Johnny Churchill met Steve Göldby in 2011 when he saw that MetalTalk were looking for new writers. Johnny was already an experienced music journalist but soon found that with Steve (and Dutch Michaels) involved, there was a direct connection with the bands and individuals in the Heavy Metal community.
Nothing focuses the mind like writing an album or gig review having just met the band.
Steve Göldby was such a warm and inclusive character that he made everybody feel like his best friend. Despite being so different, we forged an enduring friendship around our love of live music, drinking, smoking and generally enjoying life.
Steve opened doors to some great adventures – not least sending me to Manchester to interview Judas Priest, where I ended up backstage in Rob Halford’s dressing room – purely innocently of course – as I was chatting to Ian Hill. I still have Ian’s phone number somewhere written in Rob Halford’s eyeliner pencil, and the article was a great success.
Steve had a remarkable ability to get to know people, and I remember once at his flat in Ealing, finding the sofa had collapsed. “It was Bowling For Soup,” Göldby said. They were there a few nights earlier drinking, no idea why, and Chris Burney had sat down and gone straight through the sofa.
He also got to know Joey DeMaio well and, in 2011, organised a memorable MetalTalk outing to Brixton as guests of Joey. Pre-gig sambucas mean I don’t remember much but we all went up to the VIP bar where Krusher was holding court. We ended up leaving Steve harassing fake merch sellers, determined to defend Manowar’s honour.
I used to love receiving a call from Steve with his latest great ideas and thoroughly enjoyed helping him with his plans, one of which was getting KK Downing back on stage at the Bloodstock festival. The usual phone call came in: “Johnny, I need your help. I’ve had an idea….” The next thing you know, I’m at the airport picking up Ross The Boss band members and driving up to KK’s Steel Mill for two days of rehearsals with the legend himself.
I was Steve’s dedicated road manager for the weekend, and one job involved helping to carry KK’s guitars. What KK doesn’t know (until now) is that we accidentally locked them in the tour van and had a huge – absolutely huge – panic that we couldn’t open the door again due to a faulty lock. Thankfully, we got it open, and life carried on as normal.
After Bloodstock was Ides Of March, Steve Göldby’s idea to get former Iron Maiden members together and form a band. With a slot secured at UK festival Beermageddon, I got my usual phone call and the wonderful words, “I want you with me on this one – we’re going to blow Paul Di’Anno up on stage.”
What could I say? I was on board! Sadly, due to Covid, Di’Anno never got blown up, and Ides Of March fell through despite having a slot at a prime Spanish Metal festival where we were looking forward to topping up our tans.
We did however encounter Paul again at KK’s Steel Mill for the launch of KK’s Priest with Di’Anno supporting. Apparently, Paul set off the venue fire alarm smoking with his Hell’s Angel friends, and we ended with a memorable tequila-fuelled session with Paul and his band back at the hotel advising Paul to get a box to put his wheelchair on because nobody could see him when he was singing.
Towards the end, Steve was seriously unwell with stage four bowel cancer. But we still managed an emergency last-minute trip to Bloodstock with Mark Taylor to see KK’s Priest, who were filling in a cancelled slot on the main stage.
With Steve driving, we went up just for KK’s set, caught up with some friends, and then drove back. Steve, worried he would be tired on the way back, ‘medicated’ himself to stay awake. So we had a hilarious journey back with a very chatty, animated driver. How we got home alive, I’ll never know.
There was never a dull moment with Steve Göldby around, right up to the end, two weeks before his death. Despite being extremely ill, he was determined to get me to his local Wetherspoons and introduce me to “Rob Halford’s brother.”
I turned up to find Steve on a mobility scooter in Iron Maiden slippers, being chaperoned by his wonderful girlfriend, Hayley. He was happy as a clam with a pint and a sambuca. We did meet the affectionately named “Hob Ralford” who was not Rob’s brother in any way, but was a genuine doppelgänger. Could it be the Metal god really lives in Southend-on-Sea instead of Phoenix? Only Steve would discover this.
There is much, much more, of course, but most of it is unprintable, usually involving sambucas and being thrown out of a venue or having a road trip to KK’s Steel Mill. All just more episodes in Steve’s remarkable life.
Nobody was more fun to spend time with or knew more people. I’m forever thankful we met and had so many Heavy Metal adventures together.
Steve Göldby will always be remembered as a larger-than-life character, a huge influence on the world of Heavy Metal, founder of MetalTalk and a dear friend.
Rest in peace you lunatic.
If you wish to share a tribute or memory of Steve Göldby, then please email Editor@MetalTalk.net.
You can read more memories of Steve Göldby here.
The post
Steve Göldby Remembered / Johnny Churchill first appeared on
MetalTalk - Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.
