Coordinates: 55°51′41″N 4°18′30″W / 55.861485°N 4.308304°W / 55.861485; -4.308304

Govan
Scottish Gaelic: Baile a' Ghobhainn
Govan Burgh Hall
Govan  Govan shown within Glasgow
OS grid reference	NS555655
- Edinburgh	45 mi (72 km) E
- London	346 mi (557 km) SSE
Council area	Glasgow City Council
Lieutenancy area	Glasgow
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GLASGOW
Postcode district	G51
Dialling code	0141
Police	Strathclyde
Fire	Strathclyde
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Glasgow South West
Scottish Parliament	Glasgow Govan
	Glasgow
List of places: UK • Scotland • Glasgow

Govan (/ˈɡʌvən/ GUV-ən; Scottish Gaelic: Baile a' Ghobhainn) is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick.

According to medieval legend, Constantine, a 7th-century King of Strathclyde, founded a monastery under the rule of Columbanus in Govan. During the Middle Ages, Govan was the site of a ferry which linked the area with Partick for seasonal cattle drovers. In the 18th and 19th centuries, textile mills and coal mining were important; in the early 19th century shipbuilding emerged as Govan's principal industry. In 1864, Govan gained burgh status, and was Scotland's fifth largest burgh. It was incorporated into the city of Glasgow in 1912. However, the people of Govan often proclaim to be Govanites first and Glaswegians second and when asked "are you from Glesga?", still reply with "na, Acumfaegovan" (No, I come from Govan).^[1]

History[link]

Early history[link]

Recent studies of the archaeology of old Govan have revealed the presence of an ancient Christian church. Two associated Christian burials are radiocarbon dated to the 5th or 6th centuries, making Govan the earliest known Christian site in the region.^[2] Govan is believed to have then been part of a kingdom ruled from Dumbarton Rock, known as Alt Clut, the rock on the Clyde. During the Viking Age, perhaps following the sack of Dumbarton Rock in 878, Govan is believed to have been one of the major centres of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. According to John of Fordun, Constantine, a 7th-century king of Strathclyde, founded a monastery at Govan, where he died and was buried.^{[citation needed]} In 1855, an elaborately carved sandstone sarcophagus was found during digging in the churchyard.^[3] It is now kept inside the church. It may have been used to contain the body or relics of Constantine, although the style of carving indicates an origin in the 10th or 11th centuries.^{[citation needed]} This King Constantine is first mentioned in the 12th-century Life of St. Kentigern by Jocelyn of Furness, where he is said to have been son of Riderch Hael.^[4] He is likely a literary invention. The early church in Govan is dedicated to a Saint Constantine, about whom nothing else is known.^[4]

Govan's earliest recorded name may be found in the Historia Regnum Anglorum attributed to Symeon of Durham. This is a 12th-century Latin source, but one believed to be based on much earlier materials; it records a place near Dumbarton Rock named Ouania. Based on this, Govan's Cumbric language name has been reconstructed as *(G)uovan.^[5] Govan is Bàile Ghobhainn (smith's town) in Scottish Gaelic. Bishop Leslie in his Scotia Descriptio of 1578 says it got its name from the excellence of its ale (God-win), whereas Chalmers in his Caledonia says it is derived from Scottish Gaelic, Gamhan (a ditch).^[6]

The earliest references to Govan are found in connection with the Christian church. In 1136, when Glasgow Cathedral was formally consecrated, King David I (1124–53) gave to the See the lands of Partick and also of the church at Govan (on opposite sides of the River Clyde), which became a prebend of Glasgow. The Govan Old Parish Church was rebuilt in 1762, 1826, and again 1884-1888. Within it and its roughly circular churchyard is one of the finest collections of Early Christian stones in the United Kingdom, dating from the 10th and 11th centuries.

By the 16th century, extensive coal mine workings had been developed around Craigton and Drumoyne. As the village grew, new trades and crafts, such as weaving, pottery and agriculture, were established.

A part of Blaeu's 1654 map of Scotland. Modern Govan is at the site labeled Mekle Gouan ("Big Govan"). The small town of Glasgow is on the north bank of the Clyde, across from Litle Gouan ("Little Govan").

There is an oddity whereby part of eighteenth-century parish of Govan (which was in Lanarkshire) is counted as being within Renfrewshire. There existed a hospital in the area, and as quasi-religious foundations were not taxed, it had never been assigned to a sheriffdom. Thus, when Renfrewshire was created out of a sheriffdom of Lanarkshire in the early fifteenth century, the lands associated with the hospital (Polmadie) were not technically in the newly created shire, as they were not part of the sheriffdom. They were, however, very much a part of the physical landscape that became Renfrewshire. A similar uncertainty existed regarding the nearby lands of Pollokshields and Westends. People lived with the inconsistency in the records. When the railroad was to be built in the late nineteenth century, however, the confusion over proper descriptions in the land titles made necessary legal transactions difficult and had to be reconciled. The county added to the description of these lands, the phrase: "but now by annexation in the County of Renfrew."^[7]

Pearce Statue and Lyceum Theatre, 1904.

By the early part of the 19th century, Govan was rapidly losing its rural appearance and assuming the character of a town with the development of new industries and factories, including Reid's Dye Works and Pollok's Silk Mill. Town officials arranged for the deepening of the Clyde in 1759, the reclamation of the channels between the islands (The Whyte Inch, The Black Inch, and The King's Inch), and the construction of quays and docks. This facilitated the development of shipbuilding as a major industry. By the 1860s, the village needed a higher order of administration and it was made a burgh in 1864, under the General Police (Scotland) Act 1862. At the time, it was the fifth largest burgh in Scotland and contained within its boundaries, the areas of Plantation, Cessnock, Ibrox, Craigton and Drumoyne.^[8] in 1901 the Burgh boundaries increased further west to include Linthouse and West Drumoyne.^[9]

With Morris Pollok as its first Provost, the Burgh and its Commissioners ensured that during the next 48 years Govan became a well-equipped, modern town. During the late 19th century, the population of Govan increased more than tenfold: from 9,000 in 1864 to 95,000 by 1907. In 1901 Govan was the 7th largest town in Scotland.^[10] In 1912, Glasgow annexed Govan after a series of annexation battles.^[11]

A prominent feature of the Govan landscape was the Doomster or Moot Hill, which stood near the river, north of the present Govan Cross. It was removed in the early 19th century and Reid's Dyeworks was erected on the site. The origins of the Doomster Hill are a mystery. One hypothesis is that it was a prehistoric burial mound. In 1996, a team from Channel 4's Time Team programme carried out an archeological excavation at the site. They suggested that the hill may have been a 12th-century Norman motte.^{[citation needed]}

A useful reference source for this period is given below.^[12]

20th century to the present[link]

Traditionally viewed as a working-class area, Govan has typically supported the Labour Party, but the Scottish National Party (SNP) has also been strong there. In 1973 SNP won a by-election with Margo MacDonald as their candidate. The SNP won another by-election victory in 1988, this time with Jim Sillars as candidate. The latest victory for the SNP was in the 2007 Scottish parliamentary elections, when Nicola Sturgeon became the MSP for the constituency.

The area has had a reputation for deprivation and poverty, partly due to the construction of housing estates in the 1930s to relieve the overcrowded slum district of The Gorbals, Glasgow. The most famous of these housing estates is Moorpark, sometimes referred to jocularly as "The Wine Alley". It was parodied by the BBC sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt. Although Govan the stated setting for the show, episodes were seldom filmed there. In the post-war years, many Govanites were relocated from the town, often reluctantly, to outlying areas such as Drumchapel, Pollok, Darnley, Priesthill and Penilee by the Corporation of Glasgow.

Despite these developments, there were numerous older buildings around Govan until quite recently, most notably the terraces and tenements situated around Govan Road. These were not cleared until well into the 1970s.

Due to boundary changes, Govan in the early 1960s incorporated some surrounding more prosperous areas at its boundaries. Although technically part of Govan, residents of these areas have maintained a distinct identity separate from the area.

The Govan Fair is celebrated on the first Friday in June each year.

Economy[link]

Govan street scene

Govan was at one stage the centre of the world-renowned Clydeside shipbuilding industry, but few shipyards remain today. One of Govan's original yards is one of only two large shipyards to survive on the Upper River Clyde, the other being Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited based in Scotstoun. These two yards form a large part of BAE Systems Surface Ships.

In 1841, Robert Napier began iron shipbuilding in Govan, and in 1843 produced its first ship, the Vanguard. He also procured a contract with the Royal Navy to produce vessels, notably the Jackal, the Lizard, and the Bloodhound. He also allowed naval officers in training to visit the shipyard to familiarise themselves with the new vessels. Napier's Shipyard in Govan was later acquired by William Beardmore and Company in 1900 before being sold on to Harland & Wolff in 1912. It finally closed in 1962 and most of the site was redeveloped into housing.

Govan's other major shipbulding firm was founded in the 1860s as Randolph, Elder and Company, later becoming John Elder and Company. In 1885 the yard moved further west to its present site and was reorganised as the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd. This company continued until 1965 when it filed for bankruptcy. In response in 1966, the yard was again reorganised as Fairfields and guaranteed by the government. The following year Fairfields and the other major Clydeside yards (Stephens, Connels, Yarrows and John Browns) were merged to form Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS).

In 1971 Upper Clyde Shipbuilders went into receivership and the Tory government under Edward Heath refused it a £6m loan. Rather than go on strike, which was the traditional form of industrial action, the union leadership of the yards decided to have a work-in and complete the orders that the shipyards had in place. In this way they dispelled the idea of the workers being 'work-shy' and also wanted to illustrate the long-term viability of the yards. The work-in was successful in the short-term. YSL withdrew from UCS in 1971 and Govan was sold off in 1973 as Govan Shipbuilders.^{[citation needed]}

In 1977, the Labour government of James Callaghan passed the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act which nationalised Govan and grouped it with other major British shipyards as British Shipbuilders. In May 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister and her administration soon began its privatisation programme. British Aerospace, established by the same act, was privatised in 1981. British Shipbuilders' road to privatisation was not as swift, and the group was sold piece by piece in the course of the 1980s.

Kværner of Norway, as part of a planned development of a large international shipbuilding group, took over Govan.^[13] British Shipbuilders' sale of Govan to the Norwegian firm was completed in 1988 and the yard was renamed Kvaerner Govan.^[14]

In 1999, GEC's Marconi Marine division purchased the yard when Kværner announced its exit from the shipbuilding industry.^[14] GEC's Marconi Marine division already owned YSL (purchased in 1985) and VSEL (purchased in 1995). Marconi Electronic Systems and its Marconi Marine unit were sold to British Aerospace in 1999 to form BAE Systems. The shipbuilding operations became BAE Systems Marine, which subsequently became part of BVT Surface Fleet, a naval shipbuilding joint venture between BAE Systems and VT Group, which became BAE Systems Surface Ships in 2009.

Alexander Stephen and Sons also established a Shipyard in nearby Linthouse in 1870. The yard eventually closed in the wake of the collapse of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders consortium in 1971.

Ships built at Govan[link]

A list of almost 3000 ships built at Govan has been collected in the 'Clydebuilt Database'.^[21] The ships were built by the following companies: Robert Napier & Company, Randolph Elder & Company, Dobbie Hedderwick & Co., Dobie & Company, Mackie & Thomson, Smith & Rodgers, London & Glasgow Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., William Beardmore & Company, John Elder & Company, Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co. Ltd., Alexander Stephens & Sons, J & G Thomson, Harland & Wolff and more.

Transport[link]

Govan is served by Govan Subway Station, Ibrox Subway Station and Cessnock Subway Station on the Glasgow subway system.

Govan railway station opened on 2 December 1868. It closed permanently to regular passenger services on 9 May 1921.

Regular bus services, mainly operated by Arriva and First Bus, offer frequent routes to Glasgow City Centre, as well as to numerous locations in Renfrewshire.

Sports[link]

Govan borders the district of Ibrox home since 1899 to the well known football club Rangers F.C.. The Ibrox Stadium, (home to Rangers F.C.) has a stand named for Govan with the stadium itself being 1 of only 27 football stadiums in Europe to be ranked by UEFA as a UEFA Category five stadium. This stadium has staged many great events, but was scene of one of the world's worst sporting tragedies in January 1971, when 66 Rangers fans were trampled to death on a stairwell leaving the ground.

Govan is home to the popular Scottish junior football team Benburb F.C. who play at Tinto Park, Craigton. They share a rivalry with St Anthony's F.C. who once hailed from the Helen Street district of Govan but who are now based further to the west at Cardonald. Linthouse F.C. were a successful senior side, who fell into decline and are now defunct.

Media[link]

Govan is served by community Radio Station Sunny Govan broadcasting on 103.5FM to the city of Glasgow and surrounding districts.

Govan has had several local newspapers over the years such as the Govan Chronicle and Govan Press published by the Cossar Family (1851-1983 & 2006–present) which also serves the communities of Cardonald, Penilee and Hillington and the Govan Post (1983–1988) published by Cook, Paton & Co. of Paisley, now part of Dunfermline Press.

List of Provosts of Govan[link]

• 1864-1867 Morris Pollok
• 1867-1869 William Cruickshank
• 1869-1872 Thomas Reid
• 1872-1880 James Wilson
• 1880-1883 John Thompson
• 1883-1886 Alexander Campbell
• 1886-1889 George Ferguson
• 1889-1892 Neil McLean
• 1892-1901 James Kirkwood
• 1901-1904 John Marr
• 1904-1908 John Anthony
• 1908-1912 David McKechnie

Popular culture[link]

• Scottish TV Series Rab C Nesbitt is set in Govan although the series is largely filmed outwith.
• The Scottish cocktail, the Govana Libre was named after the town. Although the drink itself was created in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Finneston on the City's North side, inventor and Govan man Chris Pendergast chose the name to pay homage to the area of his birth.

Notable people[link]

• George MacLeod, minister of the Church of Scotland's Govan Old Parish Church. He founded the Iona Community, whose offices are still based in Govan.
• Sir Alex Ferguson, football player and manager
• Kenny Dalglish, football player and manager
• Jimmy Reid, trade unionist
• Johnny Quigley, football player^[22][23]
• Iain Robertson, actor^[24]
• Leo Blair (senior), father of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and high court judge Sir William Blair, was raised on Golspie Street.

Notes[link]

References[link]

• "Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 (c. 3) Schedule 2 Shipbuilding Industry". UK Statute Law Database. 1977. http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?PageNumber=5&ActiveTextDocId=1248430. Retrieved 2007-04-28. 

Guthrie Govan
Background information
Birth name	Guthrie Govan
Born	(1971-12-27) 27 December 1971 (age 40) Chelmsford, Essex
Genres	Jazz fusion, rock, blues, progressive rock, funk, country, bluegrass
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Cornford Records
Associated acts	Erotic Cakes, Young Punx, The Fellowship, GPS, Asia, Dizzee Rascal, Docker's Guild, The Aristocrats
Website	Official website
Notable instruments
Suhr Standards Classic Classic T

Guthrie Govan (born 27 December 1971 in Chelmsford, Essex, England) is a virtuoso guitarist known for his work with the bands Asia (2001–2006), GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes (a vehicle for his own music). He is a noted guitar teacher through his work with the UK magazine Guitar Techniques, Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music and currently the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. He is the 1993 winner of Guitarist magazine's "Guitarist of the Year" competition.

Biography and early playing career[link]

Govan began playing guitar aged three, encouraged by his father but initially learning mainly by ear. At the age of nine he and his brother Seth Govan played guitar on a Thames Television programme called Ace Reports. At secondary school he was exposed, via older classmates, to "shred" guitarists of the time.^[1]

After leaving school, Govan read English at the University of Oxford, though he left after a year to pursue a career in music. Around this time (by Govan’s own estimation, 1991^[1]) he sent demos of his work to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records. Varney was impressed and offered him a record deal; ultimately however, Govan declined. Regarding his reasons he has explained: "it was as though all I really wanted to know was that I was good enough […] I found I was getting a bit wary of the shred movement."^[2]

In 1993 he won Guitarist magazine’s "Guitarist of the Year" competition with his instrumental piece Wonderful Slippery Thing (a version of which would eventually appear on his debut solo album); the demo of the track earned him a place amongst several other entrants in the live final, which he then won. Subsequently, he submitted a sample transcription (of a Shawn Lane piece) to Guitar Techniques magazine; this earned him a job as a contributor to the magazine, ending a spell working in fast food.^[1]

Guitar tuition[link]

Govan has since worked with Guitar Techniques,^[1] including an article providing a transcription of his track Wonderful Slippery Thing.^[3] Since the late 1990s, Govan has taught at the Guitar Institute in Acton, Thames Valley University, and the Academy of Contemporary Music; he currently teaches at Brighton Institute of Modern Music. In this context, he is known for his ability to teach a wide range of styles.^[1] Govan has published two books on guitar playing: Creative Guitar Volume 1: Cutting Edge Techniques and Creative Guitar Volume 2: Advanced Techniques.^[4][5]

Playing career in the 2000s[link]

Asia, GPS and The Young Punx[link]

Govan began his involvement with Asia playing on the album Aura. With his work on the album complete, Govan was added to the Asia line-up for the tour to support the new album. Bad Asteroid, an instrumental in the live shows, was a Govan original composition; it dates back to his early 1990s demo. He went on to play on the band’s 2004 album Silent Nation.

In 2006, Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes left to reform an earlier Asia line-up; Govan and the other two band members, John Payne and Jay Schellen, along with and Erik Norlander continued as Asia featuring John Payne. Govan left in mid-2009 and was replaced by Mitch Perry. Payne, Govan and Schellen also formed GPS (named after the members' initials) and after the addition of Ryo Okumoto on keyboards the band released the album Window to the Soul (2006).

Govan performs on a number of tracks on Your Music Is Killing Me, the debut album of UK electronic dance music act The Young Punx and is part of their live act. He also appears in the music video for their track Rockall.

Govan has played live guitar for Dizzee Rascal, including a performance on Later With Jools Holland.^[6]

Docker's Guild[link]

In December 2010, Govan performed on all tracks on Docker's Guild album The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age of Ignorance, due for release in 2012 on Lion Music. The project also features some other Asia artists, notably John Payne on vocals and Simon Hanhart, who mixed the album. Other special guests include Gregg Bissonette (drums), Tony Franklin (bass), Jeff Watson (guitars), Douglas R. Docker (keyboards), Goran Edman, Tony Mills and Amanda Somerville (vocals).^[7]

Erotic Cakes and The Fellowship[link]

Govan’s debut solo album, Erotic Cakes, was released through Cornford Records in August 2006. In the album's sleeve notes, Govan states the album is named after an episode of The Simpsons; he also explains that when playing live, the band is billed as Erotic Cakes rather than simply Guthrie Govan.^[8] In addition to bass by Govan’s brother Seth and drumming by Pete Riley, the album features guitar solos by Richie Kotzen (whose Los Angeles studio was used to record the guitar tracks on the album) on Ner Ner and Bumblefoot on Rhode Island Shred respectively. Seth Govan and Pete Riley also complete the Erotic Cakes live band. Previous versions of Waves and Rhode Island Shred appeared on the compilation Guitar on the Edge, Vol 1. no.4 (Legato Records, 1993).^[8] A version of his Guitarist of the Year winning piece, Wonderful Slippery Thing appears on the album. While this is his first album, Govan had been collaborating with drummer Pete Riley on the music since the mid-1990s.^[1]

The Erotic Cakes band line up, with the addition of saxophonist Zak Barrett, also forms jazz-fusion band The Fellowship. The band plays at the Bassment club in Chelmsford, Essex, every Thursday night and has done so for several years.^[1][9]

Playing career in the 2010s[link]

In late 2011, Govan announced a new tour with new band The Aristocrats, featuring Bryan Beller on bass and Marco Minnemann on the drums. Their self-titled album was released worldwide in September 2011.

In 2012, TBS began running a TV ad for the popular show "House of Payne" that features part of his solo from his jam track "Les is More" available through www.JamTrackCentral.com

Influences and technique[link]

Govan’s earliest influences were Jimi Hendrix and Cream-era Eric Clapton; as such he describes himself as coming from a "blues rock background".^[1] While he is "wary" of 1980s technique driven guitar music ("shred") he cites the imagination of Steve Vai (as well as Frank Zappa, with whom Vai played) and the passion of Yngwie Malmsteen as influences. Jazz and fusion elements are an important part of his style: he cites Joe Pass as a pivotal influence in this respect.^[2]

Govan is known for his virtuoso command of the electric guitar, due to both his technical ability and proficiency in various styles. Govan’s MySpace profile lists quotes from various guitarists to this effect;^[10] elsewhere, fellow virtuosos Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert have praised Govan's playing.^[11][12]

Equipment[link]

Govan mainly uses various Suhr guitars: three different Guthrie Govan Signature Model guitars, three custom Standards, a Modern 24-fret model, a Classic and Classic T.^[13] He plays Vigier fretless guitar. Govan also favours Cornford amps: the sleeve notes of Erotic Cakes state he has used an RK100, MK50 and Hellcat.^[1] In the last European tour of 2010 and 2011 he played Brunetti amplifiers (CustomWork Mercury 50) like his friend Dave Kilminster, and he recorded live his last CD/DVD during the Lapsus (Torino, Italy) show on the December 8th 2011.^{[citation needed]}

On December 17, 2011 Guthrie and the Erotic Cakes band had their gear stolen after a show in Rome. Among the equipment stolen were Brunetti Mercury heads, a 1989 Warwick Streamer bass, yet-to-be-edited footage from the show played at Lapsus, Torino IT and more.^[14]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Guthrie Govan Web Site
• Cornford Records on Myspace Samples of the debut album
• A YouTube clip of Govan improvising Sample of his fusion-jazz style
• Another YouTube clip of Govan improvising Bluesy style showcasing Govan's string overbends to create melody
• Official Aristocrats Band Site

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Christophe Godin
Christophe Godin onstage with Morglbl somewhere in central New Jersey, May 2009.
Background information
Born	1968 Annecy, France
Genres	Blues Heavy metal Instrumental rock Jazz fusion Classical
Occupations	Guitarist
Instruments	Guitar, Vocals
Associated acts	Metal Kartoon Gno Mŏrgibl Trio 2G duet

Biography[link]

Christophe Godin (born 1968 in Annecy, France) is a French guitarist and singer, notable for his work with the famous French bands Metal Kartoon, Gnô and Mörglbl. Godin plays a variety of styles, including heavy metal, jazz fusion, blues and more.

Christophe Godin was on tour with some famous musicians, like Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (Guns N' Roses), Andy Timmons (Danger Danger), Mattias Eklundh (Freak Kitchen), Kiko Loureira (Angra). Morglbl shared the stage with Liquid Tension Experiment (3/5 of Dream Theater plus Tony Levin on bass) at US biggest indoor prog festival, NEARfest in 2008 for the festival's 10th anniversary. He also played with Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson).

Godin is known for his sense of humour, virtuosic guitar skills, energetic performances and overall wacky personality. These traits can be best observed in one of his live performances, where he does both the vocals and guitar parts in the Jimi Hendrix classic "Little Wing". Instead of playing the chords as they would normally be played, Godin played the arpeggiated versions of those chords using the sweep picking technique, all the while singing in time with his playing.

Christophe Godin began his musical journey as a local guitar hero in several bands which, unfortunately, never left any trace.

In 1995, with Temple, Christophe played on an album that was properly distributed in France and received a wave of positive reviews.

In 1996, he took part on Guitare Attitudes, a compilation featuring French guitarists, that allowed him to regularly appear on the French TV show Nulle Part Ailleurs (Canal +) as a guest guitarist.

In 1997, he created, along with Ivan Rougny and Jean-Pierre Frelézeau, the Mörglbl Trio !! and released two albums ("The Mörglbl Trio !!" in 1998 and "Bienvenue à Mörglbl Land" in 1999). With this band, the doors to international distribution finally opened. In the meantime, Christophe, who's been a teacher at the E.T.M. of Geneva, Switzerland, since 1994 acquired a solid pedagogue reputation with the release of an instructional video (Heavy metal : les techniques) and the multitude of articles he wrote for dozens of guitar magazines. He became a regular guest at the M.A.I. of Nancy, France, and runs master-classes in the whole country.

In 2001, he created Gnô, with Gabriel Vegh (bass/vocals) and Peter Puke (drums/vocals), and releases "Trash Deluxe". Gnô was on tour intensively throughout France until 2003. Finally, simultaneously with his duo with Pierrejean Gaucher (the 2G,playing Frank Zappa covers alongside their original material ), Christophe, for the first time, formed his solo project under the name Christophe Godin's Metal Kartoon, which includes two violinists/pianists/singers, one bass player/singer, one drummer/pianist/singer and Christophe Godin. The band tours since 2004, and the album is released in the fall of 2005. All the ingredients that made the career of the guitarist what it is are to be found on this record: humour, virtuosity, and a mix of jazz, funk and metal.

Godin was voted fifth best international guitarist by Guitar Parts magazine.^[1]

Discography[link]

Temple

• Temple (1995)

Mörglbl

• The Mörglbl Trio!! (1998)
• Bienvenue à Mörglbl Land (1999)
• Grötesk (2007)
• Toon Tunes from the Past (2008)
• Jäzz for the Deaf (2009)

Gnô

• Trash Deluxe (2001)

Christophe Godin

• Christophe Godin's Metal Kartoon (2005)

Collaborations / Duos

• Christophe Chambert - The Family (1999)
• Rob Van Der Loo's Freak Neils Inc. (2004)
• 2G - Pierrejean Gaucher / Christophe Godin (2007)
• Samuel Arkan's Origins (2010)

Compilations

• Guitare attitudes rock influences (1996)
• Pour une Terre sans mines (1998)

2011 releases

• Gnô Cannibal Tango (CD)
• Chrtistophe Godin/Olivier-Roman Garcia (CD)
• Mörglbl Live DVD (DVD)

Equipment[link]

Christophe Godin is endorsed by Vigier electric guitars and Godin and Simon & Patrick acoustic guitars, Laney amps, Zoom effects Roctron srompboxes and Ernie Ball strings.

Electric guitars

• Vigier Christophe Godin Signature
• Vigier Excalibur Orangette
• Vigier Excalibur Supra Kartoonette
• Vigier Supra Yvette
• Vigier Excalibur Custom
• Vigier Excalibur Expert
• Vigier Supra 7 strings
• Vigier Surfreter
• 1 Fender The Strat

Acoustic guitars

• Simon & Patrick A3T
• Godin Multiac
• Godin 5th Avenue Cutaway
• Godin 5Th Avenue
• Vladimir Christophe acoustic guitar
• Mahalo Ukulele

Amps

• Laney GH50L
• Laney GH100L
• Laney VH100R
• Laney TT100
• Laney TFX 100
• Laney VC 50
• Laney Lionheart
• Laney VC15
• Laney LA65C
• Laney 4 x 12 Cabinets
• Laney 2 x 12 Cabinet
• Palmer 2 x 12
• Palmer The Junction
• Palmer ADIG-LB
• Zoom Fire 35

Effects

Stomboxes

• 3 Zoom PowerDrive overdrive pedals
• Rocktron Try Wah wha pedal
• Palmer overdrive
• Palmer chorus
• Stevens overdrive
• Badcat overdrive
• Uncle Sound Christophe Godin dostortion pedal
• Dunlop Cry Baby
• Onerr Cryin' wha pedal
• Guyatone wha rocker
• Jacques Trinity
• Rocktron Deep Blue chorus
• Ibanez chorus
• Danelectro chorus
• Badcat chorus
• Jacques Meisterstringer chorus
• Electro Harmonix Nano chorus
• Whammy II
• Presonus Blue Tube

Multis-effects

• Zoom Gt 9.2 tt
• Zoom 508 delay unit
• Zoom 509 modulator unit
• Zoom G2
• Zoom PFX-9003
• Zoom 707 II

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2009)

External links[link]

• Christophe Godin Official Site - Biography
• Christophe Godin Official Site - Equipment
• http://www.gno-music.com/
• http://www.myspace.com/morglbl
• http://www.myspace.com/christophegodin
• Zoom
• Christophe Godin Vigier Excalibur anniversary guitar