The Taxmen: Mad Planet Puts Beatles Tribute Band on Center Stage

The Beatles Tribute band, ‘The Taxmen,’ performed in their own unique way, without wigs or English accents, the famous bands’ music at Mad Planet for the second time for the venue’s “Beatles vs Bee Gees” event on November 4, 2023. 

Mad Planet twisted and shouted at 10 P.M. on November 4th when The Taxmen, a Beatles Tribute band, took the stage. The band members, Jeff Dziadulewicz, William Maher, Anthony Kopczynski and Will Martin transported the audience back in time with their performance of Beatles classics, showing how the band’s influence is still very much alive even with newer generations.

But how did they get to this point of performing live as a Beatles tribute band?

Dziadulewicz and Kopczynski met at Christ King, a Catholic school, in first grade while Maher and Kopczynski met at Christ King in fifth grade where they all found out they loved The Beatles, Kopczynski said. 

“Anthony, you kind of had a click of Beatles fans that I kind of wasn’t a part of, and I really wanted to be your friend,” said Maher. 

Maher talked about his encounter with Anthony which would later lead into The Taxmen band’s start.

“One day in the lunchroom, I [heard] Anthony singing ‘Fool on the Hill, And I was like 11 years old, [thinking wait], someone else knows what that song is,” said Maher. “Then I just came over to the lunch table and sat there every day.”

They ended up starting their band that same year, 

“We weren’t very good, and we weren’t really a real band,” said Maher. “We were three 11 -year -olds kind of making noise in someone’s basement.”

They ended up getting gigs in high school where they would perform at Fourth of July and school events.

One show in particular that was memorable for them was when they performed their junior year in high school which was supposed to play for an hour or an hour and a half.

“We got such a big crowd in the cafeteria that the dean of the school in the back of the room was circling his fingers saying ‘keep going, keep going,’” said Kopczynski. “So we played for a whole ‘nother hour and a half and had to repeat a bunch of songs but it still was awesome.”

Tlalok ended up reaching out to them and asking if they knew anybody that knows Beatles songs for his idea of the “Beatles vs Bee Gees” event at Mad Planet.

The Taxmen met Tlalok because he hosted open mic nights at various bars across Riverwest where they met at the Breman Cafe’s open mic event on a Monday night, according to Kopczynski.

“He said hey, do you know anybody that knows Beatles songs, [and] I was like, ‘do I ever,’” said Kopczynski. “We [then] came together after not playing with each other for like three years and had our first show in August right here at Mad Planet.”

They ended up having over 300 people in the door at their first concert at Mad Planet in August.

“Tlalok started a music series called ‘MKE Music Night, which he hosts every few weeks,” said Kopczynski. 

The November 4th Beatles vs Bee Gees show was his 59th MKE Music Night that he threw together, according to Kopczynski. 

They say they don’t want to be The Beatles, don’t want to do accents, don’t want to wear wigs unlike other tribute bands. 

“We want to play their music because that’s what we care about and that’s what we want to share,” said Maher.

The Taxmen also play their own songs that they’re waiting to record. They also play music from various decades and various styles from 1950 – 2023.

“We play everything from’ Shaboom’ to ‘Kiss Me Through the Phone,’” said Maher

Sharing the love of the music with the audience and feeling that you know their love for this music. 

“When everyone’s singing along at the same part or knows the words and everyone you know likes the same moments; it’s a great feeling,” said Maher.

Kopczynski originally pursued a degree in electrical engineering, but changed his mind and decided to pursue a music degree.

“I studied electrical engineering, but decided my heart lied with music,” said Kopczynski. “I switched my majors, and I played a boatload of jazz, had a ball, and met some great people and great musicians, [then I] finally graduated with a degree in music.” 

Dziadulewicz went to UWM for a year and pursued Chemistry. 

Let’s just say, there wasn’t much chemistry between me and chemistry,” said Dziadulewicz. “I still like chemistry, but it’s just not for me.”

He then took a year off.

“Then I left, and I took a year off, and had a lot of time to play with Anthony and just got better,” said Dziadulewicz.

He now attends WCTC for web and software design.

Maher graduated last May in communications but has not done anything with his major yet.

“Anthony gave me this huge opportunity, I’d say music in the long haul, kind of what I wanna do, for sure,” said Maher.

Martin goes to UW-Madison and is studying biomedical engineering. 

“We’ve been playing music for like, what, 12 years? And we’re just now getting somewhere, so let that be a lesson,” said Maher. “Don’t give up on your dreams.”

If you are 21 and older and want to see them live, they will be performing at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn on November 24 at 8:45 p.m. with the doors opening at 7 p.m. 

You can also find them on Instagram at @taxmen.mke. 

This event is based on local musicians and artists to support the community, according to Linneman’s Riverwest Inn’s website.