Milwaukee's Deadman's Shoes are a home-grown rockabilly quartet, but their hearts lie deep in the heart of Texas. Rising from the ashes of another Milwaukee band, The Boogiemen, Deadman's Shoes draws from swampy, American rock, as well as the solid partnership of Dave Thomas (vocals/guitars) and Jeffery Lauwasser (bass/vocals).
Originally bandmates in the Boogiemen during the 1980s, Thomas and Lauwasser went their separate music ways only to be reunited about a decade later. The band also includes guitarist Blaine Schultz and drummer Mike Farrow.
"(In 1995) Blaine approached me to join him and Dave to play in a 'roots' type of thing," says Lauwasser. "They were playing country, rockabilly and Americana type of stuff so I thought I'd give it a try since I loved the songs Dave wrote, I love 'roots' music, we were all friends and I just wanted to play with Dave again. We have been together with the present line up for about five years now."
With the release of their first full-length album, "Just Another Fool," Deadman's Shoes -- which Lauwasser says is named after a song by the founding father of Milwaukee's late '70s punk scene, Presley Haskell -- provides raw energy and fun songs. The opener, "Big Black Train," is a hollerin' romp complete with honky tonk piano and blues harp.
The band shows its versatility with the inclusion of Bob Dylan cover "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere." Farrow sings lead, and does so with confidence. "Mike is the best singer in the band, and after we recorded it we knew it was going to be put on the record," says Lauwasser. "We had to go through a lot to license it, but when we got the permission we were sent a letter from the Bob Dylan Music Company. It was pretty cool to get a letter from Bob Dylan's music company."
The last track, "License Plates," showcases the band's southern feel, relating a sad tale of an inmate in a Texas prison carving out license plates. But just because Deadman's Shoes can play mellow country music doesn't mean they can't also swing like Barry Bonds on steroids.
"We have been at (this) with each other for a number of years so we have some experience behind us." Plus, they just love what they do, whether they are practicing, recording or on the stage.
"(Live) sets are fun for us," says Lauwasser. "And as far as I can tell, our audience digs it as well. We can play about 250 different songs so our sets change almost every time we play out. When we get tired of a song we put it on the back burner for a while and learn a new one or pull out an old one we haven't done in a while."
Deadman's Shoes is throwing a CD release party Friday, Nov. 4 at Circle A (932 E. Chambers St.), at 8 p.m. "Just Another Fool" will be available at their show, as well as on CD Baby and at the Tip Top Atomic Shop in Bay View.
