Christophe Godin
Christophe Godin (born 1968) is a French guitarist and singer, known for his work with the French bands Metal Kartoon, Gnô and Mörglbl. Godin plays a variety of styles, including heavy metal, jazz fusion, blues and more.
Christophe Godin | |
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Christophe Godin onstage with Morglbl somewhere in central New Jersey, May 2009. | |
Background information | |
Born | 1968 Annecy, France |
Genres | Blues Heavy metal Instrumental rock Jazz fusion Classical |
Occupation(s) | Guitarist |
Instruments | Guitar, Vocals |
Associated acts | Metal Kartoon Gno Mŏrgibl Trio 2G duet |
Biography
Christophe Godin was born in Annecy, France. He has toured with some famous musicians, like Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (Guns N' Roses), Andy Timmons (Danger Danger), Mattias Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), Kiko Loureiro (Angra, Megadeth), Guthrie Govan, etc. Mörglbl shared the stage with Liquid Tension Experiment (3/5 of Dream Theater plus Tony Levin on bass) at US biggest indoor prog festival, NEARfest in 2008 for the festival's 10th anniversary. He also played with Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson).
Godin is known for his sense of humour, virtuosic guitar skills, energetic performances and overall wacky personality. (These traits can be best observed in one of his live performances, where he does both the vocals and guitar parts in the Jimi Hendrix classic "Little Wing". Instead of playing the chords as they would normally be played, Godin played the arpeggiated versions of those chords using the sweep picking technique, all the while singing in time with his playing.) He is a world class in demand clinician, and tours and teaches all over the globe. His style combines all aspects of modern guitar and steps into all genres, from metal to jazz. Though famous for his virtuosity and improvisational skills, he is an accomplished rhythm guitarist and a respected composer and arranger.
Christophe Godin began his musical journey as a local guitar hero in several bands which, unfortunately, never left any trace.
In 1995, with Temple, Christophe played on an album that was properly distributed in France and received a wave of positive reviews.
In 1996, he took part on Guitare Attitudes, a compilation featuring French guitarists, that allowed him to regularly appear on the French TV show Nulle Part Ailleurs (Canal +) as a guest guitarist.
In 1997, he created, along with Ivan Rougny and Jean-Pierre Frelézeau, the Mörglbl Trio !! and released two albums ("The Mörglbl Trio !!" in 1998 and "Bienvenue à Mörglbl Land" in 1999). With this band, the doors to international distribution finally opened. In the meantime, Christophe, who's been a teacher at the E.T.M. of Geneva, Switzerland, since 1994, acquired a solid reputation as a guitar instructor with the release of an instructional video (Heavy metal : les techniques) and the multitude of articles he wrote for dozens of guitar magazines in France, Germany and the UK. He became a regular guest at the prestigious M.A.I. of Nancy in France, and runs master-classes everywhere on the planet.
In 2001, he created Gnô, with Gabriel Vegh (bass/vocals) and Peter Puke (drums/vocals), and released "Trash Deluxe". Gnô was on tour intensively throughout France until 2003. Finally, simultaneously with his duo with Pierrejean Gaucher (the 2G, playing Frank Zappa covers alongside their original material), Christophe, released his solo project named Christophe Godin's Metal Kartoon, where all the ingredients that made the career of the guitarist what it is are to be found on this record: humour, virtuosity, and a mix of jazz, funk and metal.
Now simply named "Morglbl", the band released their sixth album Tea Time For Pünks on 26 May 2015. Christophe has toured intensively with the band all over the world including è US Tours, one China Tour, and performances all over the world.
Christophe also performs with guitarist extraordinaire Oliver-Roman Garcia in an impressive acoustic guitar duo extravaganza !
Godin was voted fifth best international guitarist by Guitar Part magazine.
Christophe is an official international ambassador and tours worldwide for the following companies : Laney amps (UK), Vigier guitars (France), Cole Clark acoustic guitars (Australia), Zoom effects (Japan), Palmer effects (Germany), Gruv Gear (US).
Discography
Temple
- Temple (1995)
Mörglbl
- The Mörglbl Trio!! (1998)
- Bienvenue à Mörglbl Land (1999)
- Grötesk (2007)
- Toon Tunes from the Past (2008)
- Jäzz for the Deaf (2009)
- Brütal Römance (2012)
- Tea Time For Pünks (2015)
Wax'In
- Wax'In (2016)
Gnô
- Trash Deluxe (2001)
- Cannibal Tango (2011)
- Crass Palace (2013)
Christophe Godin
- Christophe Godin's Metal Kartoon (2005)
Collaborations / Duos
- Christophe Chambert - The Family (1999)
- Rob Van Der Loo's Freak Neils Inc. (2004)
- 2G - Pierrejean Gaucher / Christophe Godin (2007)
- Samuel Arkan's Origins (2010)
- Christophe Godin & Olivier-Roman Garcia (2014)
Compilations
- Guitare attitudes rock influences (1996)
- Pour une Terre sans mines (1998)
Equipment
Christophe Godin endorses Vigier electric guitars and Godin and Simon & Patrick acoustic guitars, Laney amps, Zoom effects, Rocktron stompboxes and Ernie Ball strings.
Electric guitars
- Vigier Christophe Godin Signature
- Vigier Excalibur Orangette
- Vigier Excalibur Supra Kartoonette
- Vigier Supra Yvette
- Vigier Excalibur Custom
- Vigier Excalibur Expert
- 2 Vigier Supra 7 strings
- 2 GV Vigier Guitars
- Vigier Surfreter
- 1 Fender The Strat
Pickups 4SeasonsPickups Christophe Godin seigneur model
Acoustic guitars
- 2 Lâg Tramontane Parlor
- Godin 5th Avenue Cutaway
- Godin 5Th Avenue
- Vladimir Christophe acoustic guitar
- Mahalo Ukulele
Amps
- Laney Ironheart Studio
- Laney GH50L
- Laney GH100L
- Laney VH100R
- Laney TT100
- Laney TFX 100
- Laney VC 50
- Laney Lionheart
- Laney Ironheart
- Laney VC15
- Laney LA65C
- Laney 4 x 12 Cabinets
- Laney 2 x 12 Cabinet
- Palmer 2 x 12
- Palmer The Junction
- Palmer ADIG-LB
Effects
Stompboxes
- 3 Zoom PowerDrive overdrive pedals
- Rocktron Tri Wah wha pedal
- Palmer overdrive
- Palmer chorus
- Stevens overdrive
- Badcat overdrive
- Uncle Sound Christophe Godin distortion pedal
- Dunlop Cry Baby
- Onerr Cryin' wha pedal
- Guyatone wha rocker
- Jacques Trinity
- Rocktron Deep Blue chorus
- Ibanez chorus
- Danelectro chorus
- Badcat chorus
- Jacques Meisterstringer chorus
- Electro Harmonix Nano chorus
- Whammy II
- Presonus Blue Tube
Multi-effects
- 2 Zoom G5n
- Zoom Gt 9.2 tt
- Zoom 508 delay unit
- Zoom 509 modulator unit
- Zoom G2
- Zoom PFX-9003
- Zoom 707 II
- Zoom G5
References
- Hilbourn, Nick (29 April 2009). "French fusion band Mörglbl returns to Florence". SC Now. Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. Retrieved 2009-07-19.