Twenty five years after their T-Bone Burnett produced debut "Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams" led them to win a Rolling Stone reader's poll as "Best New American Band," Milwaukee's BoDeans are still making music.
Their new album, "Indigo Dreams" (He & He Records), will be released July 26. The album's 13 tracks were recorded over the past eight months and embody the changing realities of Kurt Neumann (vocals and electric and acoustic guitars) and Sam Llanas' (vocals and acoustic guitar) lives. Neumann now lives in Austin, while Llanas still lives in town.
"I think the reason we've stayed popular with the fans all these years," said Llanas in a news release, "is because we're real guys, not trying to be anything special." Neumann sees the success of the BoDeans as a byproduct of making music that creates a special connection to moments in people's lives. "It's not always this dramatic," he says, "but we do hear of stories where people are ill or dying and our songs give them a sense of joy and hope. I want to know someday that I've brought good things into the world, and this kind of fan response confirms that Sam and I have been able to do that."
The BoDeans play Summerfest July 9 at 10 p.m. on the new Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
