In Music Commentary
In Music Commentary
In Music Commentary


100 more great Milwaukee music makers, part 2
A couple weeks ago, we unveiled the first part of this list of some Milwaukee-related musical greats. Like the first list, this one -- which also features some well-known names -- crossed genres and decades.
And, once again, the list in alphabetical order. The entries are not ranked in any other way -- they have all contributed to Milwaukee's great music scene in their own ways.
- Acrophet, metal band that launched the career of Rob Anthony
- Luther Allison, bluesman
- Michelle Anthony, alt.country singer now in Austin, Texas
- Louie Bashell, polka musician
- Beatallica, building a bridge between the Fab Four and Metallica
- Bender, hard rock band signed to TVT Records
- Big Bang Theory, flashy '80s pop rockers
- Eric Benet, r&b star
- Bon Ton Society, Milwaukee's Duran Duran
- Boy Dirt Car, Milwaukee noise pioneers
- Brewhaus Polka Kings, the name kinda says it all
- Peter Buffett, New Age pioneer
- The Buzzhorn, grunge outfit signed to Atlantic in 2001
- The Championship, rootsy alt.rockers
- Clit Boys, hardcore band with national buzz
- The Cocksmiths, lamented hard rock outfit
- Steve Cohen, blues harmonica player
- Colour Radio, Milwaukee's contribution to techno-pop, along with Dark Facade
- Coo Coo Cal, hip-hop godfather
- The Crusties, loud fast hardcore, with trumpet
- Danny Gokey, "American Idol" contestant
- Decapitado, lords of loud
- Chris DeMay, alt.country poet
- Stephanie Dosen, singer/songwriter now based in the UK, Massive Attack collaborator
- Down by Law, proto punk hip-hop
- The Exotics, surf kings
- Fever Marlene, acclaimed contemporary rock duo
- Terry Frank, blues guitarist
- The Frogs, quirky band adored by Eddie Vedder
- Frogwater, folk outfit featuring some of the best musicians in town
- The Good Luck Joes, made a splash during the last decade
- Bunky Green, jazz saxophonist
- Tom Green, beloved late Elvis impersonator and so much more
- Tommy Greywolf, fiddler and Brooks & Dunn sideman
- The Gufs, champions of the turn of the millennium rock scene
- Lee Hawkins, r&b singer turned Wall Street Journal reporter and CNBC on-air contributor
- Woody Herman, jazz clarinet legend
- Daniel Holter, producer, songwriter, musician
- Ice Mone, veteran rapper
- Jaill, signed to Sub Pop, label debut due in spring.
- Junior & the Classics, r&b band featuring Junior Brantley
- Kali Tribe, influential hip hop group
- Mary Karlzen, transplant with skills and credits
- Kevn Kinney, of Drivin N Cryin fame
- The Lackloves, globe-trotting power poppers
- Lil' Rev, ace guitarist
- Liquid Pink, '80s psychedelic trio
- Little Blue Crunchy Things, lit the all-ages scene on fire in the early '90s
- Les Lokey (aka LuLu), singer/songwriter
- The Love Monkeys, mix covers and originals and are ubiquitous
- The Lubricants, early adopters of punk
- Rico Love, rapper and r&b singer
- Mad Trucker Gone Mad, reunited psychobilly stalwarts
- Maritime, one of our best-known bands beyond our borders
- Pat McCurdy, witty singer/songwriter
- Melaniejane, cellist and singer/songwriter
- The Mighty Deer Lick, how to describe this '90s-era band?
- Mighty Joe Young, blues guitarist
- Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, Milwaukee's mandolin orchestra
- The Mistreaters, raucous punks
- Frank Morgan, jazz saxophonist
- Mortaskuld, Metal Blade Records band from Brew City
- Moxy Roxx, defined the local hair metal scene in the 1980s
- Mrs. Fun, quirky / artsy jazz
- Loey Nelson, sister of ex-mayor, released a fine disc on Warner Bros. in 1989
- Nerve Twins, one of the city's best rock bands in the '90s
- The New Loud, great new electronica rock outfit
- Donovan Owens, teen gospel singer
- Jon Paris, blues / rock guitarist
- Paris, Texas, local emo pioneers
- Justin Perkins, ace producer and current member of Screeching Weasel
- Pet Engine, late '90s/early '00s rock quartet
- Pezzettino, making bigger waves every day
- Punchdrunk, featuring Galen Polivka, now of The Hold Steady
- Realm, metal
- Riverwest Accordion Club
- David Robinson, reggae singer
- Jabbo Smith, jazz trumpeter
- The Spanic Boys, father son roots rock outfit that landed on SNL, thanks to Sinead
- Speech, fronted Arrested Development
- Ruby Starr, she's in the WAMI Hall of Fame, you know
- Hubert Sumlin, bluesman
- Sweetbottom, with Stuermer and Wiegratz
- Gary Tanin, of Otto & the Elevators and Xpensive Dogs, also a producer
- Taste Emcees, hip-hop pioneers
- Temper Temper, 2000s dance punks
- Tense Experts, groundbreaking local goth band
- Those XCleavers, new wave favorites
- Lightning & Thunder, the inimitable duo
- Trance and Dance Band, Jerry 4TA's band that first matched Ritchie with DeLorenzo
- Trolley, power pop outfit linked to The Nice Outfit
- The Tygers, '60s band signed to A&M
- US Project, a revolving door of Milwaukee talent
- Voot Warnings, a singular personality and local musician
- Warp Drive, '80s metal band
- Western Box Turtles, western swing masters
- The Wigs, power pop band that left Brew City for L.A. in the early '80s
- Women's Liberace, predecessor of the also fine Falling Wallendas
- Wreck, joined the Wax Trax stable and moved to Chicago
- Yipes!, which spawned Pat McCurdy and Mike Hoffman
Talkbacks
SUNTECHSAM | Dec. 27, 2011 at 7:35 p.m. (report)
I think that Paul Stefen & The Royal Lancers should be included on this list. Their version of I Fought The Law was #1 in Milwaukee in the summer of 1962, they were on the cover of the Sunday Picture Journal on 10/21/62 and they appeared on WTMJ's "12 To 20" television show on several occasions.
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johnnylove | April 28, 2010 at 10:07 p.m. (report)
You seem to have forgotten BOLT UPRIGHT. I was a member of that band, and five kids from Milwaukee moved to Los Angeles in the late 90's with nothing, got signed by SONY 550, released a major label album, and toured with KID ROCK, STAIND, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, and many others. Everybody in the crew has major film and television production credits. How about some love! Check out our album RED CARPET SINDROME and recognize that we did some shit that very few of the bands on your list did, and we all grew up in Milwaukee. DJ JOHNNYLOVE
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glm100 | April 25, 2010 at 2:00 a.m. (report)
The Skunks, recorded Elvira in the 60's before The Oak Ridge Boys, were ever heard of.
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dukefame | Feb. 16, 2010 at 9:29 a.m. (report)
Blake 7 played as many covers as a "cover" band. They used to cover pretty much the entire Listen Like Thieves album back in 1986. That being said, they did have quite a following and Bill Brunke as Nick Rhodes.
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CoolerKing | Feb. 15, 2010 at 7:04 a.m. (report)
One musician to definitely mention is the late Jim Spencer. Molly had interviewed his daughter Heidi (also a talented musician) a few years ago. Jim Spencer did some great music in the folk/psych vein back in the 70's. Aside from his own records, his band Major Arcana (which included Sigmund Snopek) released one album which is highly valued by collectors.
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