Gods Child
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Gods Child | |
|---|---|
 Chris Seefried and Gary DeRosa at Magic Shop NYC mixing "Everybody" 1994 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, psychedelic rock, dream pop |
| Years active | 1991–1996 |
| Labels | Warner Bros. Records, |
| Past members | Chris Seefried Gary DeRosa Craig Ruda Adam Hamilton Alex Alexander Shawn Pelton Everette Bradley Mark Plati Ryan Hedgecock |
Gods Child was an American rock band from New York City, New York, formed in 1991 by Chris Seefried (lead vocals and guitar) and Gary DeRosa (keyboards and background vocals).
Gods Child gained popularity following the release of its debut album, Everybody (1994), which featured the hit single "Everybody's 1". Second album Aluminum was a critics choice but less of a hit at radio. After touring this album the band relocated to L.A. and changed their moniker to Joe 90, who went on to make debut record Dream This for Geffen Records along with other independent releases.
The band's influences include T.Rex, Lou Reed, Prince, Patti Smith, Sly and The Family Stone, The Doors, Curtis Mayfield, U2, early Blue Öyster Cult and The Beatles.
History
Formation
Singer/guitarist Chris Seefried and keyboardist Gary DeRosa both grew up in Dix Hills, New York playing in local bands "Mercury" and Random Speed. After graduating from Long Island University and Hofstra University respectively, Seefried and DeRosa moved into Manhattan and started the duo "Brother Brother". Playing gigs all around the city and surrounding boroughs by night and recording demos during the day, they set up shop in the Westbeth building on the lower west side. The basement of this artist enclave housed studios for various artists and musicians including at the time The Lounge Lizards and Suzanne Vega. DeRosa and Seefried had an 8 track recording studio where they recorded their "Brother Brother" demos with DeRosa engineering and also where Luscious Jackson recorded their debut record In Search Of Manny. These demos wound up in the hands of British hit maker at the time, Michael Baker. Having had platinum success with British neo-soul band Wet, Wet, Wet, Baker saw Brother Brother as an American follow up and signed them to his production company Simple Simon, which resulted in a singles and album deal with Chrysalis records U.K.. The duo released two charting singles in the U.K., "Temptation Eyes", a cover of the 1960s song by The Grass Roots and the Seefried penned "All American". A full length album was recorded but not released.
After the experience of major label pop oriented music, Seefried and DeRosa vowed to have complete control of their music and productions from then on. Upon return from England they went back to work putting together a band that saw numerous line-up changes in the first year and a half. After finally settling on a still temporary but powerful group that included Shawn Pelton on drums and Mark Plati, who had mixed the "Brother Brother" album, on bass, the newly named Gods Child started playing shows in Manhattan at CBGB's and opening for national groups at Irving Plaza and the Academy. With the positive response to the new material, Chris and Gary went back into their Westbeth studio and recorded 7 songs. They then took the 8 track recordings to various studios in the city and had Pelton overdub drums and percussion. With a residency in the Czech Republic coming up, the boys took the tapes to Arthur Baker's Shakedown studio in New Jersey and again had Mark Plati do the mixing. As the last mix for song "Reachin" (with Frank Funaro on drums) was being printed, the boys got a cab to JFK and left to play the Czech Republic. Once back in the States, they found they had been offered a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records.
Everybody
Having completed half the record on their own, Chris and Gary, under the pseudonym "Bullfrog and The Elephant" now set as producers for the debut, went about finishing the record with new drummer Alex Alexander, who had made the trip to the Czech Republic. The album still reflected their concept of making rock tracks with loops but now also invited the musical heft they were exploring in their live shows with extended psychedelic instrumentals and poetry jams. New bassist Craig Ruda, who had also grown up in Dix Hills, joined the band toward the end of the record, making his recording debut on the song "Sey". The album was mixed by Robbie Adams, who had recently worked on U2's Achtung Baby and mixed Zooropa. Both these records had largely incorporated drum loops into a rock oriented sound. The record came out and immediately garnered glowing press reaction and a national hit single. Everybody's 1 topped the Billboard Magazine "Modern Rock" and "Album Rock" categories simultaneously. Three music video's were made from the album for songs "Everybody's 1", "Stone Horses" and "Slide". By year's end, they had performed on the nationally televised NBC show Late Night with Conan O'Brien, as well as at a WNEW radio Christmas show at New York’s Roseland Ballroom.
Aluminum
After a year and a half of touring nationally as an opener and a headliner, Gods Child started making demos with Lucious Jackson producer Tony Mangurian. The band then relocated in LA to write more songs, play more shows and start their second record. In the transition Alex Alexander stayed in NY and Gods Child decided to use Tony Mangurian to play drums on their second record. Tim Palmer (who had worked with such acts as Pearl Jam, Sponge, and Mission UK) was brought in to sift through the more than 30 songs (having written an album in both N.Y and L.A), pick the best songs from both periods and produce the record. With the move to L.A., Gods Child’s sound was still littered with damaged sounds but the songs themselves were more stealth in arrangement. The result was a soaring spaced out sonic gem that was a critic’s darling. Although first single "Female Elvis (I'm the man)" started strong at radio, getting play in L.A. on KROQ, it failed to crack top 40 the way "Everybody's 1" had. Song "Need" was featured in the Fox Network television series Melrose Place and touring ensued as Gods Child found their new drummer in Adam Hamilton, a Shreveport transplant, now living in L.A.
Once back in L.A, new demos were written and recorded under the pseudonym "The Amazing Adventures of Joe 90". The first of which, "Sleeping Pill" appeared on an Album Network sampler and started the industry buzzing on the question, who is this new band? With a new city to call home and a new record deal in place at Geffen records through Adam Duritz's imprint, the latest members of Gods Child decided to record their next record Dream This under the moniker Joe 90.
Band members
| (1991–1992) |
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|---|---|
| (1992–1993) |
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| (1994-1995) |
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| (1995-1996) |
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Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Everybody | as Gods Child |
| 1996 | Aluminum | as Gods Child |
| 1999 | Dream This | as Joe 90 |
| 2000 | A Raccoons Lunch | as Joe 90 |
| 2000 | Boys and Girls | soundtrack |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Everybodys 1" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 18 |
| 1994 | "Everybodys 1" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 25 |
| 1994 | "Stone Horses" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | - |
| 1996 | "Female Elvis (I'm the Man)" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | - |
| 1996 | "This Is the Real World?" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | - |
Promotional videos
- "Everybody's 1" (1994)
- "Stone Horses" (1994)
- "Slide" (1995)
References
Hurley, Steve (2000-04-18). "News - Articles - 1430642 - 20000418". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2011-01-02.