Gogmagog (band)
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Jonathan King |
| Headquarters | Chipping Barnet, London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music recordings |
Gogmagog was a British hard rock and heavy metal supergroup established in 1985 in Chipping Barnet, London, brought together by record producer Jonathan King. The ensemble featured ex-Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno and drummer Clive Burr, alongside guitarist Janick Gers, formerly of Gillan and later joining Iron Maiden, guitarist Pete Willis who had played with Def Leppard, and bassist Neil Murray, previously with Whitesnake.
In 1985, the band issued a three-track EP titled I Will Be There through the independent label Food For Thought. Two of the songs were penned by King ("Living in a Fucking Time Warp" and "It's Illegal, It's Immoral, It's Unhealthy, But It's Fun"), while the EP's title track was written by renowned KISS collaborator Russ Ballard, originally appearing on his 1981 solo album Into the Fire. Ballard is recognized for composing significant hits including Rainbow's "Since You've Been Gone" and Santana's "Winning". It is important to note that none of the band members contributed original compositions.
King’s initial vision was to form a supergroup comprising Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale, bassist John Entwistle of The Who, and drummer Cozy Powell, all of whom showed interest. Powell praised Ballard’s song as his finest work, and Entwistle, who conceived the idea, was enthusiastic about it. Nevertheless, this lineup never fully came together. The project was predominantly driven by King’s production ambitions and disbanded once his enthusiasm diminished. Di'Anno referred to Gogmagog as a failed scheme orchestrated by King, whereas Burr regarded their recordings as some of their finest efforts, even forecasting sales surpassing those of Iron Maiden.
Although Gogmagog achieved minimal commercial impact, they have attained cult recognition among heavy metal fans. In 2022, their tracks were re-released as a 13-minute "Metal Medley," representing the Old Wave Of British Heavy Metal (OWO). Additionally, two King-composed songs appeared on the soundtrack for the 2011 film Me Me Me, also produced by King. While original members are sometimes credited in connection with the film, it was actually the band Falling Red that performed under the Gogmagog name for this production.
Former members
- Paul Di'Anno – lead vocals
- Pete Willis – guitars
- Janick Gers – guitars
- Neil Murray – bass
- Clive Burr – drums, percussion
Discography
- I Will Be There EP (1985)
- "I Will Be There" – 4:35 (Russ Ballard)
- "Living in a Fucking Time Warp" – 3:14 (Jonathan King)
- "It's Illegal, It's Immoral, It's Unhealthy, but It's Fun" – 3:30 (King)