Lon Goddard
© Photograph by Dezo Hoffmann/Record Mirror, 1967
THIS JUST IN...
In 1966, on a lark and just out of high school in Sacramento, California, drove to New York with a friend and hopped a liner for London. Guitar on back, discovered "Les Cousins," the Soho folk centre, met Andy 'Matthews' and began tending the bar, doing occasional performances. Moved around with many original folk artists, lived with Roy Harper & family in Kilburn for a long while, drew Roy's Sophisticated Beggar debut LP cover, played 2nd guitar on tracks, 'October 12th' and 'Goldfish' (also designed gatefold cover for Roy's Flat Baroque & Berserk LP). Lived at social worker Judith Piepe's in Shadwell for a short while.
Late 1966, wangled a job as weekly caricature artist with Record Mirror, becoming staff layout assistant and eventually writer. Interviewed everybody. Also wrote and illustrated for Cream and Beat Instrumental. 1972, head-hunted by Mike O'Mahoney and Maurice Oberstein to become Chief Press Officer for CBS Records. Got everybody interviewed. 1974, head-hunted by Melody Maker editor Ray Coleman to become editor of sister IPC publication Disc Weekly. Told staff to interview everybody. 1976, left to become head of Press for Phonogram Records. Got interviews for everybody else. 1981, left to become full-time illustrator with art agents Andrew Archer Associates, shortly moving over to Folio art agents of Holborn and remaining there as an artist/illustrator until 1987. Co-wrote paperbacks Movie Brainbusters and TV Brainbusters with author Patrick Humphries for Pete Townshend's Zomba Books.
On another lark, moved everything to Sydney for a year, obtained an art agent, returned to California in 1988 under Aussie immigration department pressure. Illustrated for Tower Records' Pulse magazine, reviewed films for Mick Martin's annual Video Movie Guide. During periods in the UK other than RM and Disc, wrote and illustrated for Melody Maker, Time Out, The Guardian, Financial Times and others, often under the pseuodynm 'Doghouse Riley.'
Now esconced in Oregon, USA, writing, illustrating, acting, hunting down unreleased films & TV, singing/playing guitar as a solo musician. Let me put this in lead type: I owe it all to famous RM editor Peter Jones and legendary RM rock/pop writer Norman Jopling. Thank you to everyone for a fine 20-years growing up in the music business during 60's-70's prime time England.
85 articles
List of articles in the library
Miriam Makeba: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 25 November 1967
Cat-like Miriam at the Albert Hall... ...
Gladys Knight, Alan Price: Gladys Knight & the Pips, Alan Price Set: Saville Theatre, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 December 1967
Alan Price and Gladys Knight & the Pips — Saville triumph ...
The Scaffold: Scaffold: Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 17 February 1968
AN HILARIOUSLY comedic and subtly intimate evening sparsed with a few soft-core implications was to be had at the Queen Elizabeth Hall during the appearance ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 11 May 1968
DAVE DEE ON STAGE — WHAT FORMS THE BASIS OF A GOOD STAGE ACT? ...
Henry Mancini, Andy Williams: Andy Williams, Henry Mancini: Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 25 May 1968
ONE OF America's true men of song, Henry Mancini lays proud claim to a remarkable list of musical credits, sprinkled with the occasional academy award. ...
Sly & the Family Stone: Sly To Put a Core in the Apple
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 31 August 1968
TO STAMP OUT MUSICAL DEFICIENCY COME SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE ...
The Band: Music From Big Pink (EMI Capitol C015559)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 October 1968
AT LAST, THE BAND ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 October 1968
NO MORE BREL SONGS FOR SCOTT ...
Traffic: Traffic (Island Stereo ILPS 908IT) *****
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 October 1968
TRAFFIC DITTIES ON THEIR NEW ALBUM ...
Joe Cocker: They Said... It Couldn't Be Done But... Joe Did It!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 October 1968
THEY SAID it couldn't be done... couldn't be done... couldn't be done. But Joe Cocker's done it. ...
Joe Cocker: I'm Such a Funny Item To Try and Sell, says Joe Cocker
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 November 1968
AT THE time of writing, Joe Cocker is threatening the long standing Mary Hopkin and vying with menace for that number one chart position. The ...
The Rolling Stones: Beggars' Banquet (Decca)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 30 November 1968
'Sympathy For The Devil'; 'No Expectations'; 'Dear Doctor'; 'Parachute Woman'; 'Jig-Saw Puzzle'; 'Street Fighting Man'; 'Prodigal Son'; 'Stray Cat Blues'; 'Factory Girl'; 'Salt Of The Earth' ...
Jeannie C. Riley: 'Harper Valley' Characters Come To Life via Jeannie C. Riley
Profile by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 7 December 1968
VISIONS OF the Mississippi Delta again grace the charts as does a rather lovely face while 21-year-old Texas-born Jeannie C. Riley nips at the top ...
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
'LIVE' LPs FROM CREAM & OTIS. ...
The Rolling Stones: Stones Pie Brawl!
Report by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 December 1968
R.M.'S LON GODDARD was there... ...
The Four Tops: Yesterday's Gone (Tamla Motown Stereo ST ML 11087).
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 18 January 1969
SOME UNEXPECTED selections on this long awaited 4 Tops collection. The Tops are classics of The Male Motown list and have certainly put some brilliant ...
Simon & Garfunkel: The Wizards
Profile by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 8 February 1969
SOME YEARS ago, in the days of pop's infancy, the fickle finger of fate (thank you Dick Martin and Dan Rowan) struck a golden combination. ...
Terry Reid: Dynamite — Comes in Three's
Profile and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 15 February 1969
SLOWLY BUT more than surely, a new cult is building under our noses on both sides of the Atlantic. Centre of the exclusive attraction is ...
1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express: Buddha's Artie Ripp: You Don't Chew It Play It!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
WHO WAS the man with the enormous ten-gallon hat? Why did he always chew gum? ...
Glen Campbell: Wichita Lineman (Ember STEREO NR5043)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
'Wichita Lineman'; '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay'; 'If You Go Away'; 'Ann'; 'Words'; 'Fate Of Man'; 'Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife'; 'The Straight ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 March 1969
WHAT WAS Moby Grape? Some thought it was yet another hold-over from the battery of 'grape' jokes that sprang out of the American college pun ...
Tony Joe White: Music Millionaires
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 29 March 1969
TONY JOE WHITE has a sleepy southern Louisiana accent, looks and sounds a lot like American heavy actor Claude Akins, and plays a fast guitar. ...
Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (CBS STEREO 63601)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 26 April 1969
'Girl Of The North Country' (with Johnny Cash); 'Nashville Skyline Rag'; 'To Be Alone With You'; 'I Threw It All Away'; 'Peggy Day'; 'Lay Lady ...
Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb: "Jimmy Webb Is A Country Boy", Glen Campbell tells R.M.'s Lon Goddard
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 3 May 1969
"JIMMY WEBB," explained smooth voiced Glen Campbell, somewhere south of Wichita, but still on the line, "is a likeable easy going country boy. One of ...
The Who: Ronnie Scott's, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 10 May 1969
FROM TWELVE o'clock onwards, an influx of journalists, publicists and assorted ravers were to be seen conglomerated in deepest Soho, preparing themselves with liquid medication ...
Joe South Introspect: 'I Look For Warmth And Vibrations In People And I Look For God...'
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 17 May 1969
"JOE SOUTH is a boy from the roots of this country (U.S.A.), a whole bed of human suffering throughout the history of this fine land ...
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 24 May 1969
'Overture'; 'It's A Boy'; '1921'; 'Amazing Journey'; 'Sparks'; 'The Hawker' (A); 'Christmas'; 'Cousin Kevin'; 'The Acid Queen'; 'Underture'; 'Do You Think It's Alright?'; 'Fiddle About'; ...
Gordon Lightfoot: "Bob Dylan Gets Uptight If He's Bent Around" — Says Gordon Lightfoot
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 June 1969
CAN YOU imagine someone becoming a well known poet and singer, yet never cutting a record? ...
Procol Harum: Back to the Classics?
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
"No," says Procol's Gary Brooker. "We don't copy classical music: Robbie doesn't know one ancient composer from another." ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
IF YOU WERE free to choose your position in pop today; if you had your choice of any groups... "I'd choose The Rolling Stones anyway," ...
The Foundations: Ups and Downs of the Foundations in America
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 June 1969
YOU'VE HEARD of the Original this and the Fabulous that — cases of established names being lifted from top U.S. groups and used on imitation ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
"WE DO NOT want anyone in this country to think we are skipping off to America and forsaking our British fans," explained organist and showman ...
The Beach Boys, Charles Manson, Dennis Wilson: The Continuing Story Of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 July 1969
...and his house of seventeen women. RM'S Lon Goddard reports from the loo!!! ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
ALL THE HAPPENINGS REVIEWED... ...
The Rolling Stones: Hyde Park, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
the good, the bad & the ugly... ...
Plastic Ono Band: Who Are The Plastic Ono Band?
Report by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 12 July 1969
WHO ARE the Plastic Ono Band? More than likely, you were unable to remove that insidious little question from your minds these past few days. ...
"I'm a Fairly Normal Person" — John Peel
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 July 1969
FEW PEOPLE in this day and age can understand or accept a man who does not wish to sell himself; who will try to employ ...
The Rolling Stones: One Plus One aka Sympathy for the Devil (Dir. Jean Luc Godard)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 July 1969
Stones Long Awaited Film Retitled Sympathy For The Devil. R.M.'s Lon Goddard Gets Special Preview... ...
The Rolling Stones: Keith Richard: "Acting Is For Mick, Not Me!"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 26 July 1969
THE SILENT one speaks. In these times, words from Keith Richard are as rare as cobras in Essex, but the Rolling Stones' lead guitarist, who ...
Fairport Convention: Unhalfbricking — Is This Word Pornographic?
Profile and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 2 August 1969
Lon Goddard from the Underworld ...
Crosby Stills and Nash: Crosby, Stills and Nash: Crosby, Stills and Nash (Atlantic Stereo 588189)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 August 1969
'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'; 'Marrakesh Express'; 'Guinnevere'; 'You Don't Have To Cry'; 'Pre-Road Downs'; 'Wooden Ships'; 'Lady Of The Island'; 'Helplessly Hoping'; 'Long Time Gone'; ...
Crosby Stills Nash & Young: CS&N (&Y)
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 August 1969
I THOUGHT I'D be hearing a good old north country accent when I picked up the phone, but Graham Nash, it seems, is now forbidden ...
Humble Pie: Ronnie Scott's Club, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 16 August 1969
CHAMPAGNE, CHICKEN AND THEN A SMALL PORTION OF HUMBLE PIE ...
Bob Dylan: "My Friend Bob", as told by Marc Ellington
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 30 August 1969
"I REMEMBER him as a very nervous person," he said, looking into space and recalling the times he'd shared with the young Bob Dylan. ...
The Band: The Boys in the Band...
Profile by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 30 August 1969
LON GODDARD SPOTLIGHTS DYLAN'S BACKING GROUP ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan & the Band: Isle of Wight Festival
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Wesley Laine, Record Mirror, 6 September 1969
Love is all there is...Wesley Laine & Lon Goddard report from the Isle of Wight ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: The Band: Working With Bob
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 13 September 1969
JAMIE ROBBIE Robertson, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko are privileged to be five of the closest people to Bob Dylan. They ...
The Beatles: Abbey Road (Apple Stereo PCS 7088)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 27 September 1969
John Lennon: "you can feel his disease..." Strange lyrics from Beatles ABBEY ROAD album... ...
Review and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 4 October 1969
LAST Wednesday's Fairport Convention concert at the Royal Festival Hall contained additions to the great prospect of Sandy and the bunch live on stage. Fairport's ...
Charlie Watts: "The One-Off Merchant"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 18 October 1969
"I'M BASICALLY lazy," said Charlie. “I've never found something I really wanted to do outside the Stones. I know it must sound boring, but it's ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 25 October 1969
"THE STONES have been lucky — or clever in that we have done some records that have lasted longer than a week," said Charlie. ...
Humble Pie: Town and Country (Immediate Stereo IMSP 027)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 19 November 1969
Much improved Pie ...
The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (Decca Stereo)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 29 November 1969
LET IT BLEED, or let it rip they did. From the first track it is apparent that production scale on the latest Stones LP has ...
Donovan: Royal Festival Hall, London
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 13 December 1969
EVENINGS WITH Donovan just aren't the same any more. In the days of yore, there were always stage attempts to shroud Donovan in the mystery ...
Arlo Guthrie: Alice's Restaurant (Dir. Arthur Penn; United Artists)
Film/DVD/TV Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 20 December 1969
THE FILM of Alice's Restaurant lacks the whimsical outlook that made the LP track of the same name. On the LP, Arlo Guthrie seeks to ...
Live Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 20 December 1969
TO REFUTE some of the idiotic ravings of national press reviewers, the Rolling Stones had no trouble stirring up the atmosphere at London's Saville Theatre ...
Fairport Convention: Liege and Lief (Island Stereo ILPS 9115).
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 27 December 1969
RELEASED AFTER Sandy and Tiger left the group, this LP would appear to be the last by the Fairports in their most famous line-up, with ...
Fairport Convention: Partings and Laments
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 3 January 1970
THE FAIRPORTS' newest LP Leige And Leif is by far the best thing they've done in the eyes of the Crawling. In the eyes of ...
Joni Mitchell: The Crawling Eye: Protest peace... and Joni Mitchell
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 10 January 1970
JONI MITCHELL is ever such a nice person. ...
The Rolling Stones: "After about five numbers there seemed to be fights everywhere. I was numbed"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 31 January 1970
MICK TAYLOR ON THE STONES BLOODBATH ...
Black Widow, Myth and MAGICK...
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 7 February 1970
BY THE GOAT, it was in the cards. Malcficium extends it's demonic fingers in the the sleeping bones of pop music and the Black Arts ...
Simon & Garfunkel: Simon and Garfunkel: Bridge Over Troubled Water (CBS Stereo 63699)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 7 February 1970
A long wait for S and G album — but well worth it! ...
B.J. Thomas: Those raindrops keep falling — like four times!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 February 1970
SO NATURALLY, American singer B.J. Thomas has some cause for concern. Because three other artists have covered his original record before it could be released ...
Smokey Robinson: "The old ideas are dying just like Vaudeville did"
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 14 February 1970
Smokey Robinson on the current pop scene. ...
The Deviants, Mick Farren, Steve Peregrin Took: The Devious Thoughts of Mick Farren
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 21 March 1970
ONCE UPON a time, Mick Farren was a social deviant. Then he became a Deviant. Not satisfied, young Mick decided to deviate and dispensed with ...
The Doors: Morrison Hotel (Elektra EKS 75007 American copy) ****
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 28 March 1970
POSSIBLY THE best LP the Doors have made, this is split up the middle in it's musical categories. Side one is hard rock from the ...
Black Widow: White Witch Warns Black Widow
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, April 1970
A Crawling Eye special by Lon Goddard ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 4 April 1970
S.W.6 IS NOT exactly the celebrated home of the hip, but this piece is not designed to specify popular vicinities of London. Nor is it's ...
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 18 April 1970
PEOPLE ARE too serious in this business is the conclusion presented by Elton John. Elton and Bernie Taupin composed 'Border Song', which is receiving wide ...
Frank Sinatra: Watertown (Reprise 1031 American copy)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 9 May 1970
Bloodshot emotion and cool nonchalance ...
Grateful Dead: English Audiences Puzzle The Grateful Dead
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 6 June 1970
DE GRATEFUL DEAD, Man. Everybody lowered their heads and peered from a dark veneer of mystery at the very mention of the name. An eyeball ...
Hot Chocolate: Hot — Bet Yer Life They Are!
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 3 October 1970
HOT CHOCOLATE'S 'Love Is Life' looks like the third giant hit for Mickie Most's new Rak label — and one of those three nearly went ...
Frank Zappa: Was this the real Ruben Sano standing up at last?
Report and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 23 January 1971
FRANK ZAPPA sauntered in, poured himself into the chair at the front of the room, folded his arms, crossed his legs and assumed the appearance ...
The Rolling Stones: 'Brown Sugar'; 'Bitch'; 'Let It Rock' (Rolling Stones Records RS 19100)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 17 April 1971
SUPERB ROCK and roll again from the best exponent of the stuff going. Great value with the three tracks on this maxi-single, beginning with the ...
David Bowie: Rudi will be the new Mick Jagger' said David Bowie. Rudi blushed
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 1 May 1971
Who will be the first male to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine? Rudi Valentino, says spaced oddity David Bowie. David has big plans ...
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 15 May 1971
It's a night with C,S,N&Y ...
The Band, Bob Dylan: Bob, The Band and basement bootleg
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 5 June 1971
A VERY strange thing happened in a basement somewhere in North America; Bob Dylan recorded with the Band — on a home tape recorder. ...
The Doors: LA Woman (Elektra K 42090)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 24 July 1971
MORE HEAVY organ rock with dripping sex from the cultured voice of the late Jimmy Morrison. ...
The Who: Who's Next (Track Deluxe 2408 102)
Review by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 4 September 1971
Who's here with biggest ever ...
Underground Press An Important Promotion Outlet
Overview by Lon Goddard, Billboard, 13 November 1971
THE BRITISH underground press, or experimental press serves the budding supporters of the "Alternative Society" in a manner that is easily digestible; from a literary ...
Rick Nelson: The Dirty Rock & Roll Smile
Retrospective and Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 11 March 1972
RICK NELSON tells how he grew from being America's cute kid brother to rock 'n' roll teenage rage... and what happened after that ...
Judee Sill Leaves Out the Juicy Bits
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 8 April 1972
"WHERE WOULD you like me to start? Past, present or future?" exclaimed the cat-like figure that swooped in and instantly slid on to the sofa. ...
Harry Nilsson: Nilsson's New Album
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 8 April 1972
Producer Richard Perry talks to Lon Goddard ...
Grateful Dead: Join The Dead Men in One Huge Organism
Interview by Lon Goddard, Record Mirror, 29 April 1972
Grateful Dead's lead guitarist JERRY GARCIA talks to Lon Goddard ...
Willie Nelson: Get set for good old Country Music: Willie Nelson's End of Summer Picnic
Profile and Interview by Lon Goddard, Daily Astorian, 7 September 1995
"MAMA, DON'T let your cowboys grow up to be babies," joked quintessential crossover music legend Willie Nelson from the stage of Portland's 3,200 capacity Rose ...
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