Rod Wagner – Founder of Tongue/Bass Player/Vocalist
Rod has had a love of music since he was a little boy. Rod wanted to follow in his father Joe Wagner’s footsteps. Joe played drums, piano, organ, and accordion for his bands; The Joe Wagner Orchestra and The Michigan Stompers. Joe was also a Union musician and played for many other bands besides his own. Rod unfortunately has only pictures to remember his Dad’s music by due to his early death when Rod was just a child. Rod only needed to know of his Dad’s accomplishments to follow in his footsteps.
Rod picked up the guitar at age 16 and self taught himself what he knows today. Rod had a love for the band KISS from the first time he heard them. Rod says, “No one reaches out to the crowd like KISS; they just have a way of touching you and pulling you into the show.”
Besides his father; Elvis, Alice Cooper, KISS, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss have all been his largest influences in music. Rod saw Elvis live in Las Vegas and actually had him approach him at nine years old.
Rod has been the founder of many successful bands all being named after KISS. Rock Bottom was his first band, following were; Fractured Mirror, Wicked Lester, Strange Ways, and his current band TONGUE.
With Rod’s powerful vocals and entertaining stage presence, he was awarded ‘Best Male Rock Vocalist of the Year’ by The Review Magazine in 2005. Rod was interviewed and showcased in The Review Magazine and The Reese Reporter. Rod is also honored with an autographed Tongue shirt and newspaper article displayed in his hometown’s restaurant; Trackside Food & Spirits.
Rod has always had a dream of performing in a KISS Tribute band. While he has performed in full dress and make-up as Gene Simmons many times; it was never a full stage show.
Starting in 2006, Tongue started performing the exact KISS Tribute Shows that Rod always imagined, full of theatrics. On April 5, 2008 Rod brought TONGUE alive at their largest KISS Tribute Show at Castaway’s in Bay City. The show was sponsored by Wheelz 104.5 and was a huge hit! With 430 people in attendance and more bracing the cold weather wrapped around the building; the show was told to be the best KISS Tribute Show seen in Mid-Michigan. Rod was showcased in a live interview on Wheelz 104.5 with Stan Parman, in a live Podcast with Sue White from the Saginaw News, and was also put on the full front page of the Saginaw News. This was just the beginning for many successful KISS Tribute shows performed by TONGUE.
Rod leaves the audience begging for more at every performance. He brings energy, talent, and an exciting stage performance to every show.
