The BoDeans tour this spring in support of their new album "Still," which hits stores Tuesday. The album's first single, "Everyday," is already generating good buzz.
The first leg of the 25-date tour kicks off at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival March 12 in Austin, Texas, and covers the eastern part of the country. A later, second leg takes the Waukesha-born band to the western half of the U.S., and a few Milwaukee dates are likely.
As the band prepares for SXSW, we caught up with Sammy Llanas and Kurt Neumann.
OnMilwaukee.com: What are guys listening to these days, other than (of course) your new disc?
Sam Llanas: I don't really listen to stuff much.
Kurt Neumann: I've been listening to our new live "acoustic" record that I've been mixing. Should be out this year.
OMC: Kurt, What do you miss most about Milwaukee?
KN: The beautiful summertime weather and the lakefront.
OMC: Sammy, why have decided to stay and live here?
SL: My family is here, and I'm so well connected there. It would be hard to get that well connected somewhere else at this point.
OMC: Is "Round Here Somewhere" a bio of the band song?
KN: Yes. That's what it felt like when I wrote it. Looking for the reasons you started walking the path you walk. Are they still there? Do you still feel it?
OMC: What was it like working with producer T-Bone Burnett again?
KN: Fabulous. He brings really positive energy to the whole project.
SL: Easy like a Sunday ... you know?
OMC: Can we expect a Summerfest show this year?
SL: Hopefully.
KN: We haven't got an offer for Summerfest yet, but we're hoping.
OMC: Can you define success for us?
SL: Being happy with what you're doing.
OMC: What's your favorite song to play live and least favorite?
SL: Favorite is "Far Far Away from my Heart". Least favorite is "Closer to Free"
KN: I love playing. When I get to play any of our songs, I'm really, really, really happy.
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.
