John Feldmann

Early life

Feldmann grew up in Saratoga, California. He started writing songs around the age of 12. Around that time, he met the band Social Distortion, and was inspired to be like them.

Career

Feldmann's first band was Saratoga-based Family Crisis. In 1988, he moved to Los Angeles, where he formed the band Electric Love Hogs and met future Goldfinger bassist Kelly LeMieux. The Electric Love Hogs (which also included Dave Kushner of Velvet Revolver and Bobby Hewitt of Orgy) put out one album, their self-titled 1992 debut, which was co-produced by Tommy Lee.

Feldmann formed Goldfinger in Los Angeles in 1994 after meeting original Goldfinger bassist Simon Williams in a shoe store where they were both working. Goldfinger played 385 shows in 1996, breaking the Guinness Book of World Records for the most concerts in one year for a touring band. In 1999, Goldfinger's song "Superman" was featured in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater video game. Starting with their self-titled debut album in 1996, Goldfinger has released nine studio albums, including Never Look Back, which was released on Big Noise on December 4, 2020, and Nine Lives, which was released on January 23, 2026.

In 1998, Feldmann began producing for other bands, starting with Showoff, producing their self-titled debut album, followed by Mest and The Used. He produced Story of the Year's 2003 debut album Page Avenue, which was certified Gold by the RIAA and peaked at number 51 on the Billboard 200, and included the hits "Anthem of Our Dying Day" and "Until the Day I Die". He produced and co-wrote Blink-182's 2016 album California, which reached number 1 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. He co-wrote and co-produced "Made An America" by The Fever 333, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance. He has also co-written and produced for All Time Low, 5 Seconds of Summer, Good Charlotte, Panic! at the Disco, Beartooth, Biffy Clyro, Korn, 311, Black Veil Brides, Avril Lavigne, Ashlee Simpson, Ashley Tisdale, Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore, and Papa Roach. The albums Feldmann has worked on have grossed more than 34 million sales worldwide.

Starting in 1997, Feldmann has worked as an A&R executive at Warner Bros. Records, scouting talent and overseeing artist development. Feldmann is a former A&R consultant for Red Bull Records. In 2016, he became the Vice President of A&R at BMG. He currently works with artists to produce albums released under the record label Big Noise, which he founded alongside Nick Gross and Jon Cohen in 2017.

Feldmann, Travis Barker, and John Reese started Back to the Beach Festival at Huntington State Beach in 2018. The two-day ska and punk festival featured The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, 311, and Sublime With Rome its first year, and was headlined by Blink-182 in 2019, but has not returned after that.

Feldmann is published by Big Noise and managed by Lucas Keller and Nic Warner at Milk & Honey.

Personal life

Feldmann is a former vegan and is a vocal activist for animal rights.

Awards

Selected production discography

References

References

1. (December 3, 2020). "We would steal everything from our friends' parents' room and trade it for cocaine".
2. (January 21, 2016). "John Feldmann: The Man With The Midas Touch".
3. (June 19, 2006). "John "Goldfinger" Feldmann Chooses Telefunken USA Matched Pair". Telefunken Elektroakustik.
4. "Meet The One Man Responsible For All Your Favorite Pop-Punk Records".
5. "Story of the Year & Producer John Feldmann Reflect on Debut Album 'Page Avenue' 15 Years Later".
6. "No, Seriously, Blink-182 Is Teaching Rock Bands to Age Gracefully".
7. "The Fever 333".
8. (December 26, 2019). "John Feldmann Is Tired of Doing It For Other People".
9. "John Feldmann sells Bel-Air-area home".
10. "BMG Signs Grammy-Nominated Blink-182 Producer John Feldmann To A&R/Publishing Deal".
11. "Three Industry Vets Join Forces To Launch Big Noise Collective".
12. Shanley, Patrick. (April 26, 2019). "Back to the Beach Offers "Upbeat, Positive" Ska Fest Post-Coachella". Hollywood Reporter.
13. Obert, Alex. (August 22, 2014). "On The Line with John Feldmann of Goldfinger".
14. (February 18, 2005). "Take notice: Goldfinger's back".
15. (July 18, 2017). "APMAS Influencer Feldmann".
16. "Blink-182".
17. "The Fever 333".
18. "Watch Mod Sun Let Go of the Past in His MGK-Directed Video for "Karma"".