Foam Rubber was featured in the June 20, 2002 issue of the Star Newspaper ...
Hot Stuff for you to do this weekend
Thursday, June 20, 2002
Foam Rubber and more
Foam Rubber rockers (from left) Dan Kotheimer, Paul Frigo (in back),
Soter Nomikos, Jeff Bogdan, Doug Murray and Andy Riegler are just some
of the performers who will take the stage Saturday at Sluggers, 89 Orland
Square Drive, Orland Park, (708) 403-1688, in a huge benefit show. Also
appearing in the Serena Harper Smith benefit will be The Nowhere Men and
Drowners. Admission to the 7 p.m. tripleheader is $10 at the door, with
all proceeds going toward Smith's medical expenses. The youngster lives
in Country Club Hills.
Foam Rubber was featured in the April 18, 2002 issue of the Star
Newspaper ...
in the "FirstLOOK" weekend section... on page 10:
Foam's music concern is fun-damental
By Jessi Virtusio
Most bands pride themselves on great songwriting or great technical ability, but local band Foam Rubber simply wants to have a great time.
"Some nights it's a train wreck, and some nights it's really good. It all depends on how the crowd reacts," says Jeff Bogdan.
Bogdan, 27, says Foam Rubber attracts a range of fans, 20 to 50 years old, because the group plays covers that range from classic rock to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
"Our No. 1 concern is to entertain people, and we do whatever we can to do that, even if that means Soter (Nomikos) dressing up in an outfit," he says.
"We try to get the crowd involved as much as possible to keep everybody's attention. We have a confetti blower that Soter built. We just do whatever we can to make sure people watch us, instead of mingling or becoming bored and want-ing to leave."
The Soter Bogdan is referring to is co-lead vocalist and co-lead and rhythm guitarist Soter Nomikos who, along with bassist and vocalist Andy Riegler and Bogdan, got the idea for Foam Rubber back in the seventh grade.
Although the group, which started performing as a full band in 1996, does have six or seven originals that it occasionally breaks out for shows, Bogdan says the band prefers covers because they are more fun to play for Foam Rubber as well as the audience.
"We mostly try to stick to the suburbs. That's where most of our friends and family are. People out here enjoy listening to covers and that kind of music than certain places downtown," he says.
Foam Rubber, which literally culled its name from flipping open a dictionary and picking the first thing in sight, consists entirely of south suburbanites with Bogdan, Nomikos and Riegler from Orland Park.
Drummer and vocalist Paul Frigo is from Frankfort; co-lead vocalist and keyboardist Dan Kotheimer is from Oak Lawn, and co-lead vocalist and co-lead and rhythm guitarist Gary Murphy is an Orland Park native, now living in Chicago.
According to Bogdan, it's difficult in the local music scene to find people who are willing to check out a band over and over again.
"We figure, let's just go and make fools of ourselves. It doesn't matter what people think. Who cares if they think we're a bunch of morons?" he says.
"We're just going to go and be asses, get people involved and do the confetti thing, the silly string thing, whipped cream and dressing up in costumes. That's pretty much what separates us from everyone else."
For those who want to keep up with Foam Rubber, there is an official Web site at oocities.com/thefoamrubber, which lists show dates and offers a sign-up for the band's e-mail list.
In addition to the friends who check out the Web site, Bogdan says he's glad that the band gives him a chance to hang out with his longtime friends.
"These guys I have known forever. It's hard to get together during the week. But when we get together, we actually all get to hang out for four hours and screw around on stage and act like idiots, like we used to. It's kind of like being a kid again," he says.
A financial reporter for a downtown Chicago clearing firm by day, Bogdan says Foam Rubber gives him a chance to unwind from his job and have some fun.
"We definitely don't care about making it anywhere. That's not even a concern at all," he says.
"We want to keep learning new songs and keep playing and entertaining people and drinking for free.
"It gives us something to do on weekends instead of going out and sitting at a bar and being miserable. ... We are just going to keep playing for as long as we can."
Jessi Virtusio may be reached at (708) 802-8854 or via e-mail at jvirtusio@starnewspapers.com.
The above text is copywritten by the Star Newspaper.
