthesiser sounds however in both Brand X & Fire Merchants trios were triggered by his midi-guitar. Goodsall's Brand X trio played mostly on the west coast. In 1997 Brand X embarked on a 3 month tour of Europe & Japan as a quartet with Goodsall,Jones, keyboardist Kris Sjobring from his L.A. based group Trancendental Medication, & drummer Pierre Moerlen
from Gong
. Later versions of this group released The X-Files and Missing Period, they played the west coast again in 1999 including a headline show at Progfest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
Goodsall has 2 daughters Germaine and Natasha.
He played live with John Goodsall's Ghost Society in 2008, performing music of Brand X. Other members included Jim Reiske, Jim Steele & Dave Lemish. Recent albums featuring John Goodsall include Franz Pusch 'Only Visions' and Leon Alvarado 'Strangers In Strange Places'.
Goodsall also played on several film scores including No Small Affair, The Doorman, Can't Buy Me Love, North Shore, Anal Intruder 9, Wave Warriors 2, Wave Warriors 3, Point Break etc.
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
guitarist most noted for his work with Brand X
Brand X
Brand X was a jazz fusion band active between 1975–1980 and 1992-1999. Noted members included Phil Collins , Percy Jones , John Goodsall and Robin Lumley ....
, Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
and Fire Merchants.
Goodsall was born in Pennsylvania and has lived in Los Angeles, England, Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and Minnesota. He began playing guitar at age 7. At 15, he became a professional musician and joined Carol Grimes' Babylon, with members of Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
's Grease Band
The Grease Band
The Grease Band was a rock band that started out as Joe Cocker's backing band. They recorded two albums in the 1970s. They are probably most widely known for their performance of The Beatles song, "With a Little Help from My Friends", with Joe Cocker at the Woodstock Festival in 1969...
, Juicy Lucy and Jon Hiseman's Colosseum. He then toured extensively, first with The Alan Bown Set
The Alan Bown Set
The Alan Bown Set later known as The Alan Bown! or just Alan Bown, were a British band of the 1960s and 1970s whose music evolved from jazz and blues through soul and rhythm and blues and ended up as psychedelia and progressive rock...
, then with Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
.
After Brand X's 1979 world tour (the last with Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
), Goodsall moved to Los Angeles and worked as a session musician and as a member of the band Zoo Drive(1980–1987) which included Doug Lunn, Paul Delph
Paul Delph
Paul Delph was a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, and studio musician whose catalog includes work with many well-known recording artists from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Delph died from complications of HIV/AIDS at his parents home in Cincinnati, Ohio. His ashes...
and Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
drummer Ric Parnell
Ric Parnell
Richard "Ric" J. Parnell is an English rock drummer. Although notable for his work in the band Atomic Rooster, he probably best known for his role as the ill-fated drummer Mick Shrimpton in the film This is Spinal Tap....
(aka Mick Shrimpton of Spinal Tap
Spinal Tap (band)
Spinal Tap is a parody heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called "The T.V. Show", starring Rob Reiner...
). Goodsall also performed and/or recorded with Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
& The Aces
The Aces (Jamaican group)
The Aces, initially known as The Four Aces were a Jamaican vocal group who are best known for their work with Desmond Dekker, but who also recorded without him.-History:...
, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
, Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Toni Basil
Toni Basil
Antonia Christina Basilotta , better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, filmmaker, film director, choreographer, and dancer, best known for her multi-million-selling worldwide #1 hit "Mickey" from 1982.-Early life:Basil was born Antonia Christina...
to name a few.
The Fire Merchants released two albums, Fire Merchants and Landlords Of Atlantis before Goodsall and Percy Jones
Percy Jones (musician)
Percy Jones is a Welsh bass guitarist, and was a member of jazz fusion band Brand X, from 1974 to 1980, and a reformed version which lasted from 1992 to 1997...
re-formed Brand X as a trio in 1992 with drummer Frank Katz. Katz was in Jones' band Tunnels with whom Goodsall also recorded on their album Progressivity. This Brand X line-up released X-Communication and Manifest Destiny, which also featured Tunnels' midi-vibes player Marc Wagnon and some keyboards & composition by Franz Pusch.
Most of the keyboard/synthesiser sounds however in both Brand X & Fire Merchants trios were triggered by his midi-guitar. Goodsall's Brand X trio played mostly on the west coast. In 1997 Brand X embarked on a 3 month tour of Europe & Japan as a quartet with Goodsall,Jones, keyboardist Kris Sjobring from his L.A. based group Trancendental Medication, & drummer Pierre Moerlen
Pierre Moerlen
Pierre Moerlen was a French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield.-Biography:...
from Gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
. Later versions of this group released The X-Files and Missing Period, they played the west coast again in 1999 including a headline show at Progfest in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
Goodsall has 2 daughters Germaine and Natasha.
He played live with John Goodsall's Ghost Society in 2008, performing music of Brand X. Other members included Jim Reiske, Jim Steele & Dave Lemish. Recent albums featuring John Goodsall include Franz Pusch 'Only Visions' and Leon Alvarado 'Strangers In Strange Places'.
Goodsall also played on several film scores including No Small Affair, The Doorman, Can't Buy Me Love, North Shore, Anal Intruder 9, Wave Warriors 2, Wave Warriors 3, Point Break etc.
Studio
- Unorthodox BehaviourUnorthodox BehaviourUnorthodox Behaviour is the first album by jazz fusion group, Brand X. The duo of Phil Collins and Percy Jones would use several of these tracks as bases in their production of several Brian Eno discs, including Another Green World and Before and After Science...
(1976) - Moroccan RollMoroccan RollMoroccan Roll is the second studio album by Brand X. The title is a pun referring to this being their second album: "more rock and roll"...
(1977) - MasquesMasques (Brand X album)Masques is the 1978 album by Brand X. This was the band's first studio recording without drummer Phil Collins. Ironically, the rear of the album cover has a photo of the crowd from the Knebworth Festival, 1978 — a bill that included both Brand X and Genesis, Collins' other band.- Track listing...
(1978) - ProductProduct (Brand X album)-Side one:# "Don't Make Waves" – 5:28# "Dance of the Illegal Aliens" – 7:50# "Soho" – 3:38# "...And So to F..." – 6:29-Side two:...
(1979) - Do They Hurt?Do They Hurt?Do They Hurt? is an album by Brand X. The tracks on this album are outtakes from the Product sessions. -Side one:#"Noddy Goes to Sweden" – 4:30#"Voidarama" – 4:21...
(1980) - XcommunicationXcommunicationXcommunication is an album by jazz fusion band Brand X.-Track listing:All tracks written by John Goodsall, except where noted.#"Xanax Taxi" – 5:57#"Liquid Time" – 4:39#"Kluzinski Period" – 7:00#"Healing Dream" – 3:51...
(1992) - Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny (Brand X album)Manifest Destiny is a studio album by Brand X after an extended layoff.-Track listing:#"True to the Clik" – 5:31#"Stellerator" – 6:17#"Virus" – 7:56#"XXL" – 5:51#"The Worst Man" – 4:33...
(1997) - Missing Period (1998)
Compilation
- X-Files: A 20 Year Retrospective (1999), compilation including side projects
- Timeline (2000)
- Trilogy (2003)
Fire Merchants
- Fire Merchants (1989) John Goodsall/Doug Lunn/Chester Thompson
- Landlords of Atlantis (1994) John Goodsall/Doug Lunn/Toss Panos
Session work with Zoo Drive
- Word of Mouth Toni BasilToni BasilAntonia Christina Basilotta , better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, filmmaker, film director, choreographer, and dancer, best known for her multi-million-selling worldwide #1 hit "Mickey" from 1982.-Early life:Basil was born Antonia Christina...
(1982) featuring "Mickey" - Drastic Measures Lisa Dalbello (1981)
- Lifetimes Diana Hubbard
- I'm Only Human Michael Des BarresMichael Des BarresLord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
(1980) - Spheeris Jimmie Spheeris (1984)
- Streetcar Named Desire Ava Cherry (1981)
- A God That Can Dance Paul DelphPaul DelphPaul Delph was a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, and studio musician whose catalog includes work with many well-known recording artists from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Delph died from complications of HIV/AIDS at his parents home in Cincinnati, Ohio. His ashes...
(1993) - Targets Jamie Sherriff