Eric Tadsen
The Gomers have made countless Madisonians into rock stars.
Some people work up their courage to sing one song. Others are addicted to the experience, showing up week after week to get their names on the list for “Rockstar Gomeroke” — a 12-year tradition of live-band karaoke that takes place Tuesdays and every other Friday at the High Noon Saloon.
That’s partly what makes the band’s announcement that it is going on “hiatus” unsettling.
The Gomers made us into rock stars, which means it’s all about us. Who’s going to back us up now?
The Gomers have played together for nearly 31 years, and it was a profound personal and professional blow to the band when bassist Gordon Ranney died of cancer on Feb. 28. His memorial concert, “Love in the Key of G,” packed the High Noon on April 12; the lineup included other bands touched by Gordon, including Cement Pond, PROG, the droplets, Steely Dane and VO5 (my band, for whom Gordon was a frequent sub).
Cathy Dethmers, owner of the High Noon Saloon, recalls that the club was under construction 12 years ago when she got a visit from Biff Blumfumgagnge (guitar, violin) proposing a new concept for a residency. The idea was live-band karaoke, which he had heard was happening in New York. She jumped at the chance. And the rest is history.
She says the Gomers are like family to her, and she’s “really sad” about the decision, although she understands it. “I personally love Gomeroke and think it is a great representation of what I want the High Noon to be — a fun-loving community that welcomes all kinds of musicians,” Dethmers says in an email.
Calling the Gomers “ground zero for a scene of musicians who collaborate on all kinds of artistic projects,” Dethmers says she has no doubt Madisonians will continue to enjoy members of the Gomers playing in other bands. “They are all jaw-droppingly good musicians, and amazing people, and we’re proud they chose High Noon to be the home of Rockstar Gomeroke.”
And even though many of us think of the last decade as the era of Gomeroke — where the band submerged their own identities into making everyone into rock stars — the band continued to branch out all over the place, writing crazy Frank Zappa-esque theatrical punk tunes and putting out albums and videos. They even toured as the Zombeatles. A visit to the band’s website yields such treasures as “FOOLISH Youth on Bike,” “ALIEN vs. PREDATOR” and “Big PANTS People.”
Ever since I was a college student at UW-Madison in the ’80s — when the Gomers played the Club DeWash regularly — I’ve appreciated the band’s off-the-wall sense of humor. And their enthusiasm for music is unbounded. I once saw Dave Adler get so excited while playing a tune from the Who that he fell off the stage, keyboard and all.
The Gomers have also played numerous benefits in the community, like the annual Stand Up (and Sing) for Kids event sponsored by Dane County Court Appointed Special Advocates. For the youngsters (and their parents) who flock to “Kiddyoke” events, it’s likely the first time they’ve sung into a microphone. Who knows how many future careers were started with a shy kid stepping up to the mic to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Anyway, Gomers. Take your hiatus. You deserve it. We sure hope you decide to come back.
As Joni Mitchell put it, “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.”
