news

~ Jeff's Blog page 9 ~
aka Weavils Blog
...so on Sat., 7/17/4, I was hangin' with guitarist Roger Steen in a hotel bar in Port Washington, WI after the Fishday Festival in which The Tubes opened for Blue Oyster Cult. He suggested that I start a blog to document my times and travels.

me with roger steen of the tubes on 7/14/4

...and 4/21/6
This is my blog...thanks Roger

(photo by Sharon - cropped by smeeg)
Dig the LIARS shirt - available at: rundgrenjunkie@aol.com
(tell him i sent ya)

(banner designed by mark larson)

*Now with more pages*
for easier load
~~~~* 2006 *~~~~
comments?

*all photos by me with phone unless stated otherwise*

ANNOUNCING
JEFFFEST 3
AUGUST 25-27
SEE Jeff perform with weavils and lizardz (oh my!)
MARVEL as he plays an acoustic
WONDER why the hell he does this
Friday, August 25 7:00 pm - The Lizardz - CMN Balloon Rally Outdoor Stage - Alexander Field (3620 First St. South)
Saturday, August 26 5:30 pm - The Weavils - CMN Balloon Rally Beer Tent - Alexander Field (3620 First St. South)
Sunday, August 27 7:00pm - Acoustic Fireside Jam - Tork Island, Lake Wazeecha

ALL SHOWS ARE FREE, OUTDOORS, ALL AGES, AND IN WISCONSIN RAPIDS
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/29/6

storm rolls into minocqua

1959's jack the ripper fills the am madness
(he gets SQUASHED by an elevator in this one)

new lizardz' fan speaks of us opening for .38 special next spring
(great outfit!)

7/28/6

the view in back of motel

A local band, The Lizardz, play recently at the Terrace of the Hotel Mead.
DOUG ALFT/DAILY TRIBUNE

7/27/6
Happy Birthday to ME!
...hiding out in an undisclosed location

otto's beergarden

...where i surprisingly ran into fellow Toddheads kurt and cathy lee

...as bad brad emmanuel packs the house with girls on tables

nice two-piece, Rusty and pal, fill the stuck-up Thirsty Whale

sunset on happy land

says it all

went to see 'my kids' before perusing the town

7/26/6

Hawk as Lemure in Beauty and the Beast in Neenah at the KILLER Riverside Park

backstage

"scruffy", owner of appleton's Cold Shot
where weavils and lizardz perform

7/25/6

The Jesusmobile (w/ Texas plates!)
outside of Mull's

7/24/6

7/22/6

Here come da judge

A ski team's attempt at humor

State waterski tourney always rocks the 'Pids

barefootin'

China crankin' the Dead at 4 Stools Short 'round noon

7/21/6

this fine lady found my quote,
"Nobody plays this fukkin' shit around here"
to be the quote of the night

Johnny lays down the Payne

dave turner is one MONSTER axeman

Janesville's very own Keith Moon pounds on Rapids
BLUE OLIVES at Mulligan's

Lizardz setup at hotel mead's Tunes on the Terrace
Ma Nature was great to us, unlike the way she treated the weavils

7/19/6

one of my Rapids heroes...Specialist A4 Stern

7/18/6
Weavils' and Lizardz' music featured here in podcast form in Toddland!
Release dates are:
Aug 07, 2006, 12:00 Early Springtime Rainfall (The Lizardz)
Aug 03, 2006, 12:00 River City Blues (The Weavils)
Jul 30, 2006, 12:00 Who Do (The Lizardz)
Jul 26, 2006, 12:00 Satisfy (The Weavils)
Jul 22, 2006, 12:00 Gypsy Moth (The Lizardz)
Jul 18, 2006 Ode To Todd (The Weavils)

(many thanks to the incomparable Roger Linder for this)

7/17/6
Coach Jeff's tenure ended (for this season) today...THANKS to all the kids (and parents) involved!
i'll miss you much

Alex Crosby
Brianna Kingery
Christopher Shields
Emily Walczak
Keaton Kotek
Luke Korslin
Morgan Sole
Noah Stephenson
Reed Zirnhelt
Xavier Bemke
Nikolas and Sierra

...and coaches
Coach Mike Zirnhelt (and family), Coach Allie and Coach Sierra
Batting Coach Paul Dean

THANKS MUCH...it was a BLAST!
(let's do it again next year)

7/16/6

2 of Rapids' finest keyboardists at Mull's
Kristopher Gasch and Sara Rifleman
7/15/6
nephew Christopher turns 7!

7/14/6

Hollyrock's abuses Brenda
7/12/6

leaving area 31 at dawn

7/9/6

sunrise on Happy Land...

Cornstock

7/8/6

sunset on the way to Happy Land...Cornstock!

Wheels of Fire...the Kings' rigs
(i am there 'unofficial photographer')

Jerry King...or is it King Jerry?

travis plantico...coming to jeff's new band soon ;)

mike kinney

7/7/6

Steelyard "Sugartooth" McDan (and the Fab-Originees.com) Band
Jon Herington - Guitar
Freddy Washington - Bass
Keith Carlock - Drums
Jeff Young - Keyboards and Backing Vocals
Walt Weiskopf - Sax
Michael Leonhart - Trumpet
Jim Pugh - Trombone
Roger Rosenberg - Baritone Sax
Carolyn Leonhart - Backing Vocals
Cindy Mizelle - Backing Vocals
Walter Becker - Guitar
Donald Fagen - Keyboads and Vocals

SUMMERFEST Milwaukee, WI
Set List (KILLER!):
Jazz intro
Bodhisatva
chase the dragon
aja
I got the news
Hey 19
josie
Any world that i'm welcome to (reggae style!)
green earrings
black cow
Dirty work (man, those chicks can SING!)
funked-up band introduction
(enter micheal mcdonald)
show biz kids
Do it again
peg
kid charlemagne
Reelin in the years
My old school
Jazz outtro (w/ Rikki tease)

micheal's set was quite good too!

7/6/6

the G-man at the library

young lizardz' fans in action

library man in action...thanks!

7/4/6

Rapids' West side ablaze outside Mulligan's
Fireworks
by Albert Bouchard
©1977 B. O'Cult Songs, Inc.

She went down to her house by the water
To hide herself from his grasp
He went down to the water to find her
To consummate their love at last

Then the lightning flashing lightning, flashing, crashing
Fireworks shooting off in her head in her head
The earth was shaking earth, shaking, quaking
Fireworks pouring down on her head on her head
Only sound she heard was sound, lovely word
Fireworks like a charm annointed
Blazing red

She went down to escape from her prison
To free herself from her fear
All those years up to here with tradition
And opportunity so near

She went down on a snow white pillow
To cast herself in the looking glass
He knew the time had finally come now
To break the spell they shared at last

The lightning flashing lightning, flashing, crashing
Fireworks shooting off in her head in her head
The earth was shaking earth, shaking, quaking
Fireworks pouring down on her head on her head
Only sound she heard was sound, lovely word
Fireworks like a charm annointed

7/3/6

went to the Big Sky Drive-In in the Dells for one of their busiest nights.
good to see Red (the Voice of Wisconsin) and Mama doin' so well!
although this had its moments and the story was alright, sequels suck and so does over-computer animation
HEY HOLLYWOOD! COME UP WITH SOME NEW IDEAS!
(the last new thing they did was CRASH...which deserved the awards it won for that very reason)
i shouldn't even mention Poseidon as it was WAY TOO AWFUL to sit thru for more than 20 minutes

...but WHO CARES? when it's a lovely night and baking is set!

7/2/6

Stevens Point fireworks

Pfiffner Park's Celebration for the 4th
(Riverfront Rendezvous)

Backstage view of Paul Cebar...

and the Milwaukeeans...

with percussionist Ryan Scheidemeyer lookin' on
(i used to play with him in Olive Parade)

7/1/6
MULLIGAN'S
Artist of the Month

6/30/6

twelve-year-old lizardz fan joanna made this from a pick i gave her

post-show madness at the 'Rox

6/29/6
Summerfest!

"and the whole universe is a giant guitar!"
(Utopia)

MUCH FUN at the world's largest music festival!
talk about a twilight zone of surrealness...

my friend Tim Root and i arrived early enough to take advantage of the discounted entrance fee. as we entered we began to feel a certain awkwardness of indescribability as there was NO MUSIC.
could ALL stages be on break at the same time? doubtful

mysteriousness shrouded the grounds until we realized that there were no lights (not even beer lights) on-

the power was down on the entire grounds!

so here we are at the world's largest music festival and there is no music, no power, no rides, no lights...nothing! very very bizarre.

a couple hours in we heard an acoustic guitar strummed by a hippy drawing a decent crowd...and then a marching band to MUCH delightful cheers-they were heroes just for one day's hour. very cool.

(an attempt at getting music to happen without power)

"a true life hero"
(Klaatu)

it all got cleared up around 6:30 to rousing applause and the stages began powering up as music trickled onto the grounds.

i caught blind bryan lee and elvis costello with allen toussaint and the crescent city horns (GREAT set!) before heading to BOCland (where the music STUNK at that stage all day prior to the boyz arrival).

elvis costello with allen toussaint and the crescent city horns-

(elvis sighting!)

faves included:
(what's so funny about) peace, love, and understanding, i don't wanna go to chelsea (much unexpected),
a certain girl (VERY fun as i know this from the yardbirds' version, working in a coalmine (another surprise!),
watching the detectives, pump it up,
allison (complete with new horns/flutes arrangement by allen) INTO tracks of my tears!,
clubland, i can't stand up for falling down, and high fidelity (off the amazing Get happy album)...
fave new tune was
WAKE UP
(closing line: "in the name of the father, in the name of the sun,
in the name of gasoline, in the name of the gun, wake up!")
MUCH redemption over the crappy mighty like a rose tour i saw at alpine valley...
in fact this show took off from where he laft me last with peace, love, and understanding

the BOC show was great, of course. buck seemed to have a few problems with his rig and tuning initially. allen appeared to have just awakened. eric was very full of life and grabbed the set openers by the throat. the "new guys" seemed quite pumped and really tore it up-for many people it was their first exposure to these ritchie and jules. buck REALLY began tearing it up during the extended solo section of shooting shark (and, man, that ritchie WAILS the funk on that tune!)...from then on out buck stole the show with licks from saturn, amazing speed and fluidocity, and much feel. those one-note rape vibrato bends were blowing my mind big-time!

The Red & The Black
OD'd on Life Itself
Burnin' for You
ETI
Shooting Shark
Buck's Boogie
Cities on Flame
Last Days of May
Godzilla
Reaper

Hot Rails to Hell

good to see merch at a BOC show again!

as soundcheck problems occured (mostly from a bad D.I. box on the bass and intermittent keys problems-but a REAL b3 and leslie!, and the fact that the fest closes at midnight on all nights but the opener we were pleasantly surprised to receive a whole show...including bass and drums in 'zilla and reaper opener.

(jack secret and jules pre-show)

Milwaukee's fireworks..."the big bang!"

ritchie rocks! (and funks hard)

Buck does the monkey!

allen rips up the last days of may!...

and then the MASTER steps in!

as does bassist ritchie

Hot Rails to Hell!

as for the displeased and impatient crowd:
as one "in the biz" i was embarrased and ashamed at the behavior of the drunk and unruly crowd!
screaming at the sound crew and techs will NOT get the show going any earlier, in fact it may delay things even more as it frustrates those attempting to do a professional job. yes, we had bass onstage but NONE in the house PA...imagine NO BASS in BOC's mix out front-yuk! it would have sounded like an am radio...these things MUST be fixed and it often takes more time than ANYONE would desire.

they even BOOED the blondies from the radio station that came out to introduce the band and pass out pig noses to the crowd-very foolish drunken stupidity that comes from the closing hours of a beer fest. so childish.

despite this, and the fact that many left pre-encore, the show was GREAT as always and buck was leaping about like a little garden gnome (very funny). woody was cordial as always, even asking about my bands and jules even stated that they were recently discussing the fun they had with me at the post-show jam in feb in green bay
(now to get that recording for him...and me!)

thanks to all the coolness of those in the front rows that helped me (and fellow weavils john finucan) hang in the front row!

andrea, john luc finucan and soundman woody

6/25/6

in march of 2004 i was involved in Hawk's production of The Wall as a tribute to Pink Floyd and Roger Waters
here's the first video clip from this monumental event
(photo by mark larson)

6/24/6

the weavils played our first (and probably only) hotel mead gig...mother nature decided to piss on us so the show was moved inside, unfortunately-also very unfortunate that the staff treated drummer dean poorly. we pick and choose where we play!
thanks to Fish for great sound and Milo for recording this monumental occassion

6/23/6

gorgeous sunset at Pfiffner Park Pavillion

a stage i deserve to play...what a setting
too bad The Mahp didn't bring their A-game - that over-sensitive singer, songwriter shit just don't cut it
...however, the spacey string-like guitar swells were pretty cool
and a cover of tenacious d's "tribute" was passable

exotic indeed...on the way to

Stevens Point's Bukolt Park

Mr. Dean attempts to tune the impossible tune

the TR b-day celebration at Mulligan's went great last night. Thanks to all that attended and got their minds blown...
the Midnight Special stuff from the mid-70s really did the TRick!

6/22/6

HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
TODD RUNDGREN

6/21/6

Summer Solstice at the Big Sky Drive-In in the Dells
I LOVE THE NIGHTS AT THE DRIVE-INS

many of you know i am a big fan of Jack Black (and am often even compared to him)
BUT
even he needs a script! destined to be a cult classic due to crappy story, awful subplots, and plodding tempo,
people will grow to love this piece of crap over the years
his co-star, however, is GORGEOUS

Ana de la Reguera

THIS, on the other hand, was a BLAST that was much unexpected fun, especially as i knew nothing about it going in.
great times for kids and adults alike
Over The Hedge

6/19/6

Lizard Mark brings the coolest table ever to the den---well-done, my man

an homage to the prairie chicken..and a spot i pass often during space cruises

6/17/6

KILLER wedding-the weavils at Patoka's
(what a great spot this would be for a full-blown concert!

6/16/6

Lizardz Ladiez at St. Lawrence Parrish Picnic

view from the stage

epost-show fun at Mulligan's with theatre peeps...

and our very own NaNaNa

6/15/6

CULTURE invades the cultural abyss as the West Side gets
The Wizard of Oz on the streets in front of Mulligan's for a Thursday eve...very cool!
Head count was around 700-look for Willy Wonka in August
A BIG THANKS TO THE CREW FOR DOING THIS

TommyRock's and I shoot each other

6/14/6
pitch ball began...as did the start of Coach Jeff

6/11/6

The Lizardz did a benefit for Deena Freedlund...

i played thru a Marshall stack...unfortunately solid-state

(the other Mr. Dean's tattoo - thanks for doin' our sound)

Doug from Swing West-very talented!

Mac survived the weekend with us zanies

Brother Milo post-set

The G-man
6/10/6

a backstage bracelet courtesy of Point distributor-THANKS!

Kansas and moi...KILLER SHOW!
(no hits 'til the very end=one amazing show!)
MARIABRONN INTRO/SPARKS
PARADOX
    -----------------TALK
BELEXES
OPUS INSERT
MIRACLES
    -----------------TALK
ICARUS
WHEELS
MAGNUM OPUS
SONG 4
THE WALL
    -----------------TALK
BLACK FATHOM
    -----------------TALK
POINT
PORTRAIT
DUST
WAYWARD SON

THEY EVEN DID THE WALL-AMAAAAAAAAAAAAZING!

Kansas and Rapids' finest!

amazing soundman Bill tears up the Point Block Party for Kansas
(thanks god as joan jett sounded like an am radio)

as the 'official' photographer for Wheels of Fire i present some shots from Hollyrocks...

Travis at work

the 'skinny' from kinney

michelle twiddles with ease

a KING of psychedelia

6/8/6

biking with 'the kids'

the following are from the Lizardz' show at the Wildhorse in Kellner...

sunset over the V-ball courts

w/ drummer extraordinnaire Randy Charles.
he played an AMAZING solo during "Low Rider", which i sing

with a fabulous fiddler, Ginger Martin
teachers KNOW how to party the last day of school!
(3 photos by soundman Mike Haessig-with my phone)

Grant loads out!

even elwood blues showed up!
6/6/6

a beautiful rainbow assures rapids' west side will make it thru Devil's Day

6/5/6
pre-TRip to Radio KAOS for the new cars' "It's Alive" CD (a day early)

nepco lake in the 'pids
6/3/6
went to the ravinia in chicagoland to see the new cars
(brothers prairie and todd dedicated TR's "I Saw the Light" to Vince Welnick-RIP)

yeah right!

waaaay ahead of the row i was supposed to be in
(with kurt and clb's sister mary)
(photo by lani hanson-thanks tikigirl!)

says it all as i basked in His energy post-show

the following pix from the new cars on 6/3/6 at ravinia are courtsey of tikigirl, lani hanson
(thanks hon)

dig these great fan-made shirts center and right...and get in contact by clickin' the pic

bangin' the drum all day

6/1/6

5/31/6

the 2-12s are BACK! my rig in the lizardz den...thanks Steve!

5/28/6

Tommy can you hear me?

Hollyrock's...where i host the jam the last sunday of each month

5/27/6

Brother Billy at his sacred ground at Tork Island

5/23/6

Bob Kosmoski brings his monster touchstyle axemanship to Mulligan's on a tuesday night
fave moment was Sunny into Stairway to Heaven...and his instrumental (Don't Fear) the Reaper was a great third set kickoff

5/22/6

Learning Cakewalk in the Lizardz' Den...transferring some shows from cassetes and old tape faves at the moment
as a way of gettin' ready for multi-tracking this summer
STARIN' STARIN' STARIN'

5/20/6

the WEAVILS after tearing up the Crystal Corner Bar in Madison
(photos by Jeremy Smith with my phone-thanks J-man!)

doorman extraordinnaire TAD

fab bartender DAN (pretty much the way i saw him)
...A GREAT NIGHT ALL AROUND!

5/19/6

a young baseball man hones his skills (improving greatly)

christopher's fabulous eagle artwork!

gettin' off the bus

5/18/6
sure signs of spring actually being here

all shots from Bukolt Park in Stevens Point

5/16/6

went to WUSP to spin some Lizardz on air with Charlie Midnight
(True Friends->Who Do off Bootz Vol. 4)

5/13/6

cast and crew of WRCTheatre's Dark of the Moon ham it up at hotel mead

genius at work!
THIS is how i write a lizardz setlist
5/10/6
got to ride in this beautiful '62 ford falcon...which only ran joan (driving) a grand

very cool wheels!

downtown stevens point shakes it a lot more than the 'pids

stevens point schmeeckle, a 220-acre nature preserve
frog crossing!

5/9/6

Special discounted tickets NOW AVAILABLE
Weavils perform Friday, August 4 at 7pm

5/7/6

caught Wheels of Fire at Jokers with brother grant

great rhythm section of travis plantico and mike kinney

the kings-jerry and michelle

peace travis

rapids' john bonham hits 'em hard

one helluva an axeman-good to see him back in action

the master's pedalboard
5/5/6

niece megan tests out her new bicycle

nephew christopher with his new wheels...my wheels in the background

neighbor Noah takes a spin

Cinco de Mayo with T.J. Greene and friend at Mulligan's

early am as tommy reeps the Wall
5/3/6

brother ron clark at Hollyrock's post-lizardz at hotel mead

5/1/6

with two guitar heroes-howard "guitar" luedtke and tuck pence

a superb combo!

dr. tillborkian gets the Point

brother Pete stands guard at the new body shop
4/29/6

first shot taken by nephew christopher

nephew christopher learns his uncle's camera
4/28/6

arriving at Silvercryst where i sat in with Roger and the Ramjets

the coolest tree ever...outside the silvercryst
4/26/6

a mind eclipse!

TR on The Wall

he insanity of touch of evil!
(one of the greatest films of all time)

4/25/6

rmulligan's open eric clapton jam brought bob kosmoski and friend
(dig that touchstyle guitar)
4/22/6
a now infamous "chickless" lizardz show...

opening act, and the first guy i ever played guitar, with Bill Rodencal offers up his debut opening set
(which was KILLER)
dig that killer new lefty guitar!

Tommy can you hear me?

post-show MADNESS at grant's theatre
the SUPERBIT Tommy looks and sounds AMAZING!

elliot easton on The Wall
(from the great rhino release live cars 79...BUY IT NOW!)

brother grant as seen by the energizer bunny

tom striegel, owner of hollyrock's

steph arrives at the 'rocks

the lovely evelyn

former mulligan's bartender reannon

the aborted Lars setlist

Vertigo on The Wall...from my newly-purchased Hitchcock box set...and the fourth-ever AFI restored film

it gets no hotter than kim novac in this position!

4/21/6
!!!!!Tubes Trip!!!!!
Potawatomi Casino
Milwaukee, WI

what a night with THE TUBES...brothers Tim Root and Ron Bundy
outside the venue listening to Space Baby during soundcheck

not a great shot but an idea as to the tubes recent stage setup

space baby!

mondo bondage

TWO BUNDIES - al and ron

the braegers...a great couple and huge supporters of the tubes (and Todd)

the ronster awaiting a trip backstage

dave's setlist (with keys settings)

let the signings begin!
the tubes are ALWAYS very cordial post-show

rick anderson, along with dave medd and lou molino, being the great goof he is...and one HELLUVA bassist!

me with THE MAN who told me to start this blog almost two yeasrs ago
ALL HAIL ROGER STEEN

rick: "you have a bassist named GUPPY?
i think you should call him stergeon!"

backstage madness!

what a cute trio!

dave and soundwoman "pretending" to be a couple (?)

1:30am-backstage with drummer lou, keysman dave, and (damn good) soundwoman (name unknown)

the amazing axeman roger steen signs the ronster's shirt...
right before we ALL were asked to leave backstage (including the band)

opening act the kings switch into glide backstage (good show...from what i caught of it)

opening act and house comedian (great guy...spaced his name though)

big tony esposito...the second act on the bill

the blur as we leave the casino

almost 3am...is the glass half full or half empty?
when in milwaukee eat at michael's
(open 24/7)

the trip back as tim and i enter storm country

the following shots from this date are courtesy of Chris Braeger (below left)

4/19/6
finished duplicating Lizardz Bootz Vol. 3
Hollyrock's 4/2006 Edition

1. Who Do (Lars/The Lizardz) (2:29) *
2. Last Dance with Mary Jane (4:06) +
3. I'm Coming Home (3:31) +
4. Make It Happen (Gauss/Finucan) (4:32) +
5. Low (5:12) +
6. Early Springtime Rainfall
(O'Day/Plante) (3:18) ^
7. Point Special Beer (1:50) ^
8. California (Rodencal) (2:22) ^
9. What I Am (5:04) +
10. Almost Cut My Hair (4:11) +
11. Myrtle (Rodencal/San Juan) (2:25) ^
12. Jambalaya (2:48) *
13. I Didn't Come to Dance (Stellman) (8:08) *
14. True Friends (3:09) *

Total Time: 53:12
+ = Hollyrock's 11/20/04 _WI Rapids
* = Hollyrock's 1/1/05 - WI Rapids
^ = Studio - Area 31

C and P 2006 The Lizardz/Area 31
Produced by Milo Plante and Jeff Gauss
Original recordings by Mike Haessig
www.thelizardz.com

4/16/6

theresa anderson's stage plot for the gig i worked at the crystal corner the previous evening-

theresa takes it to the floor (very very cool!)

GREAT SHOW, GREAT BAND, HOT AND SWEET WOMAN!

friends and former neighbors stop in to the crystal to say hi
bob and karen peterson

crystal corner staff members Patti and (bossman extraordinnaire John)...
along with David, a big fan of my work

Ronster announces his arrival!

stayed with brother ron bundy above the madness of madtown's legendary State Street

soundman extraordinnaire and sound mentor alex mielk with the ronster

the blur of the am (ron and jeremy...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm ron jeremy)

sunrise on happy land

KILLER packaging for special Todd 2006 AWATS japanese pressing

4/14/6

dickhead and Z-man with the Mulligansmobile

4/13/6

what an incredible moon!
first shot of the season - across from Tork Island

4/12/6

a full moon looms over downtown rapids near bartime
(and my buddy's apartment)
4/11/6

already miss ya
Dr. Tyler Kremin
a beloved brother leaves us today...i spun
Jethro Tull's War Child in his honor at Mulligan's

Cook 's death bewilders colleagues:
Tyler Kremin, a respected cook at Echo Tap & Grill, died of unknown causes
GEORGE HESSELBERG

Tyler Kremin, who put the bisque into bar cuisine at the venerable Echo Tap & Grill at South Bedford and West Main streets, was found dead in his van outside the bar last week.
The amiable Kremin's mysterious death has puzzled colleagues who depended on his skill and friendship, and his customers, who wondered at his ability to make a good bowl of soup.
Kremin, 35, a native of Waukesha, celebrated the UW- Madison hockey team's national championship April 8 at the Echo, a family-owned bar. He had been the cook there for about 10 years.
He was scheduled to work the April 10 lunch shift. According to reports from the Dane County Coroner's Office and the Madison Police Department, when Kremin didn't show up, co-workers noticed his van and his car in the parking lot.
They looked in the van but saw nothing, but at 8:30 p.m. Monday re-checked and contacted police when they saw what appeared to be a body in the back of the van. Fire rescue personnel forced open the door and found Kremin dead.
Coroner John Stanley said an autopsy showed no obvious cause of death and a determination awaits toxicology test results. Police said the death does not appear to be suspicious.
Co-workers and friends Tuesday were still saddened.
"Soups were his specialty," said Jon Uttech, bar manager. "He could make all kinds of soup here. This time of the year he made crawfish fresh asparagus bisque. People were already starting to ask for it."
"We didn't know where he learned to cook, he just loved doing it. He was real good at taking a look at three piles of stuff and making a lunch special out of it."
He also loved music and was a regular at concerts at the High Noon Saloon and bluegrass festivals.
"We all kind of sat back (after his death) and started thinking about anything that might have been troubling him. There were certainly no outward signs. "He had just gone through a fantasy baseball draft with a bunch of old buddies from Waukesha and he ran our Masters (golf tournament) pool," said Uttech.
Echo owner Pat Rynes said Kremin "was a good friend and an integral part of this business, both in dedication and originality. I miss his conversations."
Kremin was healthy, said Rynes, "drank and partied, but nothing out of the norm." He once broke both wrists in a fall when he stubbed his toe while standing on top of the bar.
Katy Albert, an Echo bartender, had an idea of how her friend started cooking.
After work, he would make her a grilled cheese sandwich, and would cut it into four pieces. He told Albert that growing up, he cooked for his younger siblings and a sandwich cut into four pieces was easier for small hands.
Kremin's funeral will be Saturday at 11 a.m. in St. Williams Church, 440 N. Moreland Blvd., in Waukesha. Visitation is from 10 a.m. until the time of service.
A potluck get-together and memorial service in Madison will be held at the Echo, 554 W. Main St., beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday.

4/11/6
WHAT A WEEK(END)!
Jesus Christ Superstar went AWESOME...here's some thangs i'll share...back to 4/6/6

4/9/6

producer missi (and my connection to this theatre group ~STAGEPLAY~) as a man, Simon

tear down-the hottie on the left said, "someone should take a picture of me helping"...whaaaalah!)
4/8/6

Keyswomanextraordinnaire/choir director/musical director
Brenda
went from classical theatre gal to ROCKER in a mere few days
now...SHE ROCKS!

Andy and Travis settin' up

******my world at the PAC for JCS******

Travis Plantico and Brenda in background

the circle of strength pre-saturday show

the lizardz in the near front rows sat pm show

a keef-filled moon at break

post-sat cast party at waverly beach included this sexy gal (and backup jesus)

post-post show cast party - director tommy STILL giving direction

kelly ("the new karyn tans"-me) and nate at the post-post

FREAKIN' OUT a jekyl's patron who thought she could take some S&M!
Hawk's theatre whippin' post-first show sellout!

4/7/6

caught the jazz orgy (minus andy mertens as he was in our JCS band) at Deja Vu martini lounge
with Travis after the MISERABLE dress rehearsal...
thanks to an under-qualified union helper in the PAC

this great band soon took our minds off the disaster though and all was well

downtown appleton=dineyland for drunks

bar close at Dr. Jekyl's (the old Pat's Tap) in Appleton...a comfy place i was to visit much this week!

the amazing smoking section at jekyl's

ron, owner of jekyl's and keeper of (in)sanity...stop in and see him when in appleton!