#3matthewbob says

Collaboration makes Art!

One of my favorite memories of the early Bobs was getting Richard into the group. Gunnar and I knew that having a real bass in the group would be the best . So we placed an ad in the local free paper, "Bass singer wanted for New Wave Acapella group" Richard was the only person ever to call. We actually had him come in and kind of "Audition". I had auditioned a lot as an actor and a few times as a director but never for a music group. We just sang some songs together. Doo Wop version of Proud Mary and others. Then he left. Gunnar and I are like well he's good and knows all about recording, but lets wait to see some more bass singers before we decide. A week passes, No more bass singers have called. I am the one who calls Richard back,by the way he sounds like God on the phone, and tell him he has been chosen, Ha!

About a year or so later I was telling this story on a radio station appearance somewhere on the East coast and I will always remember the look on Richards normally hard to read face.

Matthewbob says

And yet all good things end for some reason and the field of singing gorillas and super heroes put our Phillip Morris dressed people out of business. Now, luckily Gunnar and I both are living in Berkeley. One day there were phone calls. Either I called Gunnar or he called me, I don't remember but a get together was planned to talk about a way to sing together. Again serendipity plays a roll in the life of The Bobs. Both of us had recently seen a trio singing accapella, The Baltimore's,  a Do Wop sort of group and tons of fun!  I came with the idea that we should not sing old Do-Wop songs and should not try to be like The Persuasions, who would always be better at it. I suggested modern songs with Do -Wop style A La Godfrey Daniels. Gunnar took it to the next step and brought out his accapella idea for Psycho Killer by the Talking Heads straight up! Looking back its great to see the progression of collaboration that brought The Bobs into being.

Matthew Bob Says

1st installment:

The Bobs started as an idea based on my college years. I was studying acting and directing and there was a wonderful weird group named Godfrey Daniels! A group of us theater types thought they were great and off the wall. Their thing was taking well know familiar hits at the time, late 60's , and giving them a doo wop sound. Proud Mary, Hey Jude and Purple Haze are an example. Us theater geeks would learn these tunes and sing them accapella at parties. Fast forward 6 years finds me in San Francisco, working as an actor and paying my rent with Singing Telegrams. This is where Gunnar Madsen comes into the story. Gunnar is a local musician trying to make ends meet with singing telegrams as well. We both worked for Tim Curry at Western Onion Singing Telegrams! What an odd, fun and humorous way to make a living.