Goldfinger

Goldfinger is a Los Angeles^{Los Angeles, California} pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994.

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 they were signed to a major label, they released an EP titled Richter. Many of the songs on Richter are demo versions of songs on their full length debut, Goldfinger^{Goldfinger (album)}, which was released in 1996. Though their second album, Hang-Ups, was less successful, the band still maintained a devoted fan base in the hardcore community. Their third studio LP was Stomping Ground, which sold poorly in the US but was a modest hit in some European countries, thanks to their cover of Nena's "99 Luftballons" sung partly in German^{German language}. Their next album, Open Your Eyes^{Open Your Eyes (Goldfinger album)} (2002), was the first for their new record label, 'Jive/Zomba'.

Frontman John Feldmann has produced records for Mest, The Used (whose vocalist Bert McCracken sang some guest vocals on "Open Your Eyes", "Woodchuck", "Ocean Size", and "Handjobs for Jesus"), Hilary Duff and Story of the Year. He also produced Good Charlotte's single "The Anthem" (whose guitarist Benji Madden provides guest vocals on "January", which was originally named "Oracle of Elcaro"). He also signed the band Unloco with Maverick Records.

Since the band began, Feldmann has become a vegan and animal rights supporter, as can be seen briefly in the music video for "Open Your Eyes". They also donated the song "What Gives You The Right" to the Southern Animal Rights Coalition benefit CD, "Until Every Cage Is Empty", as well as writing the song "Free Kevin Kjonaas", an animal rights prisoner, known as the most involved individual in the SHAC 7^{Stop_Huntingdon_Animal_Cruelty#SHAC_7}. He also advocates and supports the Animal Liberation Front.

In early 2005, they released their first album for their new label, Maverick Records, titled Disconnection Notice. It featured the single "Wasted". The CD was less well received compared to former Goldfinger albums. Former band members include founding bassist Simon Williams^{Simon Williams (bassist)}, who left the band following Hang-Ups, and former Unloco guitarist Brian Arthur, who was fired by Feldmann because Feldmann "did not want to work with him anymore".

"99 Red Balloons" also featured in Not Another Teen Movie along with Eurotrip and the video game Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, and their cover of The Spiral Starecase's "More Today Than Yesterday" plays during the ending credits of The Waterboy. "Superman" was also featured in the comedy Kingpin^{Kingpin (film)} and the first Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video game. "Walking in the Dark" was featured in the movie Dead Man on Campus.

Goldfinger covered the hit Duran Duran song Rio^{Rio (song)} as a tribute to the band but ironically the middle of the song turns into a Dio^{Dio (band)}-like song and then changing the last chorus to Ronnie James Dio rather than Rio.

The band's video game debut was in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater with the song "Superman". Goldfinger's song "I Want" from Disconnection Notice is featured in Burnout Revenge on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Xbox 360, and is also featured in Burnout Legends on the PlayStation Portable."My Everything" is featured on SSX On Tour also by Electronic Arts. The single, "Spokesman", is featured on Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4.Goldfinger also appeared in the Reel Big Fish video "Sell Out^{Sell Out (song)}" for a couple of seconds.

2006 saw Alternative Press Magazine list the self titled Goldfinger album as one of the "10 albums that shaped 1996" alongside No Doubt, Weezer and others.

In 2005 Goldfinger announced that their old guitarist Charlie Paulson would return. Charlie's return to the band was on stage playing 3 songs at the Key Club in LA when the band finished a Western USA tour. Goldfinger signed to the independent record label Side One Dummy in 2007 and their new record is called Hello Destiny and was released on April 22, 2008.

Goldfinger finished a successful North American tour with Less Than Jake in summer of 2008.

Goldfinger also played in the UK at the Reading and Leeds festivals on the 22nd and 23rd of August 2008.
Studio albums

* Goldfinger^{Goldfinger (album)} (1996)
* Hang-Ups (1997)
* Stomping Ground (2000)
* Open Your Eyes^{Open Your Eyes (Goldfinger album)} (2002)
* Disconnection Notice (2005)
* Hello Destiny (2008)

Live albums

EPs
* "Here in Your Bedroom" from Goldfinger^{Goldfinger (album)} (#5 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks^{Modern Rock Tracks}
* "Mable" from Goldfinger^{Goldfinger (album)}
* "This Lonely Place" from Hang-Ups #14 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
* "Counting the Days" from Stomping Ground
* "99 Red Balloons" from Stomping Ground
* "Tell Me" from Open Your Eyes^{Open Your Eyes (Goldfinger album)}
* "Open Your Eyes" from Open Your Eyes^{Open Your Eyes (Goldfinger album)} #37 Billboard Modern Tracks
* "Spokesman" from Open Your Eyes^{Open Your Eyes (Goldfinger album)}
* "Wasted" from Disconnection Notice
* "I Want" from Disconnection Notice
* "One More Time" from Hello Destiny