Andy Goggin: About Andy Goggin

Andy Goggin - The Short Version

I was born in London (18th. January 1957) over a fish `n´chip shop!

Grew up in Darwen, Lancashire (somewhere between Liverpool and Manchester.)
"I served my apprenticeship as a musician/singer in the Working Mens Clubs of Britain.
Later I had a humble success with a band called Silhouette which involved touring the most of western Europe.
During these years of looking at the world through the windsheild of a transit van I managed to write down a few ideas for songs. A few years ago I gathered up all these jottings (on serviettes, cornflakes packets, bits of paper........) and tried to make some sort of order out of the chaos.
I ended up with over 100 songs ready to record!! Admittedly, they were not all masterpieces but there were a few I am not too ashamed of.
Anyway to cut a long (and probably boring) story short - I began recording a few demos and here I am.
Today I live with my wonderful wife, Trine on the island of Sjælland in Denmark (about an hours drive from Copenhagen)
I am also the lead singer and guitarist in a sixties band called Hithouse Shakers".

- The Epic Version! (Part 1. - The South of England)

WARNING!!!! THIS SECTION IS PROBABLY OF NO INTEREST TO ANYBODY BUT MYSELF AND MY EGO! :-)

I was born in London Friday 18th. January 1957. To be precise, I was born in a flat over a fish 'n' chip shop in the center of Hornchurch Essex which later became part or Greater London.

The town got it's name from the church which has for some reason horns fixed on the doors. Thus the name Horn Church. This church is named after St. Andrew (ie. St. Andrew's Church) and I am humbly named after the church.......Andrew.
I hope you got all that because I will be asking questions later on!!

At some point we moved from the flat above the fish 'n' chip shop to 345 Chepstow Avenue. (This is also in Hornchurch) I remember this house very well and I also remember my first day at Hacton Primary School which is just a little way down the road.
I guess it would be around 1963 when we moved to Ingrebourne Road in Rainham (A town about 4 miles away from Hornchurch)

One of the earliest recollections of my involvement with music was at my junior school in Rainham when I was about 6 years old. Our music class was to present a musical version of Hansell and Gretel by The Brother's Grimm. I was happily singing away in the chorus when our very beautiful lady teacher happened to praise one of the other boys for his singing.......I remember thinking, "I WANT TO BE PRAISED AS WELL!!" So it didn't take more than a couple of seconds before I was singing my heart out as loud as I could, wiggling like a miniture Elvis and smiling in what could be described as a Roger Moore Light!
Believe it or not, it actually worked and I found myself playing the lead part, Hansel.

- The Epic Version! (Part 2. - The North West of England)

Some time later (about 1964) our family moved to the north of England - more precisely, Blackburn, Lancashire (of 4000 holes fame from the song "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles)
At first, we lived with my mum's parents in New Park Street. My grandad was head gardener at Blackburn Corporation Park. He was actually the reason why we moved as he was, unbeknown to me, dying of lung cancer.
We later moved to the Shadsworth area of Blackburn and around 1965/66 we bought a semi detached at 81 Marsh House Lane, Darwen a town about 6 miles from Blackburn. Darwen is renowned for it's Jubilee Tower, which was built in 1897 to commemorate the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria.

TO BE CONTINUED....WATCH THIS SPACE! :-)