Guy Hoffman (born May 20, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a drummer and vocalist, formerly of such bands as Oil Tasters, BoDeans, Violent Femmes and Absinthe. [1] He is a composer for such films as Field Day and a founding member of Radio Romeo.
Hoffman began playing drums at the age of nine. He developed skills in music and art under the direction of Eddie Allen, Sylvia Spicuzza, LeRoy Augustine, and Joe Ferrara within the Shorewood public school system. From 1972 to 1976, Hoffman concentrated on watercolor painting and drawing under professor Laurence Rathsack in the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM) Fine Arts programs. He also played popular music with local bands at live music venues throughout Wisconsin. From 1977 to 1978, Hoffman studied graphic arts with Leon Travanti and graduated from UWM with a BA in fine art and visual communications.
Hoffman was a founding member of The Haskels and Oil Tasters, bands in Milwaukee's punk scene. He was an original member of Milwaukee roots rock band, BoDeans. He performs on the BoDeans 1986 debut album "Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams" (reissued in 2009 as a CD/DVD set). Hoffman performs in BoDeans videos for the songs "She's A Runaway" and "Fadeaway." He reunited with BoDeans singer/songwriter Sam Llanas to form the band Absinthe and released A Good Day To Die in 1998.
Hoffman joined Violent Femmes in 1993. [2] Two versions of "Blister In The Sun," the Femmes' signature song, were recorded with Hoffman for Grosse Pointe Blank motion picture soundtrack in 1997. Hoffman appears with Violent Femmes in film concerts and television productions such as "Woodstock '94," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," "VH-1 Hard Rock Live," and others. He appeared on numerous music videos and late-night talk shows in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. In 2005, Hoffman's contributions were included on two Violent Femmes reissued CD/DVD compilations. Hoffman also designed the cover for the album New Times by Violent Femmes. [3]
Hoffman plays drums on the CD Jeanne Spicuzza . The track "Let the Mermaids Flirt With Me" appears in the movie Field Day. [4]
In 2002, he was replaced in the Femmes by returning original drummer Victor DeLorenzo. He continued working with other projects and in 2006, he played a few select shows with the Violent Femmes once more.
In 2005, Hoffman formed Radio Romeo, a Los Angeles-based rock band.[ citation needed ]
In 2006, he returned to performing shows with Violent Femmes in Southern California. Their latest CD, Archive Series No. 2: Live in Chicago Q101 , showcases the trio's unique acoustic approach, with Hoffman on snare drum and backing vocals.[ citation needed ]
Violent Femmes are an American folk punk band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of founding members Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie, joined by multi-instrumentalist Blaise Garza, and drummer John Sparrow. Former members of the band include drummers Victor DeLorenzo, Guy Hoffman (1993–2002), and Brian Viglione (2013–2016).
Wisconsin was settled largely by European immigrants in the late 19th century. This immigration led to the popularization of galops, schottisches, waltzes, and, especially, polkas. Classical composers and conductors from Wisconsin include Hans Balatka, Hugo Kaun, Eugene Luening, Theodore Steinmetz and Sarge Boyd. Among Wisconsin's contributions to rock music were Les Paul, an electric guitar pioneer known as the "Wizard of Waukesha". The Steve Miller Band, with Milwaukee's Steve Miller, had three #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1973 to 1982. The Chordettes from Sheboygan, Bon Iver from Eau Claire, and Garbage from Madison all had albums on the Billboard 200.
Jeremiah Griffin Harrison is an American songwriter, musician, producer, and entrepreneur. He began his professional music career as a member of the cult band the Modern Lovers before becoming keyboardist and guitarist for the new wave band Talking Heads. In 2002, Harrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Talking Heads.
BoDeans is an American rock band formed in Waukesha, Wisconsin. BoDeans came to prominence in the 1980s. The band's sound encompasses multiple rock genres, including roots rock, heartland rock, and alternative rock. The band's biggest hit to date is "Closer to Free", which was used as the theme song to the hit TV series Party of Five. The band has been described as "one of the most successful, and best known, bands to come out of the Milwaukee area". BoDeans is included in a permanent installation at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
Brian Viglione is an American drummer best known for his work with The Dresden Dolls and Violent Femmes. He was also a prominent member of New York City's cabaret punk orchestra The World/Inferno Friendship Society.
New Times is the sixth studio album released by Violent Femmes in 1994. It is the first album to not feature original drummer Victor DeLorenzo on drums, who had been replaced by Guy Hoffman. "Breakin' Up," a song lead singer Gordon Gano had written years before, was the lead single. Its video received minor airplay on MTV and appears on the band's DVD, Permanent Record - Live & Otherwise. The album did not sell well, but featured many of the Femmes' most musically complex and lyrically inventive songs, including "4 Seasons," and concert staple "I'm Nothing." "I'm Nothing" appeared in the movie Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas.
Gordon James Gano is an American musician widely known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter of American folk punk band Violent Femmes.
Victor DeLorenzo is an American musician, actor and filmmaker who was the founding drummer for the folk-punk band Violent Femmes.
Permanent Record: Live & Otherwise is a DVD released by Violent Femmes on July 12, 2005. The first thirteen tracks were filmed during a live concert at The Boat House in Norfolk, Virginia on July 21, 1991. Tracks 14 through 20 are music videos. The last track is footage of an impromptu performance of "Kiss Off", in front of the Downer Theater in the band's hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Elliott James Murphy is an American rock singer-songwriter, novelist, record producer and journalist living in Paris.
Couch Flambeau is an American punk rock band, formed in 1981 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band is known for the biting wit of their lyrics. They have released four full length albums: Mammal Insect Marriage (1983), The Day the Music Died (1985) and Ghostride (1989), and a self-titled CD (1998). They have also released two tapes, Curiosity Rocks and Rock With Your Sock On (1987), as well as an EP, Models (1987). And, finally, a 37-song career overview entitled I Did a Power Slide in the Taco Stand: Anthology 1982-2001 was released in 2004.
Plasticland is an American Neo-Psychedelic and Garage rock (revival) band, formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1980 with two members of Arousing Polaris, Glenn Rehse and John Frankovic.
This is the discography of Violent Femmes, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based alternative rock group, which consists of ten studio albums, 19 singles, five live albums and four compilation albums, in addition to a number of miscellaneous appearances on soundtracks and compilations featuring various artists. This list does not include solo material by any of the bands' members.
Gary Tanin is a veteran Milwaukee musician/producer/engineer with a career spanning decades and reflecting two central themes: music and technology.
Samuel J. Llanas is an American singer, acoustic guitarist, and songwriter in several rock and roots rock bands active from the 1980s to the 2000s, including BoDeans and Absinthe.
Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) is an American volunteer organization founded in 1980, and based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its stated purpose is "to educate and recognize the achievements and accomplishments of individuals in the Wisconsin music industry." The organization is best known for its annual awards for Wisconsin musicians from various genres of music. It also hosts seminars and workshops on subjects related to music and the music industry, such as performing, recording and marketing.
Outside Looking In is the BoDeans second studio album, and was released in 1987. It was produced by Jerry Harrison of The Talking Heads. It reached number 86 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Trapper Schoepp is an American singer-songwriter based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Richard LaValliere was a Sheboygan, Wisconsin born musician, and founding member of Milwaukee bands such as, The Dirty Shames, Arthur, Radio Boys, In A Hot Coma, The Haskels, The Oil Tasters, The Lonesome Desperados, The Barn Burners, The Flip Top Five, Triple Forbidden Taboo, Scorpio Thunderbolt, Pölkafinger and Jones & Karloff. He was renowned for his unique vocal style and songwriting, humorous and clever lyrics and stage persona. A multi-instrumentalist, he played bass guitar, lead guitar and keyboards.
Sigmund Snopek III is an American musician and composer.