{image1}Moonshine Sway has been a fixture on the club scene for a little more than a year, and things are now coming together for the alt.country rockers. Last month, the quartet launched its debut CD, "Seven Years," with a gig at the BBC.
Now, Moonshine Sway is gearing up for a Summerfest appearance, Saturday, June 26 at noon on the Potawatomi Stage.
Like Moonshine Sway, alt.country isn't new. But it's just starting to reach a critical mass here in Milwaukee, with bands like Telectro, West of Rome, Dustworks and others (of course, there were predecessors here with the likes of E.I.E.I.O., Semi Twang and Loyal Order of Water Buffalo, to name a few). Moonshine Sway is in good company.
"In Milwaukee, there are a bunch of fine bands that play in the 'alt.country' genre," says singer and guitarist Tom Vollman. "The Twang Dragons are fantastic, The Chop Toronados play a revved-up hybrid of honky-tonk and punk, Telectro plays an awesome fusion of country and alt.rock and American Death fuses straight ahead punk and country rock. There are a ton of other bands out there as well -- West of Rome, The Mighty Lumberhorn, The Aimless Blades -- it's a good scene."
Vollman says that while alt.country might seem like something relatively new, the influences that have led a lot of musicians weaned on punk and rock and roll to country music, have been latent in local musicians for years.
"It's an interesting genre," says Vollman, "as it combines elements from a bunch of influences and rolls them into one loosely conglomerated whole. I think a lot of folks out there cut their teeth listening to punk or blues or alt.rock, but still have a fond remembrance of riding in their grandmother's car, listening to 8-tracks of Tom T. Hall and Hank (Williams) Sr. I know that was my experience, so that 'country twang' has always been a part of my musical regimen. Once we started making music as a band, it just seemed natural to incorporate the influences that we all share."
But it's not just alt.country that makes Milwaukee's music scene interesting, says Vollman. There are a lot of great bands in town.
"I think the Milwaukee music scene is thriving," he says. "There's a rich group of talented, hard-working bands out there with a very diverse sound. It's possible to see great live music any night of the week. Bands like STaLL, Telectro, The Westfall ... are out there, making noise and doing it well. We've have been fortunate to see, hear and play with a bunch of great bands during that time. My hope is that the momentum will continue to build."
Vollman and his bandmates - bassist Bob Berry, drummer Scot Snarksi and guitarist Chris Dorch - worked hard on "Seven Years," but, Vollman says, they're pleased with the results.
"We recorded it all at once, over the period of two months -- actual recording and mixing. it was a good process, all in all. We recorded at the Band Center in Milwaukee, with Chuck Frkovich -- he did our EP/demo last year," Vollman says. "Recording a full-length was different, though, and at times, I think we got bogged down with the mixing. We're pleased with the final product, and hopefully we'll be able to get it out there to a wide audience, which, after all, is the goal."
Getting the word out is what's next on Moonshine Sway's agenda, according to Vollman.
"We're working to find some support: management, hopefully a label," he says. "Shut Eye Records, a label in Atlanta, is putting a song from the disc, "Chelsea," on a compilation that features Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo). We're hoping that'll spark some interest, and give us a nice platform to continue to shop the full-length. We're looking to do some regional touring over the next few months, and really spread our wings further than the Milwaukee/Chicago area."
Moonshine Sway's Web site is moonshinesway.com.
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.
