|
Snickers Brusky
Memorial Fundraiser (and Dance!)
August 10, 2022
To
honor the memory of my beloved cat Snickers who passed away in 2021, I
am running a fundraiser to raise money for Happy Endings No-Kill Cat
Shelter in Milwaukee. The fundraiser will run through August 30, ending
with a polka-variety dance at Pat's Oak Manor in South Milwaukee.
For
more information and to donate, please go to the fundraiser website: Snickers Brusky Memorial Fundraiser

Download this flyer as a PDF.
Major Change to
Band for 2023
August 9, 2022
I'm
making a significant change to my band that I have contemplated over
the past few
years. Since my band started gigging back in the mid 1990s, we've
prided ourselves on delivering the classic Milwaukee polka sound to
both the largest and
smallest of venues. We're
going to keep delivering that sound, but starting
in 2023, we'll be delivering it as a duo for smaller venues only.
We will no longer be playing larger events and concerts as a three- or
four-piece band.
There
are a couple of main reasons why I am making
this change:
1.
Polka musicans,
especially during the Oktoberfest season, are in very short supply.
Since they are independent
contractors free to take any job with any band, most will take the
first offer that comes in. When all the best musicians are taken, it
can be impossible for a bandleader to put a full band together.
2.
Over the past 25 years in gymnasiums, beer tents, and pavilions, I've
been cranking myself through a powered monitor so I could hear
myself over the other musicians and crowd noise, but when I do that, I
lose the ability to discern pitch. It's always been a struggle for me
to
hear what I'm playing or singing in noisy environments, and I'm done
fighting against the noise. I find playing as a two-piece band in
places like small clubs, senior residences, and at outdoor gatherings
to be the most enjoyable because we can hold the volume on stage to a
comfortable level.
We
may still play one or two special events a year with a full-size band,
but most of the jobs we currently play as a three- or four-piece
band will either be re-contracted for the two-piece band or passed on
to other bands. We're going to focus instead on backyard parties,
wedding reception cocktail hours, assisted living facilities, beer
gardens, fundraisers, and anywhere else a smaller, more affordable band
will be a good fit.
New Album
Released!
July 17, 2022

I'm
thrilled to announce the release of my 17th studio album, Escape to Polka Paradise. I started
production on this album in Spring of 2021, and officially released it
on July 15, 2022.
Link:
Escape to Polka Paradise
Royalty Payments
Hit a New Low
July 11, 2022
A
couple years ago, I
posted an article lamenting about some digital streaming royalty
payments had dropped as low as $0.0001. That's one one-thousandth of a
cent. At the time,
I joked about how payments would eventually hit $0. Guess what?

Award
Considerations for Album Appreciated but Not Necessary
July 7, 2022
Although very few people
have heard previews of my upcoming album Escape to Polka Paradise, it's been
strongly suggested I submit it to various awards programs for
nomination. I
am flattered by the suggestion, just as I was a few years ago when I
was asked to submit Positively Polka
and some of my original songs for
awards consideration, but I don't submit my own albums for awards for a
very specific reason:
I
create music simply for the enjoyment of it. I do not create music —
especially polka music — to compete with other bands and musicians.
I
don't mean for this to come across as smug, but I already know where my
music stands in relation to other songs and
albums being released. I know how much time, money, and effort I put
into writing, arranging, and recording my albums. I
don't need an award to validate any of that. Whether my album were to
win multiple awards or quietly drift into obscurity, it wouldn't have
any effect on how my music makes people feel, nor would it affect how I
feel about my own music.
So,
if you are a voting member of an awards organization and may feel
inclined to nominate this album for an award, thank you, however, I will
encourage you to reserve your nomination for someone else. There are
lots of musicians out there who like winning awards and will appreciate
your vote.
News
& Editorial Archives
|
|