The Rainmakers

Prototypical Midwestern roots-rockers, the Rainmakers ironically achieved their very best commercial success abroad, despite generally great reviews within their homeland. Main songwriter Bob Walkenhorst’s lively wit and topical ointment lyrics arranged the Rainmakers aside from their Heartland club music group peers, though musically they drew in the expected roots rock and roll affects (Chuck Berry, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, etc.). The music group was originally produced in 1983 in Kansas Town, MO, being a trio known as Steve, Bob, and Wealthy; normally, the lineup contains guitarist/vocalist Steve Phillips, guitarist/vocalist Bob Walkenhorst, and bassist Full Ruth. This group documented an separately released record (entitled Balls) that helped have them agreed upon to Polygram, where stage they added drummer Pat Tomek and transformed their name towards the much less particular Rainmakers. Their self-titled formal debut premiered in 1986, making the British Best 20 strike “Allow My People Go-Go” and a substantial amount of great press both in the home and overseas. The music group embarked on a relentless touring timetable and discovered an unlikely enthusiast in horror article writer Stephen Ruler, who quoted the band’s lyrics in two of his books. The 1988 follow-up Tornado didn’t attract just as much vital attention within the U.S., however the Rainmakers’ Western european audience continued to develop; by enough time of 1989’s THE GOOD THING and the Poor News, the music group was concentrating mainly on that region, saving the concert record Oslo-Wichita Live exclusively because of its Scandinavian supporters. In 1990, sick and tired of the road lifestyle, the Rainmakers disbanded, ostensibly once and for all. However, Scandinavian curiosity within their music kept solid, and Polygram’s Norwegian department requested a fresh Rainmakers recording in 1994. The music group obliged and documented Flirting Using the Universe independently in Steve Phillips’ cellar. The recording was a smash in Norway, attaining that country’s exact carbon copy of precious metal sales within 8 weeks, and the music group was encouraged plenty of to stage a full-fledged reunion. They authorized with the self-employed Kansas label V&R, and Walkenhorst published a concept recording about pornography and its own effects on human being sexuality. Ruth remaining the music group during the documenting classes, with accounts divided concerning whether it had been because of the lyrical content material or the actual fact that he previously relocated from Kansas Town to Nashville; irrespective, he was changed by Michael Bliss. The producing album, Skin, premiered in 1996 to mainly great reviews.