The Gomers

The Gomers are a Madison, Wisconsin-based comedy rock, experimental music, and progressive rock band. Former Madison mayors Dave Cieslewicz and 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,^[6] formerly located in the Hotel Washington (Madison, Wisconsin),^[7] and currently plays eight times or more monthly with its live band karaoke show, 'Gomeroke', at the High Noon Saloon.^[8]

Wisconsin Public Radio did an episode on the phenomena of "Rockstar Gomeroke" in 2009.^[9] The band went on hiatus in 2016.^[10]

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.^[11] 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 to 2009.^[12]

Guest stars

The Gomers played with Les Paul at his Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Lifetime Achievement Award dinner, on October 27, 2004.^[13]

Members

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
^ "Club de Wash". 17 April 2015.
^ "Fire and Ice: Remembering the long-lost Hotel Washington". 20 June 2023.
^ High Noon Saloon Calendar
^ [TBA]
^ "The Gomers to 'hit the pause button' on Gomeroke at the High Noon Saloon in July". 4 May 2016.
^ documentation of The Gomers being given 3 MAMA awards in March 2006 Archived 2007-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
^ Spending New Year's Eve 2006 in Madison? – Isthmus | The Daily Page
^ "2004 Lifetime Achievement Award" – 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. Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

[1] Audio of Mayor Dave proclaiming February 1 Gomer Day in Madison WI

[2] Text of the official Mayoral proclamation in Madison, WI

[3] Maximum Ink Cover Story by Mike Huberty

[4] Maximum Ink September 2002 Article on The Gomers by John Noyd

[5] Madison Magazine documents The Gomers Live Karaoke Show

[6] "Club de Wash". 17 April 2015.

[7] "Fire and Ice: Remembering the long-lost Hotel Washington". 20 June 2023.

[8] High Noon Saloon Calendar

[9] [TBA]

[10] "The Gomers to 'hit the pause button' on Gomeroke at the High Noon Saloon in July". 4 May 2016.

[11] umentation of The Gomers being given 3 MAMA awards in March 2006 Archived 2007-03-01 at the Wayback Machine

[12] Spending New Year's Eve 2006 in Madison? – Isthmus | The Daily Page

[13] "2004 Lifetime Achievement Award" – 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. Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.

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