Geoff Palmer (Geoffrey Palmer born January 17, 1980, in Wakefield, Massachusetts, United States), also known by the stage name Geoff Useless, is an American musician from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He played bass and provided backing vocals for The Queers and provided guitar and lead vocals for The Guts and The Nobodys.
Palmer was born in 1980 in Wakefield, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he became the bassist for the Portsmouth, New Hampshire punk rock band The Queers. He played on the band's 1998 releases Everything's OK and Punk Rock Confidential. Following his departure from The Queers, he was the singer and guitarist for The Nobodys. Shortly thereafter, he formed the band The Guts. Originally known as She's a Guy, The Guts were formed by Palmer, bassist Nate Doyle and drummer Rick Orcutt, whilst students at Portsmouth High School.
The Guts and solo career
The Guts released their first album Sensitive side of The Guts in 2001. In 2003 they put out their second full-length album Say Goodbye to Fun and the EP So What If We're On DBD? After going a hiatus, the band reformed in 2006, and performed a worldwide tour with stops in North America, Canada, and Europe, adding Courtney Denison, of The Lanterns, as their second guitarist for the European dates. That year they re-released a compilation of early material entitled Sometimes You Just Can't Win, as well as a new EP called Mucho Punk Rock N' Roll.
In 2007, the band played Insubordination Fest, play a set of their original songs, and sets backing up Screeching Weasel singer Ben Weasel, and former Queers singer Wimpy Rutherford. CD/DVD sets from the show of The Guts and Wimpy Rutherford with The Guts, were released on Insubordination Records in 2008. That year they would also release what would be their last full-length album, Let it Go, which was recorded at Butch Vig's Smart Studios.
The Connection
Palmer started The Connection in 2011 with Brad Marino. The Connection's debut album New England's Newest Hit Makers was released in the summer of 2011. The band has toured Europe twice and has gained a following in the power pop genre, playing shows with The Flamin' Groovies, Mark Lindsay, Richie Ramone, The Figgs, Muck and The Mires and Paul Collins of The Nerves and The Paul Collins Beat. The Connection's song "Seven Nights to Rock" was picked by Steven Van Zandt and his SiriusXM radio show "Little Steven's Underground Garage" as the "Coolest Song in The World", which the band would also receive three more times over the next year with the Marino/Palmer compositions "Comes 'n' Goes," "Crawling From The Wreckage of A Saturday Night," and "Girls In This Town".
In early 2014, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum selected The Connection to perform at its 11th annual "It's Only Rock and Roll" Spring Benefit to "an exclusive audience of 1,000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame VIPs." The event took place at Cleveland's Public Hall (Auditorium), at which the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony is held, proceeds of which went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's music education activities.
Solo career and other endeavors
Geoff Palmer released his first solo album Don't Stop in 2010. In early 2011, he collaborated on a folk punk solo project with other musicians around Portsmouth called The Geoff Useless (Band).
In 2012, Palmer founded Collector's Club Records with fellow New England musician Kurt Baker. The label has released albums and singles by The Connection, Baker, and Wimpy and The Medallions, which features the original vocalist for The Queers Wimpy Rutherford.
In November 2013, Palmer, Brad Marino, and Kurt Baker released a two-track CD as The New Trocaderos, again receiving "Coolest Song In The World" status from Steven Van Zandt. In September 2014, the trio recorded a second EP entitled "Kick Your Ass." On January 4, 2015, the song "Dream Girl" was named "Coolest Song In The World" yet again; the thirteenth time (including four Kurt Baker "Coolest Songs" and one Kris Rodgers "Coolest Song") that a song featuring Palmer went on to receive "Coolest Song" honors.
On August 13, 2018, Geoff signed with Stardumb Records and has released five albums with them to date.
In 2022, Palmer contributed to the ongoing Ramones tribute series by covering the infamous 1989 Dee Dee King rap album Standing in the Spotlight, released on Dee Dee's birthday through Stardumb Records. Dee Dee's wife, Vera Ramone, who the song Baby Doll is written for, provided a quote for the LP's hype sticker:
"This tribute album to the late and great DEE DEE RAMONE/KING by GEOFF PALMER is just as fun and entertaining as the original from 1989. Geoff and his bandmates have done a fantastic rendition of "Standing in the Spotlight" with a fresh and updated spin. I'm sure Dee Dee would feel honored and proud by this kind gesture, just as I am. Many thanks from both of us! - Vera Ramone King (a/k/a Baby Doll)."
