Biography
Unlike the many alt-country outfits that emerged from Austin, Texas, the Gear Daddies represented something far less common: a twangy, rootsy rock & roll unit rooted in Austin, Minnesota. Proud Midwesterners, the group formed in 1984 around Martin Zellar on lead vocals, guitar, and harmonica, Randy Broughten on electric guitar and pedal steel, Nick Ciola on bass, and Billy Dankert on drums and vocals. Live performances built their early following, prompting Zellar to tell reporter Jason Schoonover, "I played every bar and service club, prom and homecoming in southeastern Minnesota, northern Iowa." The members later relocated to Minneapolis and gained attention within the city’s thriving independent rock circuit. Their first single, “She’s Happy” b/w “2-18,” appeared in 1987 on the local indie imprint Gark Records. Gark issued the debut album, Let’s Go Scare Al, in 1998; strong regional notices soon secured a deal with Polydor Records, which re-released the LP in 1989. Polydor followed with the second album, Billy’s Live Bait, in 1990. During the supporting tour the band visited Late Night with David Letterman, where Zellar and Broughten joined the house band for “Stupid Boy.” The CD version of Billy’s Live Bait contained a hidden track, “(I Wanna Drive The) Zamboni,” which, though never released as a single, became the Gear Daddies’ signature song, regularly played at hockey games and featured in the films Mystery, Alaska and D2: The Mighty Ducks. Persistent road work failed to yield mainstream success, and the members parted amicably in 1992, marking the occasion with the collection of studio outtakes and live tracks titled Can’t Have Nothin’ Nice. Zellar later launched a solo career fronting Martin Zellar & the Hardways, while Randy Broughten has performed with both Trailer Trailer and the Cactus Blossoms. In 2010 the Gear Daddies reconvened for several reunion concerts and have since returned to the stage a handful of times each year for Midwest audiences.
Albums
