GoodBooks
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Sevenoaks , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Indie rock music, albums, singles, EPs |
GoodBooks was an English indie rock ensemble originating from Sevenoaks, Kent. They first attracted media interest with their independently released EP Valves and Robots in June 2005.
In late 2005, the group signed a single deal with Transgressive Records and issued "Walk With Me" in April before obtaining a contract with Columbia Records. GoodBooks disbanded after their final show on 28 June 2009.
The band's name, GoodBooks, was proposed to Max Cooke by children's television presenter Holly Willoughby.
History
The roots of GoodBooks trace back to Max Cooke and Leo von Bülow-Quirk performing The Beatles covers during their childhood. In 2001, while attending Sevenoaks School, Cooke and von Bülow-Quirk formed The Fingerprints along with Chris Porter and JP Duncan. This group self-produced two albums, Cards on the Table, Clothes on the Floor and Miranda, which received airplay on local stations such as BBC Radio Kent and KMFM. They cultivated a regional following through performances across the South-East, including gigs at the Tunbridge Wells Forum.
Following the departure of their bassist in late 2004, the band continued as a quartet and composed "Walk With Me" during their initial rehearsal under the new name GoodBooks. Their musical style shifted to incorporate electronic elements, resulting in tracks like "Passchendaele" and "Isabella" featured on the Valves and Robots EP. This evolution garnered attention from the music industry, leading to a one-time single agreement with Transgressive Records in late 2005.
GoodBooks increased their visibility within the UK alternative music scene by touring nationwide, supporting bands such as Art Brut, and performing abroad alongside The Magic Numbers. The track "Walk With Me" was re-recorded and released as their debut single on 3 April 2006 on vinyl and cassette—a notably uncommon format at that time. Its accompanying video was broadcast on MTV2, while NME awarded it Runner-Up Track of the Week, describing GoodBooks as "the best new band in Britain."
In early 2006, Columbia Records signed GoodBooks, who subsequently released singles including "Turn it Back" and "Leni" later that year. They appeared at prominent festivals such as Carling Reading and Leeds and Truck Festival. Their first album, Control, was released in the UK on 30 July 2007. The band maintained communication with fans via a Myspace page, announcing progress on a second album titled 'Cry Of The Hunters' expected for Summer 2009; however, this project was never officially released.
GoodBooks ended their journey with a final performance on the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury Festival on 28 June 2009.
Studio albums
- Control (2007)
- Control Freaks - The Remixes (2021)
EPs and singles
- Valves And Robots EP (2005)
- Walk With Me (2006)
- "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" (Mystery Jets Cover) (2006)
- "Turn It Back" (2006)
- Leni Mixes (2006)
- Leni (2006)
- "The Illness" (2007)
- The Illness Mixes (2007)
- "Passchendaele" (2007) No. 73 UK
- Passchendaele Mixes (2007)
- Lovesongs on Casio (2007)