HARD ROCK CALLING 2009

GOLDHEART ASSEMBLY

Artist Information

Like West Side Story’s Maria and Tony before them, the two people at the throbbing heart of electric folk whirlpool Goldheart Assembly, John Herbert and Jamie Dale, were both in rival gangs - oh alright then, singers in rival bands’ until fate stepped in and showed them what beautiful music they could make together. “John was in an experimental, ramshackle band who didn’t have any equipment - very unprofessional, but artistic,” starts Jamie, “and I was in a very professional, unartistic band.” Secretly envious of each others lot, they finally got together two years ago.

Goldheart Assembly have since grown into a five-piece live entity and, despite being based in and around the urban vortex of London, John and Jamie are nature boys deep down. Their demos boast an unmistakably organic ethic: gorgeous home-recorded tracks like ‘So long St Christopher’ and the NME-name dropping ‘Oh Really’ might sound like they were laid down in a million-dollar studio but they boast teacup-and-spoon beats.
“The best drum sound we’ve ever had was a door in Derbyshire” says John. Back when they were resolutely cashless, a friend of a friend offered an unused house there. Unfortunately the house had no furniture and even less electricity. “We were terrified every night,” says Jamie. They lasted three days but in that time managed to record thumping pastoral pop ballad ‘Going Down Well’ (complete with said door sounds), as well as ‘King Of Rome’ the first single planned for release in January.