When the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) hosts its awards show at Turner Hall on Sunday, April 17, there will be three inductions into the WAMI hall of fame.
Among them are Milwaukee punk pioneers Die Kreuzen, the late Howie Epstein -- who made his name as a member of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers -- and composer John Harmon.
While Die Kreuzen was one of the heaviest Milwaukee rock and roll bands ever to earn itself an international reputation, its members -- Dan Kubinski, Keith Brammer, Brian Egeness and Erik Tunison -- have always been among the nicest and most supportive fellas on the local scene.
So, when they hit the stage that Sunday evening to get inducted, I just may be cheering loudest.
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.
