Simon Goddard
Encyclopedia
Simon Goddard is a British music journalist
and author, best known for his writings on British indie
band The Smiths
and their former lead singer Morrissey
.
In 2002 Goddard's first book on The Smiths was published by the small Surrey-based imprint Reynolds & Hearn. Entitled Songs That Saved Your Life
it analysed in depth the making of every one of their songs, both released and unreleased and borrowed its format from Ian MacDonald
's Beatles book, Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties
. The book was updated in 2004 to include new interview material from Smiths founder and guitarist Johnny Marr
.
Goddard's second book called Mozipedia - The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths was published in the UK by Ebury Press/Random House
in August 2009. The book is a 350,000 word alphabetical index of Morrissey and his world, described by one reviewer as "the undertaking of a maniac" and by another as "the next best thing to Morrissey's autobiography (when he actually writes it)." Mozipedia was voted Best Book of 2009 by the readers of Mojo
magazine. The American edition of Mozipedia was published by Plume
through Penguin/Viking
on 28 September 2010.
As a journalist Goddard has written for Q
, Uncut
and various other magazines and newspapers. He is the great-great-great nephew of the Victorian artist and designer George Charles Haité
and prior to journalism studied fine art. In 1995 he directed and designed the promo video for Edwyn Collins
' single "If You Could Love Me". His brother is the television director Andy Goddard
.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author, best known for his writings on British indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
band The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
and their former lead singer Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
.
In 2002 Goddard's first book on The Smiths was published by the small Surrey-based imprint Reynolds & Hearn. Entitled Songs That Saved Your Life
Songs That Saved Your Life
The Smiths: Songs That Saved Your Life is a book on British rock band The Smiths, written by UK music journalist Simon Goddard. The title refers to a lyric from their 1985 B-side "Rubber Ring"....
it analysed in depth the making of every one of their songs, both released and unreleased and borrowed its format from Ian MacDonald
Ian MacDonald
Ian MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
's Beatles book, Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties
Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties
Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties is a 1994 book by British music critic and author Ian MacDonald detailing every record The Beatles ever produced...
. The book was updated in 2004 to include new interview material from Smiths founder and guitarist Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse...
.
Goddard's second book called Mozipedia - The Encyclopedia of Morrissey and The Smiths was published in the UK by Ebury Press/Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
in August 2009. The book is a 350,000 word alphabetical index of Morrissey and his world, described by one reviewer as "the undertaking of a maniac" and by another as "the next best thing to Morrissey's autobiography (when he actually writes it)." Mozipedia was voted Best Book of 2009 by the readers of Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
magazine. The American edition of Mozipedia was published by Plume
Plume (publishing)
Plume is a publishing company in the United States, founded in 1970 as the trade paperback imprint of New American Library. Today it is a division of Penguin Group, with a backlist of approximately 700 titles....
through Penguin/Viking
Penguin Group
The Penguin Group is a trade book publisher, the largest in the world , having overtaken Random House in 2009. The Penguin Group is the name of the incorporated division of parent Pearson PLC that oversees these publishing operations...
on 28 September 2010.
As a journalist Goddard has written for Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
, Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
and various other magazines and newspapers. He is the great-great-great nephew of the Victorian artist and designer George Charles Haité
George Charles Haité
George Charles Haité was an English designer, painter, illustrator and writer. His most famous work is the iconic cover design of the Strand Magazine launched in 1891 which helped popularise the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan Doyle...
and prior to journalism studied fine art. In 1995 he directed and designed the promo video for Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Collins
Edwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
' single "If You Could Love Me". His brother is the television director Andy Goddard
Andy Goddard
Andy Goddard is a British television director who was nominated for a BAFTA and won a gold Hugo Award in 1997 for his work on Little Sisters.- Director :*Little Sisters *Yabba Yabba Ding Ding *Rice Paper Stars...
.