Rumors have been swirling around town that Milwaukee's own Kings Go Forth have inked a deal with David Byrne's Luaka Bop Records.
While it's true that the band and the label are talking and hammering out a deal, nothing has been signed yet according to a source close to the label and according to Kings singer Danny Fernandez.
"True on Luaka Bop," Fernandez told me, although he said the band isn't talking with Byrne specifically. "No contact with Byrne, I guess he doesn't have too much involvement in day-to-day stuff.
"I'm just trying to educate myself as much as possible right now ... I'm not ok'ing anything until I think it makes sense for us."
Fernandez says that the band has not been contacted by other labels ... yet. But the attention from Luaka Bop is flattering and daunting.
"It's pretty cool to have somebody want us on their label! And of
course it just complicates life in general thinking about all this
stuff ... but we'll figure it out.
If there are other labels, I don't know about 'em yet! I'm sure more will jump out AFTER we make a deal!"
Meanwhile, Heather West, whose Western Publicity works with Luaka Bop says, "We like 'em but there's no deal yet ... though there is talk."
Let's hope for the best for KGF, because the cutting edge, adventurous Luaka Bop seems like a perfect home for the band.
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.
