Lucchesi brings own brand of Italian music to Festa

In 2004, after a decade away from the Milwaukee music scene, singer Louie Lucchesi returned with a new vision and a new album called "Second Hand Smoke" featuring seven cover songs and a few originals.

Lucchesi’s band, Brother Louie, plays a noon show at Festa Italiana on Sunday, July 19, and although the group found its niche on the festival circuit, Lucchesi says it isn’t a classic cover band.

"We approach our band as an original music band. We are really in the moment, not just going through the motions," says Lucchesi. "And I think we’re edgier than some of the other popular cover bands in Milwaukee."

Brother Louie includes Howard Ellis on guitar, Chris Lehman on drums and Johnny Washday on bass. The band tributes Roxy Music, David Bowie, Todd Rundgren and The Beatles -- among others -- but they also play a fair share of original songs, too.

"There are two scenes in Milwaukee: the original music scene and the festival scene. We are trying to walk the thin line between both," says Lucchesi.

Lucchesi is particularly psyched about the upcoming show at Festa Italiana because the popular ethnic festival does not book a lot of contemporary rock bands. The July 19 gig is Brother Louie’s first appearance at Festa.

"As an Italian pop singer, people might expect me to sing the Rat Pack, but my background is really varied, so for me it wouldn’t be true to come out and sing ‘New York, New York’," he says.

Although Brother Louie’s style of music is a shift from most of the talent at Festa, Lucchesi is confident the audience will receive him positively.

"It’s about celebrating the Italian artist for who and what they are and not pigeon-holing them to be one thing just because that’s the expectation," he says.

Lucchesi grew up in Milwaukee and moved to Manhattan in 1980 to pursue photography and music. He documented the burgeoning New York City street art scene and his photographs were published in Spin magazine and The New York Times.

Lucchesi formed a band Blue and Red and performed at iconic New York City clubs like The Bitter End, Tramps and CBGB. During this time he hung out with a lot of poets and musicians, including David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls.

"I got to know some of my musical heroes and see them perform on their own turf," he says.

In 1990, Lucchesi returned to Milwaukee because his mother was ill, and started a band called Crime Family. Crime Family was a rock / post-punk pop outfit with elements of rockabilly and psychedelia mixed in. The band played at places like Hooligan’s, the now-defunct Celebrity Club and The Boardwalk.

"We did really well, but like so many good Milwaukee bands, we imploded and disappeared over night," he says.

After Crime Family broke up, Lucchesi’s father became ill, too, so he decided it was time to take a break from music and focus on his family. However, what was only meant to be a little time off turned into 10 years, and it wasn’t until 2004 that Lucchesi got serious about music again with the release of "Second Hand Smoke."

"It was a transitional record. In the process of making it, I became an interpreter (of other musician's songs)," he says.

Today, Lucchesi lives in Wauwatosa with his wife in the house where he was raised by his Italian / German mother and Italian / French father. Lucchesi says after festival season he plans to work on another album, most likely another collection of original and cover songs.

"The new album will be interpretive and contemporary," he says.