Renaissance Fair aimed for top

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Upper Peninsula rock band Renaissance Fair issued three 45 rpm records in the 1960s, even contacting the Beatles' Apple Records in a quest to get a major label recording contract.

Band member Rob Benjamin is credited with suggesting the group use the title of a Byrds' song as their name. A flower power anthem, "Renaissance Fair" appeared on the "Younger Than Yesterday" album and as the flipside of the Byrds' 45 rpm cover of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages," released in the early months of 1967.

Based in Sault Ste. Marie, the group was comprised of John Ordiway, guitar, trumpet; Gordie Moon, guitar, keyboards; Greg Myner, drums, saxophone, guitar, bass; Rob Benjamin, bass, drums; Larry Verrett, guitar, bass; Jim Rogers, bass, guitar; and Larry McGahey, guitar. Besides playing their instruments, all members of Renaissance Fair also sang.

The group was influenced by contemporary acts like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals and Yardbirds, but also by "many other things in our backgrounds including country and jazz," said McGahey, who now lives in Kalamazoo.

As the group was performing all around the U. P., and occasionally in lower Michigan and Ontario, Canada, they made contact with Fred L. Crook, owner of Princeton Records in Marquette, a small independent label which had already issued 45 rpm records for The French Church and 'Country' Tommy James. Renaissance Fair travelled to Marquette and taped "Every Moment" and "It's Still Her."

"I wrote 'It's Still Her,' which was corrected by the English teacher of one of the band members still in high school to 'It's Still She,'" McGahey recalled. Renaissance Fair promoted their first 45, which appeared as Princeton 107, at live dates.

A number of months later, they returned to Marquette County to cut a track written by Ordiway called "In Wyrd," and another McGahey composition, "Simple Love."

"We rehearsed and recorded all day at Superior Recording Co. with Crook using mono RCA equipment he said he bought from the RCA studio in Nashville," McGahey said. The label owner may have been assisted by Mike McKelvey, according to McGahey.

Crook had recently recorded a pair of tracks by a Northern Michigan University student named Mike Koda. While the songs, "Let's Hear a Word (for the Folks in the Cemetery)" and "More Than Me" were released as Princeton 110, music fans would later come to know the aspiring musician as "Cub" Koda, famous for the hit "Smokin' in the Boys Room" by Brownsville Station.

"We listened to the songs Cub Koda had recorded and then jammed and partied all night with Fred. I remember Fred asking someone to open a beer and then breaking into the Nat Stuckey song, 'Pop a Top Again.' Most of us who weren't married slept on the studio floor until morning.

"In the morning, we packed up our equipment and then listened to the recordings again. We didn't think 'In Wyrd' was what we wanted so we unpacked everything, resumed drinking and re-recorded 'In Wyrd' the way it was meant to be. I remember needing to sit in a chair, because I couldn't stand, watching the spray from John's mouth as he sang, taking hits of Southern Comfort between verses.

"I had just received my new Gibson SG the day we left for Marquette to do the recording and didn't have a real good feel for it yet so I didn't know where I was going on the guitar solo. We were never able to play the song the same way again," McGahey noted.

Besides McGahey's guitar work, the single also features some great organ fills by Moon and Ordiway's compelling vocals.

Gordie Moon and singer John Ordiway during a Renaissance Fair performance

Issued as Princeton 111, "In Wyrd," received the unique spelling because songwriter Ordiway was studying Norse mythology and "y" relates to female personifications of fate or destiny. The song itself has gained mythic status over the years for sounding like Black Sabbath before Black Sabbath. (It's the lone Renaissance Fair song to be released on compact disc, appearing on a collection called "Psychedelic Experience, Vol 3." Unfortunately, it may be available only as an import and to make things more confusing, there are at least three different discs with that name, only one containing the Renaissance Fair tune.)

Later, Renaissance Fair issued a third 45. This time, the band held sessions at Grand Rapid's Midwestern Sound Studios, located at 444 W. Leonard St. McGahey, Verrett, drummer Richard Rand, and keyboard player Terry Bumstead recorded material with studio owner Phil Roberts. Their record paired "Always Love You" with "She's a Woman," not the Beatles song but an original composition by Verrett. The tracks were issued on Astral Records, owned by McGahey, as single #117.

Renaissance Fair: From left, Richard Rand, Terry Bumstead, Larry McGahey and Larry Verrett

"Phil liked our band and had us learn the music for a song someone else was going to sing so we also recorded those tracks at the same session. He told us how he wanted the song to feel and then sang the chord changes into our headphones as we played. I have never heard what he did with it," McGahey said.

About this time, the Beatles had placed an ad in Rolling Stone magazine announcing the launch of Apple Records. The Beatles, it turns out, were looking for talented acts to sign to its new label and requested that interested parties submit demo tapes.

Taking the initiative, McGahey wrote a letter to Beatle John Lennon, telling him about Renaissance Fair. Lennon forwarded the letter to Apple employee Peter Brown, who answered McGahey's inquiry.

McGahey still has the letter and envelope from Apple Records. The Beatles' label received hundreds of tapes in the mail and Apple hired staff to listen to them, but the label didn't sign anyone.

Still, Renaissance Fair carried on.

"We went on playing under the same name as a quartet with John Antonelli on drums, Rob Benjamin on bass, Larry Verrett, and myself on guitar until the early 1970s," McGahey recounted. The band played around the midwest, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, North and South Dakota and Iowa.

Renaissance Fair: Clockwise from top, Tim Hatfield, John Antonelli, Rob Benjamin and Larry McGahey

Eventually, a trio of Antonelli, Benjamin and McGahey emerged. Later, Benjamin left, replaced by Tim Hatfield, who was later replaced by Chuck McGill.

McGahey has fond memories of Renaissance Fair, and treasures the close friendships of the band members and "all the fun we had travelling around the U. P. playing music. One trip we thought of putting Simon & Garfunkel's 'Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme' in John's tape deck and driving off Pictured Rocks at high speed."

McGahey also recalled driving to a job in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in the winter. "We had an accident with all three cars, two of them running into each other. That was fun."

Hatfield recollected an especially fiery gig in lower Michigan. "I remember when the club we were playing at in Alpena almost burned to the ground. The club was called The Roost, but after it burned it was then changed to The Roast. Our equipment was only smoke damaged and a little water logged. We called our agent in Little Chute, Wis., and he told us to pack up and drive back to the Soo and he'd have a place for us to play by the time we got there. And he did. He told us to drive to Fond du Lac, I believe, and play there for a week. After getting there and driving around endlessly, we finally asked where G. G.'s Pussycat Lounge was.

"It was just a house that this girl G. G. turned into a 'gentlemen's club.' I was, at the time, 19 years old and had never been into one of those places before. The thing that I thought was hilarious was that we didn't play your traditional stripping kind of music. We played the top hits of the time, like 'Your Mama Don't Dance' and 'Proud Mary.' When you're young and impressionable, things like that will stick in your mind forever," Hatfield noted.

With a cache of songs by band members, Renaissance Fair often played original material. "In fact, the band would have liked to play all originals, all of the time, if we could. But playing in clubs means you have to play mostly what the people want. The originals that McGahey and Verrett wrote were really great songs, not to mention Rob Benjamin's tunes. He wrote some beautiful songs that no one will hear." Hatfield said.

In the years since Renaissance Fair disbanded, Larry Verrett and Gordie Moon have died, but Larry McGahey, Greg Myner and John Ordiway each continue to make music today, as does Tim Hatfield.

Renaissance Fair Picture Gallery
Photos courtesy of Larry McGahey, Tim Hatfield and Greg Myner


Renaissance Fair when the band first formed. In front, Gordie Moon. In back, from left, Rob Benjamin, Larry McGahey, Jim Rogers, John Ordiway, Greg Myner, Larry Verrett


Renaissance Fair reunited about 1975-80 in Kalamazoo, Mich. under the name Friends of Mine. From left, John Antonelli, Greg Myner, Larry McGahey, Larry Verrett, Rob Benjamin. They played southern Michigan mainly and were the house band at the Light House in Plainwell, Mich.

U. P. garage bands flourished

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Although no 1960s era rock band from the Upper Peninsula had a national hit, it wasn't for lack of quality material.

From the beginning of the decade, till the end, from east to west and north to south, U. P. bands recorded plenty of great rock 'n' roll singles.

But, because the region is isolated geographically and far from any large city, U. P. rock bands often had to travel to a distant recording studio to commit their songs to tape. Geography also conspired against these local acts when it came to getting airplay in those metropolitan centers hundreds of miles from home.

Despite its rural character, the rock 'n' roll spirit pervaded the 15 counties of the U. P.

Many northern Michigan groups took a shot at musical infamy by releasing 45 rpm singles, although this regional "garage band" scene has been largely undocumented.

The Beatles' appearance in America in early 1964 is credited with spawning an explosion of homegrown rock 'n' roll groups, but two of the most popular U. P. bands were launched before the British music invasion.

The Excels, headquartered in Marquette, and Houghton's Kinetics each enjoyed significant success after being formed in 1963. Fashioned in the mold of the Beach Boys, the Excels issued five singles on the Detroit-based Carla label, owned by respected producer Ollie McLaughlin. Performing original material, such as "Gonna Make You Mine Girl" and "Little Innocent Girl," they toured extensively and appeared on several well-known television programs.

The Kinetics, meanwhile, officially named The Kinetic Energy, cut two 45's and a LP record album called "Snow Children," all the while building up a significant reputation as a live act. They competed with Creedence Clearwater Revival to make a hit of "Susie Q," but broke up in 1969.

Still, the Excels and Kinetics weren't the first rock bands from north of the Mackinac Bridge to make records. Danny and the Galaxies, from the Ironwood-Hurley area, and the Vigilantes, calling Ontonagon home, beat them to the punch. Danny Sullivan and his Galaxies cut an Elvis-sounding rockabilly number called "If You Want to be my Baby," for the Darbo label in Minneapolis, early in the decade. A second 45, "My Tattle Tale," followed a year later.

The Vigilantes, a group of school friends from the Copper Country, toured around the U. P., and released a 45 called "Ramblin' On" in 1961. A second single, containing the instrumentals "Warm Wind'' and "Caterpillar Crawl" appeared the following year. The group moved to Chicago and recorded under various names beginning in 1963. Vigilantes member Jim Brogan also issued his song, "Dream Girl" on the Cuca label as Jimmy B and the Rockatones.

The Rhythm Rockers, a popular musical attraction in the U. P. for decades, released two 45s. Based in tiny community of Alston, the group issued "Unchained Melody" and "Bad News" in 1962.

Fellow western U. P. residents, the Henchmen VI, issued a single, combining "All of the Day" and "Is Love Real," five years later. Both songs were composed by lead singer and guitarist Scott Heinske.

The central counties of the peninsula also contributed to the catalog of garage band singles released during the decade.

In 1964, Joey Gee and the Bluetones, based in Iron Mountain, cut a single called "Don't You Just Know," backed with "Little Searcher." Both songs were written by singer Joey Giannunzio, under his real name.

Iron Mountain's Ravelles released an original composition called "Psychedelic Movement" in 1968, featuring the Grace Slick- like vocals of Carmella Altobelli. Not long after the group changed its name to Sainte Jon's Academy and issued a follow-up called "Smile at the Flowers," on the Daizy label.

Nearby Kingsford, meanwhile, produced Lexington Project which recorded "It Looks a Lot Like Rain" and "She Looks Much Older," both original band compositions. Only 500 copies of this 45 were pressed, according to Sonic label owner Mike Kuehl.

About the same time, two rival Escanaba bands made forays into the regional hit parade. The Riot Squad 45 included their take on Ritchie Valens' "Come On, Let's Go," while the Prophets of Doom released "I Told You," written by bassist Dave Watchorn. Both records appeared on the Peninsula Records label.

In Marquette, French Church recorded "Slapneck 1943" for the local Princeton label. Negaunee's Fastells, meanwhile, travelled to Cuca Studio in Sauk City, WI to record their 1967 single which included "So Much," written by guitarist Mark Pyykkonen, and "Take You Away," credited to keyboard player Robert Barabe.

Meanwhile, Menominee resident Gerry Cain saw his band, the Benders, issue "Can't Tame Me," while a later group, the Why Four, released "Hard Life." Years before, another group from this area, John Dee and the Shadows, issued "I'm a Rolling Stone," on the Raynard label.

Sault Ste. Marie added to the garage rock scene, as well. Rob Kirk and the Word issued "Girl Talk" in 1967, while Renaissance Fair cut ''Every Moment" and the legendary "In Wyrd" for the Princeton label in Marquette. A third disc, "Always Love You" and "She's a Woman," appeared on the Astral imprint, located in Grand Rapids.

Certainly, the complete story of this era in northern Michigan has yet to be uncovered. There is at least one lost chapter.

For example, many people know that Marquette and Escanaba boasted their own record labels, but so did Manistique. Yet, little is known about Spoke Records, beyond the fact it was founded by the late Irene Davis, then owner of radio station WTIQ, and released 45s by the Renegades, Innocence and a group from Chicago called Society. The label's slogan was "Spoke speaks for itself," WTIQ employee L. David Vaughan recalled.

Still, taking the bounty of 45s into account, it's evident many U. P. garage bands, some barely remembered, made some surprisingly memorable music.

Kinetics energized U. P. in '60s

The Kinetics

By STEVE SEYMOUR

After years of gigging, the Houghton-based rock group The Kinetics were poised on the cusp of national exposure in 1968. They had released two singles, an LP, toured extensively around the midwest and filled concert halls in Chicago.

Formed in 1963 as The Kinetic Energy, the group was led by singer Frank Gallis, who was a 'dancer' while on stage and always moving, giving life to the name, which means energy in motion.

The group included various players through the years, but the most popular version was comprised of Gallis, lead vocals; Chuck Roberts, drums; George Tiggis, keyboards; Mike Krenitsky, lead guitar; and C. J. Lindecamp, bass. Gallis, who also served as manager, said this line-up lasted the longest, although other players, including Huey Letourneau, Benny Ripila, Roger Lewis, Chuck Labine, Gary Parpavich, Peter Polzak and Gary 'Jake' Jacobs played in the band at various times.

Although the group never formally changed its name from Kinetic Energy, fans quickly shortened it to the Kinetics.

The band began playing various venues around the Upper Peninsula, gaining valuable experience and popularity. While playing in Ironwood, a talent scout saw the band and invited them to cut a 45 rpm single. The group traveled to Studio City Records in Minneapolis and recorded two songs written by drummer Chuck Roberts, both sung by Gallis.

"I'm Blue" was designated as the single's A side, while "Feeling From My Heart" appeared on the flip. Published by Aqua City, the recordings were given the catalog number 1033 when issued on the Studio City Records label.

"We produced the sessions ourselves and paid the studio time and pressing cost also. We had no backing or a contracted label at that time," Gallis explained. The group was also responsible for distributing the disc which is very hard to find today.

Although the single didn't sell well, the band was earning a growing reputation as an exciting live act. Their shows at the Calumet Armory were legendary.

"We filled the Armory every time we ever played there. Hundreds of fans came out whether we played during a winter storm or in the heat of the summer. We played there as many as three times a week, especially after the Hancock Teen Center burned down in 1965," Gallis recalled.

Of course, the band played other venues on its home turf, such as Michigan Tech's Memorial Hall and Dee Stadium in Houghton, as well as Northern Michigan University Fieldhouse and the Four Seasons in Marquette and dozens of "other wonderful places with wonderful loyal fans," Gallis said. The group was an attraction at teen dances held at Teamsters Hall in Escanaba, as well.

With a great response where ever they played, the Kinetics decided in the fall of 1966 to aggressively seek a record deal. Instead of waiting to be discovered, they made a demo album to distribute to music executives who might be interested in the band.

Armed with popular songs from its stage act like "96 Tears," a number one hit by Question Mark and the Mysterians from Saginaw; "Black is Black" by Los Bravos; and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators' "You're Gonna Miss Me," complete with a mind-blowing distorted guitar solo, the Kinetics cut a "covers" album at the historic Calumet Theater.

Produced by Fran Locatelli, the long player was titled "Snow Children." Credited to the (Five) Kinetics, the LP was issued by Recorded Publications Co., Camden, N. J., and carried the catalog number 81262.

The album's simple two-color cover features various geometric shapes, but no image of the Kinetics. That's because the cover wasn't considered important compared to the record inside which was supposed to sell the group.

An order was placed for 2,500 copies of the album, which was also sold in some Copper Country retail stores, at dances, and distributed to selected disc jockeys.

As the 1960s rolled along, the Kinetics' popularity on the live circuit continued to rise. They played before 5,000 fans at Chicago's Holiday Ballroom and 7,500 more at the extravagantly decorated Aragon Ballroom.

Finally, the Kinetics got a break when they were contacted by Mercury Records executive and producer Eddie Mascari. Mascari, who was working freelance for Chess Records, asked Gallis to Chicago to finalize a recording contract. Gallis, as the Kinetics' manager, took guitarist Mike Krenitsky along to review the paperwork.

Mascari put the Kinetics in touch with Dee Robb, leader of the Robbs rock group, who invited them to their hometown of Milwaukee to record. On a trip to the west coast just two weeks earlier Robb had heard a "country-rock" take of an old tune by Dale Hawkins called "Susie Q," this time done by a new group, Creedence Clearwater Revival. Robb was convinced the Kinetics could tape a "harder rock" version and top CCR's recording which got off to a slow start.

After two days of sessions in Milwaukee, the Kinetics travelled to Chicago where Mascari helped in the final production of "Susie Q" at Stereo-Sonic Studios. While Mascari and the group brought the final "master" to Chess, company executives decided to "farm-out" the record to the more mainstream Amy/ Mala/ Bell label, because the Kinetics didn't seem to fit the Chess profile.

Gallis said the 45, credited to Kinetic Energy, appeared on all three of the company's imprints, which were shipped to different parts of the country. On the Amy label, the 45 was assigned a catalog number of 11,028. Clocking in at a radio-friendly two minutes and 10 seconds, "Susie Q," was published by Arc Music, a division of Chess Records and produced by Johnny LaMont.

LaMont also produced the single's b side, "Margaret Ann," credited to songwriter William LeHotsky and published by Bob-Cor Music. Although the band didn't spend a lot of time on "Margaret Ann," the song does include a sitar solo by a musician from Western Studios in Los Angeles known as "Squirrel."

Flown in from California, the sitar player listened to the song once, practiced his part a single time, and played it a second time for taping, as Gallis sang his vocal part live. Then, without saying a word, Squirrel left the studio and returned home, Gallis recalled.

The Kinetics' version of "Susie Q" got some midwest airplay thanks to disc jockey and WLS radio personality Dick Biondi, who played the tune on the 50,000 watt Chicago station. However, in the race to make "Susie Q," a hit, CCR's version topped out at number 11 to become the California band's first charter, while the Kinetics' take languished.

With additional recordings "in the can," including a track called "Dirty Old Man," the Kinetics were prepared to issue more 45s, if their version "Susie Q" reached number 50 or better on the Billboard chart. They even hoped for a chance to record a "full ten song LP," Gallis remembered.

But fate did not work in their favor and a few months later the Kinetics played their last live show at the Sahara Club in Green Bay on March 1, 1969.

In the aftermath of the Kinetics, Gallis went into insurance sales and rose to vice president in a major insurance company for many years. Kretitsky moved to Florida where he won several awards for his work in country music. Lindecamp returned to his home town of Mansfield, Ohio, and played bass for a time with the bubblegum group, The Ohio Express, famous for "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy." Chuck Roberts still lives in Houghton. There was talk about a reunion concert in the Copper Country about a decade ago, but that possibility ended with the untimely death of George Tiggis.

As the years passed, Gallis lost touch with Mascari, the music industry insider who "discovered" the Kinetics. Then, a few years ago, Gallis' wife pointed out Mascari's obituary in the newspaper. They were "stunned" to learn that Marcari had lived just three blocks away, in the same Chicago suburb. They had driven by his house for 30 years, even noticing Mascari's "Fast Eddie" license plate, but never making the connection. That irony seemed to reflect the Kinetics' own brush with fame, which didn't quite connect nationally.

Today, memories of the Kinetics linger with fans.

Childhood friends Keith Polkinghorne and Ron Kentala, who grew up in the Copper Country community of Mohawk, vividly remember Kinetics' shows.

Polkinghorne said he and his aspiring musician buddies used to "worship at their feet," that is--stand in front of the stage and watch what they were playing. By the way, that is how I learned to play bass. I used to watch C. J.'s fingers, watch for patterns, and then go home and replicate it. For years, I never knew what I was playing, I just knew it sounded right. I later went on to college and became a music major and it shed a whole bunch of light on what it was I was doing."

"I was in awe of Mike and his Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar," Kentala related. "My most memorable experience was in the summer of 1968 when Mike was selling his Mosrite Fuzz Tone guitar. He didn't know me from Adam, but he let me take it home and try it out. Me, a young punk 14-year-old kid. Talk about being on cloud nine. Keith and I jamming at his house with the Kinetics' Fuzz Tone! I never did buy it. My parents wouldn't loan me the money. But, it's something I'll never forget."

Kinetics Picture Gallery
Photos courtesy of Frank Gallis


















Kinetics & Robbs


Kinetics and Robbs in recording session

Kinetics with the Robbs

Metallica embraces U. P. native

U. P. native Steven Wiig, left, works for Metallica co-founder Lars Ulrich, right. He also appeared in the movie "Into the Wild," released on DVD this week.

By STEVE SEYMOUR

Upper Peninsula native Steven Wiig will never forget the date he saw Metallica perform at Brown County Arena a few months after the heavy metal band released their self-titled album.

Wiig will tell you the day, Nov. 12, 1991, changed his life forever.

Born in Negaunee, Wiig had travelled to Green Bay to see Metallica perform "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven," "Nothing Else Matters," and other tracks from the massively-successful compact disc known by fans as the "Black Album."

Released three months before, the album elevated Metallica from cult status to major headliners. Founded in Los Angeles a decade earlier, the band included drummer Lars Ulrich, vocalist James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bass player Jason Newsted.

Attending his first Metallica concert, Wiig stuck around after the show and met Ulrich, who co-founded the group with Hetfield. "We hit it off pretty quickly," Wiig told me about meeting Ulrich.

Wiig, now 35, is a 1991 graduate of Negaunee High School where he played football, basketball and tennis, as well as participating in band as a trumpet player. The son of high school teachers, he continued his education at Northern Michigan University in Marquette. but, to pursue his goals, Wiig decided to move to Duluth, then Minneapolis, where he met his wife, the former Tricia Wheeler. They were married on June 30, 2001.

In Minnesota, he played music and began working with Metallica, first on the road and later in the studio. After doing that for a few years, Wiig was invited to move to California to work with the band full-time.

Over the years, he and Ulrich became close friends.

"I've been working with them for around twelve years now and my role has been constantly evolving," Wiig told me. "My current 'title' would be personal assistant, which covers a lot of ground. It's constantly changing, depending on which cycle we're in. I work and travel with the band year around-- at home, in the studio and on tour. I mainly work with Lars, who is the 'business center' of the band."

While that may seem time-consuming enough, Wiig also plays in a Metallica-related band called Papa Wheelie.

Formed in 1996, the group is fronted by Battle Creek native Jason Newsted, Metallica's bass player from 1986 to 2001. Wiig plays drums and occasionally guitar for the band which also includes bass player Joefus, while Newsted handles vocal and guitar duties.

Papa Wheelie has released two compact discs so far, "Unipsycho" and "Live Lycanthrophy," which was recorded at the famous The Plant Studio in Sausalito, Calif., and issued on Chophouse Records. "We're on hiatus right now due to Jason Newsted's recurring shoulder injury--not to mention my family and current work commitments," Wiig said.

Newsted, who injured himself trying to catch a falling bass amp head, is working through a lengthy rehabilitation process.

In the meantime, Wiig is raising his two-year-old son, Magnus with his wife Tricia, and continuing his involvement in movie work. He appeared in the documentary "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster," but increased his visibility considerably with a role in last year's "Into the Wild," directed by Sean Penn.

Based on a book by Jon Krakauer, "Into the Wild" tells the story of Christopher McCandless, who gave up a promising career to live-- and eventually die-- in the Alaskan wilderness. Wiig plays Ranger Steve Koehler in the film which was released on DVD March 4.

"I'm honored to be part of such a moving story and amazing film. It was a great experience working with Sean as a director and acting with Emile (Hirsch, who plays McCandless). I'm very grateful to Sean for re-awakening the acting bug in me," said Wiig, who was voted "most artistic" in his high school graduating class.

I contacted Wiig in San Francisco recently, where he was working on "Milk," a Gus Van Zant film starring Sean Penn. Wigg plays a "straight-laced liquor store owner," in the film about the murder of gay San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk.

Wiig, son of Judy and the late Ray Wiig, thinks his U. P. upbringing has contributed to his success.

"Well, I do believe in the 'good things happen to good people' theory and I know I was raised by good people in a good place, so I'd like to think that was a significant part of forming a solid foundation. I also think my artistic nature wasn't as nurtured in the sports-emphasized world I grew up in, so that may have played a part in catapulting me onto some sort of soul-searching journey that landed me where I am now."

Wiig added: "I have great respect from where I came from and my appreciation for it grows stronger the longer I'm away."