Goldfinger

Goldfinger emerged during the mid- to late-1990s as one of several Los Angeles acts, alongside No Doubt, Sublime, and Rancid, that fueled a brief American ska-punk surge. John Feldmann, formerly guitarist and singer of Electric Love Hogs, and bassist/vocalist Simon Williams founded the quartet in 1994 while both held jobs at the same shoe store; drummer Darrin Pfeiffer and a second guitarist rounded out the original configuration, though the latter exited before any material was recorded and later established a professional surfing career in Costa Rica. Shortly afterward Feldmann’s acquaintance Charlie Paulson joined, taking the stage with the group only twenty-four hours after receiving a cassette of their songs to master.

The six-track demo Richter appeared in 1995, earning positive notices and steady college-radio rotation that prompted a major-label deal with Universal. One year later the self-titled debut album reached stores and yielded the popular single and video “Here in Your Bedroom,” a song first featured on the EP; the band subsequently shared bills with the Sex Pistols, No Doubt, and Reel Big Fish while also appearing on the Vans Warped Tour.

Hang-Ups, the follow-up full-length, arrived in 1997 yet failed to match the debut’s commercial impact, though the group maintained visibility through its cover of the Spiral Starecase track “More Today Than Yesterday,” included on the soundtrack to Adam Sandler’s hit film The Waterboy. Williams departed in 1998 and was succeeded by Kelly Lemieux, another Electric Love Hogs alumnus; the revised lineup made its recorded debut with the eight-song all-covers live EP Darrin’s Coconut Ass: Live the following year. Stomping Ground, the third studio album, surfaced in 2000 as the quartet toured both Europe and the United States; while in England the band captured a concert that became the live release Foot in Mouth, sold exclusively at shows and via the official website.

Paulson exited in 2001, with Brian Arthur, previously of the Texas alt-metal band Unloco, stepping in; Goldfinger’s first album for Jive/Zomba, Open Your Eyes, followed in 2002. The 2005 set Disconnection Notice marked a shift to the Maverick imprint. Paulson rejoined in 2008, and Hello Destiny… appeared that year on the punk label SideOneDummy.

Over the ensuing years the group played only sporadically while Feldmann pursued outside production and songwriting work with Panic! At the Disco, Allstar Weekend, 5 Seconds of Summer, blink-182, and additional artists. During the same stretch Paulson, Pfeiffer, and Lemieux each left the lineup. Goldfinger resurfaced in 2017 with The Knife, which included contributions from blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, MxPx bassist Mike Herrera, Story of the Year guitarist Phil Sneed, and others.