Milwaukee honors Violent Femmes 40 years after debut album

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A folk-punk band that went from performing on Milwaukee street corners to touring the world is being honored.

"Our focus is always coming back to the place where we started: Milwaukee," Violent Femmes drummer John Sparrow said while reading a statement from another band member. "I would ride the Milwaukee city bus from my job at the Milwaukee Public Library to join Gordon Gano and Victor DeLorenzo for performances every Tuesday night."

Sparrow was the only member on hand to receive a mayoral proclamation on Thursday that made April 13, 2023, Violent Femmes Day. The honor celebrated the 40^th anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album.

"They created an album that is the soundtrack for anybody that is going through a midlife crisis, anybody that's a teenager going through a hard time. It's timeless. It never goes out of style. That legacy is going to live forever," Sparrow said.

Next month, the band begins an 11-city tour to celebrate the album's anniversary. Though Milwaukee is not on the list, Sparrow said they have not forgotten about the city and will be performing here sometime next fall.