The Gomers
Encyclopedia
The Gomers are a Madison, Wisconsin
based comedy rock
/experimental music
/progressive rock
band. Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
, and former Mayor Sue Baumann both proclaimed February 1 as "Gomer Day" in Madison. Their name was taken from Gomer Pyle
.
Madison Magazine did a film feature in 2006 of karaoke
in Madison, and documented the Gomers' 'Gomeroke' live karaoke show.
The group got its start playing weekly at the Club De Wash, and currently plays eight times or more monthly with its live band karaoke show, 'Gomeroke', at the High Noon Saloon, and its other bi-weekly show, 'Slappy Hour Variety Show' at the Frequency nightclub in Madison.
The group also spawned the internationally notable, the Zombeatles
.
at his Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Lifetime Achievement Award dinner, on October 27, 2004.
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
based comedy rock
Comedy rock
Comedy rock is rock music mixed with comedy, often satire and parody.-History:Early USA examples include Stan Freberg, who lampooned artists such as Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte and The Platters, and Sheb Wooley whose "Purple People Eater" reached No...
/experimental music
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
/progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band. Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz
Dave Cieslewicz
David J. Cieslewicz ; born February 17, 1959) is an American politician who served as mayor of Madison, Wisconsin from 2003 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Personal life and early career:...
, and former Mayor Sue Baumann both proclaimed February 1 as "Gomer Day" in Madison. Their name was taken from Gomer Pyle
Gomer Pyle
Gomer Pyle is a bubbly, gentle, rural auto mechanic character played by American singer/ television actor Jim Nabors. Gomer Pyle became a character on the TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, when actor Howard McNear, who played Floyd the barber, suffered a stroke and took a respite from acting. Jim...
.
Career
In April 2006, Maximum Ink noted the "longevity, durability, or diversity" of the band, and the Mayoral Gomer Day Proclamation.Madison Magazine did a film feature in 2006 of karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
in Madison, and documented the Gomers' 'Gomeroke' live karaoke show.
The group got its start playing weekly at the Club De Wash, and currently plays eight times or more monthly with its live band karaoke show, 'Gomeroke', at the High Noon Saloon, and its other bi-weekly show, 'Slappy Hour Variety Show' at the Frequency nightclub in Madison.
The group also spawned the internationally notable, the Zombeatles
Zombeatles
The Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
.
Awards
The Gomers have won several Madison Area Music Awards: 2006 Unique Artist, 2006 Unique Song, 2005 and 2007 Best Cover Band, 2008 Unique Album and Unique Artist. The reader poll of Madison weekly newspaper, The Isthmus has awarded them "Madison's Favorite Cover Band" and "Madison's Favorite Dance Band" from 2000-2009.Guest stars
The Gomers played with Les PaulLes Paul
Lester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...
at his Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Lifetime Achievement Award dinner, on October 27, 2004.
Members
- Dave Adler (Willy PorterWilly PorterWilly Porter is a contemporary American folk musician and singer-songwriter from Mequon, Wisconsin. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and was a member of the Epsilon Chi Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, a men's fraternity.-Career:...
, Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineRichard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineMark Jonathan Davis , known by his stage name Richard Cheese, is an American musician and comedian. He was born in New York...
, ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
, Sigtryggur BaldurssonSigtryggur BaldurssonSigtryggur Baldursson is an Icelandic drummer and singer.Sigtryggur was born in Norway to Icelandic parents. He was a founding member of the Sugarcubes and has been a longtime fixture on the Icelandic punk and alternative music scene. Other bands he has played in have included Þeyr, KUKL,...
) - Biff BlumfumgagngeBiff BlumfumgagngeBiff U. Blumfumgagnge is an American musician, guitar technician, sound engineer, producer and instructor of music and recording technology at the Madison Media Institute.-Toured and recorded with:...
(Reptile Palace OrchestraReptile Palace OrchestraThe Reptile Palace Orchestra is an eclectic worldbeat band based in Madison, Wisconsin which specializes in lounge, klezmer and other Eastern European music. It began in 1994 with a gig at the Club de Wash, and since that time has become a notable fixture in the Madison music scene...
, ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
, Sigtryggur BaldurssonSigtryggur BaldurssonSigtryggur Baldursson is an Icelandic drummer and singer.Sigtryggur was born in Norway to Icelandic parents. He was a founding member of the Sugarcubes and has been a longtime fixture on the Icelandic punk and alternative music scene. Other bands he has played in have included Þeyr, KUKL,...
) - Geoff Brady (Madison Symphony OrchestraMadison Symphony OrchestraThe Madison Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. Its conductor is John DeMain, who began his 14th season with the orchestra in the fall of 2007...
, ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
) - Stephen G. Burke (ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
) - Mark Hervey (Dog the Bounty HunterDog the Bounty HunterDog the Bounty Hunter is a reality television show on A&E which chronicles Duane "Dog" Chapman's adventures as a fugitive recovery agent, or bounty hunter...
, Parking WarsParking WarsParking Wars is a reality television series which airs on the A&E television network. The program follows traffic enforcement employees as they ticket, "boot," and tow cars as part of their parking enforcement duties....
) - Gordon Ranney (ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
) - Gregg Rullman (ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
) - Andy Wallman
Albums
- Comin' Atchya (US, 1988)
- Basement Tape (US, 1991
- Sofa King Good (US, 1999)
- Live Gome Boot (US, 2001)
- Live at The Witz End (US, 2002)
- Salt & Sugar (US, 2003)
- Basement Tape CD (US, 2005)
- Mike Zirkel The Album CD (with Adrian Belew & Robert Fripp) (US, 2008)
- Meat The ZombeatlesZombeatlesThe Zombeatles are a zombie parody version of the rock group The Beatles. Stemming from Madison, Wisconsin band The Gomers, the group's 2006 video Hard Day's Night Of The Living Dead gained international status when horror film director and musician Rob Zombie chose it as one of his top YouTube...
(US, 2009)