Adrian Nicholas Godfrey (19 July 1956 – 26 March 2006),[1] known professionally as Nikki Sudden, was a prolific English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He co-founded the post-punk band Swell Maps with his brother, Epic Soundtracks, while attending Solihull School in Solihull.[2]
Nikki Sudden
Nikki Sudden at Cake Shop in New York City on 24 March 2006, two days before his death.
Background information
Birth name
Adrian Nicholas Godfrey
Born
(1956-07-19)19 July 1956 London, England
Died
26 March 2006(2006-03-26) (aged 49) New York City, U.S.
Nikki Sudden was born Adrian Nicholas Godfrey in London, England.[1] The main influences on Sudden's music were artists such as T. Rex, the Rolling Stones, the Faces, Bob Dylan and Johnny Thunders. Following the break-up of Swell Maps in 1980, he started a solo career and also released records with Dave Kusworth as the Jacobites.[3]
Sudden also wrote for a number of music magazines, such as Spex, INTRO, Mojo, the Birmingham-based fanzine Waxstreet Dive, and Bucketfull of Brains. At the time of his death, he was writing his autobiography, as well as a history of the Wick (a house in Richmond, London once owned by Ronnie Wood and currently owned by Pete Townshend), and was due to perform in London on 29 March 2006. Sudden died of a heart attack[1] at the age of 49 after performing at the Knitting Factory.[4]
Reissuesedit
In September 2013, it was announced that The Numero Group would reissue a series of Sudden's albums on vinyl, with Waiting on Egypt, The Bible Belt, Jacobites, and Robespierre's Velvet Basement scheduled for November 2013 release, and releases Texas, Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc scheduled for February 2014.[5]
By The Lights of the Burning Citroen (1997, Sucksex, Cassette Only Release)
with Freddy Lynxxedit
No Pleasure Thrills (1996, Sucksex, LP)
"No Pleasure Thrills / Open Up & Bleed“ (1996, Sucksex, 7")
"Soul Power / Opium-Den“ (1999, Sucksex, 7")
"Have Faith" (1999, Vicious Kitten, EP)
Full Cover (2004, Sucksex, CD)
with Ghost Trainedit
"All My Sunken Ships / You Knocked Me Out Cold (In The Big Hotel)“ (1996, Sucksex, 7")
Bibliographyedit
The Last Bandit – A Rock´n`Roll Life by Nikki Sudden (2011, Italy – Arcana Edizioni Srl)
Movieologyedit
Under the Milky Way (1996, Germany – Director: Matthias X. Oberg) – Nikki Sudden & Dave Kusworth play two drunken musicians on a train
"Planet Alex" (2001, Germany – Director: Uli M. Schüppel) – Nikki Sudden plays a drunkard
"Far East Man" (2002, Live Concert of Ron Wood at Shepherds Bush Empire, 11 December 2001) – Nikki Sudden is standing in the audience in front of Ron Wood and can be seen several times