Originally from New York, the Kessler’s moved to Baltimore, and Larry attended Forest Park High School. Back in New York he co-founded Greenwich Village based band The Godz in 1964. Larry was vocalist and played bass and violin. The group played psychedelic experimental punk noise rock and released three albums circa 1966-1968 on the jazz/avant-garde ESP-Disc record label. ESP-Disc was predominately a jazz label, but also had The Fugs, and Pearls Before Swine (featuring Baltimorean Harry Orlove) on their roster.
The Godz folded in 1968, but briefly reunited in 1973 for a final ESP-Disc album. Kessler retained The Godz name. He moved back to Baltimore where he and his wife, raised a family. He operated second-hand record stores in Highlandtown, then later in Randallstown.
In 1995 he produced a CD of ‘90s style remakes of Godz classics along with new material recorded and mixed at John Grant’s Secret Sound Studios.
In 2011 he signed with Manta Ray Records where he had several CD releases. He formed a band under the name The Godz that featured Rick Sambuco (guitar ex-Elmer Fudd, Marion…), Mike Diamond (bass), Mike Cerri (trumpet -credits include record releases by Bill Mott, Fertile Ground, Animal Collective, Lafayette Gilchrist…), Charlie Walker (keyboards), Doug Gussio (drums), Mike Walker (drums)… The band performed at Otto’s Shrunken Head (New York), and closer to home at SoWeBo Festivals 2017 and 2018, Pike’s Cinema Bar and Grill, Galaxy Hut (Arlington, VA), and many appearances at The Reverb (on Charles Street), and Guitars of Pikesville open mic’s…
While on his way to the recording studio, Larry was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on March 24, 2022 at age 81.
1966(LP) ESP-Disc 1037 Contact High with The Godz
1967(LP) ESP-Disc 1047 Godz 2
1968(LP) ESP-Disc 1077 The Third Testament
1973(LP) ESP-Disc 2017 Godzundheit
1995(CD) Lord Baltimore 0037 Godz Revival
2014(CD) Manta Ray 0155 Gift from The Godz
2015 Manta Ray 0211 Hungry for Love (CD single)
2016 Manta Ray 0243 America (CD single)
2019(EP) Manta Ray 0296 America (CD-EP)
