When Milwaukee music scene figure Dave Monroe – I admit that describing him so one-dimensionally is thoroughly insufficient – passed away a year ago, I shared the news of his passing with sorrow.
I also shared the anecdote about how Monroe and I first met, the year I began my studies at UWM. In the union. Near the Union Station snack bar. He wearing his trademark parka, and surely carrying a stack of books under his arm.
You can read it here.
The point is that one of the many things Dave and I had in common is that we loved The Jam above all others.
So, it is fitting that some of his friends mark the anniversary of his passing with a performance by All Mod Cons, on Sunday, Nov. 13 at The Tonic Tavern in Bay View.
This local tribute supergroup includes Jeff Benske (5 Card Studs, Cactus Brothers), Paul Jonas (5 Card Studs, Cactus Brothers), Chris Tischler (5 Card Studs, CHIEF, The 45’s), Andy Pagel (Substitute: A Tribute to The Who), Thomas Mlot (The Sandcarvers, The Schrödinger's Cats) and Andy Passimani.
The group will play music by The Jam (whose third album was 1978’s "All Mod Cons"), The Who and other mod and soul artists.
Some folks may notice that Benske (who also owns Bay View's Top Shelf Guitars) and Tishler will be playing two of Dave’s well-worn Rickenbacker guitars, the instruments Monroe used in his band, the Prevailing Westerlies.
In addition, DJs John Komp, Ric Vespa and Mark Cherek will spin mod, northern soul and ‘60’s music before and after the band’s performance. The event starts at 4 p.m., and the band plays at 7.
Please pay the suggested $10 donation to enter, as the funds will be benefit Milwaukee Public Library, an institution that Dave utilized and supported. The donation will be made in Monroe’s name.
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.
