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Godflesh

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Godflesh

Godflesh was an industrial metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1988 by Justin K. Broadrick (guitar, vocals, and programming) and G. C. Green (bass). The band is highly regarded as one of the pioneers of industrial metal. The group disbanded in 2002.

Sound and influences

Inspired by Big Black, Killing Joke, Swans and Throbbing Gristle as well as fellow Brummies Black Sabbath, Godflesh were among the pioneers of industrial metal, influencing well-known bands such as Danzig, Faith No More, Fear Factory, Helmet, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and even the Beastie Boys. [1] [2] (It is rumoured that Broadrick declined offers to join Danzig and Faith No More. [3]) Their influence can be heard even more distinctly in bands including Pitchshifter and Isis.

Godflesh is known for their unique mixture of industrial drum machine beats with droning, discordant guitar and powerful, intermittent bass. (On their earlier albums, the rhythms, synths, and samples are credited to "Machine" or "Machines". Later, Godflesh would make use of human drummers Bryan Mantia and Ted Parsons.) Their eerie, slow, and repetitive style is commonly described as "apocalyptic". [4]

Broadrick's vocals are often guttural, making use of something akin to the death grunt technique, yet they also at times show a softer, more melodic side, as in "I Wasn't Born to Follow" from 1992's Pure. Godflesh lyrics are terse, cryptic, and bleak, often emphasizing duality or opposition, as illustrated by the opening lines of "Defeated" (from 2001's Hymns):

Everything I build I destroy
Everything I love always hurts
Everything I hate I'd rather love
Everything I am is everything I'm not

Paranoia and martyrdom are also common themes in Godflesh's music and cover art.

Contrary to popular belief, Godflesh never was a grindcore or death metal band. It was assumed that following his stint with legendary grindcore band Napalm Death Justin K. Broadrick would create another grindcore band. However, Justin did not like the direction in which grindcore bands such as Napalm Death were heading with hyper-fast music and wanted to incorporate influences spanning more than just hardcore punk. Though not a grindcore band, they have been cited as an influence by some grindcore and death metal bands. Even Justin's former band, Napalm Death, has taken influence of Godflesh, inspiring them to do the song "Contemptuous" on their Utopia Banished album.

Career trajectory

In 1982, Green founded Fall of Because (named after a Killing Joke song) with Paul Neville. Broadrick, who had been playing guitar as a member of Napalm Death, soon joined the group as drummer and vocalist. The band fell apart in 1986. Broadrick then spent a couple of years (1986-1988) as a member of Head of David. In 1988, he contacted Green about reforming Fall of Because. Justin decided to take over on guitars and they chose to use a drum machine to help out. They also decided to change their name to Godflesh.[5]

Godflesh established a presence in underground music with albums such as Streetcleaner and Pure, which demonstrated the effectiveness of lo-fi production values in heavy music. A brief flirtation with major label Columbia Records in 1994 for Selfless and the Merciless EP saw the duo take on a more high-end production approach. In 1996 Godflesh released Songs of Love and Hate, which featured the drumming of Bryan Mantia (Guns N' Roses, Primus, Praxis). The next album, 1999's Us and Them, saw the group experimenting with a more electronic, drum and bass-oriented sound in which the guitar played a less central role. In 2001 Godflesh released the double album retrospective In All Languages. That same year they released an album of new material, Hymns, which featured the precise drumming of new band member Ted Parsons (formerly of Swans and Prong) and brought the band back to its slow and heavy roots while retaining elements of its experiments with electronica.

Green left the band in late 2001. It was announced that he would be replaced by former Killing Joke and Prong bassist Paul Raven; however, Godflesh disbanded in 2002 when Broadrick suffered a nervous breakdown just before departing for a tour of the U.S. [6] As a kind of parting gift, the group released a remastered version of their extremely rare 1994 EP Messiah, which was doubled in length with all new remixes. Broadrick and Parsons went on to form Jesu in 2003.

During its fourteen year lifespan Godflesh toured with numerous bands, including Danzig, Front Line Assembly, L7, Loop, Ministry, Napalm Death, Nirvana, Prong, Revolting Cocks, Skinny Puppy, Type O Negative and Strapping Young Lad. [7]

Collaborators and side projects

Several other musicians have recorded and played live with Godflesh. Paul Neville rejoined Broadrick and Green for the Streetcleaner and Slavestate albums. Robert Hampson, former guitarist for Loop, appeared on Pure and Cold World. (In 1991 Loop released the split 7" single Loopflesh covering the Godflesh song "Like Rats" while Godflesh performed Loop's "Straight to Your Heart".)

Members of Godflesh have been involved in numerous side projects, allowing them to explore interests in other musical genres, including electronica, ambient, dub, and 2step. Broadrick has collaborated with Kevin Martin and Alec Empire, among others. [8] Broadrick's current projects include Jesu and Final.

Quotes

I've obviously got quite a fear of dying—especially at the hands of other people. Then again, I've got a fear of just about everything. Gang violence scares me. Planes scare me. I can't stand flying. Every second I'm in the air, I just think that something isn't right, that the plane is about to crash. Fear is a really important factor in what we do. Godflesh is scared music, which is why it's so strong—we're always trying to bring those feelings up to the surface.

— Justin Broadrick, Rip, June 1992

Our music is about hitting an emotional core in people with brutal power. At first all we wanted to do was crush our listeners, but then we wanted to hypnotize them. It's hard to put that into words, and I really can't put it into words. The two of us [Broadrick and bass player G.C. Green] are rather introverted and reserved as people; maybe even sensitive. I find that I can convey our emotions only through the guitar.

— Justin Broadrick, Guitar, Summer 1994

There's a real beauty to brutality. Even the most graphic violence can be beautiful if it's presented in an artistic way.

— Justin Broadrick, Guitar World, February 1995

I often ask myself how I can make things more sick sounding. Sickness is really a big part of our sound.

— Justin Broadrick, Guitar, June 1999

Discography

Albums, Singles and EPs

Year of Release Title Label Catalogue Number
1988
1990 		Godflesh [EP]
(reissue) [Album] 		Swordfish Records
Earache Records 		MOSH 20
1989 Streetcleaner Earache Records MOSH 15
1991 Loopflesh [EP] Clawfist
1991 Slavestate [EP] Earache Records MOSH 30
1991 Slavestate Remixes [EP] Earache Records MOSH 30
1991 Slateman [Single] Earache Records MOSH 47
1991 Cold World [EP] Earache Records MOSH 56
1992 Pure Earache Records MOSH 32
1994 Merciless [EP] Earache/Columbia MOSH 116
1994 Selfless Earache/Columbia MOSH 85
1995 Crush My Soul [Single] Earache Records MOSH 127
1996 Songs of Love and Hate Earache Records MOSH 157
1997 Love and Hate in Dub Earache Records MOSH 178
1999 Us and Them Earache Records MOSH 179
2000
2003 		Messiah [EP]
(reissue) 		AvalancheInc
Relapse Records
2001 Hymns Music for Nations

Compilations

Year of Release Title Label Catalogue Number
1996 Slateman/Cold World [EP] Earache Records MOSH 47 CD
1996 Selfless/Merciless Earache Records MOSH 116
2001 In all Languages [2xCD]/DVD Earache Records MOSH 246

Trivia

  • The Aztec term for Psilocybe mushrooms is Teonanácatl, or God's flesh. [9] (Broadrick claims that this is just a pleasant coincidence. [10])
  • The image on the cover of Streetcleaner is a still from the movie Altered States, a 1980 horror film by director Ken Russell in which the movie's protagonist, scientist Eddie Jessup (William Hurt) explores other states of consciousness with the aid of hallucinogenic mushrooms and an isolation chamber . Photos from the insert sleeve for the album are taken from David Lynch's Eraserhead (another major influence cited by Broadrick). [11] Most of Godflesh's artwork has been borrowed from various movies Justin and Ben always liked.
  • It is no accident that both Leonard Cohen and Godflesh have albums called Songs of Love and Hate. In "Mothra" (from Pure), Godflesh "borrows" the lyrics "Your pain is no credential here / It's just the shadow of my wound" from the song "Avalanche" on the aforementioned Cohen album. [12] [13]
  • Broadrick's independent record label is named "Avalanche Inc." [14]
  • Contrary to popular belief, the album cover artwork for "Songs of Love and Hate" and "Love and Hate in Dub" are photographs in two complete different locations. Both may have a cross and a factory backdrop setting but they were taken in two unrelated locations. [15]
  • Kirk Hammett (of Metallica) has been a big fan of the band for quite some time. In 1994, he even recorded some material with Justin. One day, Godflesh showed the video for Crush My Soul (by Andres Serrano) to Kirk and he loved it. Metallica later used a piece of footage by Andres for their cover on the album Load. In a later interview with Kirk, he is asked where the band got the idea of the cover. Kirk tells the interviewer that he saw something on television about Andres Serrano and that is how it came about, not giving any credit to (or even aknowledging the existence of) Godflesh. Justin says, "There's no copyright on Serrano. We'll be the first to admit that. But we planted the seed, and unfortunately we're not getting the credit, obviously." Fortunately, in at least one situation, Kirk has commended the band and also has stated that they are the "heaviest band in existence". [16]
  • Justin Broadrick has been asked to join Danzig and Faith No More as a band member full time but Justin wanted to be focused on Godflesh during the time. [17]
  • Once Earache merged with Sony (Columbia) Godflesh got the chance to do soundtracks. In 1995, they appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Hideaway. They also appear in the movie itself. During one of the club scenes, they are playing onstage in the background, performing the song Nihil. [18]

References

  • Wiederhorn, Jon (1 May 2002). "Godflesh Singer Suffers Breakdown, Breaks Up Band". MTV.com. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • Vinylnet Record Label Discographies. link. - Earache Records catalogue numbers.
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