Boris The Sprinkler

When you think of Green Bay, there is only one thing that comes to mind, it’s the hometown of that zany punk rock band, Boris the Sprinkler. These Pop Culture abnormalities are so endeared in their hometown that the mayor has proposed to change the name of their obscure football team to “The Green Bay Sprinklers” and the name of the stadium to “Reverend Norb Field.”  Who the hell is Reverend Norb and Boris the Sprinkler, you may ask?  Well sit down, pop a beer, light a cigarette and read on, but I must warn you that after you’re done reading this article, you may know less about the Pride of Green Bay than before you picked up this paper. Formed by vocalist and former writer for Maximum Rock and Roll, (not to be confused with Maximum Ink – the paper in your hands) Reverend Norb, super guitarist Paul #1 and a revolving door rhythm section in 1992.  They were and still are influenced by the more zany side of punk rock music, The Dickies, Rezillos and The Ramones.  “Every talentless idiot like me,” confided Reverend Norb, “learned how to play music by listening to The Ramones.”

They released an uncountable number of 45’s, split 45’s, EP’s, LP’s and CD’s, [Although, research put the number at 6 full-length albums and 19 singles].  “For awhile there,” said Mike Sykes, former owner of Milwaukee’s Stinky Record Exchange, “it seemed like Boris the Sprinkler were releasing a record every week.  I couldn’t keep up and had to dedicate the entire store to them.  I went out of business one month later.”

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Bandallamas

Bandallamas realizes the superhuman talent of the DC Comics Justice League. Members of the collaborative ensemble don’t wear capes and leave the crime fighting to law enforcement, but they do conquer the doldrums of cookie-cutter music by blending punk, folk, jazz and rock elements. Bandallamas will perform at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison Nov. 11 and the Radisson Hotel in Green Bay on Nov. 12.

Bandallamas combines the skills of legendary performers to craft their eclectic sound. Members include frontman Chris Aaron; President Bandallamas LLC Lisa Bethke, founding member of the Violent Femmes Victor DeLorenzo; Wally Ingram, former drummer for Sheryl Crow; Jane Wiedlin of The Gogos; urban blues artist Bobby Bryan; Pauli Ryan, who has recorded with Garbage and U2; pianist Ken Saydak; and Rob Wasserman, who continues his creative collaboration with Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.

UW-Madison Professor of Bass Richard Davis is also a member. Over the course of his career, Davis has played with Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and Barbra Streisand among others and appears on over 1,000 recordings.

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Eli Mattson

Eli Mattson is probably best known as runner up on TV’s America’s Got Talent, on NBC, where he lost to Neal E. Boyd by only 0.5%. He has made several appearances in Vegas with AGT winner Terry Fator. Eli started playing the piano at 5 and has been performing as a vocalist/pianist since the age of fourteen.

MAXIMUM INK: You claim Door County, WI as your home. What it is like to get chances to play your home town?
ELI MATTSON: “Well I lived in Door County as a kid, went to Southern Door, and worked at the Pizza Hut in town. After that I moved around a lot but what Door County really gave me was a start with music. My first regular gig was at Java on Jefferson when it was there.  Now when I play there it’s great to see the people who supported me first.”

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