Gomer Pyle [NL] / Wasteland Haze [D]

Name: Gomer Pyle [NL] / Wasteland Haze [D]
Start: 2024-12-12T21:00:00+02:00
Location: Sonic Ballroom

Schedule

Thu Dec 12 2024 at 09:00 pm

UTC+02:00

Location

Sonic Ballroom | Cologne, NW

https://gomerpyle.bandcamp.com/music
Psychedelic Stoner/ Grunge Rock
Gomer Pyle is a Psychedelic Stoner/grunge Rock band from the south of the Netherlands.
Gomer Pyle is an unconventional band with a broad musical range and musical interest. ‘Each song seems a genre collage, a listener once said. Actually, it is all about the unbounded creative process. The autonomous journey where goals or not to please or fulfill (commercial) expectations, but to give way to creativity and the art of music and related arts. Through the years Gomer Pyle has gathered a great accumulation of fellow-thinkers and musical friends.
The band was formed in 1994 when the grunge scene came to a full. One year later they released their first EP "Honeybunny". In 1999, the Eurohappy CD was released by Elegy, and sometime later the EP "Angelseagirl". But after some bigger gigs the band went into a long hibernation. In 2006 Gomer Pyle started a new musical era.
Gomer Pyle got ‘enlisted’ by Bidi (Bidi Bookings: Danny van Drongelen) and Space Jam records.
In 2007 the EP “GP” (limited promo pack edition) was released. In 2008 they released their masterpiece “Idiots Savants”. Until today referred to as a 'stoner icon' by many. Idiots Savants is a great mix of psychedelic jams and hard-straight (stoner) rock.
In 2011 the band fell apart due to colliding personalities and individual issues. After all those years it seemed Gomer Pyle was done for.
But after a long period of musical vacuum, the urge to put life back into the band rose strong. Mark Brouwer and Mark van Loon, historically the main composers of Gomer Pyle, got together again to look at some material Brouwer wrote. They both felt the strong urge to pick up the band again. Drummer Kees Haverkamp, stepped in and a new bass player was found in Danny Huijgens.
In this setting creativity found its way again big time, and set the band back on track like never before.
In 2016 the band released an EP, and played great gigs in the Netherlands and Europe.
Sadly in 2017 their manager/booker/friend/teacher/ice breaker/sledgehammer Bidi (Danny van Drongelen) died. Bidi made all the difference for the band. Him, being a true and passionate music fan and connoisseur, opened doors, created opportunities, and put Gomer Pyle in the spot they are now.
His demise was (again) a paralyzing blow to the band. But now it was clear, music should and shall overcome grieve and give consolation and support. The band went on with pain but without a doubt. Bidi’s favorite Gomer Pyle song ‘Bring on the Diesel’ will forever be on the setlist as a tribute to Bidi.
The band picked up the songs from Brouwer and started writing songs for the new double album ‘Before I Die I…’. An album with a large footprint for the band since so many radical things happened during the writing process. It will be a true successor to Idiots Savants.
The new album was released early 2020 in collaboration with the Lab Records and Three Cords Records.
The new album is a homage to Gomer Pyle’s friend, booker and manager Bidi (Danny van Drongelen) who sadly past away in 2017. Without Bidi, Gomer Pyle would not have had the platform it has now. A great loss still, not only for Gomer Pyle but for the entire rock scene.
Recently in 2023 Gomer Pyle again suffered a ‘Spinal Tap’ moment by having to say goodbye to yet another drummer. Kees Haverkamp left the band due to his overstrained agenda. But ‘hail the youth’ Damian Kunath stept in to fill some big boots and he is rocking!
Gomer Pyle is best known for its live performances. Always there to connect with the audience in an overwhelming and true spirit.

Einlass: 20h, Beginn: 21h, Eintritt: 13€