You sure wouldn't know it from the now perhaps-regrettable turquoise and pink gear, but power pop wavers Speedies were one of the best unsigned bands in New York City when I was in junior high school.
The band's "Let Me Take Your Photo" was a little new wave-era gem with a super-catchy chorus.
The title also turned out to be somewhat prescient as guitarist Greg Crewdson – who I thought was pretty cool – would later grow into one of the most respected photographers in the world. Music fans might recognize his work on the cover of Yo La Tengo's 1999 disc, "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out."
Crewdson can be seen at right in the above video, shot on Brooklyn's Promenade in 1979.
Crewdson, who in addition to being a former minor pop star, is a Yale prof, and his work has been exhibited across America and Europe and in Wisconsin at the Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan and right now at Marquette's Haggerty Museum.
Crewdson will present a lecture in room 105 at Marquette's Straz Hall on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. A reception follows. Both events are free and open to the public.
An untitled work from Crewdson’s "Twilight" series is currently on view in the Haggerty as part of "Dark Blue The Water as Protagonist," through May 19.
Here's a great video of Crewdson talking about his process as an artist.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
