The Gomers
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"[1][2] in Madison. Their name was taken from Gomer Pyle.
Career
In April 2006, Maximum Ink[3] noted the "longevity, durability, or diversity" of the band, and the Mayoral Gomer Day Proclamation.[4]
Madison Magazine did a film feature in 2006 of karaoke in Madison, and documented the Gomers' 'Gomeroke'[5] live karaoke show.
The group got its start playing weekly at Madison's popular but ill-fated Club De Wash, and currently plays eight times or more monthly with its live band karaoke show, 'Gomeroke', at the High Noon Saloon.[6]
The group also spawned the internationally notable Zombeatles.
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.[7] 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.[8]
Guest stars
The Gomers played with Les Paul at his Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Lifetime Achievement Award dinner, on October 27, 2004.[9]
Members
- Dave Adler (Willy Porter, Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine, Zombeatles, Sigtryggur Baldursson)
- Biff Blumfumgagnge (Reptile Palace Orchestra, Zombeatles, Sigtryggur Baldursson)
- Geoff Brady (Madison Symphony Orchestra, Zombeatles)
- Stephen G. Burke (Zombeatles)
- Mark Hervey (Dog the Bounty Hunter, Parking Wars)
- Gordon Ranney (Zombeatles)
- Gregg Rullman (Zombeatles)
- Andy Wallman
Discography
Singles
- "Joey Saturn & Bob Uranus - Like the Planet" (Adler/Blumfumgagnge, ASCAP/BMI 1992)
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 Zombeatles (US, 2009)
References
- ↑ Audio of Mayor Dave proclaiming February 1 Gomer Day in Madison WI
- ↑ Text of the official Mayoral proclamation in Madison, WI
- ↑ Maximum Ink Cover Story by Mike Huberty
- ↑ Maximum Ink September 2002 Article on The Gomers by John Noyd
- ↑ Madison Magazine documents The Gomers Live Karaoke Show
- ↑ High Noon Saloon Calendar
- ↑ documentation of The Gomers being given 3 MAMA awards in March 2006
- ↑ Spending New Year's Eve 2006 in Madison? - Isthmus | The Daily Page
- ↑ 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.