The Buggs
by Mike Huberty
March 2009
Milwaukee's The Buggs, doing Beatles Punk Style!
A Milwaukee original, THE BUGGS have been punking up classic pop and rock songs since 1999. As lead singer and guitarist, Lane Klozier, describes, “We were all from original bands and we were just tired of playing shows for eight people in the audience. We got a couple sets together of music anywhere from The Beatles to Badfinger, played out and it went very, very well.” Similar in vein to Punk rock super cover group, Me First and The Gimme Gimmes, Lane describes THE BUGGS as Milwaukee’s only “original cover band” taking classic songs and makes them their own with a hard rock/punk sensibility.
According to Lane, that while they take a tongue-in-cheek attitude, they definitely perform the songs “with reverence”. As he says, “The demographics we see at our shows are all over the place, from college kids to people in their 50’s. We’ve never played a bad show or had a real negative reaction. People either get it or they don’t. For myself, I don’t like Donny Osmond, but I understand that a lot of people do.” And with performances ranging from Milwaukee’s Summerfest to opening slots before Milwaukee Bucks games at the Bradley Center, THE BUGGS have been making their name in the Brew City.
While the lineup has rotated a bit over the years, with Klozier (who also performs in Guido’s Racecar, and has toured with The Psychobunnies and The Silos) as the only steady member, he says that everyone is still good friends. “We’ll see former band members at shows and they’ll still get up and play the song with us and have a great time.” The current lineup consists of Dan Canna on guitar (formerly of Six-Pack Floozie), Andy Radish on drums (as Lane depicts him, “a plumber by trade and looks like one - but he’s the most powerful amazing drummer I’ve ever played with in my life!”), and Casual Danny Tweed on the bass (a talented multi-instrumentalist who grew up in Antigua and Barbados and who Lane describes as the best reggae performer he’s ever heard.)
Their first record, A Boy and His Rooster, sold out of its first pressing and the band has already finished recording and mixing a new album, Too Loud, scheduled for release at the end of March this year. As for any rivalry between them and Milwaukee’s other Beatles-inspired hard rock band, Beatallica? Lane says, “We’re all friends, they have a very formatted show and stick to the Metallica and The Beatles, at our show you might hear Gordon Litefoot or ABBA!”
THE BUGGS will be performing at Bomblastica in Madison on March 21, 2009 and Lane says that the audience can expect “a very animated, very high energy, two to four hours of non-stop joyous rock.” And when it comes to THE BUGGS’ mission, Lane keeps it simple. “We just want to play in front of as many people as we can, make some money, and have fun.”
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