The Gomers

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Please improve this article if you can. (March 2007)
For the fan club family of the band Third Day, see Gomers

The Gomers are a Madison, WI - based comedy rock / experimental music / progressive rock band.

Contents

[edit] History

The Madison, Wisconsin band formed in 1986 and have been featured five times on the Westwood One distributed Dr. Demento Radio Show with their songs "Sgt. Carter" in 1989,[1] "Jewish Rapper" in 1990[2], "Salt And Sugar"[3] twice in 2002[4][5] and "Crime Scene" on March 23, 2008 [6]

Their name was taken from Gomer Pyle.

[edit] Gomers notability

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and former Mayor Sue Baumann both proclaimed February 1 as "Gomer Day"[7][8] in Madison.

Rev. Ivan Stang from the Church of the Subgenius collaborated with The Gomers on his 1999 release, Live at Starwood from the Starwood Festival on the song "Pain Stain 2K".[9][10][11] The band has also appeared on the Hour of Slack several times.[12][13][14]

The Gomers backed up Jen Gereb on her album for autistic & sensory-challenged children titled Cool Bananas which was released in the USA and Australia.[15][16]

The Gomers are the house band for the Madison Area Music Awards yearly concert in Madison.[17]

In April 2006 Maximum Ink[18] noted the "longevity, durability, or diversity" of the band and the Mayoral Gomer Day Proclamation.[19]

Madison Magazine did a film feature in 2006 of Karaoke in [Madison and documented the Gomers' Gomeroke[20] live Karaoke show.

[edit] Awards

In 2006 the Gomers were awarded three Madison Area Music Awards: Best Unique Artist, Best Unique Song and Best Cover Band.[21]. They were awarded "Best Cover Band" in 2005 and 2007 as well. Madison weekly newspaper "The Isthmus" awarded the band "Madison's Favorite Cover Band" and "Dance Band" several times from 2000-2007 [22].

[edit] Connections

Several members of the Gomers are currently employed by international recording artists.

Steve Burke The Gomers' guitarist, played on the Killdeer album Country Protest Anew with Eugene Chadbourne[23] and Noahjohn[24] in September 2003.[25][26] Steve and Biff both recorded, performed with and have appeared on Eugene Chadbourne CD releases in 2004. Steve and Gordon currently play in Cement Pond with Dan Hobsen of Killdozer fame on drums.

Dave Adler, The Gomers' music director, was pianist/keyboardist Bobby Ricotta for Richard Cheese on Lounge Against the Machine's first 2 releases Lounge Against the Machine and Tuxicity.[27][28]

Biff and Dave both appeared on Willy Porter's 1994 release Dog Eared Dream[29][30] as a performers and co-writers of the song "Be Here Now", as well as on 1999's Falling Forward.[31][32] Currently Gomer Dave Adler tours with and produces the Willy Porter Band.[33]

From 1992-present Biff has been a member of Headpump and produced their only album, Org@sm.com. The record was recorded in Chicago and featured Sugarcubes/Björk drummer Sigtryggur Baldursson on drumkit, samples and vocals with Biff on violin/ guitar. Also note the 2 Reptile Palace Orchestra internationally-released albums[34] that Biff produced/performed on with Siggi.[35][36]

Biff played electric violin on the Bradley Fish recording "The Aquarium Conspiracy"[37] again with Sigtryggur Baldursson in 1996, touring with Fish and Baldursson in support of that album from 1995-98.

In April 1996, Biff and Dave toured with Siggi to support the album "Bogomil Font Syngur Tónlist Eftir Kurt Weill, Nor©£ur og Ni©£ur" which they recorded and at King Size Studios in Chicago. It was released only in Iceland.[38] This theatrical concert was filmed by and appeared on Icelandic Public Television later in 1996.[39]

Biff Blumfumgagnge has toured and recorded with Pat MacDonald[40], Eugene Chadbourne[41], Willy Porter[42], Reptile Palace Orchestra, Sigtryggur Baldursson, The Gomers,[43], Natty Nation, Bradley Fish, Adrian Belew,[44], Robert Fripp, [45], Robert Fripp and The League of Crafty Guitarists, [46], The Kissers, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra

[edit] Trivia

The Gomers played with Les Paul at his Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner October 27, 2004.[47]

[edit] Members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

  • "Joey Saturn & Bob Uranus - Like the Planet" (Adler/Blumfumgagnge, ASCAP/BMI 1992)

[edit] Albums

  • Comin' Atchya (1988)
  • Basement Tape (1991
  • Sofa King Good (1999)
  • Live Gome Boot (2001)
  • Live at The Witz End (2002)
  • Salt & Sugar (2003)
  • Basement Tape CD (2005)
  • Mike Zirkel The Album CD (with Adrian Belew & Robert Fripp) (2008)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Dr. Demento Show #89-35 August 27, 1989 vinyl-distributed playlist
  2. ^ Dr. Demento Show #90-12 March 25, 1990 vinyl-distributed playlist
  3. ^ Non-commercial review of Salt And Sugar documents band members & credits
  4. ^ Dr. Demento Show #02-16 April 21, 2002 CD-distributed playlist
  5. ^ Dr. Demento Show #02-10 March 10, 2002 CD-distributed playlist
  6. ^ Dr. Demento played "Dance Jack Palance" and "Crime Scene" on The Dr. Demento Show #08-12
  7. ^ Audio of Mayor Dave proclaiming February 1 Gomer Day in Madison WI
  8. ^ Text of the official Mayoral proclamation in Madison, WI
  9. ^ The Gomers listed on the Starwood release
  10. ^ The Gomers listed on the 1999 Starwood release
  11. ^ The Gomers listed on the 1999 Starwood release
  12. ^ The Gomers' song "Headrush", "It Wasn't Human" and "Pain Stain 2k" all documented in the Hour of Slack #712/713 playlist
  13. ^ The Gomers' song "Sulu" documented in the Hour of Slack #718 playlist
  14. ^ the Subgenius connection and more documented
  15. ^ Documents Biff on Violin, Mandolin and Vocals, Dave Adler on Keyboards
  16. ^ see June 24, 2006 entry
  17. ^ Butch Vig and Duke Erikson of Garbage document the Gomers at the March 20, 2006 MAMA show
  18. ^ Maximum Ink Cover Story by Mike Huberty
  19. ^ Maximum Ink September 2002 Article on The Gomers by John Noyd
  20. ^ Madison Magazine documents The Gomers Live Karaoke Show
  21. ^ documentation of The Gomers being given 3 MAMA awards in March 2006
  22. ^ Spending New Year's Eve 2006 in Madison? - Isthmus | The Daily Page
  23. ^ Country Protest Anew
  24. ^ Steve Burke, far left, documented as member of Killdeer Records Recording Artists NoahJohn
  25. ^ Noahjohn & Chadbourne project described in studio log
  26. ^ Eugene mentions Noah John backing him up
  27. ^ Dave Adler is documented as being a member of the Richard Cheese Band on Wikipedia
  28. ^ Dave Adler shown playing keyboards for Richard Cheese on international source The Fox News Channel
  29. ^ here credited as Bill Uranus co-writer of the song Be Here Now
  30. ^ here again credited as Bill Uranus, co-writer of Be Here Now
  31. ^ Semi-complete discography of Biff
  32. ^ Falling Forward credits
  33. ^ Dave Adler pictured as current member of Willy Porter Band 2nd from the right
  34. ^ Greenman Review documenting Biff & Siggi
  35. ^ List of Siggi's Collaberations - "HWY X" and "Iguana, iguana" RPO albums documented
  36. ^ Siggi documented with Biff as Reptile Palace Orchestra members
  37. ^ Biff & Siggi shown on The Aquarium Conspiracy album
  38. ^ Siggi Discography on Latin Wiki
  39. ^ Documentation of Bogomil's successful Kurt Weill album/tour
  40. ^ Violin and viola on Pat MacDonald's album of Depeche Mode covers, EUTK [1]
  41. ^ Fiddle with Eugene, Squidco [2]
  42. ^ Violin on the Willy Porter albums [3]
  43. ^ John Noyd, Maximum Ink [4]
  44. ^ Tom Laskin, The Isthmus [5]
  45. ^ Robert Fripp [6]
  46. ^ Ibid. [7]
  47. ^ Wisconsin Foundation for School Music documents Les Paul and Steve Miller playing with The Gomers as well as the band providing music for the Lifetime Achievement Awards Dinner on October 27, 2004.

[edit] External links