In late 2019, Mark Chatfield decided to “resurrect” the Godz based on the original concept. The band was originally formed in 1976 and released two hard rock albums for Millennium and Casablanca Records.

Recruiting past Godz members Eric Mauk and Keith Pickens (guitar/vocals & drums, respectively), with Doug “Sav” Ramey on bass & vocals and Julie Neal on backup vocals, the band are back working on a new album, set for 2023.

It’s really nice to have you. How are you doing lately?

Mark Chatfield: Doing well, thanks. I feel a certain comfort level being “home” back in Columbus, Ohio, after living in Las Vegas for 24 years. Never really “bonded” with Las Vegas.

We are very excited about the resurrection of your band, would you like to tell us how you decided to get back together?

In 2017, I put together a band called Godz n Rosies, as I wasn’t sure if Rosie would play again and the Godz were virtually non-existent as a live band, due to Eric Moore’s declining health. Doing songs from both bands, it included myself, Keith Pickens on drums, Jim Miller on bass, Joey C. Jones on vocals, Greg Wyld on guitar, and Julie Neal handling backup vocals. Joey, Jim and I all lived in different states, so rehearsals were “challenging!” It was a great band though! So, in Summer of 2017, I got a call from Bob Seger’s management, asking if I would like to come back (as I had left in 2011). So, GnR was shelved. I ended up touring with Seger in 2017/18/19 and in between did two Rosie shows. No need for GnR. After my tour ended in 2019, Keith and I decided that the Godz songs needed to be performed. Eric Moore and Glen Cataline had both passed away and Bob Hill had no interest in performing. So, that left me the last man standing from the original band (actually Bob Hill was not in the original lineup). So Keith, myself and a bass player/singer, started rehearsing. Bang … Covid … Shelved until late 2021. I had moved back to Columbus in October 2021, so we recruited Doug “Sav” Ramey on bass and vocals, Eric Mauk on guitar and Julie Neal on backup vocals and started rehearsing as the Godz (Resurrected). Pretty much where we are now.

You are working on a new album, can you reveal some more about your upcoming album?

We have been mostly rehearsing the old material for the live shows. We’re doing the first album in its entirety, some from the second album and most of Mongolians. We have had time to do two new songs, ‘Ass, Gas or Grass’ and ‘Crazy Raised Me Right.’ We will do ‘Ass, Gas or Grass’ in the live set. Still working on the production/arrangement of ‘Crazy Raised Me Right.’ Between the 4 of us we have a lot of back-logged/unfinished material as well as new ideas that keep popping up. So, it’s just a matter of sorting through all of it! A time consuming task, but labor of love!

How is it to be in the studio again with the band?

Keith Pickens and I have recorded together several times on various projects and everyone else are studio veterans. We’ll be working with Joe Viers at Sonic Lounge, who we have all known and worked with for decades. He will engineer and co-produce. I’m expecting stellar results!

You have been pretty much involved in music for your whole life, playing for Bob Seger from 1983, until 2011. Also doing a tour with Michael Bolton late 1983-early 84. How did you first get involved with Seger?

Well, pretty much a Grand Funk connection. Don Brewer (Grand Funk drummer), produced the first Godz album. It was recorded at Grand Funk’s studio, “The Swamp” in Michigan. I met Craig Frost (Grand Funk keyboardist) at those sessions. We hit it off immediately (and remain best of friends to this day, along with Brewer!). Sometime in 1978 Grand Funk disbanded and the members (without Mark Farner) formed a band called Flint. They did one album (that I played on) and just kinda faded. In 1979 Craig got a call to play keys for Seger. In 1982, Seger wanted to replace the drummer and guitar player. Craig suggested Don for drums. They suggested that I play guitar. I auditioned in December 1982, three times (they auditioned a lot of people!). It came down to myself and Dawayne Bailey (Chicago for many years) for the 1983 tour. The Bolton connection came from that tour. He was our opening band for the second half of the 1983 tour. I became friends with Michael and band members Bruce Kulick and Bobby T Torello. They were losing a guitar player at the end of the Seger run, so they asked me to join, playing dual guitars with Bruce Kulick. I’m still good friends with Bruce and Bobby. Not long after that, Michael changed musical direction and the rest is history for him! Bruce ended up in Kiss for about 10 years and now plays with Grand Funk!

“I was totally addicted to anything rock & roll related”

Okay, let’s return to the early beginnings of your career. Where did you grow up and what kind of records would we find in your teenage room?

Born in Southern Ohio, moved to Baltimore, MD until I was 9. Back to Grove City Ohio. There were a bunch of 45’s around our house, some early Elvis Presley, but mostly Sinatra and that kind of stuff. But I played them, because I just loved music. My first real album was the Beatles ‘Yesterday and Today.’ But I had friends with Stones records and I soon decided that I was more into the heavier/rebel stuff (though I am a diehard Beatles fan and went through the Monkees stage in 5th grade or so). I religiously watched Shindig, Hullabaloo, Where The Action Is and anytime a rock band would be on Ed Sullivan or any variety show. I was totally addicted to anything rock & roll related. I soon got more Beatles records, Stones records, Cream, Mountain, Zeppelin, Hendrix, Grand Funk, The Who, Steppenwolf, Creedence, Doors, Yardbirds, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Blind Faith, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper… anything I could get my hands on. But, in 1969 with Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Mountain, Cream, MC5, Steppenwolf and the Woodstock album, I was getting into the harder, more progressive stuff. Later in high school I was into Montrose, Bowie, Focus, Mott The Hoople, ZZ Top, Johnnie Winter, Zappa, Yes, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Trower, Uriah Heep, James Gang et cetera. I’m sure I’m leaving a bunch out, but you get the idea! Some, just listening because I liked the music, but not necessarily influencing my playing. I’m a closet prog head, and love Spock’s Beard and Porcupine Tree! Also a Blackberry Smoke, Larkin Poe and Dirty Honey Fan.

Who inspired you to pick up guitar and what was your first guitar?

The Beatles on Ed Sullivan in February 1964. I was 7. I knew right then and there what I wanted to do for the rest of my life! I would pick up anything that resembled a guitar (broom, tennis racket) and emulate guitar playing/performing in front of a mirror. There was a friend in my neighborhood whose dad had a guitar. We would sneak it out every now and then, though I really didn’t know how to play. My first guitar was a Sears Silvertone F hole acoustic that I got for Christmas when I was 12.

Were you in any bands before joining The Godz?

Ha! Nothing of significance, other than me learning a lot from other people. First band, The Painless Expression (neighborhood guys that couldn’t play much) I learned some chords from the other guitar player but I was mostly the singer. That morphed into The Painless Expression. We got hooked up with a local radio station and actually played/made $$ on the weekends. Our dads’ were our road crew, because no one was old enough to drive. We had matching outfits and played mostly goofy top 40 songs (badly). I was primarily the singer/rhythm guitarist. I got kicked out of the band for growing my hair longer and wanting to learn ‘Mississippi Queen’ instead of ‘Hitchin’ a Ride.’ I told one of the dad’s to stick it and that was it. About a week later, I got a call from the “hippie” band at school called Purpill Dome. I immediately joined. We played all the stuff I wanted. Sabbath, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk, Creedence, Alice Cooper, Mountain, the Who and I switched to lead guitar. We eventually changed the name to E Pluribus Unum and played high school dances and parties. Around that time, I was introduced to LSD and drinking. The band kind of fell apart over that. I met a guy named Tom Fritz through my girlfriend at the time (went to different schools) who mentored me with my playing and all kinds of different music. Early ZZ Top, Mott, Brownsville Station, J Geils, Sir Lord Baltimore, Bowie, Trapeze, Trower et cetera. We learned/listened to a lot of trio stuff. The band was called Zarquith. Didn’t play much. Too progressive/loud for school dances and dance bars. I ended up going to college and working at a music store, Tom went to play with a cover band, so we just fell apart.

“Eric’s original Godz concept included two drummers, all white equipment, all white lights”

The band was formed in 1976, would you like to elaborate on the band’s formation?

I worked at Whitey Lunzar Music late 1974-76. Glen, Eric (and Bob Hill) were in a local band called Sky King. I used to go see them at the Sugar Shack. I became friends with Eric and Glen (and Bob) through seeing the band and them coming to the store. Glen and Eric heard me playing one day at the store and asked if I would like to jam with them. We had lesson rooms in the basement of the store, so I agreed and a day was set. After about an hour, they told me they were leaving Sky King to form a band called the Godz, and would I be interested? I was 19 at the time with aspirations of being a rock star, so I agreed. We had a few more rehearsals and asked Mike Adams (guitar, keyboards) and Hayward Law (drums) from the Parkersburg band Kingsley Fink, to join. Eric’s original Godz concept included two drummers, all white equipment, all white lights. Kind of a “bigger than life” thing. Some of which we did, some we didn’t. I quit college and my job the same day, sold some of my guitars, and procured a “band house” close to OSU campus. We rehearsed in the basement, and played all cover tunes to start. We played bars in the Columbus area and surrounding states. Started adding originals here and there. In late 1976, Mike and Hayward were killed in a car accident while driving to Parkersburg to pick up our new promotional packs. Bob Hill was asked to join and we stayed a four piece with a single drummer.

Did you get in a lot of trouble because of using the name from the New York City group also known as The Godz?

No, there’s a couple urban legends about what came down (guns, briefcase of $$ et cetera), but the truth is, the record company gave them a little cash and it went away. They never trademarked the name anyway. The record company filed a trademark for the Godz in the band members’ names. It eventually expired, and now I own the Godz trademark.

You hit the road with Kiss and Cheap Trick in 1977 without having a recording contract. Who took care of the PR and how did you manage to do that?

Ah, more urban legend. The Godz never played with Kiss. Met Paul at a gig in NY and Ace at a Casablanca party in Long Beach. That’s as close as we got. Cheap Trick opened for the Godz at Music Hall in Cleveland June 16, 1978. We were huge in Cleveland (thanks WMMS and Kid Leo!), Cheap Trick were just breaking with ‘Surrender.’ Another Casablanca band, Trigger was also on the bill. The 78 Tour was with Angel, Blue Öyster Cult and various acts including Judas Priest, Starz, Head East, The Babys, Hawkwind, Point Blank et cetera. Later in 78 we did dates with Triumph and Frank Marino. However, before the Godz were signed, we were drawing record crowds at the Columbus Agora. Budgie (UK band with several albums out) opened for us 2 nights there.

How did you get signed to Millennium Records?

We had started playing the Agora in Columbus (probably because we got kicked out of all the other clubs, for being too “crude”). Initially only drawing a couple hundred people, but literally “overnight” started selling out a 1500+ seat room. This got the attention of local radio stations, record labels and Creem magazine. We actually had an article/picture published in Creem as an unsigned band. Phone calls were made, record labels started showing up to see us. Eventually, Don Ienner from the newly formed Millenium Records (His brother Jimmy Ienners label) came to see us. He was so impressed that he brought Don Brewer a few weeks later to see us, as a potential producer. We were offered a record deal that night. Signed totally on live performance. No demo. I had never even been in a studio! I was on Cloud 9, having a record deal and meeting one of my Grand Funk heroes (who I was about to work with) the same night!

What are some of the strongest memories from recording and producing your debut album?

We recorded the album at Grand Funk’s studio, The Swamp in Michigan. (Aptly named as its right next to a swamp)! Mark Farner’s house was on a hill overlooking the property. I didn’t really know what to expect, but Don Brewer had us basically set up our live rigs, and play like we did on stage with minimal overdubs. We recorded 7-8 original songs, I believe, and went home. After Millenium heard the rough mixes, they asked where ‘Candy’s Going Bad’ was. It was our show closer (‘Gotta Keep a Runnin” had not morphed into that spot yet), but it wasn’t ours … it was a Golden Earring song, so it didn’t occur to us to record it. So we got marching orders to return to the studio and record it. We weren’t happy about loading up the van and returning to Michigan. What you hear on the record, is an angry live/one take version with a vocal overdub. Came out perfect!!!

How did the songwriting process look like for you?

It varies. But usually I come up with a chord pattern or lick, and write around it. I don’t consider myself much of a lyricist, so I will usually enlist someone else, but still have a hand in the lyrics and melody. I’ll go months without writing, then a few in a couple days. The biggest hurdle I’ve had is sobriety. I’ve been sober 19 years as of this interview, and I found myself being overly self conscious about writing and performing. It’s something I rarely did sober. Alcohol/drugs always seemed to erase any inhibitions and were a huge part of my life. It took a while, as everything felt and sounded different, but we’re good now and I wouldn’t trade my sobriety for anything.

“Our crew and Angel’s crew smuggled us out of the venue in road cases and we took off”

What would be the craziest story that happened while on road?

That’s a hard one! So many (some shouldn’t be repeated in print). But this is kind of funny … We were somewhere at a gig in the south, opening for Angel. Someone in the front, handed Eric a joint, which he proceeded to smoke and hand back. Somehow, that got turned into, we were handing out drugs to the audience (like we could afford to do that!). So, an arrest warrant was issued for the band at the next gig (Louisville or somewhere). The police were looking for us after the show, but our crew and Angel’s crew smuggled us out of the venue in road cases and we took off. The record company somehow got it sorted out and cleared. Then there was the time we opened for Blue Öyster Cult in our hometown in 1978.

It was nearly 10 minutes between our last song and encore. BÖC didn’t want us to do one, the crowd would not stop, even with lights on, so we stripped down to underwear (me in a red jockstrap) … something we had done at the Agora a few times… (see picture in Creem magazine) and played our encore, while our crew and local security stood by the power feed, so BÖC couldn’t cut our power!!!

Funny, that same thing happened when I was with Michael Bolton, playing with BÖC in Puerto Rico in late 1983. They didn’t want us to do an encore … we did one anyway. They shut us down mid song! Just to be clear, the BÖC band guys are great. It was their road manager, who took his job a little too seriously!

What were the circumstances around releasing your second album, ‘Nothing is Sacred?’

Late Summer of 1978, recorded at Bearsville Studio in Woodstock NY. Don Brewer initially slated to produce, but left the studio for numerous “political” reasons. Ended up being produced by Eric Moore. Some of the songs are OK, but for the most part, not a very good album. Sound and production are terrible. Cool cover and back cover though! Most songs were written in a hurry and no time to develop, as we had been on the road since February of that year.

Didn’t realize we were expected to do a follow-up that quickly. It actually came out on Casablanca, as Millenium became a Disco division of Casablanca, so there went our record company support. Casablanca had Kiss and Angel to worry about and had put LOTS of money in Angel, hoping for the same return as Kiss, so we were an afterthought, as the second album didn’t do well.

What happened next to the band?

We got lost in the music transitions of the time (Disco, Country Rock), had bad management/direction, drugs/alcohol blah blah blah … Bob and Glen left the band a few months after. Eric and I replaced them, did a demo for Casablanca, they passed. We broke up a couple months later and I formed Rosie (then called Streetheart) with the two new Godz members, Bob Catapano and Rick Hall. Dennis Craig played bass. Eric formed The Eric Moore Group.

You went on to form Rosie. Would you like to discuss the recording of your debut?

Rosie … great band that should have been signed. But I kinda threw a wrench in the works by going to play with Seger. By then, the two Godz members I had started the band with, quit, so Dennis Craig (the bass player) and I recruited Carl Shelor and Bobby Boos from Smokin, an Atlanta based band that had just broken up. Not long after, we replaced Dennis with Smokin bassist Robert West. Then eventually added Ed Means on guitar. We were playing one night, at the Agora in Columbus. There was the local portion of a national battle of the bands going on (there) the next night. We wanted no part of it. We were already the biggest draw in town. Didn’t need it. But they asked us to participate, our manager said, what the hell … we’re here … so we played and won. That took us to the Nationals in Daytona Beach Fl. A 3 day event 45 or so bands from all over the USA. We played 2nd or 3rd on the 1st day. Didn’t think twice about it! We ended up winning. The grand prize was recording a single, but somehow our manager talked them into an EP. We hooked up with an agent in Florida, stayed and played the bar circuit down there for a couple months. The Best rehearsal ever. 4-6 sets a night, 6-7 days a week … grueling, but it’s Florida. Lots of sun, beach, girls and drugs! We recorded the 4 song EP (plus one more song) at Webb IV studio in Atlanta. Ed Seay produced. It came out great. We were getting airplay on the radio in Columbus and our crowds tripled in size.

Did you play a lot of shows with Rosie?

Yes, all the time. Either locally, or doing the circuit between Ohio and Florida. We played enough covers with originals mixed in to get work. We got so popular in Columbus, that The Alrosa Villa had to build another room with a bigger stage to accommodate our crowd! Lots of radio and fan support. We actually did a live radio simulcast on New Years Eve 1981 at the Alrosa. QFM broadcast it. Unheard of, for a local band, anywhere!

You got together again with The Godz and released the 1985 album, ‘I’ll Get You Rockin.’

I did not play on that album. Only on what became Mongolians. Then on the 1994 Live Album reunited with Eric, Glen and Eric Mauk replacing Bob Hill.

How did you enjoy working on ‘Mongolians’?

It was fun. Did it at a studio in Cleveland, I believe … I only played on two songs, ‘Mongolians’ and ‘Criminal Mind.’ The rest of the album had been previously released as ‘I’ll Get You Rockin,’ on a different label.

You were also touring with Metallica as they supported their album ‘Master of Puppets’ on their Damage Inc. Tour with Ozzy Osbourne, that must have been something?

To the best of my knowledge, a version of the Godz prior to recording Mongolians, played only one date with Metallica in Texas in 1986. I was not in the band at that time. But Eric and Freddie Salem told me the crowd just kept yelling Metallica, Metallica during their set!

What are some of the most important players that influenced your own style and what in particular did they employ in their playing that you liked?

That’s hard, there are so many. My roots/influence come from many places! I suppose the top of the list has to be Pete Townshend. A lot of my chord voicings and rhythm work come from him. In no particular order, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Mark Farner, Leslie West, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Alvin Lee, Tony Iommi, Mick Ralphs, Mel Galley, Ace Frehley, Billy Gibbons, Malcom Young, Ronnie Montrose, Michael Schenker, Joe Walsh, Bob Hill, Paul Kossoff, Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner, Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, et cetera. You’ll hear snippets from all those guys in my playing! I was never a “guitar hero” kind of guy. It was always the content of the songs. I like songs that you can remember after you hear it once. If it’s got a great solo, then it’s a bonus. I never liked soloing for the sake of soloing (which I have been guilty of). I like solos that speak and add to the song content. I very much consider myself to be a rhythm guitarist that can solo, if I have to! I have a lot of respect for the later “shred” guys, but not really my thing. Though Eddie Van Halen is a fantastic rhythm player as well.

What else currently occupies your life?

My wife Doreen, our twin daughters (in graduate school), our dog Molly. Music takes up a lot of my time (especially if I’m touring), but I buy/sell/trade vintage guitars for a hobby, ride my motorcycle when it’s nice, listen to records and do yoga with my wife.