The Men Who Control The Weather
From Minnewiki
The Men Who Control the Weather are a Twin Cities based band specializing in a kind of science-fiction themed, keyboard driven, punk-style rock. Currently comprised of members Johnny BoomBoom (vocals), Kyle Parr (keyboards), Zam-Zam Goswitz (drums), Brooks Rudolph (guitar) and Sean Flaherty (bass), the band has had a long history of revolving door membership with the only constant member being vocalist Johnny BoomBoom.
Background
The band was originally formed as a temporary project in 2003. Johnny BoomBoom, wishing to abandon acoustic folk-rock recruited drummer Ryan Mach (The Alarmists), bassist Cassidy Nee (Screaming Mechanical Brain), and guitar player Gravey Graves (Manic Euphoria)to help write and record a series of songs he had come up with. These songs would become the bands first EP "The Weathermachine." Some time later, Kyle Parr was recruited to add keyboards to the recorded tracks. With Mach, Nee and Graves too occupied with other projects, Johnny set about recruiting new members to form a live band. It would take 2 years, 6 drummers, 3 guitar players, and 2 bass players before the band ever performed a live gig. On August 13, 2005 at The Garage in Burnsville, MN the band debuted with a lineup of Johnny BoomBoom (vocals), Kyle Parr (keyboards), Zam-Zam Goswitz (drums), Brooks Rudolph (guitar) and Chris Brenberg (bass). In December of 2005 Chris Brenberg amicably parted ways with the group, and Cass Nee briefly returned to the group as an interim bass player. Nee was then replaced by current bassist Sean Flaherty.
In the bands first year of gigging, they played more than 60 shows in the Twin Cities and throughout the midwest. This first year included shows with several prominent acts including The Plastic Constellations, Tub Ring, Screaming Mechanical Brain and Dog Fashion Disco. On July 15, 2005 the band released an EP titled "We Own the Skies." Cass Nee once again lent his bass to the recording, and the EP was produced by former guitar player Gravey Graves.
Sound and Themes
The style most frequently attributed to The Men Who Control the Weather is "punk-rock", however rather utilizing than the political or personal style that typifies punk, The Men Who Control the Weather utilize a more farcical, comical and fantastical tone. The band tackles such grandiose subject matter as alien invasions, the Book of Revelation and dark phrophecies of society gone wrong, while still maintaining an upbeat danceable atmosphere. While providing these grim portents, the band remains with their tounges planted firmly in their cheeks.
A major appeal of the band is the eccentric, high energy stage-show the band puts on. After one show, a resident of La Crosse, Wisconsin reportedly remarked "[Johnny BoomBoom] is like the soul of John Belushi on heroin, in the body of Nick Cave."
