Biography
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Years Active
1987 – present (37 years)
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Members
- Jessica Griffin
The Would-be-goods story begins in 1987 when Jessica Griffin recorded a single under that name for cult label el records. The songs Hanging Gardens of Reigate and Fruit Paradise, were written by Simon Turner and Colin Lloyd Tucker, and recorded by Richard Preston at Strand-on-the-Green Studios, London.
Jessica followed this up with an album of her own songs, The Camera Loves Me, with the Monochrome Set as backing band. The album, recorded in Chiswick, West London and produced by 1960s pop star Keith West, was released on el Records in 1988. Jessica’s sister Miranda contributed to the songwriting and backing vocals.
Jessica then left the music world to work in the City of London until 1993, when she was invited to make another record for the Japanese label Trattoria. Mondo was recorded with the Monochrome Set at Moat Studios, London, and this time was produced by Bid, who also duetted with Jessica on the song ‘Casanova ‘92’.
Later in 1993 Jessica recorded four new songs with el records artist Monty, two of which were written by Jessica and two by Monty. These were included on the cd re-release of The Camera Loves Me.
In the late 1990s Jessica learned the guitar and started writing songs again. She was joined by Peter Momtchiloff (formerly of Talulah Gosh, Heavenly, and Marine Research) on guitar and bass; in 2000 and 2001they recorded 22 songs at Shaw Sound in West London with Orson Presence from the Monochrome Set playing various keyboard instruments. Drums were provided first by Struan Robertson and then by Jim Kimberley. A four-track EP (‘Emmanuelle Béart’) was released on Matinee Recordings of Washington DC (now Santa Barbara) and a three-track 7” single (‘Sugar Mummy’) was released on Fortuna Pop! Records of London.
Early in 2002 the Would-be-goods’ third album, Brief Lives, appeared as a joint release by Matinee, Fortuna Pop, and P-Vine Records of Japan. By this time the Would-be-goods had played their first live shows in London: first with just Jessica on guitar and Peter on bass and guitar, and then with new member Debbie Green on drums and backing vocals. Debbie is a former member of the Headcoatees, the X-Men, and Baby Birkin; she has also played with Peter in the Family Way, Dutronc, and now the Speed of Sound.
Finally in summer 2002 the Would-be-goods’ line-up was completed by the addition of Lupe Nunez-Fernandez on bass and backing vocals. This line-up played several shows in London and visited the East Coast of America in autumn 2002. Late in 2002 they started recording songs for a fourth album, and this was finally completed early in 2004.The Morning After is released in August 2004 on Fortuna Pop! and Matinee.
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