Continuing our theme of 1970’s rock & roll following Jeremy’s stellar interview with Doug Brod - author of “They Just Seem A Little Weird” - we present another installment of Ricki C.’s True Stories of Columbus Rock & Roll, this one featuring Eric Moore of The Godz, Millenium recording artists & KISS opening act.
Summer 1978: Eric Moore of The Godz was livin’ on the West Side that summer (quite possibly with Mike Parks and/or Phil Stokes). I was playing in The Twilight Kids and workin' in the warehouse of the West Broad Street K-Mart when Eric came in the store and started berating me about having my girlfriend Nicole in the band. "Man, Ricki, you gotta get rid of that chick singer in your band. Chicks don't belong on a rock & roll stage, they belong on the end of your dick." "Uh, yeah, Eric,” I replied diplomatically, since I couldn’t determine at that moment whether or not Eric was carrying a concealed weapon under his leather jacket, “I'll take that under advisement."
We talked about gigs for a coupla minutes 'til the drunk and/or stoned Mr. Moore staggered away into the sporting goods department (where the guns were kept & sold) and our store plainclothes security guy came over and asked me, “Do you KNOW that guy?" I said, "Yeah, that's Eric Moore of The Godz, they're the biggest band in Columbus." "Okay," security guy said, "if you know him it's cool, I won't watch him, but if he steals anything it’s your responsibility."
"Oh, he's GONNA STEAL STUFF, I can guarantee that, you HAVE to watch him. I'm not payin' for shit."
Ten minutes later Eric waved blearily at me as he was being "escorted" out of the store by Security. – Ricki C. / March 5th, 2021.
TV PARTY TONIGHT!
I saw The Godz live a bunch of times in Columbus in the mid-to-late 70’s. They were the first local band I ever saw sell out the 1500-capacity Columbus Agora BEFORE they even had a record deal, and it seemed to me they could sell it out as often as they pleased. (The next Columbus band I saw accomplish that feat was Watershed, two decades later, and they DID have a record deal at the time.) The Godz were Columbus’ version of The MC5, and I mean that in the BEST possible way. Their live shows were very tribal, and their audience was a very weird amalgam of bikers in full colors/regalia; balding 60’s hippies who remembered and revered raw, raunchy rock & roll; and ‘70’s kids who had just smoked their first joint and loved KISS. (By the way; the first time I saw KISS live was in 1976 - because The Dictators were supposed to open, but sadly did not - and The Godz were BY FAR a better LIVE band than KISS at that point.)
My shorthand description for The Godz back in the day to anybody who would listen was “Think of The MC5 with quaaludes, firearms & sloppy biker sex replacing acid, politics and free love - that was The Godz.” and I stand by that sentiment to this day. - Ricki C.
THESE ARE MY THREE FAVORITE GODZ TUNES. I COULDN’T FIND ANY LIVE FOOTAGE THAT DID THEM JUSTICE, SO HERE’S THE ORIGINALS.
THE CLASSIC LINE-UP OF THE GODZ WAS ERIC MOORE, MARK CHATFIELD, BOB HILL AND GLEN CATALINE.
GENIUS guitar slinger Mike Parks (previously of The Tree; later of Shakedown, Willie Phoenix & the True Soul Rockers, and The League Bowlers, among others) played lead guitar in a post-Mark Chatfield edition of The Godz. Mike is second from the left in the picture below. I’ve said it many times before, and I’m bound to say it many times in the future; I can’t believe Mike didn’t get pistol-whipped by Eric Moore (extreme left) for showing up for a Godz show in that outfit. (Plus I’m pretty sure that’s bass player Phil Stokes, extreme right. I don’t know the drummer.)
