The Godfathers lose 2 founding members, announce new lineup, more concerts

Reunited U.K. guitar-rockers The Godfathers yesterday announced the departure of founding members Mike Gibson and George Mazur — the second lineup change this year, after the firing last spring of guitarist Kris Dollimore.

The band, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2010, will continue on with co-founding brothers Peter Coyne (vocals) and Chris Coyne (bass), plus guitarist Del Bartle, who worked with the brothers in The Sid Presley Experience, their pre-Godfathers band, and joined the Godfathers last spring after Dollimore’s sacking.

In an e-mail to fans, the Godfathers announced another new member: drummer Grant Nicholas, who replaces Mazur, and played in the band during several tours in the ’90s, and on the group’s most recent studio album, 1995’s Afterlife. No mention is made of replacing guitarist Gibson, so the band presumably will continue with a single guitarist.

In yesterday’s e-mail, the Godfathers described the departure of the guitarist and drummer as “amicable,” and a post on Gibson’s MySpace page seems to confirm that: “It was fun to do, but it’s time to look forward now.” Mazur and Gibson, along with Dollimore, played with the Coynes on the Godfathers’ ’80s output: Hit By Hit, Birth, School, Work, Death and More Songs About Love & Hate. Dollimore initially left after 1989’s More Songs, while Gibson and Mazur stuck it out through 1991’s Unreal World. All three rejoined when the Godfathers initially reunited last year.

The Godfathers continue to work on a new album, expected out in 2010, and have steadily been adding concert dates in Europe to their touring itinerary, including their traditional St. Valentine’s Day Massacre concert in London. For the latter appearance, the band has enlisted reunited U.K. punk/alternative group The Nightingales to serve as opening act.

See full Godfathers tour dates after the jump…

The Godfathers tour dates:

Dec. 9: Mondo Bizarro, Rennes, France
Dec. 10: Le Cabaret Eletrique, Le Havre, France
Dec. 14: Schlachtof, Wiesbaden, Germany
Dec. 15: Bang Bang club, Berlin, Germany
Dec. 16: Lagerhaus, Osnabruck, Germany
Dec. 17: Backstage, Munich, Germany
Dec. 18: Waldsee, Freiburg, Germany
Dec. 19: Red Hot, Juchen, Germany
Dec. 20: Molotow, Hamburg, Germany
Feb. 14: University of London Union, London, UK (w/ The Nightingales)
April 3: Freakland Festival, Ponferrada, Spain
April 16: Manchester Academy 2, Manchester, UK (w/ The Alarm)
Aug. 7: Rebellion Festival, Blackpool, UK

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