Music of Wisconsin

This article is a supplemental part of the Music of the United States series.

Roots music: before 1940

1940s and 50s

1960s and 70s

1980s to the present

African-American music

Native American music

Latin, Tejano, Hawaiian, Cajun, Puerto Rican and other immigrants

Perhaps the most influential musical output of Wisconsin came from Port Washington, Ozaukee County during the 1920s, when Paramount Records released a series of blues and jazz recordings. Large-scale immigration for Europe in the 1930s led to the popularization of gallops, schottisches, waltzes, and, especially, polkas. Classical composers and conductors from Wisconsin include Hans Balatka, Hugo Kaun and Eugene Luening.

Punk rock

Probably the most famous punk band from Wisconsin was 1980s cult favorite the Violent Femmes, from Milwaukee. New Wave bands from Milwaukee included the Couch Flambeau and The Stellas, later better known as hardcore punk band Die Kreuzen. Milwaukee saw some other hardcore action, like Clitboys, but the scene soon died out and Die Kreuzen moved on to speed metal. Madison, Wisconsin spawned a more vibrant scene, beginning with Mecht Mensch and, later, Bucky Pope's Tar Babies. The Tar Babies tried without success to import go go from Washington DC. Later, the hardcore band Killdozer became an important indie rock group.

References

Blush, Steven. American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. 2001. ISBN 0-922915-717-7