David Goodchild has a long-running show on @musicboxradiouk, Soul and Synth imaginarium, in search of the purposeful, or accidental, human soul in synth and electronic music. A recent edition covers sleeve art in depth with fellow designer Asif Khan.
David has also run and guested at many nights across London including lately Beyond Dub, a semi-regular SE London event exploring dub from origination to today, across borders and genres. Connecting the dots between dub, disco, post punk, electronica and beyond.
Show some love, follow 👉 @d__goodchild
Each week we will be taking a dip into the crates and minds of some of the digging scenes most prolific collectors.
🤔 Who should be on the next RPM feature?
What were your earliest musical influences?
“BBC TV soundtracks, weekends at home, listening to my dad’s folk obscurities and car journeys belting out naively made up Pogues lyrics, contrasted with early Prodigy and discovering rave tape packs at the back of DT lessons, along with pirate radio. Some might argue UK rave is folk music of a kind, now developed here over the last 50 years from Jamaican roots.
Electronic music was uniquely and naively brilliant around the time I was born. I have an uncanny gravity to records that turn out to be early 80s experimentations.”
What is one of your favourite pieces of sleeve art, and why?
“One of Peter Saville’s finest moments: moody romance and decay – pinched from the National Gallery archive – contrasted with his graphic block colour coded typography. Such a benchmark for look and sound but none will ever match it. The perfect post punk artefact, released on my brother’s birthday.”
What is one of your favourite pieces of sleeve art and why?
So many! Maybe Patrice Rushen’s Before the Dawn. Slighty random as seems to have no connection to the music on it. But then it does. It’s a mysterious piece of building art, with just a few lights on and that’s us listening to this wonderful slice of feel good soul jazz after midnight from one of Patrices earliest records on Fantasy ( a real favourite label of mine too) . Think Questlove also has a big thing for the title track that never tires.Always favoured art that’s a bit spacey and out there such as the Orbs, “Beyond the Ultraworld” which is a close second. Again its suits the music within – Adds to it . Extends it. Loves it. Big up Alex Paterson and Youth. Also Pedro Ruy Blas – “La Puerta Abierta” . I could go on…
You’ve been sent on a mission to outer space, you’re allowed to take one record… what is it?
“I love the idea of playing dub in outer space. Not sure if we’d be allowed a big system on the ship but would’t that be great?! Let’s stick on Scientist – Dematerialise, from Scientist Meets the Space Invaders.”
Name a song to soundtrack the sunshine…
“The context of music outside (sunshine a bonus) is unmatched. Nothing is more satisfying than putting together a bag of “proper outdoor music” as I like to call it. Impossible to choose one track but BLO – It’s Gonna Be A Good Day screams let’s go outside.”
