Goldfinger is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1994. The band became associated with the third-wave ska movement during the 1990s, particularly through its first three studio albums, "Goldfinger" (1996), "Hang-Ups" (1997), and "Stomping Ground" (2000). Later releases, including "Open Your Eyes" (2002) and "Disconnection Notice" (2005), featured a reduced emphasis on ska elements and incorporated a more pop-punk-oriented sound. Subsequent albums include "Hello Destiny..." (2008), "The Knife" (2017), "Never Look Back" (2020), and "Nine Lives" (2026). The band has also been noted for its support of animal rights causes.
John Feldmann has remained the only constant member of the group since its formation. Other longtime members have included Charlie Paulson, Simon Williams, Kelly LeMieux, and Darrin Pfeiffer. As of 2019, the lineup consisted of Feldmann, Paulson, Philip Sneed, Mike Herrera, and Nick Gross.
Goldfinger was formed by former Electric Love Hogs member John Feldmann on vocals and guitar, Simon Williams on bass, Darrin Pfeiffer on drums, and Charlie Paulson on guitar. Before signing to a major label, the band released the EP "Richter" through Mojo Records. The EP received college radio airplay and positive reviews, leading to a distribution agreement with Universal Records.
Several tracks from "Richter" later appeared in revised form on the band's debut album, "Goldfinger", released on February 29, 1996, and produced by Jay Rifkin. The single "Here in Your Bedroom" became one of the band's most recognizable songs and contributed to the group's commercial success. In 2006, Alternative Press included "Goldfinger" in its list of "10 Albums That Shaped 1996". The band's second studio album, "Hang-Ups", was released on September 9, 1997. Bassist Simon Williams left the group following the album's release. Around this period, Goldfinger also released a cover version of Spiral Starecase's "More Today Than Yesterday".
In 1999, Goldfinger released "Darrin's Coconut Ass: Live from Omaha", a collection of cover songs. Their third studio album, "Stomping Ground", was released on March 28, 2000. Although the album achieved limited commercial success in the United States, it performed more strongly in parts of Europe, partly due to the band's cover of Nena's "99 Red Balloons", which incorporated German-language lyrics. During a tour of England in 2000, the band recorded material later released as the live album "Foot in Mouth". In 2001, guitarist Charlie Paulson left the group and was replaced by Brian Arthur, formerly of Ünloco.
Goldfinger's fourth studio album, "Open Your Eyes", was released in 2002 through Jive/Zomba. The album marked a stylistic shift toward a heavier sound and included lyrical themes related to animal rights. A music video for the title track also focused on animal rights issues.
In 2005, the band released "Disconnection Notice" through Maverick Records. The album was written, recorded, and produced during 2004, and included the single "Wasted". Following the album's release, Brian Arthur left the band, and Charlie Paulson later returned to the lineup, rejoining the group onstage during a concert at the Key Club in Los Angeles.
Goldfinger signed with the independent label SideOneDummy in 2007 and released "Hello Destiny..." on April 22, 2008. To support the album, the band toured North America with Less Than Jake and also performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the United Kingdom in August 2008.
Outside of Goldfinger, John Feldmann became known for his production work with artists including Mest, The Used, Hilary Duff, Story of the Year, and Good Charlotte. Members of these bands also contributed guest performances to various Goldfinger recordings.
In November 2010, Goldfinger performed a series of west coast shows with Reel Big Fish. These concerts marked the first performances without drummer Darrin Pfeiffer, with Branden Steineckert of Rancid filling in on drums. Former bassist Simon Williams also appeared as a guest performer during several shows.
During the early 2010s, Feldmann discussed plans for new material, though the band's activities became less frequent. In 2013, Goldfinger released the song "Am I Deaf". In a 2015 interview, Feldmann stated that the group would likely continue touring and releasing occasional songs rather than producing albums regularly.
On July 21, 2017, Goldfinger released "The Knife". The album featured contributions from Mike Herrera, Travis Barker, and Philip Sneed. Prior to its release, Darrin Pfeiffer, Kelly LeMieux, and Charlie Paulson departed from the group. Pfeiffer later stated that interpersonal conflicts contributed to his departure. Paulson subsequently returned to perform with the band at several events, including the 2019 Back to the Beach festival and the Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary concerts.
Goldfinger's live performances during this period often included guest musicians and horn players from other ska bands. Travis Barker occasionally appeared as a live drummer, while other musicians substituted for absent members during tours.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the band began releasing remotely recorded "Quarantine Videos" on YouTube. Each member recorded performances separately from home, with Feldmann handling the final mixing and mastering. The first video featured a performance of "Here in Your Bedroom". Several additional videos followed, including performances of "99 Luftballons" and "Superman". Nick Gross performed drums on most of these recordings.
On December 4, 2020, Goldfinger released "Never Look Back", featuring John Feldmann, Charlie Paulson, Mike Herrera, Philip Sneed, and Nick Gross. It was the first album since "Hello Destiny..." to feature Paulson. The band promoted the album with an online livestream event due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, Goldfinger released a deluxe edition of "Never Look Back", including rerecorded versions of "Here in Your Bedroom", "Superman", and "99 Red Balloons", as well as additional tracks. The band resumed touring during 2022 and 2023, performing alongside groups including The Planet Smashers, Mustard Plug, and Catch 22.
In July 2024, Goldfinger and Less Than Jake released a cover version of Morgan Wallen's "I Had Some Help". On July 11, 2025, the band released the single "Freaking Out A Bit", co-written with Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, with Hoppus providing guest vocals. Another single, "Chasing Amy", followed in November 2025. On January 7, 2026, Goldfinger announced its ninth studio album, "Nine Lives", which was released on January 23, 2026. The album included collaborations with Jim Lindberg, Spencer Charnas, Zac Carper, Iann Dior, and El Hefe.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfinger_(band)
Studio albums
Goldfinger (1996)
Hang-Ups (1997)
Stomping Ground (2000)
Open Your Eyes (2002)
Disconnection Notice (2005)
Hello Destiny... (2008)
The Knife (2017)
Never Look Back (2020)
Nine Lives (2026)
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2. Goldfinger, also known as Twisted, is a dubstep producer associated with a darker and heavier style of dubstep music. The artist has released tracks through labels including Rottun Records, Balloon Records, Trackdonalds, Red Silver Recordings, and Superstition Records.
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…shrink me down again