Handsome Geoffrey
Handsome Geoffrey were a three-piece guitar pop group from Hamilton Girls' High School in the late 1990s. One of the more successful Hamilton groups of the time, the band came to prominence NZ-wide by winning the national Rockquest in 1998. All three members are still playing music together, based in Auckland, under the name Duchess.
Handsome Geoffrey comprised Anna Coddington (guitar), Janna Hawkins (bass) and Aidee Walker (drums). With simple and sweet yet melodically interesting songs such as Around the Sun and Surly Little Bugger, the group had as many detractors as they did followers, which was plenty, perhaps more of each than any other Hamilton band since (excluding perhaps the Datsuns). During one performance at the Hillcrest Tavern, Anna was infamously hit in the face by a glass beer mug.
After relocating to Auckland, and with the addition of drummer Jonny Corker (ex-Rubicon), the group re-emerged in late 2004 as indie-pop rockers Duchess. Featuring a heavier, noiser sound yet retaining most of what was already good about Handsome Geoffrey, Duchess released their debut EP, Duchess, in 2005.
Anna Coddington sang for The Relaxomatic Project and contributed backing vocals on Bic Runga's latest release, Birds.
Aidee Walker is a performing arts graduate from Auckland's Unitech, and has appeared in stage shows, Outrageous Fortune and Greg Page's feature film The Locals, and currently presents a show on Auckland's Alt TV.
One recording by Handsome Geoffrey, I Sort of Love You, can be found on the 2001 compilation Year Zero.
