What began as comedy fodder on "The Ticket" KTCK-AM (1310) has turned into a major performance for Michael "Grubes" Gruber.
Photos by JASON JANIK/ Special Contributor
The 22-year-old board operator on Bad Radio and The Hardline started playing guitar a few years ago, and mostly learned songs by his favorite band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. An impromptu solo performance of Peppers hits at the Barley House last year – featuring Grubes' warbling vocals and shaky guitar playing – became a funny fixture on the station.
Now, Grubes' band Pepper Theft will close out the annual Ticketstock event on Saturday night. (The band's name is a play on Petty Theft, the Tom Petty cover band fronted by Hardline host Mike Rhyner.)
Russ Aaron, Jack Beesley, Steven Guerrero and Brad Smith will join Grubes onstage. Grubes says he chimes in on vocals, but Smith is the lead singer now.
"This thing started because of a bit," he says, "but we've become pretty darn legitimate!"
Here's more from an e-mail interview with Grubes.
Rob Clark
Q: How did you get the closing spot onstage at Ticketstock?
A: Basically, Ticket management was trying to come up with a great way to close out Ticketstock, and Pepper Theft was the natural choice, because we're so awesome. Q: Do you like this gig?
A: Well, of course I love this gig.
Q: That wasn't the question. Do you like your job?
A: Sorry, I must have misunderstood the question. Yes, I love being chief of police.
Q: Your voice has been described as "Muppet-like." How does that make you feel, and which Muppet do you most admire?
A: Well, it's accurate, sadly. People don't know that I was the voice of Trollie the Midget Muppet. He never made it past the cutting-room floor, though. It's a tough thing. Q: Do you sometimes feel like you don't have a partner? Sometimes, do you feel like your only friend?
A: Yes. Lonely as I am, together we cry.
Q: How many faces have you seen, and of those faces, how many have you rocked?
A: Thousands of faces, and I have rocked every single one of them. It's what I do, holmes.
Q: If Anthony Kiedis showed up Saturday night, what would you do?
A: I don't know. I might tinkle my pants a little. But I would recover and proceed to rock his face off. Have I told you that's what I do?
Q: Are you considering going onstage wearing only a diaper, like Flea?
A: No comment. Show up and find out!
Q: Have you ever encountered Pepper Theft groupies?
A: Amazingly, yes. We've got a nice following among the SMU crowd, to say the least. Pepper Theft performs at Ticketstock on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Plano Centre, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano. The event also features autograph signings from Nolan Ryan and Mike Modano, and runs tomorrow from noon to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free. 972-422-0296. theticket.com.
