Fan Gallery Contents: Bill Roper

FGoH: Perpetual ConFusion (1986), Marcon, Chambanacon, Capricon, First Contact (Milwaukee).
Filk GoH: OVFF (twice), ConChord, Oasis, Congenial, Duckon.
GoH: Counterpoint (1993, Baltimore).

Chair: Whatcon I and II (Champaign-Urbana IL, 1979-'80); Windycon 22, 23 (1995, 1996).
Ran the Exhibits Division for Chicon 2000; Filking for Chicon IV and V. Has run Filking, Special Events, Art Show, Programming for WindyCon.

Filk Hall of Fame, 2000.
Pegasus Awards: Best Schtick, 1987, for "Kinda Mediocre, Actually;" Best Filk Song, 1988, for "Wind From Rainbow's End;" Best Original Humorous Song, 2003, for "My Husband the Filker."

Past President of the SIU Science Fiction Society, and the Bentley of ChUSFA.
Editor of the CHIMAERAN REVIEW and COLLAPZINE (which were the clubzines for SIU Science Fiction Society and ChUSFA.).
Wrote a couple of articles in Steven Silver's zine, ARGENTUS.

Has been active in recording, publishing, writing, and performing filk for over twenty years. His songs and performances include strong original material, both serious and humorous. He has a tape of his own, "The Grim Roper," and one shared with Clif Flynt, "Liftoff to Landing".

As The Secret Empire, Bill and wife Gretchen run a dealer's table at filk and general conventions. Bill and Gretchen run Dodeka Records, Ltd. publishing a number of quality filk tapes and CD's (more than 25 so far) and has produced and distributed recordings of artists ranging from the Midwest to Canada and the East Coast.

Bill runs a great filksing. His brand of "organized chaos" makes for the most wonderful, interactive, participatory filk experience that can be had anywhere. He recognizes how to moderate the atmosphere of a filksing, by encouraging shyer performers, suggesting follow-ups, squelching filk-hogs (politely, of course), encouraging wild schtick, and keeping the performers going at their absolute best. He has an innate sense of the mood in the room, and he can gently move things along when they get too ose. He knows exactly when and how to perform his own material, and never hogs the spotlight. Nothing can compare to the wonderful live experience of being in a filk room jammed full of people trading songs, when one of them is Bill Roper.