Sad King Billy

Geier performing as Puddles in Ghent, Belgium in 2014
BornMarch 12, 1964 (age 56)
OccupationSinger, performance artist
Years active1990s–present
Height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Musical career
GenresCabaret
InstrumentsVoice, guitar, drums, bass guitar, harmonica
Associated actsPostmodern Jukebox, Useless Playboys, Kingsized, Tongo Hiti
Websitepuddlespityparty.com
  1. Kingbill
  2. Sad King Billy Runneth
  3. The Sad King Billy
  4. Sad King Billy Graham

Michael Geier (born March 12, 1964), known as Big Mike Geier, is a singer, entertainer, and leader of the band Kingsized, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.[1][2] Geier's most critically acclaimed act is his alter ego: a Pagliacci-type clown named Puddles Pity Party. As Puddles, Geier has appeared in YouTube videos since 2013, including some with Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox.[3] Geier now performs almost exclusively as Puddles, marketing himself as nothing more than a delivery man.

Biography[edit]

King William XXIII, commonly known as Sad King Billy, is the sovereign ruler of the Kingdom of Windsor-in-Exile.He is a great lover of the arts and the patron of several artists in the Hegemony and its protectorate, his most famous being the poet Martin Silenus. Sade – King Of Sorrow Director - Sophie Muller – February 2001The official YouTube channel for the British iconic band Sade www.sade.com Sade (vocals)Stuart.

Geier was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the fifth of seven children of 'Big Oz' and Peg Geier.[4] He says that he 'grew up in a houseful of giants', with his two brothers and four sisters all growing to at least 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) in height. Geier is 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia.[4] Living in, and based in Atlanta since 1995, Geier is married to his business partner, Shannon Newton.[5]

In the early 1990s, Geier led a touring 'Swing Noir' band, The Useless Playboys, before settling in Atlanta in 1995. Around this time, Geier started up an Elvis tribute band, Kingsized.[citation needed] Several years into Kingsized, Geier began experimenting with a clown-themed side project called Greasepaint, which laid the foundation for his later alter ego, Puddles.[citation needed]

Puddles Pity Party[edit]

Originally, Puddles was a Shriner clown, but eventually developed into Puddles Pity Party, wearing a whiteface clown costume.[6] Geier considers himself and Puddles to be separate people, and he refuses to break character.[citation needed] Like Geier himself, Puddles has a baritone singing voice, and sings mostly covers of songs. Puddles has a depressed persona and refrains from speaking on stage or giving interviews.[7][8][9] His shows include a mix of silent prop comedy, mime, and audience participation with songs interplayed throughout creating a narrative structure. [10] Puddles Pity Party performed in Aqua Teen Hunger Force's 2010 tour.[11]

In 2011, Geier appeared regularly at the Manderley Bar in New York's immersive theater show Sleep No More. In 2012, he moved to Seattle to appear in a European-style vaudevillian cabaret, Teatro ZinZanni. In 2013, he opened for Eels during their U.S. and European tour.[12]

In October 2013, Geier recorded a cover of Lorde's 'Royals' with Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube. As of November 2020, the video has been viewed over 29.4 million times.[13] Lorde declared his cover to be her favorite cover of 'Royals'.[14] Two more versions of Royals, in a 'punk' style[15] and in a 'new-wave' style[16] appeared in the later part of 2020. Geier, in the persona of Puddles, has collaborated with Bradlee on YouTube several times since.[17]

Since 2014, Geier has toured the world, playing concerts in the United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Australia.[18]On September 27, 2014, his live performance of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah', at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, was filmed by director Gary Yost and was later described by HuffPost as 'A Strange Kind Of Beautiful'.[19] As of February 2021 the video on YouTube had received over 8.7 million views.[20]

In 2017 Geier, as Puddles, participated in season 12 of the reality series America's Got Talent.[2] He advanced to the quarterfinals at the Dolby Theatre, where he performed his version of 'Royals' and received an 'X' from Simon Cowell. He was ultimately eliminated the following night.[21] In October 2017 Geier, as Puddles, made an appearance in a Cartoon Network ad promoting new episodes of Teen Titans Go! and OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes.[22] Geier previously collaborated with Cartoon Network's Sunday Pants series writing music for the show as well as playing the Slacks' band leader in the live action segments.[23]

In January 2019 Geier, as Puddles, began a headline act residency at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.[24]

Discography[edit]

With Postmodern Jukebox[edit]

  • 2015, Top Hat on Fleek, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox: 'Mad World' and 'Viva la Vida'[25]
  • 2016, The Essentials, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox: 'Royals'[26]

As Puddles Pity Party[edit]

Albums
Sad King Billy

Kingbill

  • Holiday Jubilee, Not On Label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2018
  • You Down?, Not On Label (Puddles Pity Party self-released), 2018
Singles & EPs

Sad King Billy Runneth

  • Royals (Postmodern Jukebox, featuring Puddles Pity Party), Not On Label, 2014
  • Space Oddity/Life On Mars?, Sympathy For The Record Industry, 2019

References[edit]

  1. ^Gleim, S. (2016). 100 Things to Do in Atlanta Before You Die, Second Edition. 100 Things to Do Before You Di. Reedy Press. ISBN978-1-68106-044-6. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  2. ^ abDeVore, Sheryl (September 18, 2017). 'Puddles Pity Party brings humor, baritone voice to Genesee'. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  3. ^Goodman, William (October 31, 2013). 'Sad Clown Rendition Of Lorde Song Will Certainly Haunt Your Dreams'. HuffPost. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
  4. ^ ab'Headshot, Resume, Contact'. Michael Geier official website. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  5. ^'Michael Geier'. Facebook. Retrieved September 23, 2017.[non-primary source needed]
  6. ^Heckert, Justin (March 11, 2014). 'Let Me Live That Fantasy'. Grantland.
  7. ^Kennedy, Gerrick D. (January 20, 2015). 'Puddles: Sad clown, big voice'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  8. ^Bowers, Paul. 'The wisdom and sorrow of Puddles, the clown with the golden voice'. Charleston City Paper. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  9. ^Zaino III, Nick A. (January 7, 2016). 'Puddles Pity Party brings mystery, joy to Sinclair'. Boston Globe. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  10. ^ Willis, Daniel. 'Puddles Pity Party mixes laughs with a golden voice' Riff Magazine. 23 January 2019. https://riffmagazine.com/reviews/puddles-review-20190122/
  11. ^Stafford, Jeff (August 30, 2013). 'Preview: King-sized Mike Geier continues to follow his ever-growing, ever-eclectic muse'. ArtsATL.com. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  12. ^'Puddles Pity Party – Tickets – Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA – January 23rd, 2015'. Troubadour. Archived from the original on September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  13. ^Royals – ('Sad Clown with the Golden Voice') – Postmodern Jukebox Lorde Cover ft. Puddles Pity Party on YouTube
  14. ^Goodman, William (March 4, 2014). 'Puddles Pity Party, The Sad Clown with the Golden Voice, Is Back with a Cover Of Lorde's 'Team' (VIDEO)'. HuffPost. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  15. ^Royals - Lorde Cover - Style Punk on YouTube
  16. ^Royals - New Wave style - Lorde Cover on YouTube
  17. ^[home page]. PostmodernJukebox. Retrieved September 24, 2017.cite does not support claim January 2020
  18. ^Young, Amy (December 30, 2015). 'Puddles Pity Party Is the Most Bizarre Cover Band Around'. Phoenix New Times. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  19. ^Barness, Sarah (October 16, 2014). 'A Pitiful Clown Singing 'Hallelujah' Is A Strange Kind Of Beautiful'. Huff Post. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  20. ^Hallelujah – Puddles Pity Party at the SF Regency Lodge Ballroom. Postmodern Jukebox – via YouTube.
  21. ^Ho, Rodney. 'Did Puddles Pity Party, Angelica Hale make it to the 'AGT' semi-finals?'. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  22. ^SerCom_KC (September 30, 2017). Teen Titans Go! New Episode Promo – Talent Show (October 9, 2017). Cartoon Network. Retrieved October 9, 2017 – via YouTube.
  23. ^Rodney Ho, Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 'Atlanta's Puddles Pity Party survives 'America's Got Talent' first round: 'This hulking Pavarotti with a retro hipness''. ajc.
  24. ^Angermiller, Michele Amabile; Angermiller, Michele Amabile (October 17, 2018). 'Puddles Pity Party Sets First Las Vegas Residency'. Variety.
  25. ^'Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox* – Top Hat On Fleek'. discogs. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  26. ^'Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox* – The Essentials'. discogs. Retrieved September 19, 2017.

External links[edit]

The Sad King Billy

  • PuddlesPityParty's channel on YouTube

Sad King Billy Graham

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Geier&oldid=1008431247'