Wall of Fame

Wesleyan bands through the ages (*one or more members passed through 108)

• The Highwaymen (1958-64)
  • Wikipedia
  • Stephen Trott (’62)
• Gary and the Wombats (1962-)
  • garyandthewombats.com
• Uranus and the Five Moons
  • 1964-67
    • Sam Nigh, Bob Runk, Duncan Holaday, Dick Calo, Ken Marburg , Dave Cain, Wilford  Smith
    • “Best party band ever”
    • “Your Groove” (YouTube)
    • Your Groove” (discogs.com)
  • 1967-68 (version 2)
    • all class of ’70: Gene Legg, Peter Whitehead, Bob Apter, Jeremy Serwer, Bill Fornaciari, Andy Toth
  • 1968-70 (version 3)
    • Gene Legg (’70), Rick Lawler (’71), Pat Callahan (’71), Andy Sutton (’71)
• Dar Williams (’89), darwilliams.com
• J.R. Rhodes (’90)
• Ska King Crab (1993-)
• Santigold (’97)
• MGMT (’04, ’05)*
• Amazing Baby (’05)*
• The Yes Way (’05, ’06)
• Das Racist (’06, ’07)*
• Patrick Dyer Wolf (’07)
• Bear Hands (’07, ’09)
• Fort Lean (’08, ’09)*
• “The School the Rocks” (Wesleyan University Magazine, June 15, 2011)
• “In Texas, Some Bands Know Foss Hill on Sight” (Argus, June 15, 2011)
• Student and alumni musicians bring ‘Wesleyan Wave’ to the national scene (USA TODAY, March 23, 2012)
• Henry Hall (’14)*

Wesleyan music writers/directors  (*passed through 108)

• Banning Eyre (’79),  banningeyre.com
• Vicky Bippart (’81) and Dan McCabe (’80): Rock & Roll (PBS documentary), In the Groove (episode 2); Shakespeares in the Alley (episode 3)
• Joan Morgan (’87)
• Gabrielle Bruney (’14; Esquire, Vice)*

Wesleyan in the music industry 

• Carl Sturken (’78)
• Pete Ganbarg (’88; president of A&R, Atlantic Records), www.rockschoolpodcast.com
• Peter Nashel (’88), duotoneaudio.com
• Bozoma Saint John (’99; daughter of Appianda Arthur, PhD ’77), at Wesleyan
• Eric Herman (’05), Modiba Productions

108 alum on Myspace and elsewhere

• The Wufs (Ben Doleac)
• Nyasha Foy, YoFoy Publishing, YoFoy Blog
• Rachel Kiel
• Talking to Walls (Nat Webb)
• aliza_do_lots (Aliza Simons) (EP, single)
• Red Wire Black Wire, on myspace (Doug Walters)
• Ben Doleac: Hegemony Rocks
• Becky Ticotsky: Apostrophe Catastrophes
• Ali Green: Elmore Magazine, on myspace
• Joseph J. Sanchez: It’s the Money Shot, Cinema Blend
• Hunter King: Rock & Roll Hoo-Ha What What

CLASS PROJECTS (categorized year by year on the right side –>)

Some sample Best . . . categories

• Triple Crowns
  • Mother’s Day Tribute; Use of a home environment after moving online after spring break 2020; Tearjerker for anyone with a daughter: Alayna D’Amico, “You’ve Got a Mom“
  • Cover and rewrite that surpasses the original; Effort by frosh members of the Women’s Lacrosse team; Tearjerker for anyone with a daughter: Quest, “Keep On Walkin“
  • Senior farewell to Wesleyan; Effort by senior members of the Women’s Soccer team; Tearjerker for anyone with a daughter: Women of Usdan, “My Friend“

• Tribute to a board game: Waka Flaka Sheep, “Catan“
• Number of YouTube views: W.F.S., “What’s the Difference“
• Shot in a fitness center/weight room
  • Kid Cudi, Almond Dust, “Bi’s and Tri’s“
  • Coolio, Deez, “Lifta’s Paradise“
• Redo of a Bowie/Jagger collaboration: Special Brew, “Dancing in the Street“
• Versions of “September”: The Septemberists;  Yizhuang and Zixing
• Vocals and production
  • Vocal and piano duo: The Blues Sisters, “Never Felt This Way“
  • Link Dog, LorWoode, & Truey Judes: Welcome to the 80s
• Solo bass: Johnnie Gilmore, “Petty Theft“
• Use of
  • a PB&J sandwich: Ashley, Michell, and Madison, “So Jiggly“
  • a toy guitar: Flight of the Cardinals, “It’s Business Time“
  • parents in a Beastie Boys redo: Beastie Babes, “Fight for Your Right“
• MGMT redo: Chinh and the Sexy Mamas, “Keds“
• Fresh Prince of Bel-Air redo: “Frosh at Wes-Air“

• Sam Cooke covers
• Hall and Oates rewrite: Rog and Blume, “Rich Girl (The Money Don’t Matter Anyway)“
• Bo Diddley rewrite that includes both a kalimba and the course instructor’s name: Lincoln Log Studios, “Eric Charry (Please don’t fail me)“
• Jackson choreography
  • Jackson 5 to 3 remix: “I Want You Back“
  • Use of Film Studies building and Indian Hill Cemetery: “Thriller“
• Effort by a future member of the Red Sox: Tech Minor, “Where’d Drew Go?”
• Visuals
  • Cinematographic interpretation of VU’s “Heroin,” Chestnut/Fox, “Heroin“
  • Computer-generated visual effects: 12_poolnoodles: “Waiting”
  • Stop-motion lyric video: Nora Bootchk, “Fire in the Sky“
• Don’t even have a category for this: Deep Jew Something: “It Wasn’t Me”
• Anything by Charry (of course!): “Stand By Me” (2008); “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” (2023); “These Days” (2023)