BoDeans all began when Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas met at Waukesha South High School in 1977. How did the duo’s band get its name? Sam often explains that he got the name from The Beverly Hillbillies character Jethro Bodine. For Kurt, BoDeans conjured up the image of rock n’ roll icons Bo Diddley and James Dean for a familial name, similar to The Smiths and The Connells. Early on, Neumann and Llanas were often credited as Beau and Sammy BoDean. In 1983 “Da BoDeans” began playing around Milwaukee’s East Side music scene along with a hired drummer and bass player. The band practiced in the garage of Mark McCraw, a mutual friend who soon became their manager and provided financial support during the early years. In 1985 labels began to make offers, and the band chose to sign a contract with Slash/Warner Records. After signing, the label suggested that they shorten their name to simply “BoDeans.” Under the guidance of producer T-Bone Burnett, they entered Hollywood’s Sunset Sound Factory in October to record their first album. Burnett focused on capturing the band’s natural sound without many additional overdubs. The band later expressed their regret for not being able to spend more time on the production, but high studio costs kept the sessions concise. The critically acclaimed debut Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams was released in 1986. BoDeans mix midwestern roots rock with elements of adult contemporary pop, fashioning a sound that earned critical acclaim during the ’80s and commercial recognition during the following decade. From: https://k-zap.org/music_profiles/bodeans/
