Goldie Lookin Chain


Goldie Lookin Chain are a Welsh comedy hip hop group from Newport, Wales. The group produces humorous, and often explicit songs that satirise hip hop, today's consumer society, culture of Newport and Welsh culture in general.

History

The group recorded six albums prior to securing a major record deal. They signed to East West Records, the then home of rock band The Darkness. The band came to the attention of label executive Korda Marshall, who heard the group's music played by members of The Darkness while on tour. GLC went on to support The Darkness in the latter stages of their UK tour. The group form part of an era known as Cool Cymru for the popularity of Welsh music and arts internationally in that period.
GLC's first UK chart entry was "Half Man Half Machine", which reached the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart. When group member Rhys Hutchings was phoned by BBC chart presenter Wes on the Official Chart Show to be informed of this, Xain informed the rest of the band that they had reached number 1, much to the shock of the DJ. "Half Man Half Machine" was a surreal song about Eggsy believing he was a robot, dressing up in foil, and going to the shops to buy cigarettes and crisps. The song namechecks many well-known 1980s 8-bit computer systems including Binatone, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, ZX81 and BBC Micro.
In August 2004, the group reached number three on the UK Singles Chart with "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do". With the tagline "The gun is the tool, the mind is the weapon", the track became a popular radio hit, satirising the American hip hop scene. The B-side was the album track "Soapbar".
Their first nationally released album was called Greatest Hits, the name a play on both the group's previous lack of commercial success and their "stoner" image; it compiled a mixture of new material and selections from their previous six unofficial albums. It was released in September 2004, and debuted at number 5 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was released in May 2005 in the US with the title Straight Outta Newport, with cover art similar to N.W.A's album Straight Outta Compton. However, this version of the album was missing two tracks – "Maggot" and "You Knows I Loves You".
Their next single release was "Your Mother's Got a Penis", with an accompanying video based on a supermarket theme. "Your Mother's Got a Penis" first appeared on their album The Manifesto, and reached No. 14 in the UK.
The band – informally known as "the Chain" or simply "the GLC" – released "You Knows I Loves You Baby", a parody of 1980s love songs from the albums Greatest Hits and The Manifesto, on 13 December 2004; this reached number 22 in the UK chart. "Your Missus Is a Nutter" was the first single from second album Safe as Fuck. The album was originally going to be called "Safety in Numbers", a tribute to the album Power in Numbers by alternative L.A. rap group Jurassic 5. The single reached No. 14 in the UK.
In 2005, GLC were invited by the Football Association of Wales to perform before the World Cup qualifying match against England at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium. The band dedicated "Your Missus Is a Nutter" to David Beckham about his wife, who was present at the match. The ensuing furore, with the Welsh football authorities having to apologise to the Beckhams, as well as expressing outrage at the band's perceived lack of respect, prompted many people to question why the organisers, knowing their reputation, had hired them to play in the first place.
On 17 October 2011, GLC released the album Blue Waffle, featuring new songs including "Biscuit", "I Seen Your Mother", "K Hole" and "If I Told You". Later that year, group member and Doctor Who fan Adam Hussain contributed a memory about "How a first date was interrupted by The Doctor" to a forthcoming Doctor Who charity book, designed to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK.
GLC released the follow-up to their album Greatest Hits, titled Greatest Hits 2, in 2015.
In 2024 GLC played a sold out UK tour.

Sponsorship of Newport County Football Club

Since their inception in the early 2000s, the group have maintained a close affiliation with their hometown football club, Newport County. GLC sponsored the team's kit during the team's 2004–05 season. Originally intended only for wear in matches in the FAW Premier Cup, County were drawn away to similarly colour shirted Caernarfon Town in the competition, leading to the club's GLC sponsored shirt being worn for two league matches, away to Maidenhead United and at home against Redbridge F.C. In 2021, they designed Newport's 3rd kit in collaboration with Hummel.

Members

Full-time
  • Rhys from GLC
  • Graham Bear
  • Billy Webb
  • Tom Clugston
  • John Rutledge
  • Adam Hussain
  • Mike Balls
  • Mystikal
  • 2Hats Infrequent members
  • One Step Down
  • DCI Burnside
  • Bill Frobin aka Phil I am aka I am Phil
  • M. C. Meatfantasy
  • Dipper Nan
  • C. Live
  • Rosco P.
  • Ritchie Molton
  • M. C. Flatpress
  • Stressed Armstrong
  • Farmer Ross
Former
  • Andrew Major
  • Leeroy Fashions

    Discography

Albums

  • Don't Blame the Chain
  • Chain's Addiction
  • The Return of the Red Eye
  • The Party Album
  • Adam Hussain's Truth and Slander
  • The Manifesto
  • Greatest Hits – UK Albums Chart: No. 5
  • Safe as Fuck – UK Albums Chart: No. 16
  • Under the Counter
  • GLC Mixtape : Now! That's What I Call Proper Music
  • Asbo4Life
  • Alternate Universe
  • The Mix Tape Two
  • It's a Goldie Lookin Christmas
  • Blue Waffle
  • Primordial Soup – The Mix Tape 3
  • Kings of Caerleon
  • Greatest Hits 2
  • Pill Communication
  • Fear of a Welsh Planet
  • Safe as Fu*k
  • Greatest Hits 3
  • The Adam Hussain Show
  • Original Pyrite Material
  • Mike Balls Boutique
  • ''The Mix Tape 6''

    Singles

Charted singles

Other singles

  • "By Any Means Necessary"
  • "Everybody is a DJ"
  • "You'll Never Be Alone on Christmas Day"

    YouTube videos

  • "Apathy"
  • "By Any Means Necessary"
  • "Everybody is a DJ"
  • "Newport State of Mind "
  • " Join Hands and Sing"
  • "Dubstep Christmas"
  • "You'll Never Be Alone on Christmas Day"
  • "Xbox Love"
  • "Eastenders Rap"
  • "Fresh Prince of Cwmbran"
  • "Ghost Town featuring 2Rude"
  • "This Town "
  • "Newport Bouncers Rap"
  • "Baneswell Express"
  • "At The Drive-thru"
  • "Just Coz It Rhymes"
  • "Andy Townsend Rap"
  • "Great British Bake Off Rap"
  • "John Lewis Christmas ft Oasis"
  • "Who's Next"
  • "Drop It Like Its Splott"
  • "Pusherman"
  • "Waitrose Rap"
  • "Just Another Bastard"
  • "Hip Hop Has Been Good To Me"
  • "Auf Wiedersehen Mate"
  • "Wales Now It's Time To Dream"
  • "Sh*t 2016"
  • "My Fidget Spinner"
  • "Bonk Eye"
  • "I Got a Van"
  • "Fear of a Welsh Planet"
  • "I love Netflix"
  • "Sex People"
  • "This One Goes Out To The Ravers"
  • "South Mimms"
  • "Wales Unofficial Soccer Anthem"
  • "Paul"
  • "Andrew Biggy Morris AKA ABM"
  • "Skin Tight"
  • "Which One Of You Is From Cwmbran"
  • "Adequate"
  • "Jammy Time"
  • "Self Isolation Rap"
  • "Covid Christmas"
  • "Wellend "
  • "Football Football Football"
  • "Mike Adidas"
  • "Mike Balls is dead"
  • "Is It Wetherspoons"
  • "10p For A Sauce"
  • "Dryrobe Rap"
  • "Bald Rap"
  • "I Love Drinking"
  • "Pink Wine"
  • "Lions Mane"
  • "The Middle of Lidl"
  • "Full Kit"
  • "Turkey Teeth"