Gothic Theatre
Beep Beep
Beep Beep was born in July 2001 from the creative union of Eric Bemberger and Chris Hughes. Inspired by continued writing sessions with Eric and his SR-16, Chris retired his lipid suit (worn from late 1998 to early 2001) and began to reconnect with his naturally inappropriate impulses through writing. As material accumulated, feelers were sent out through Omaha’s community of musicians, and the percussive gift of Mike Sweeney was soon bestowed upon the pair. Sweeney, a previously un-mined gem of drumming perfection (color: E, clarity: VVS1), agreed to lock pinkies with the duo in September 2001. Utilizing the arrogant approach of auditioning for bass support (intended to manipulate prospective bassists’ interest by fabricating the notion of competition), Beep Beep preyed upon its local-band brethren and went so far as to solicit the powerful Katie Muth immediately after she thundered an audience with her soon-to-be former band. The “audition” she agreed to was Beep Beep’s first and last, as the chemistry she provided converged the four individuals into a fully articulated entity.
2002 saw Beep Beep honing the craft of entertaining itself while ignoring outside perspectives on the marketability of its endeavors. By 2003, Beep Beep had become thoroughly captivated by its own efforts and approached AJ Mogis of Presto! Recording to document. The twelve-day birthing process of Business Casual peppered Presto’s relentless schedule from June to November of 2003. With the delivery of its baby came the surgical removal of Beep Beep’s bottom end as Katie, torn between art and reality, set sail for her master’s degree in the fall of 2003. Joel Petersen was soon recruited as ass prosthetic and beep manager.
The People:
Eric Bemberger enjoys awkward social interactions, work wear from the 1930’s to 1950’s, chocolate chip cookies w/ walnuts, and the original utilitarian motivation behind post-war modern design of architecture and furniture: to construct simple, elegant, functional, and affordable forms using durable, inexpensive materials (fiberglass, steel, cast iron, glass, concrete, particle board, and plywood) while applying the techniques of mass production (such as injection molding and mechanical assembly) to further reduce total cost. Eric looks forward to monthly updates from his grandmother regarding the dissolving line between oligopolistic powers and a government intended to preserve the welfare of all its people. With every free moment, Eric is a music explorer attempting to trace the genealogy of all musics that invigorate him.
Chris Hughes enjoys reading non-fiction. He is an advanced collector of militaria from the Second Indochina War and plans to author a book detailing his research and findings on the subject. Chris also collects antique furniture of the Arts and Crafts movement. When time permits, he treasure hunts at auctions and thrift shops, or maintains his quaint bungalow in the historic Benson area of midtown Omaha. He always makes time to roughhouse with Frasier, his maladjusted house tiger. Little things that float Chris’s boat include black licorice, dreaming about James Spader, walking to work, and hearing good gossip.
Joel Petersen is a graduate of the University of Nebraska in advertising with an emphasis in art, art history, and history. He is an avid collector of nothing and tries to keep his life free of unnecessary possessions. Joel enjoys the simple pleasures in life: mowing the lawn, creating video art, and eating his girlfriend’s vegetarian Vietnamese/American inspired fusion-style cooking.
Mike Sweeney is a secretive person and does not like to provide details regarding his personal life. Chris and Eric would like to volunteer the following information about Mr. Sweeney: He always smells nice (a committed financial supporter of cologne), owns enough garments to clothe your favorite third-world country, and has a serious decorative pillow fetish.
