1977

Recorded at Rockfield Studios from New Year's Day 1996, starting with Goldfinger, with Owen Morris and the band co-producing at a cost of 800 pounds a day. It was planned as a six-week job and ran to three months. Rockfield is a residential studio, and Wheeler said the members became very nocturnal and very crazy. Kung Fu had been cut at Loco Studios in Usk Valley over Christmas 1994 and Girl from Mars at Rockfield at Easter 1995. Nick Ingman, Morris and Wheeler wrote string arrangements for a 30-piece orchestra, and Lisa Moorish sings extra vocals on Oh Yeah.

Wheeler wrote all the songs except Lose Control (with Hamilton), Innocent Smile (Hamilton) and Angel Interceptor (with McMurray). A TIE fighter sample opens the record, and after Darkside Lightside comes a hidden track, Sick Party. The first 50,000 UK copies also began with Jack Names the Planets and Don't Know as hidden tracks. The cover photograph is by Ed van der Elsken, with design by Brian Cannon of Microdot.

Reception

The album reached number one in the UK, number five in Scotland, 14 in New Zealand and 18 in Australia, and was certified platinum. Q's Andrew Collins said it benefited from having its raw power harnessed by Morris. Brian Boyd of The Irish Times gave the collector's edition four stars and wrote that the singles made it brilliant guitar pop. BBC Music's Mike Diver wrote in 2012 that Goldfinger had stood up to the test of time. Melody Maker's Victoria Segal was dismissive. A three-disc edition appeared in 2008, a BMG CD reissue in 2018 and a vinyl reissue in 2022.