The DJ Takeover sponsored by Level Up is a program for listeners to discover their favorite artist's favorite artists, working to foster connection to the music and makers inside and outside our city. For the entire hour, we go down the rabbit hole of stories from their past, experiences of the present and goals for the future.
In 1991, John Sparrow saw his first concert: Violent Femmes opening for The B-52s. At age 15, Sparrow — son of a jazz drummer — read in the paper that the Femmes were hiring a new drummer and longed to audition.
A few years later, Sparrow played in a zen jazz group with Femmes bassist Brian Ritchie. One night, Ritchie invited Sparrow to his house. Ritchie picked up his bass and instructed Sparrow to “get on the cajon.” Ritchie put on the Femmes first album and said, “Play to this.”
After the impromptu session, Ritchie wrote down three dates and a phone number on a piece of paper, saying, “This is the tour manager. Call him. You’re gonna go on tour.”
Just like that, John Sparrow had started his career as the drummer of Violent Femmes.
In the two decades since, Sparrow has played to 80,000 people at Coachella, met Lou Reed and even won a regional Emmy (along with the rest of the band) for a televised performance with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
When he joined me in the studio to map out the songs picked by Violent Femmes for this week’s DJ Takeover, three elements of the band’s formula for success became very clear:
- A jazz influence
- Remaining grounded
- Good old hard work
When asked “What does it mean to you to have Milwaukee roots?” Sparrow quickly responded, “Work ethic. … I grew up on the south side of Milwaukee, 21st and Forest Home. I never forgot where I came from.” He generously continued, “88Nine is a huge part of that as well, giving a voice to artists. There’s no plug here. We have a great music community.
Sparrow noted that when he came up as an artist, there was a competitive, at times “catty” undertone to the music scene in Milwaukee. He is proud of the difference he sees today in the local artists he’s worked with, “They’re more of a community. You’ll see hip-hop and a metal band next, and everybody’s cool with each other. And you guys are part of that, too.”
Sharing in that spirit, Sparrow nominated local artist Wave Chapelle to be on a DJ Takeover next. He even did some of the legwork for me. “I called Wave and said, ‘I want to suggest you for this.’ He’s someone to watch. … It goes back to that work ethic.” Sparrow even chose Chapelle’s song “Won’t Stop” as the final song of the Takeover to honor how the hip-hop artist represents diligence, resilience and professionalism in Milwaukee.
Listen to the full DJ Takeover using the player at the top of the page while you ponder how cool it would be to see Violent Femmes close out their fall tour in Milwaukee next month. They originally added just one date at the Riverside Theater, Oct. 18, but tacked on another the following night when the initial show sold out. At both hometown shows, the band will play their first and second albums in their entirety, with “something special” planned for the end of the night.
DJ Takeover: John Sparrow playlist
- Violent Femmes, “I’m Nothing”
- Stooges, “Funhouse”
- Sun Ra, “Discipline 33”
- Velvet Underground, “Ferry Boat Bill”
- Benny Goodman, “Sing, Sing, Sing (Live @ Carnegie Hall Version)”
- Ornette Coleman, “Lonely Woman”
- Gene Vincent, “Be Bop A Lula”
- Johnny Cash, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”
- Wave Chapelle, “Won’t Stop”
