Bio
Formed in 2013 in the Vale, Guernsey, Coastal Fire Dept. serves as a throwback to the heady days of 90s alt rock & grunge guitar bands with a modern twist & other influences thrown in from time to time.
CFD is all about big driving melodic guitars with catchy choruses that stick in your head. The band is guitarist/vocalist Ollie Goddard, bassist Saad Frihmat, drummer Ozzy Austin & lead guitarist Jon Langlois.
In 2019, they released their debut album ‘Control’ on L’islet Records. In 2020, Ken Andrews (Failure, Stone Temple Pilots, Chris Cornell & more) mixed their single ‘You Are Stuck’. which they followed with their catchy two minute grunge song ‘I Don’t Wanna Hold Your Hand’. They recorded album ‘Connected’ and released it in January 2021.
Keen to evolve their sound, 2021 saw a move towards a harder guitar driven vibe. It also saw the band record three singles with Kellii Scott (Failure, QOTSA, Veruca Salt & more) on drums. ‘Gun’, ‘Loner’ and ‘What Do I’ were released, to much praise, in the summer of 2021. All three singles took on different grunge influences and lead to much more radio play and press coverage globally.
In 2022 into 2023 CFD are releasing four singles on the run up to their next album ‘Outsiders’ being released in April 2023. Often compared to Nirvana & Pixies, the band is unashamedly influenced by those iconic bands but is also influenced by later bands such as Violent Soho, Superheaven, Balance & Composure & Title Fight.
Band Members
Ollie - Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
I have always loved music and when I was much younger always seemed to be in that little minority of kids listening to alternative music. I remember I was about nine hassling my mum to buy me The Clash’s album ‘London Calling’ (she didn’t approve!).
Being a keen music lover I graduated towards learning guitar and quite quickly was only interested in writing original music influenced by the genres that interested me mainly grunge, alt rock, indie & shoegaze. I drifted away from music for some time and came back to it in 2013 when I formed CFD with Bob.
My songwriting is heavily influenced by observations, feelings, emotions and stories already told (film, tv, real stories etc). Although our songs can be interpreted as being angry or aggressive they are not…they can be loud in places and deliberately written to punch hard at times!
My main musical influences are Nirvana, Pixies, Violent Soho, Suoerheaven, Balance and Compsure.
Jon - Lead Guitar
I started playing guitar in 1983 and started my first band 2 years later! It was an anarcho punk band called Proletariat. After Proletariat I joined Insurrection and did an album on peaceville and two Uk tours also had the album played many times by John Peel.
I was a founder of Death metal band Earthcorpse!
Next was Soul of Convenience then The Valentines who I helped support Ocean Colour Scene in Jersey.
In 2004 I helped form Teaspoonriverneck who I am still in.
I have also played Bloodstock festival with Byzanthian Neckbeard and a mini album.
I have always championed the very heavy fuzz sound!
