Adam Gates

Infobox musical artist
Name = Adam Gates


Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias = Ape Adam Gates, Bob C. Cock
Born =
Died =
Origin = San Francisco
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Progressive rock
Occupation =
Years_active =
Label =
Associated_acts = Madame Blavatsky Overdrive
No Forcefield
Primus
The Spent Poets
URL = http://madameblavatskyoverdrive.com
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Adam Gates (aka Ape Adam Gates and Bob C. Cock) is a vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist and composer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He was lead singer for The Spent Poets who released a self-titled album [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:dpfpxqy5ld6e~T1 The Spent Poets biography, Stewart Mason, AllMusic.com Retrieved July 25 2007] and toured nationally in the early 1990s. ["Manic Spent Poets Steal the Spotlight", Jae-Ha Kim, Chicago Sun-Times, August 10, 1992 July 25 2007] Gates toured in 1996 with Les Claypool as guitarist for Holy Mackerel appearing on "Highball with the Devil". He has been a member of No Forcefield which included Larry LaLonde and Bryan Mantia (also both of Primus). More recently he played the character of Steve "Aiwass" Hampton Trouzdale in Claypool's film "Electric Apricot". Gates has also made guest appearances at Les Claypool's New Years Eve shows.

As of 2007 he currently is a member of Madame Blavatsky Overdrive from Oakland, California self-described as "progressive pop." [http://www.madameblavatskyoverdrive.com/ Official site of Madame Blavatsky's Overdrive, Retrieved July 25 2007]

Years with Primus

Gates is also notable as a close friend and a road crew member of the alternative rock band Primus. He has appeared in a few of the band's videos ("Jerry Was A Race Car Driver," "My Name Is Mud" and "Cheesy Home Video" among them). As "Bob Cock" he often made cameo appearances at the band's live shows, usually dressed up as something or someone (e.g. in a chicken suit, or as George W. Bush). Gates also had a Primus related band called "Bob Cock and the Yellow Sock," although Les usually ended up playing the shows because "Bob Cock couldn't make it tonight". It has also been noted that Bob's middle initial is "C" for Cock.

Bob Cock is mentioned in several Primus recordings. In Primus's cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" as opposed to "...that is really what we think -and by the way, which one's Pink?" as in the original, the Primus version states "Of the town you are the talk, and who the hell's this guy they call Bob Cock?" He is also mentioned at the beginning of a live performance of "Groundhog's Day" by Primus, from the album "Suck on This". Before beginning the song, Les Claypool says "Hey hey, Bob Cock here!" A clip of this is also inserted at the end of the same song on the album Frizzle Fry , with heavy delay added.

As of recent, Gates has killed off the "Cock" character with rumors of a cocaine overdose and a bizarre gerbilling accident in Mexico. On the DVD that accompanies Primus' "Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People" EP; there is an extra (accessible by entering "7" in the attic) where Bob C. Cock is in heaven (blue backdrop with clouds and a Britney Spears Calendar), doing drugs with Jesus. "Gates" is credited on the DVD.

Selected discography

*"The Spent Poets", The Spent Poets (1992)
*"Highball with the Devil", Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel (1996)
*"Lee's Oriental Massage 415-626-1837", No Forcefield (2000)
*"Stray", No Forcefield (2001)
*"Idiot Jones Will Have His Day", Madame Blavatsky Overdrive (2006)

References

External links

*Official site: [http://madameblavatskyoverdrive.com/ Madame Blavatsky Overdrive]
* [http://www.beanpoleland.com/ Spent Poets Recording Diary]