Photo via YouTube
Mike Hoffman
Mike Hoffmann’s music and his fringe-decorated Telecaster took him far beyond the humble Bay View neighborhood he called home. The Milwaukee music community is mourning the loss of Hoffmann, whose death was confirmed by Semi-Twang bandmate John Sieger.
On Oct.16, Hoffmann and Semi-Twang played a farewell concert at Shank Hall; the previous night the band was inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Hall of Fame. The city of Milwaukee and Mayor Barret also issued a proclamation honoring the group.
Early Years and Credits
As a member to the band Yipes!, Hoffmann recorded a pair of power pop albums for Millennium Records in 1979 and 1980. The band would reunite for a 2018 album. By the mid-‘80s Hoffmann would be part of EIEIO, a roots rock band that would predate the genre later to be called Americana. That group would record a pair of albums before reuniting for a third in 2007.
Among his many credits, Hoffmann produced, performed and recorded with: melaniejane, Semi-Twang, Carnival Strippers, The Holy Ranger, Victor DeLorenzo, Nineteen Thirteen, The Spanic Boys, Arms, Legs and Feet, The Carolinas, Mike Fredrickson, Blue in the Face, Ward and His Troubles and the Yell Leaders. Most recently he was collaborating with The Delta Routine, mood vertigo and Sam Llanas.
Hoffmann’s lengthy resume includes record labels RCA, Demon, Frontier, Warner Bros, Fox and Almo Sounds/Geffen. He worked in such legendary studios as: Electric Lady, Record Plant, Sterling, Master Disc, Sorcerer, A&M, Sunset Sound, Sound Factory, Ocean Way, NRG, Encore, Cherokee and Smart Studios.
Photo via YouTube
Mike Hoffman
The Apprentice Meets the Master
Another feather in Hoffman’s cap was serving as co-founder of the Partnership for the Arts and Creative Excellence, Inc. His work with Rich Cook, Larry Glusman and Martin Rosenbloom led them to the New Jersey home of Les Paul where they worked to organize the Discovery World exhibit Les Paul’s House of Sound. You have to imagine Hoffmann was in hog heaven talking to Paul about the inventions that made modern music possible. The group also presented Paul in concert for his 93rd birthday at the Pabst Theater in 2008.
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On a personal note, in the early 2000’s I was playing in a raggedy band called Spade Cooley. Our drummer had worked with Hoffmann, who now had the keys to a polish flat called Joe’s Studio. We arrange to record two barnstorming overnight sessions with Mike at the controls. While he is known as a producer, Hoffmann’s non-judgmental, hands-off approach led to capturing the raw essence of our band with just the right amount of sonic shimmer.
Thanks to a lifetime of work, Hoffmann’s influence and fingerprints are set to linger on. Bandmate John Sieger gets the final word:
I owe so much to Mike Hoffmann. He was funny, smart and above all, insanely enthusiastic. Ask anyone who worked with him and they’ll tell you, he had a way of making you feel like things were never in doubt. Just watching him string mics and set levels was somehow calming.
If you were looking for a hook, don’t worry, he had it already. He got inside a song quickly, almost like he already knew it. I relied on that a lot in the early (and late) days of Semi-Twang
On a personal level, it was the same. He was upbeat and forward looking. Always a new project down the road and praise for the artists he worked for. The world without Mike Hoffmann is a much poorer place, if I could file a formal complaint with the universe, I would.
