Goldfinger

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.

The original line up coalesced in 1991 originally under the name Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines. This formation included Jason Navarro (vocals), Dan Lukacinsky (guitar), Jason Brake (bass), and Stefan Rairigh (drums). Over the course of the 1st three years the group experienced several line up changes. Rairigh was replaced by Bill Jennings who was in turn replaced by Derek Grant. The position of bass also opened and closed a few times. Jason Brace was proceeded by Dave Smith, but this lasted only brief time until Royce Nunley took up the role. By this point the group truncated Jack Kevorkian from their name and released their split album with the Rudiments, “Shank for Brains”.

1995 saw the band sign to the Walt Disney subsidiary, Hollywood Records and by 1996 they issued their studio debut album, “Destruction by Definition”. Their sound took musical cues from ska pioneers like The Specials, hardcore punk acts such as Bad Brains, and pinnacle new wavers like the English Beat. It was quickly accepted by the punk community and they even scored a moderate hit with their single “No Face”.

Their follow up album “Battle Hymns” came out in 1998 and acted as a continuation of their ska-core sound. It featured songs that exploded with catchy melodic riffs and blasts of punctual brass. The songs rarely hit over the two minute marker, seeming to disintegrate with visceral excitement before one realized it had begun. The album peaked at no. 127 on the Billboard 200 and it’s track “Give” was included in the Disney original movie “Brink!”.

The Suicide Machines released their 3rd self-titled album on 15 February 2005. The album was spearheaded by the single “Sometimes I Don’t Mind” and closed with the Joe South cover “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”. The latter of the tracks appeared in the 1999 film “SLC Punk” starring Matthew Lillard and Jason Segel. A year later they issued their album “Steal This Record”, which included an R.E.M. cover and in 2002 they put out their compilation album “The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines”.

The group switched over to the label Side One Dummy in 2003 and issued the albums “A Match and Some Gasoline” and “War Profiteering Is Killing Us All”. Navarro also developed a record label of his own entitled Noise Riot Records” and put out the Suicide Machines’ 2nd compilation album “On The Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995” through it.

The group suddenly broke up in 2006, but have since reformed, playing their 1st reunion show in 2009. From 2010-2014 they have played various festivals like the Fest 9 and Riot Fest as well as sporadic gigs here and there. In 2015 they scheduled a two week tour, in which they would perform their album “The Definition of Destruction” in it’s entirety.

Tomas Kalnoky formed Catch 22 in 1996, later enlisting the services of drummer Chris Geer, trumpeter Kevin Gunther, bassist Josh Ansley, saxophone player Ryan Eldred, and trombonist James Egan. The same year the group issued their debut demo tape “Rules of the Game”, limited to 2000 copies. The tape quickly sold out through local promotion and Catch 22 went about finding a label to issue future material. Catch 22 subsequently sent their demo to Sean Bonner of Toybox and Victory Records, who signed the band to Victory and produced they debut album “Keasbey Nights”. The 1998 release introduced the band to a national audience, marked by its upbeat and positive approach. Following the release, bassist Ansley departed the group and was replaced by Pat Calpin, and Catch 22 issued the EP “UP!”.

Trumpet player Egan, who had been fellow trumpeter Kevin Gunther’s first music teacher, left the group in 1999, as did lead singer Tomas Kalnoky, who was replaced by Jeff Davidson. Catch 22’s sophomore album “Alone in a Crowd” was issued by Victory Records in October 2000 and featured the song trilogy “What Goes Around Comes Around”, “Bloomfield Avenue”, and “Neverending Story”. The record was followed by the group’s first national tour in which the band appeared with Mustard Plug, Reel Big Fish and a host of other ska bands.

Members Davidson and Soprano left shortly afterwards in 2001 with Ryan Eldred and Kevin Gunther assuming vocal responsibilities. Following the release of an expanded “Washed Up” EP entitled “Washed Up and Through the Ringer” featuring B-sides and rarities, Catch 22’s third full-length album, “Dinosaur Sounds”, was released in November 2003, marked by its darker themes and subject matter. The live CD/DVD “Live” arrived in 2004 showcasing a performance at The Downtown in Farmingdale, New York, followed by the band’s fourth studio album “Permanent Revolution” in 2006.