Cold Turkey

Hey Zoo Freaks, it's the Zoo Crew cranking up the vibes at THE ZOO with that gritty punch of "Cold Turkey" by The Godfathers off their Hit By Hit album—whew, doesn't it just grab you by the collar and shake out all the blues like a bad habit you can't kick? Digging through those dusty interviews, Peter Coyne let slip in a chat with Power Pop Criminals how this cover came roaring out of their sessions with producer Vic Maile, that wizard who'd helmed classics for The Kinks and Motorhead, turning John Lennon's raw howl into their own snarling beast. "We wanted to brutalize it, make it ours," Coyne grinned, noting it was the one unreleased gem slapped onto their indie singles compilation back in '86, like a secret weapon that sealed their rep as punk-hearted rockers who didn't mess around. Fans on X still rave about it too—@whupdc dropped a gem in '22 calling it a standout from their debut, hollering how the band shredded it live like nobody's business, echoing that Lennon fire but with a proper London edge that leaves you breathless.

And get this from those deep fan threads and old mag clips, the track's got legs for days—they blasted it at the 100 Club in 2010, captured on that anniversary DVD where the crowd lost their minds over the original lineup's fury, and even in '88 at the Town & Country, Kris Dollimore's guitar wail turning it into a full-on riot. In a Rolling Stone nod from '88, they hailed the band's whole vibe as a hit machine, with "Cold Turkey" sneaking in as the wildcard that hooked U.S. ears before the big Epic deal. Social buzz on forums like JazzRockSoul swears it was recorded in '82 during their Sid Presley days but held back like fine whiskey, finally uncorked to cap off Hit By Hit's rebel yell of tracks. One punter on X even tied it to Lennon's own wild ride, quoting how the man pitched it to The Beatles and got the cold shoulder—fits the Godfathers' outlaw spirit to a T, doesn't it? It's no wonder it pops up in cover chats, with folks saying it out-punks the original, all sweat and no mercy.

Speaking of those South London firebrands, let's rewind the tape on how The Godfathers sparked to life, 'cause it's a proper tale of grit and garage dreams. Picture the Coyne brothers, Peter on mic and Chris thumping bass, growing up in a big Irish clan amid the roar of the late '70s punk explosion—Beatles and Elvis in their blood, but The Clash and The Jam lighting the fuse. They kicked off in '82 as The Sid Presley Experience, a mod-punk crew channeling Elvis with a sneer, dropping a couple singles that caught ears on the underground circuit. By '85, after a shake-up and Peter's stint scribbling for ZigZag mag, they ditched the name for The Godfather's mobster swagger, roping in guitar slingers Mike Gibson and Kris Dollimore plus drummer George Mazur to form the classic lineup. Hooking up with Vic Maile, they stormed out indie EPs like Capo di Tutti Capi, singles that scorched the charts—"Lonely Man," "This Damn Nation"—paving the way for that Lennon-laced debut and a fat Epic contract. From smoky clubs to global tours, it was all about that primal R&B-punk heart, dodging the synth-pop fluff for honest-to-goodness rock 'n' roll rebellion that still echoes today.

Keep the Godfather gospel flowing, you lot—their official haunt at thegodfathersofficial.com is loaded with tour intel, fresh slabs like Alpha Beta Gamma Delta, and all the lore to feed your inner rebel. Swing over to Facebook for gig clips and banter that'll have you raising a pint from afar, or dive into Instagram for snaps of their road-warrior life that scream pure attitude. On X, track @thegodfathers for snappy updates and that undying fire. For the true believers, the wiki at Wikipedia digs deep into the discog and drama, while fan corners on Facebook groups like those hidden gems swap bootlegs and stories from the front lines. It's a family affair out there, freaks, all loyalty and loud guitars—stay locked in, the needle's dropping next.