Gear Daddies

Last updated

Gear Daddies
GearDaddies.jpg
Background information
Genres Rock, country, Americana, alternative country
Years active1984 (1984)–present
Members
  • Randy Brouten
  • Nick Ciola
  • Billy Dankert
  • Martin Zellar

The Gear Daddies are a rock band originally from Austin, Minnesota. Randy Broughten (electric and steel guitar), Nick Ciola (bass), Billy Dankert (drums and vocals), and Martin Zellar (guitar, harmonica and vocals) played their first shows together in 1984. They released singles and albums between 1986 and 1992 and became an important part of the Twin Cities music scene. Most songs were written by Zellar, but Dankert had several of note, including crowd favorite "Time Heals".

Contents

In 1991, Zellar and Broughten played "Stupid Boy" on Late Night with David Letterman . Ciola and Dankert did not play on the show because, at the time, many bands simply sat in with The World's Most Dangerous Band. Zellar said of the experience: "I was so nervous, and it happened so quick. I couldn't tell you what the hell happened. I got done, and I was walking back and said to Randy (Broughten) 'Did I sing all the words? Did I do that?' When I watched it that night in the hotel room, I had no recollection of having lived it."

Although their song "Zamboni" was originally a hidden track on their album Billy's Live Bait , it became one of their best-known songs as it often was played during intermissions at hockey games throughout North America. It later was featured in the movies D2: The Mighty Ducks and Mystery, Alaska as well as on television program Malcolm in the Middle .

The Gear Daddies in 2016 performing in Rochester, Minnesota GearDads.jpg
The Gear Daddies in 2016 performing in Rochester, Minnesota

After the dissolution of the band, Zellar began an active career of performing and recording with the band that became known as Martin Zellar and the Hardways, taking with him long-time friend and bassist Nick Ciola.

Electric guitarist Randy Broughten is currently a physical education teacher in Eagan, Minnesota. As well as being a member of the Cactus Blossoms, he has been the steel guitar player for many years with Minneapolis country band Trailer Trash, who are known for their annual Christmas shows and who had a cameo in the mockumentary film Dill Scallion .

Drummer James "Billy" Dankert is a professional visual artist as well as a musician.

As of the present, all four members of the Gear Daddies reunite several times a year to perform throughout the Midwest.

The Gear Daddies were an influence on a number of bands that emerged in the upper Midwest in the late 1980s through the 1990s, including Johnny Clueless, The Billy's, Steve's Piece, Violet, Shoot Lucy, Leep 27, [1] Dazy Head Mazy, Groundhouse and Six Mile Grove. [2]

Honors and awards

Star honoring Gear Daddies on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue Gear Daddies - First Avenue Star.jpg
Star honoring Gear Daddies on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

The Gear Daddies were honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue, [3] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. [4] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh. [5]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semisonic</span> American rock band

Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson, John Munson, and Jacob Slichter. They are best known in the U.S. for their 1998 top-20 single "Closing Time". They also had international success with the singles "Singing in My Sleep", "Secret Smile" and "Chemistry".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Suicide Commandos</span> Punk-rock trio from Minneapolis founded in 1975

The Suicide Commandos are an American punk rock trio from Minneapolis. They formed in 1975 and released two 7-inch EPs on an indie label in 1976 and 1977 before signing with Blank Records in 1977 and releasing one album, Make a Record. Despite their short original 4-year stint together, the Suicide Commandos are considered the pioneers for jump-starting a punk rock music scene in the Twin Cities, which eventually produced bands like The Suburbs, Hüsker Dü, The Replacements and Soul Asylum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mason Jennings</span> American folk-pop singer-songwriter (born 1975)

Mason Jennings is an American folk-pop singer-songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cows (band)</span> Post-hardcore/noise band from Minnesota, active 1987–1998

Cows were a noise rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota who formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1998. The band’s music mixed punk rock with surreal humour and copious amounts of noise played through distorted amplifiers and trumpet bleats, codifying them as a noise rock band. Throughout their career Cows released nine studio albums, all but one on the Minneapolis-based label Amphetamine Reptile Records. A star in honor of the Cows is on the outside mural of First Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Suburbs (band)</span> American new wave/punk band

The Suburbs are an alternative punk rock/funk/new wave band from Minneapolis, Minnesota that was popular in the late 1970s and 1980s. The band frequently headlined at Minneapolis's most influential music clubs, including Jay's Longhorn Bar and First Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hold Steady</span> American rock band

The Hold Steady is an American rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn, Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Franz Nicolay (keyboards) and Steve Selvidge (guitar). Noted for their "lyrically dense storytelling," and classic rock influences, the band's narrative-based songs frequently address themes such as drug addiction, religion and redemption, and often feature recurring characters based within the city of Minneapolis.

Golden Smog is an alternative country-rock supergroup of loosely connected musicians mostly from the Minneapolis area. At various times members of Soul Asylum, The Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs, and Big Star have worked with Golden Smog. Given the fluid collaborative nature of Golden Smog the lineup has often changed, but relative constant members who appear on all the recordings are guitarists Kraig Johnson, Dan Murphy, and Gary Louris along with bassist Marc Perlman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Zellar</span> American singer-songwriter

Martin Lee Zellar is a Minnesota-based musician and songwriter. Martin Zellar is the brother of writer Brad Zellar.

<i>Lets Go Scare Al</i> 1988 studio album by Gear Daddies

Let's Go Scare Al is the first album by the American band the Gear Daddies. The album was released in 1988 on the Gark record label, and re-released in 1990 on Polygram Records.

<i>Billys Live Bait</i> 1990 studio album by Gear Daddies

Billy's Live Bait is the second album by Austin, Minnesota band the Gear Daddies, released in 1990. It was their first release for a major label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zamboni (song)</span> 1990 song by Gear Daddies

"Zamboni", also known as "I Wanna Drive the Zamboni", is a song written by Martin Zellar and recorded by his band Gear Daddies. The song tells the story of a man's desire to drive an ice resurfacer, popularly known by the brand name "Zamboni", and his request to drive the Zamboni for his local ice hockey team. Since its release, it has sometimes been played between periods at hockey games while the Zamboni cleans the ice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lifter Puller</span>

Lifter Puller, or LFTR PLLR, was an American indie rock band from the Twin Cities and the Boston area between 1994 and 2000. Their music is considered innovative, with its angular riffs and a synth-infused sound that predated the 1980s revival trends of the early 2000s.

James "Billy" Dankert is an American musician from Austin, Minnesota, United States, best known as the drummer, singer and songwriter for Minnesota-based band the Gear Daddies. Dankert's songs include "Time Heals", "Blues Mary", and "One Voice". After the break-up of the band in 1992, he returned to school to study language and literature. He has released three solo albums: Bowling Shoes Blues on the Crackpot Records label in 1993; The Vanishing Head on the Veto Records label in 2001; and In Spite on the Veto Records label in 2003. A fourth solo album, The Past Is Not Complete, was recorded in 2005 but never released. His fifth solo album, Sleep Late, is scheduled for self-release in April 2016, after a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund its pressing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tapes 'n Tapes</span> American indie rock band

Tapes 'n Tapes is an indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Matt Patrick is an American record producer, studio owner, engineer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He grew up in the small community of North Branch, Minnesota, about an hour north of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Early on Patrick learned how to play piano, electric, acoustic and bass guitars and sing. After high school he began learning other instruments such as mandolin, accordion, dobro, pedal steel, Hammond organ, and various electronic synthesizers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trampled by Turtles</span> American bluegrass/folk-rock band

Trampled by Turtles is an American bluegrass-influenced folk band from Duluth, Minnesota. They have released ten full albums, three of which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard bluegrass chart. Their fifth release, Palomino, stayed in the chart's Top 10 for 52 straight weeks. Their latest album, Alpenglow, was released on October 28, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slim Dunlap</span> American guitarist and singer-songwriter

Bob "Slim" Dunlap is an American rock musician. He is a Minnesota-based guitarist and singer-songwriter who is best known as a member of The Replacements from 1987 to 1991, replacing original lead guitarist Bob Stinson. Dunlap also recorded two solo albums in the mid-1990s.

The Honeydogs is a band from Saint Paul, Minnesota that opened at First Avenue in 1994.

Impaler is an American horror-themed heavy metal/speed metal band from Minnesota. The band has a theatrical show which features fake blood, cages, coffins, latex severed heads and a finale that includes a mock disemboweling of victims.

Brad Zellar is an American author and journalist. Zellar's writing often is accompanied by photographs; he has collaborated several times with photographer Alec Soth. The Coen brothers film A Serious Man, nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Picture, took some inspiration for the visuals based on Zellar's book the Suburban World: The Norling Photos. His book Conductors of the Moving World was named in Time's "Best of 2011: The Photobooks We Loved", and was the recipient of the 2012 Photography for Design Professional Award from D&AD.

References

  1. ↑ "Leep 27". leep27.com. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  2. ↑ "Six Mile Grove". sixmilegrove.com. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  3. ↑ "The Stars". First Avenue & 7th Street Entry. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Bream, Jon (3 May 2019). "10 things you'll learn about First Avenue in new Minnesota History Center show". Star Tribune . Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  5. ↑ Marsh, Steve (13 May 2019). "First Avenue's Star Wall". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.