John George Vandenberg [Esoterrorists] – Google Docs
John George Vandenberg [Esoterrorists]
Musical Plumber
Born May 15, 1960, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Bachelors in Music, Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia. Masters and DMA, New England Conservatory of Music, Boston. As ‘George the Goof,’ three-time Grammy winner, five gold records, seven platinum, Academy Award for Best Musical Song (“Why Didn’t You Tell Me You Were Elvis?,” Singing To Ourselves), 1995. Married Sandra Brennan (country singer, poet), 1996: two children (Abigail, born 1999; James, born 2003).
“George the Goof” has been a fixture of the music industry since his innovative song and video parodies started appearing on MTV in the mid 1980s. His career and personal reputation since that point has been squeaky-clean and family friendly, with broad cross-cultural appeal. George is good at singing and several musical instruments (including his trademark keyboard), an excellent producer and arranger, and a virtuoso composer. It’s said that he can listen to a song once and not only write out the score on the spot; George can then write out the lost chord or dreamt musical phrase that made the composer want to compose in the first place.
Musicians, with one notable mass exception, regularly pray that George the Goof parody their latest hit; having that happen is considered unofficial proof that you have made it in the business. The ‘one notable mass exception’ consists of artists with knowing ties to Esoterror. ‘George the Goof) (real name: John Vandenberg) is as close to being an actual Ordo Veritatis member as a Non-Agent Asset can be: he has willingly worked with to OV since he was a college musical prodigy, but has avoided seeking formal membership. Vanderberg feels that he operates better with a certain amount of independence.
The results have been deemed worth the extra risk. As ‘George the Goof’ Vandenberg is in an unparalleled position to target popular American music that has been infused with Esoterror images and keywords, and subvert them with parodies that are typically of equal quality to the original work. These parodies enter the public consciousness, acting as a psychic vaccine preventing long-term infections. Vanderberg is credited in internal OV records as having shut down at least four Outer Dark Manifestations, without once ever actually being on the scene.
As might be imagined, Vandenberg has been the subject of several Esoterror operations over the years: fortunately, he is well-protected by both his own celebrity, and the efforts of several OV bodyguard teams. A more pressing concern may occur in his own family life: both of his children have inherited at least a part of Vandenberg’s musical talent, and while their father has been closed-mouth about his OV connections his eldest daughter Abigail apparently knows enough about OV operations to send us a formal request for employment. Fortunately, she is not yet old enough to formally apply; it is expected that her father will not be pleased to have his daughter taking similar risks to his.
(The following non-commercial, fan-created material is meant for use with the Esoterrorists RPG. The Esoterrorists is a Trademark of Pelgrane Press Ltd.)