Madison singer/songwriter Nick Venturella is working on a book about independent musicians and music professionals in Wisconsin. The 27-year-old Venturella is currently conducting interviews for the project.
"These days, as the major label music industry, which hinges itself on CD sales, descends to a level on which independent musicians and music professionals are thriving," Venturella say. "The independents are realizing that they don’t necessarily need major label support to have the sort of success they’re seeking, hence they’re going directly to their fans, totally circumventing the pursuit or need of a major record label deal,” said Venturella.
"I’m hoping the book will provide a regional snapshot of our current independent music industry and educate and inspire the large amount of independent music talent, here in Wisconsin and beyond, to realize the possibility of finding success in their craft. Also, making local and regional music lovers who pick up the book aware of what they may not know exists right in their own backyard."
Venturella has set up a Web page for the project.
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.
