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Wompus is a funk rock band that originated in Kirksville, MO in 2001. The band began in a cold and dark warehouse when members Matthew McDuff, Brian Neuswanger, and Jarret Johnson began to jam for fun. Neuswanger, who was in high school band with David Kuchera, recommended the group visit a varsity basketball game to watch him play the drums in the pep-band. Once the addition of a drummer was complete, the instrumental group of aspiring rockers set to work.
The night of their first gig was set at a party held by McDuff's fraternity brothers. A drunk man continually screaming "Wompus" for no reason (later attributing to the band's name), and the police enforcing a noise complaint inadvertently thrust Wompus into the spotlight--as they were forced to play an all-night concert in the bowels of a fraternity house. Knowing only 3 songs (played at about 45 minutes each), the drunken frat party was surprisingly accepting of the performance.
Two years of instrumental gigs had passed when vocalist Evan Legler joined the group. After that time, performances were in high-demand for Wompus. Their incendiary originality matched with creative arrangements of obscure cover songs led to performances ranging from local bars to night clubs--all the way to nationally recognized music festivals.
Their final live performance at the Journal Building was one of intense emotion in both their music and their fans. With what time Wompus had left after a 4-year run of live music and extensive radio airplay, the members gathered every penny of the band's profits to record an album for their fans. "Hits from Fairlane" expertly blends guitar rock with traditional funk bass lines--solid drumming with spacey effects, and poetic lyrics.
Members of Wompus currently reside in Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and Texas.
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