The Godfathers -

The Godfathers are an English rock band that released three albums on Epic between 1988 and 1991. Their debut proper, Birth, School, Work, Death, spawned rock radio hits with “If I Only Had Time,” “When Am I Coming Down,” “Cause I Said So,” and the title track.

Members: Peter Coyne (vocals), Chris Coyne (bass), Mike Gibson (guitar, 1985-92, 2008-09), Kris Dollimore (guitar, 1985-90, 2008-09), George Mazur (drums, 1985-92, 2008-09), Chris Burrows (guitar, 1990-95), Ali Byworth (drums, 1992-95), Ricky Newson (guitar, 1995-?), Paul Ronney (guitar, 1995-97, 2000), Grant Nicholas (drums, 1995-98, 2009-12), James Stirling (guitar), Les Riggs (drums, 1998), Sam Powell (bass, 2000), Igor (drums, 2000-01), Del Bartle (guitar, 2009-present), Dave Twigg (drums, 2012-present)

The Coyne Brothers

The Godfathers evolved from the Sid Presley Experience, a post-punk band that featured the Coyne brothers: Peter (vocals) and Chris (bass).

The Coyne’s grew up in South London in a large, tight-knit Irish family where the motto was “don’t side with anybody out of the family.” The brothers later noted similarities in their Celtic clannishness and the fierce Italian loyalties portrayed in American mobster films like The Godfather.^[1]

Their earliest musical influences were American ’50s rock and the British ’60s beat boom. As teenagers, the Coyne’s absorbed the pub rock and punk sounds coursing through England. After a series of odd jobs, Peter worked for three years as a music journalist.

The Sid Presley Experience

In 1982, Peter and Chris formed the Sid Presley Experience with guitarist Del Bartle and drummer Kevin Murphy. The name referred to their three-pronged roots in punk (Sid Vicious), ’50s rock (Elvis Presley), and ’60s freakbeat (Jimi Hendrix Experience). They self-released a maxi-single comprised of the group-original “‘F’ for Fake” and two covers: John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey” and the Jimmie Haskell composition “Firewater,” recorded in 1964 by surf rockers The Astronauts.

In May 1984, the Sid Presley Experience issued the single “Hup Two Three Four….” (b/w “Public Enemy Number One….”) on indie I.D. Records. The instrumental b-side sports a “Peter Gunn”-like riff in F#, overlaid with cross-picking, searing sustain, machine guns, and sirens. On the record sleeve, the four are dressed like mods. As in all subsequent media, the Coyne’s don slicked-back hair and ties; their image inspired by ’60s East End mobsters the Kray Brothers.

With a micro-hit on their hands, they mimed “Public Enemy” on The Tube, an ITV music program. As egos soared, on-stage punch-ups flared between the Coyne’s and Bartle and Murphy. The brothers replaced the latter two with guitarist Mike Gibson and drummer George Mazur, both Yorkshire natives. They expanded to five with lead guitarist Kris Dollimore, a seasoned sideman from the British Isle of Sheppey.

The new lineup played two UK shows, then hit the US for a string of dates in August 1985. Upon their return, they flipped through Halliwell’s Film Guide for potential new names. They picked The Godfathers because of its imposing, larger-than-life quality.

1985–86 Singles

The Godfathers linked established their own label, Corporate Image, a tongue-in-cheek ode to their suited look. They linked with veteran producer/engineer Vic Maile, an early Hawkwind/Man soundman with credits in punk (999, The Vibrators), pub rock (Dr. Feelgood, The Inmates), and metal (Girlschool, Motorhead).

In November 1985, The Godfathers released Capo di Tutti Capi, an EP with three Coyne brothers originals: “Lonely Man,” “I Want You,” and “Sticks and Stones.” Maile and the band recorded these songs and subsequent sides at Jackson Studios in Rickmansworth.

In March 1986, The Godfathers released their second 12″ EP comprised of three songs: two group-written numbers (“This Damn Nation,” “John Berry”) and “Can’t Leave Her Alone,” an older song that the Coyne’s co-wrote with former SPE bandmate Del Bartle.

On September 5, 1986, The Godfathers released their third single: “Sun Arise,” a Sixties cover backed with “I Want Everything,” a group-credited original. The 12″ contains a third track, “I’m Unsatisfied,” another band-written song.

“Sun Arise” was a 1961 hit by Australian comedy singer Rolf Harris, co-written with lyricist Harry Butler, the naturalist host of In the Wild. George Martin produced Butler’s original version, noted for its early crossover use stylophone and didgeridoo, an Aboriginal wind-drone instrument.

In November 1986, Corporate Image issued Hit by Hit, which gathers the nine preceding Godfathers sides and “Cold Turkey,” the long-unavailable 1982 SPE cover of the Lennon classic.

1. “I Want Everything” (2:54)
2. “This Damn Nation” (2:47)
3. “I Want You” (3:11)
4. “Can’t Leave Her Alone” (2:19)
5. “Sun Arise” (4:19)
6. “Cold Turkey” (4:45)
7. “John Barry” (2:29)
8. “Sticks and Stones” (4:06)
9. “I’m Unsatisfied” (3:23)
10. “Lonely Man” (4:08)

On February 14, 1987, The Godfathers released their final Corporate Image single: “Love Is Dead,” a cynical singalong backed with “Angela,” an eventual rarity.

B. “Angela”

That summer, The Godfathers recorded their debut album and secured a worldwide deal with Epic Records. In September, they dropped “Birth, School, Work, Death,” a biting summary of cradle-to-grace drudgery backed with “S.I.B.” — both advance tasters from their upcoming album.

Birth, School, Work, Death

The Godfathers released their debut album, Birth, School, Work, Death, in February 1988 on Epic.

The album contains eleven group-written songs, including the pre-released “Love Is Dead,” “S.I.B.” and the title track.

Musically, the album blends punk and freakbeat with strident rockers (“If I Only Had Time,” “Obsession”), occasional ballads (“It’s So Hard,” “Just Like You”), and forays into swirling psychedelia (“When Am I Coming Down”), fractious post-punk (“Cause I Said So”), and harmony-laden Merseybeat (“Tell Me Why,” “Love Is Dead”).

Bassist Chris Coyne and drummer George Mazur anchor the twin guitar attack of Kris Dollimore and Michael Gibson. They all sing backup to Peter Coyne, who offers stark, biting takes on sex (“I’m nightly crucified, no need for womankind”) and satisfaction (“I cut myself but I don’t bleed ’cause I don’t get what I need”).

A1. “Birth, School, Work, Death” (4:08)
A2. “If I Only Had Time” (2:29)
A3. “Tell Me Why” (2:50)
A4. “It’s So Hard” (3:39) features ex-Fabulous Poodles violinist Bobby Valentino.
A5. “When Am I Coming Down” (4:55)

B1. “Cause I Said So” (2:46)
B2. “The Strangest Boy” (3:58)
B3. “S.T.B.” (2:32)
B4. “Just Like You” (3:10)
B5. “Obsession” (3:48)
B6. “Love Is Dead” (2:42)

Sessions occurred in the summer of 1987 at Elephant Studios in Wapping, London, where Vic Maile produced the album in sequence with titles by Fields of Nephlin, The Lorries, and Screaming Blue Messiahs. The engineer was Harold Burgon, a onetime Ten Years After soundman who worked concurrently with Red Lorry Yellow Lorry.

Birth, School, Work, Death appeared in a white-framed, red-text sleeve with thematic vintage stock photography — designed by Jean Luke Epstein, a recent Stranglers graphic artist with credits on earlier albums by Duncan Browne and Gordon Giltrap. NME photographer Kevin Davies took the back-cover group photo, which shows The Godfathers posed side-to-side, all with imposing sharp-suited looks apart from Mazur, who favored the 1966 Regency style.

The albums swept US college radio, which gave high rotation to “Birth, School, Work, Death” and multiple deep cuts (“If I Only Had Time,” “When Am I Coming Down”). The videos to “Birth, School, Work, Death” and the followup single “‘Cause I Said So” received ample rotation on 120 Minutes, a Sunday-night MTV program dedicated to alternative rock.

More Songs About Love & Hate

The Godfathers released their second album, More Songs About Love and Hate, in May 1989 on Epic.

The album contains eleven group-written songs, including both sides of the spring lead single “She Gives Me Love” / “Walking Talking Johnny Cash Blues.” The title references Talking Heads’ More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978).

The album sharpens their hard-edged, R&B-derived sound with cleaner production and tighter interplay forged from constant touring. Highlights range from anthemic openers (“She Gives Me Love,” “How Low Is Low?”) to bittersweet love songs (“Another You,” “Pretty Girl”) and character sketches drawn from UK pub life and American icons (“Life Has Passed Us By,” “Walking Talking Johnny Cash Blues”).

Kris Dollimore and Mike Gibson weave jangling chordwork with heavy riffing across taut, muscular arrangements anchored by Chris Coyne (bass) and George Mazur (drums). Peter Coyne delivers combative, lovelorn lyrics in a gruff, declarative voice, framed by gang-style backing vocals. Track 4 includes a playful callback to girl-group tropes; track 11 closes the album with tolling bells and a wounded croon.

A1. “She Gives Me Love” (3:34) – Driving rocker with tight call-and-response hook and brash confessions of desire.
A2. “Those Days Are Over” (3:27) – Mid-tempo groove with chiming guitars and a rueful look back.
A3. “How Low Is Low?” (3:24) – Bitter rocker with a propulsive stomp and accusatory edge.
A4. “Pretty Girl” (3:59) – Kinetic, harmony-laced tune with ’60s-style hooks and veiled desperation.
A5. “This Is Your Life” (3:54) – Moody, building number that culminates in a pounding instrumental surge.

B1. “I’m Lost and Then I’m Found” (3:56) – Slow-burning anthem that rises into a chanted chorus.
B2. “I Don’t Believe in You” (3:28) – Tense breakup song with spiky rhythm guitar.
B3. “Life Has Passed Us By” (4:02) – Slow, swaying tune with barroom piano and music-hall flourishes.
B4. “Walking Talking Johnny Cash Blues” (3:04) – Rollicking, country-inflected tribute to the Man in Black.
B5. “Halfway Paralysed” (2:41) – Nervy track with clipped phrasing and tight punk energy.
B6. “Another You” (3:24) – Melodic closer with bell chimes and fatalistic romanticism.

Sessions took place in winter 1988–89 at Elephant Studios in Wapping, London. The album was produced by Vic Maile in one of his final studio projects before his July 1989 death. Harold Burgon engineered the recordings and added additional keyboards. Andy Wallace mixed the album in February 1989 at Odyssey Studios.

The sleeve shows a painted portrait of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, designed by J.L. & G.L. (Graphyk) with cover art by Bleddyn Gutz and photography by Paul Cox. The inner sleeve features printed lyrics and credits. Jean Luke Epstein (Stranglers, Gordon Giltrap) provided additional sleeve layout.

Epic issued “She Gives Me Love” (b/w “Walking Talking Johnny Cash Blues”) as a single in April 1989, followed by “I’m Lost and Then I’m Found” (b/w “Still Alone”) in February 1990. A third single, “Out on the Floor EP,” appeared in 1990 with three remixes: an extended “She Gives Me Love,” a Steve Brown mix of “Birth, School, Work, Death,” and Keith LeBlanc’s “High Octane” version of the A-side.

The 2011 CD reissue on Cherry Red appends five bonus tracks, including both 1989–90 B-sides and the complete Out on the Floor EP.

“Just Because You’re Not Paranoid Doesn’t Mean to Say They’re Not Going to Get You!” (2:25)
“Still Alone” (3:38)
“Birth, School, Work, Death” (Ex Mix) (4:42)
“She Gives Me Love” (High Octane Mix) (3:44)
“She Gives Me Love” (Extended Mix) (5:30)

More Songs About Love and Hate reached No. 49 on the UK Albums Chart. It marked the final appearance of Kris Dollimore, who left before their 1991 followup Unreal World.

Discography: