THE GODZ — The Godz (review)

Album · 1978 · Hard Rock

3/5 · 2024-01-04
siLLy puPPy

THE GODZ was a hard boogie rock band that formed in Columbus, Ohio in 1976 and the members only discovered that they were using the name of another New York City avant-folk band that existed from 1966 to 1973 after the fact. Despite no internet yet it was soon discovered that the name had already been used but a good old fashioned settlement allowed this band to keep the name. Consisting of Eric Moore (vocals), Glen Cataline (drums), Mark Chatfield (guitar) and Garry Brandon (bass) this GODZ was sort of a mix between Aerosmith, AC/DC and KISS with high energy performances that focused on biker themes and good old fashioned sex, drugs and rock & roll.

The band got a big break in 1977 by scoring a tour with Cheap Trick, another Midwestern band from Illinois who would soon hit the big time however when THE GODZ finally released the self-titled debut in 1978, wouldn’t garner the praise of the critics and neither would they find a mainstream breakthrough in the era when such hard rock was at its peak in popularity. Part of the problem with THE GODZ was lack of support from the Millennium Records label which folded soon after the release of the debut and although they were picked up by RCA for the second album, exhaustion and band disfunction caused the original band to break up.

This debut album featured seven tracks that showcased the typical hard boogie rock style of the era that was all the rage with bands ranging from Molly Hatchet, Foghat, Status Quo and Brownsville Station to the blues rock of Mountain, Ten Years After and Robin Trower. The main problem with this band was that they didn’t really stand out amongst the much better acts that crafted catchier material, donned flashier fashion and generated gimmicky headlines to attract the rock magazine crowds of the day. THE GODZ was pretty much a biker bar type of band that was vying for the big time, a lofty goal that never quite got off the ground although for no lack of trying.

Essentially this debut by THE GODZ is a decent slice of bluesy even groovy 70s hard rock with boogie elements that works to keep the party going but ultimately doesn’t really stand out in any particular way. The singer is adequate but really doesn’t evoke the charisma of say Stephen Tyler and lacks vocal precision of Boston’s Brad Delp. The album is somewhat amateurish as far as content is concerned but would’ve appealed to the no nonsense crowds who just wanted to rock after a six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a Harley in the garage. The band would flounder on for three more albums through the 80s but never really improved their style. This debut as mediocre as it sounds is as good as it got.

THE GODZ symbolize a whole slew of underground bands of the 70s that were hard working but not quite distinct enough to really break through into the limelight and through circumstances of no fault of their own. Perhaps with a little more stability and a bit more of creative input to make the songs sound more animated, THE GODZ could’ve become a sensation outside of the Midwest scene. A decent album but ultimately a forgettable one that hasn’t stood the test of time very well given this style of music at its best has become notable out of fashion in the modern world.