European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse We re Way too corny for College radio and not commercial enough Lor commercial radio says the rainmakers Bob Walkenhorst tight. Above the band Singer Ivan Tenhorst Flett. Guitarist Steve Phillips drummer Pat Tomsk and Bass player Rich Ruth. The magic of by Anita Gosch staff writer Bob walkenhor5t has a mean Way wit words a Way thai males Allier people Radthe Load Singer and song Altif lot Iho Kansas City Rock group the remembers a letter tie received from a mad Molher it was a cart breaker said my daughter came in and wonder co Why i was laughing so hard i was crying when i was listening to this rainmakers record i d monday. April 25. 1938 been do a m dooms Vine baby i have my Cul re Ali opry and i m on welfare i need thai government ghee a. And my tvs bal a thai i o r. In h Rwy the ice scr re Lars 10 then Ainman or nov Frnnk of cheese a song Ihal lakes an ironic look Al the american welfare system Thi Tunn Rulli cos walk Hoisl s own Angr both toward the government that is handing Oul Iree cheese and toward the people who Lake Art Vanlare of Ili l wrote her walk in d in nil interview in Frankfurt. And tried to explain Thil i was t it Washer Lault Lof being poor thai it anger is a common basis Oiwa Konii Iii s songs Anzur that he Iran Yalcs into sneering Oil i Valins of Mankind thu so get a lacks org Ini Ixl religion and nuclear a Lare. To ridicules love and Rnic in do in on the Joel. He even lakes a the Ymir adults Lor whom the rainmakers music 15 intend of the Genc Rolion that would change the wild i c.1ii looking Loi ils car keys " your idealistic period comes to an Walkr Ihorst said Vou Ivan Money you want a pm and you want to relax and you be grown up 10 be your a Iehle " Walkon harsh admits Hal writing lyrics docs l necessarily Iran slain into Success 19b6 sell tilted dry ii album nod Iho 9b7 follow up Tornado Taa Roty cracked inc top 100 of the album Chart the band s Back la Rock n rail by Walkon horse s caustic almost he Moke a vocal5. Has found a space in inc Gejl radio game we n1 Way Loo Rainy to College in Sud. And we re not commercial enough in commercial radio " the rainmakers began As a Limo in Kansas City in 108? Wilh Vii Iasi Sivc Phillips bassist Rich Ruth and Walkenhorst singing and playing on a stand up drum kit the group had no manager no contacts and no record contract. Of attic musicians Liin cod their own Tow budget album called balls it eventually sow some 2,000 copies in the Midwest word of Iho rainmakers Talent s leaked out to poly ram records and Iho company signed the bind in 1985. The group rounded out ils lineup Wil k i Ummer Pat Tomek Walken Horal says he s nol concerned about the numbers game in the music business Aboul pm ilium albums and h 1 singles he insists the rainmakers have no of Selling Oul to Hil Iho big Lime i did l snarl doing tins to sell hamburgers 35 billion he said i wan cd 1o make music Hal in crests me that has to do Wilh people s lives thai people can by Neil from " it would to diff cull to imagine the Tanky College Grad who a risers baggy a blues and Granny sunglasses to a Pandrok and studs pickup trucks to sports cars singing top 10 Villios Aboul the Rock n Rolt Way of me for Ono thing he says he s never lived ital kind of life to always wanted Lobo Ono of these Guys you know play the Guilar pick up a Chic gel smashed and enjoy some carnal pleasures once in a while but it ust never worked Oul thai Way Lor me to said i a Happy person but Hal Lype of enjoyment i be ust never been Able to gel into Walkenhorst prefers to gel ideas Lor his songs irom real Hie. A simple to the grocery store in the Tow income Section of Kansas cily in which he lives inspired government cheese a True Story Aboul a War Mcleran turned wild Man who lives in the Woods outside Lown sparked Iho Lake invt Man even Iho names Are me same said Walkenhorst a family Eno Arlenee left him Wilh to disrespect for organized religion Hal turns up in several of rus songs such As wages of sin. I used to go to Church every sunday and my Molher still he said and every Sunda you heard about everlasting Lile then my dad s in the Hospital Wilh cancer and he Dies and my mom goes i did 11hink he was really going la die they d never talked Aboul either of them dying and the Church did nothing to encourage them to Ihmie about in or Aboul in or make it pa1 of their a rally my dad was a g Cal run and to died scared and bitter ust because an i Host things he d heard and Tead about and Sang about every sunday pm i never ocame a pail of his reality Walke Hoisl says he s Nat by a a incr a on. He s one who la always a Wjk at the big he Side of things but he s deter Rod to find Success on i us own Lei is and. Despite Itie Rel Ali Joly Low Alburn sales Walkenhorst said the band Jar. The Lull support of the record company they really like the band Lor Fiji it it. He d and they Lite to Tomk Hal there s a place Oul there in the world Lor a band like us " the stars and stripes Page 17
