Zoogz Rift
Zoogz Rift | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert Pawlikowski |
| Also known as | The Liquid Moamo (pronounced mo-ah-mo) |
| Born | July 10, 1953 |
| Origin | Paterson, New Jersey,U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 2011(aged 57) |
| Genres | Experimental rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, painter, pro wrestling entertainer |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1972–2006 |
| Labels | SST Records |
| Website | zoogzrift |
Zoogz Rift(bornRobert Pawlikowski;July 10, 1953 – March 22, 2011)[1]was an American musician, painter andprofessional wrestlingpersonality.
Born Robert Pawlikowski inPaterson, New Jersey,Rift was raised inParsippany-Troy Hills, New Jerseyand moved toLos Angeleswhile in his mid-20s.[2]
Biography
[edit]Musical career
[edit]TheTrouser Pressdescribes Zoogz Rift as "an iconoclastic original" who is "as imaginative and stimulating as he is irritating and vitriolic."[3]Rift was influenced byFrank ZappaandCaptain Beefheartas well asSalvador DalíandAyn Rand.[3]Zoogz Rift began his recording career with the albumIdiots on the Miniature Golf Course,released by Snout Records in 1979. His long-time collaborators included Richie Häss and John Trubee (the latter being famous for the songshark tune, "A Blind Man's Penis" ). Rift released several albums throughSST Recordsduring the 1980s.[4]Richard Gehr, writing forSpin,noted that by the time of 1985'sInterim Resurgence,Rift had completed a transition from "Zappasycophancy"to" a conceptual continuity of his very own. "[5]Keyboard Magazine,in a special "Experimental Music"issue, described Rift's albumThe Island of Living Pukeas "moments of outstanding free-form rock, sandwiched between scrupulously obscene interruptions." [6]
Wrestling career
[edit]By 1985, Zoogz Rift had indicated his plans to enter professional wrestling.[5]Zoogz Rift booked the UWF (Universal Wrestling Federation) in 1993. He left the promotion in March 1994, but returned in May 1995 to become Vice-President, alongside founderHerb Abrams.After Abrams died in 1996, the UWF promotion closed and Zoogz was left without a job. Zoogz hosted an online wrestling show, entitledPuke-A-Maniathat provided a weekly assessment of WWE and TNA promotions, with Zoogz giving insight on wrestling issues. His rants on the show included the pushing of former WWF superstarWarlord,and his fascination with possibly training 60-year-oldVince McMahonto become a main-event wrestler. Zoogz wrestling career was cut short after being torture racked byLex Luger.
Death
[edit]Zoogz Rift died on March 22, 2011, aged 57, due to complications from diabetes.
Discography
[edit]
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References
[edit]- ^Zoogz RiftatAllMusic
- ^"Passings; Zoogz Rift",Los Angeles Times,March 31, 2011. Accessed August 11, 2019. "Rift was born Robert Pawlikowski on July 10, 1953, in Paterson, N.J., but grew up in Parsippany, N.J. He moved to Los Angeles in 1977 after starting his career in the early 1970s."
- ^abGehr, Richard; Ira Robbins."Zoogz Rift".Trouser Press.Trouser Press LLC.RetrievedMay 10,2007.
- ^DiscographyatAllMusic
- ^abGehr, Richard (December 1985).Guccione, Bob Jr.;Rudy, Langlais (eds.)."Spins".Spin.1(8). New York: SPIN Magazine: 27.RetrievedApril 8,2011.
- ^Milano, Dominic, ed. (January 1987). "Resources".Keyboard.Vol. 13, no. 1. p. 85.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1953 births
- 2011 deaths
- American male professional wrestlers
- American rock guitarists
- American male guitarists
- Diabetes-related deaths
- Guitarists from New Jersey
- Musicians from Paterson, New Jersey
- Neo-Dada
- People from Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey
- Sportspeople from Paterson, New Jersey
- SST Records artists
- Universal Wrestling Federation (Herb Abrams)
- 20th-century American guitarists
- 20th-century American male musicians