The Next Breakout Band in Wisconsin? w/ Secret Menu the Band

SPEAKER_05
0:00

So he shows up the email and he's like, guys, we just got invited for Battle of the Bands and like I think we could win this.

SPEAKER_01
0:06

The atmosphere was amazing. So many people showed up for it. It's a very special place to be being there with all the other bands and getting to connect with, you know, everyone who had qualified for the finals and then getting to hear them all perform was really, really cool.

SPEAKER_04
0:21

That is like I know that's a huge goal and a very lofty goal, but also gives us a lot of stuff to aim for and let's align like those actions to that goal.

SPEAKER_05
0:29

To know that you were able to create something that connected with someone and made them hopefully feel less alone. Like I don't think it's about changing the world, I think it's about changing someone's world.

SPEAKER_02
0:40

Hey everyone, welcome back to Milwaukee Uncut. We've got a cool episode today with it with a young band that is on the rise. Secret menu. They recently won Three Sheeps, Les Paul Three Sheeps, Battle of the Bands, which drew contestants from all across the state. They want a trip out to LA to record at Les Paul Studio, and they've been going viral on social media lately. So it was really good to have them in here. And our friend Josh Oschenbach, who runs marketing at Three Sheeps and spearheaded the Battle of the Bands, co-hosted this one with me. It was great having him in as well. We got to learn about the group, talk about what it's like being a band working hard, trying to make it while balancing their normal day jobs, their growth trajectory, most memorable fan interactions, ultimate goals, and we got their favorite venues to play across the state of Wisconsin and some of their favorite up-and-coming artists in the area as well. Before diving in, I want to thank our partners who make Milwaukee Uncut possible. We'll kick it off with Annex Wealth Management. The fall is a great time to get your life together, and that entails looking at your finances. Annex is a holistic wealth management firm with offices in and all around Milwaukee that helps you with everything from retirement planning, smart investing, estate planning, legacy planning, and tax strategies all under one roof. Annex, know the difference. Next, we've got Nicolay Law, the Midwest Law Firm. Injured. Get Nicolay and Russell and the team will take great care of you. Also, I personally want to thank Russell. We just posted a uh how your wife greets you when you get home from golf video on social media where I gave him a call. Um, not sure I liked his verdict, but the main message at the end was if if you're actually injured and want to go after an insurance company, not your spouse, give Nicola a call. So any legitimate injuries, call Nicolay and make sure to check that video out. And if you're looking for a nice canned old fashioned this fall, drink Wisconsin Ablee Beverage Company, Best Vodka, brandy and canned cocktails in the game. Available at bars and liquor stores across the state and in the corner bar in right field over at Ampham. Perfect for hopefully a nice long Brewers playoff run coming up. And last but not least, big shout out to our friends at Three Sheeps, including our co-host on this episode. Fall is a great time to have a beer or two or ten, like our friend Nate Moody. Three Sheeps, the beer Wisconsin drinks, great people and beer over there. All right, let's dive in with Secret Menu, the band. Here, who took the title for Three Sheeps Battle of the Bands? They won three grand in cash and a recording session at the Les Paul Studios, all the way out in LA. You guys went very viral on social media this week. Couple million views on a couple different reels, I believe. We got 1.6 on one of them. If you add them up a couple of things, we'll give it to you. They're just blowing up. We got them before they've really blown up on the on the show today. You got a show coming up at the beloved cactus club October 5th.

SPEAKER_04
3:58

Yeah, yeah. We're opening up for uh pertinence. Um he's on tour, so that's gonna be really exciting.

SPEAKER_02
4:03

Nice. Yeah, very cool. Um names we got we got Josh Raphael goes by Raf. Yes, correct. Andrew, who is the lead guitar vocals right there. Got Matt, keys guitar vocals, and Evan, right across from me in the shorts over there, and then who plays drums in the ratings, who who also plays drums and does vocals. Looks like all you guys do vocals. Um vocals. I got to see you in in Milwaukee, those amazing performance. A lot of talent at that show. And speaking of co-hosting the episode, we got Josh Ashenbach from Three Sheeps, head of marketing over there, who really spearheaded Battle of the Bands. Um just just an all-time performance MCing in best I have seen.

SPEAKER_06
4:55

Um we we should get into that. Yes, I've been thinking about it.

SPEAKER_02
4:58

Yeah, so I, you know, Josh was like, hey, do you want to throw some Milwaukee on cut gear? And we we were there, so I was all about it. And um I went up on stage and I I saw him take a swig of a flask while walking up the stairs, and then I just I just knew I just knew it was game on. I think you made an announcement, and it was either you flung a hat or a t-shirt to the man in row five who was giving who was giving you zero respect. I think he was on his phone or something. Josh just pegged him.

SPEAKER_06
5:26

Were you guys out there when we were on stage or were you still in the green room?

SPEAKER_04
5:30

Uh I I was on on stage when you were throwing, but I missed you.

SPEAKER_02
5:36

Like was rudely on his phone during the t-shirt.

SPEAKER_06
5:39

I just got on the stage and like my I my mind went blank. Like I had like all that like adrenaline and like excitement of how well it's been going, and I just got up there and I just my brain shut up.

SPEAKER_02
5:48

Out of the crowd, could you remember if it was a t-shirt or a hat united?

SPEAKER_06
5:50

So it was actually two different there were two different situations that objects because the first one was a hat and I flung it blindly and it nailed this guy right in the face. And then later when we were throwing out t-shirts, you know, I was getting bored of just throwing them, you know, normally, so I like whipped one behind my back and it hit the first girl in the very first row, just like nailing her. And then I felt so bad that I gently threw another t-shirt to her.

SPEAKER_02
6:17

And then I remember to cap it off. You threw it through the box. Yeah, they were asking more. I didn't have any more.

SPEAKER_06
6:24

They were asking next time you give the crowd thing.

SPEAKER_02
6:27

No, I was I was just very impressed with your MC performance overall. It was iconic. Um, but anyway, can you all tell us about how the band came together? How long have you guys been going at it for?

SPEAKER_05
6:38

Raph, you want to take that one since you kind of uh assembled the events, yeah. So assembled the events.

SPEAKER_04
6:44

Assembled the events, nice, I like it. So yeah, we we came together late 2022, and we basically put out our first song in 2023. Um that was 18. And so how we all came together was was you know, just a series of random events as it goes. Um, I met Matt first. We were um we went to college together and we met, we were in a performance group called Wisconsin Singers. He was in the band, and I was um a singer, and so we kind of connected there, didn't make music together initially for a while, and then Matt was like, I got this program called Ableton, you know, maybe we can make some music. And so we we kind of started making music together, and then fast forward many years, uh, I met Evan. Um he was in your drumming in a cover band, yeah. And I came to this gig and I knew that you kind of had a studio, you know, you was doing some work, and I was like, let's let's work together, let's see what's happening. And I'm always interested in learning from from people, and Evan knew a lot about the mixing world, so that was really cool. And then fast forward a little bit longer, you know, I'm living in Madison and I'm at an open mic, and Andrew and I crossed paths, and I mean he was absolutely shredding and and singing on the guitar, and we kind of hit it off. And uh I somehow convinced him to join uh this musical project that at the time was called Raffin Company, but then later we all made something together, and that was the the Bourne of Secret Menu.

SPEAKER_02
8:08

Very cool. And how's the evolution been the last last few years?

SPEAKER_01
8:15

I think it's uh yeah, for me, I feel like it's just been a whirlwind. It seems crazy that it's been even that long up to this point. Uh we've just been you know putting as much time into it as we possibly can. We're meeting twice a week, basically a second job for all of us. And uh I think the I don't know, for me personally, like the experience we experiences we've been able to have through the last uh like f almost four years have been pretty incredible. You know, starting our our first shows where we're playing all this brand new music that we've been working on for months and nobody's heard to now where we get to perform and people are singing the words back to us is just an insane experience. So it's it's been a blast, but I think we've just been, you know, just trying to make you know make music and and have fun together, and it's just gotten us kind of to this point and to a spot where we got to be in a battle of advance, so it's pretty awesome.

SPEAKER_02
9:15

Yeah, and speaking of Josh, do you want to uh tell people a little bit about that? How many first year you kind of guys launched this out of nowhere? Yeah. A lot of people from Wisconsin submitted entries and yeah.

SPEAKER_06
9:27

Yeah, so I mean we have this great uh beer brand called Wisconsinitis, and it's kind of a stupid name that just means you know, we believe that like Wisconsin has this ability to like get under your skin. It's almost like this disease, this like Wisconsin loving disease that we all have. And so part of that beer brand story is like we just want to highlight um you know different things around Wisconsin that are awesome, and you know, uh certain people or certain you know events like like legends, you know, like Les Paul is just a legend, so why wouldn't we want him, you know, representative um on our beer can? And so Yeah, so we reached out literally. I just like blind called, like cold called the Les Paul Foundation. I was like, hey, you have no idea who I am, but like we want to put Les Paul on our beer can. Um and they were like super into it, and they actually said that they heard of three sheeps, even though they're located in in New York because of their Wisconsin roots, you know, they still have representatives here in Wisconsin, and so they knew who three sheeps, you know, they knew who we were, and they thought it was a great idea. And so kind of fast forward, how do you put that in how how do you, you know, give that life so it's not just like a name or a a logo on a can. How do you give that life? Is we thought, well, you know, let's have a battle of bands. Like what better way to honor Les Paul than to actually make music and you know do something new? And so that's how the Battle of Bands came to life. We just wanted to put it into practice, put you know, Les Paul's legacy into practice by you know giving uh these bands a platform.

SPEAKER_02
10:57

And you had different different sites around the state. You all were at Vivarium in Milwaukee. Do you do you remember uh seeing these guys entry for the first time? And did you have any any initial thoughts?

SPEAKER_06
11:07

Yeah, I mean we had we had over 60, I think it was like 65 bands who entered, and we only had you know 18 spots between the three locations, so Madison, Appleton, and Milwaukee. Um and so we got all these entries, and we had you know we had different teams that were kind of working with each venue to pick, you know, the ones that were gonna be at that venue at that battle. Um and secret menu was at the top of my list and at the top of many people's lists, and so that's obviously why uh why they were there.

SPEAKER_02
11:35

How how confident were you all getting selected and then and then going into the actual show?

SPEAKER_05
11:42

I mean, I remember when you brought us because he runs the email account. So he shows up the email and he's like, guys, we just got invited for battle the band, and like I think we could win this. And we talked about it, and you know, um I think we're pretty these group of guys are pretty good at like uh locking in when we really need to lock in. And of course nothing's set in stone, but you know, I think we came through, we did we did our practicing, we did our vocal warmups, annoyed my neighbors. And uh it felt it felt good, man. It just felt like I don't know, every s as Matt said, every step of the way, we're constantly surprising ourselves, um and it just felt right.

SPEAKER_06
12:22

My first experience with you guys actually was in your submission, you um sent the link to your the the video that you guys did on the frozen lake or frozen. What was yeah, can you talk about that? I mean that I was like when I saw that, I was like, okay, this is an awesome video. It sounds great. Like this is a complete package. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04
12:40

I mean that that was so that's our Irish Goodbyes music video we shot on Frozen Lake Minona. That was, I don't know, two years ago now.

SPEAKER_05
12:48

No, dude, more more seniors, remember? This is year four. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04
12:51

Yeah, so it was, I mean, the whole shoot was an insane experience. We got really lucky because it had been frigid cold and it was like a warm day. We went out, we lugged all the gear out on the lake. I mean, it was it took not only us but also some of our friends to help us out, and it was just such a really unique experience. We had to like buy um ice spikes to like make sure we weren't falling over.

SPEAKER_01
13:16

So I mean, yeah, we were we were doing scouting for it, you know, looking at the ice fishing holes, how much how how thick is the ice? Everyone was pretty worried about that, I remember. And then quickly as we got there, we were like, we are gonna be falling everywhere unless we're we are bolted into the ground. It was like 45 degrees that day. Yeah, it got super low. It came in clutch, it was still freezing after a couple of hours of being out there. It's so cold. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06
13:41

All right, so I've always wanted to ask this for bands who do music videos. What is that experience like where you're playing your electric instruments with no amps and just like shouting into the void for the music video? So uncomfortable. Have you seen that like trend on social media where people like what it would actually sound like? Like, I want to hear that. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00
14:00

It's so funny how many people don't understand that though, either. Like, we we get comments all the time from like friends and family that's like, how did you how did you get out there and like and how many times did it take you to play it? Or what and it's like, no, no, no, you don't understand. It's just we're just pretending for lack of a better word. I mean, we're still playing what we're playing, but it's still like that's not what you're hearing, you know. So the drums are probably echoing off of everything.

SPEAKER_01
14:24

In that shoot in particular, so all the guitars and our vocals, you can just sort of hear us like coldly singing and playing. And at that time, since then, we've gotten a lot smarter about it. But at that time, it was just the full drum sound echoing across the lake, and we actually had somebody uh bike over on a fat tire bike from the other end of Lake Monona coming over because he was like, I just wanted to see what was going on. I heard some music, but you could literally hear the snare like all the way down the lake because nothing was stopping it.

SPEAKER_04
14:53

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00
14:54

This was before we had the silent heads and silent symbols for video shoots. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01
14:59

Yeah, we we just did a video on uh the Milwaukee River uh and now it's much better. We have much quieter, much quieter drum heads and uh makes it a little easier to get in the world.

SPEAKER_04
15:12

It would make the the sound you it would make the sound you would hear though, like without very funny. It's just tapping and and us kind of thinking and half singing, half making sure that you know we're giving a good performance. So that's quite funny.

SPEAKER_05
15:25

I can't get the the sound out of my head when we shot Snow in Heaven. Yeah. And I just like I don't know why, but just the craziest sound escaped my mouth. And you just hear think, think, think, think, think, think, and then I like scream, and then like the song ends, you know. And like that's what the that's what the actual camera hears, you know.

SPEAKER_06
15:42

Yeah, yeah. Oh man, you should release those videos.

SPEAKER_01
15:45

Uh we might absolutely got some archived footage we can properly open the phone. Oh my god, yeah.

SPEAKER_02
15:54

Yeah, stay hot on Instagram. You gotta yeah, put a reel out of that. That that could be a good idea. I like that idea. Um going going back to Battle of the Bands, after just being at the Vivarium show, there was a lot of talent. There was a lot of good bands. Did you guys after the performances? I'm guessing you saw or listened to the other ones, did you did you think you were going to win? And I mean, Josh made people sweat a little bit up there. You had a nice dramatic announcement. What was were you guys nervous? How are you? How were you feeling?

SPEAKER_04
16:21

Uh I mean, I was I was nervous. I feel like we were all nervous. I think I was when we were talking, I feel like we we make music because we love to make music, and it's so rarely like a competition in the direct sense. And so when I mean everyone was amazing from from all the performances, the genres, the the vibe, you know. So I mean, were we did we think we were gonna win? I I know I don't want to say like we never know, you know. It's it's it's up to the judges and the and the fans, and the best thing that we can do is present our music the best we can, hope you connect with it and just just love the experience. And that's what we did.

SPEAKER_05
16:56

Actually, I have a funny story for you.

SPEAKER_04
16:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_05
16:58

It got ruined for me. What did the the winner? Really? I went up to this one guy at the end. I was like, hey, you know, I don't drink before shows, so I was like, hey man, can I get a beer? And he's like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he goes to the back and he gets one. He's like, by the way, I saw the judges scorecards and you are at the top. Are you kidding me?

SPEAKER_01
17:17

Well, and then Andrew decided to come walk. Andrew walked over to me and he goes, We won. And I thought he was like, I thought this was like some positive affirmation. Like, we got this man. So I he he straight he straight told me that. But I was I was I I thought he was just saying that, so I I had no idea he had actually had it spoiled.

SPEAKER_02
17:36

It's this guy who leaked it.

SPEAKER_01
17:37

I didn't know that. Oh, so you guys are I was I was still fully surprised that you can't really can't like completely trust that judgment either.

SPEAKER_05
17:47

But until that moment, I was like, I dude, I was so freaking nervous, man. Like you said you blacked out on stage and we were performing. I remember just like coming to, and I was like, oh my god, I'm like in the middle of playing this song right now. I forgot I gotta take a breath soon, you know. But then when he told me that, it just kind of like snapped me back in reality. It was it was funny, man.

SPEAKER_02
18:06

Have you guys done a battle before or many of them, or was that a first for you all? I mean, I did one in high school. This is one high school. Yeah, it's a first room. First one with like something on the meaningful on the line. Yeah. Yeah. And then how how is the show in in Sheboygan?

SPEAKER_04
18:22

I mean, it was so sick.

SPEAKER_02
18:24

That was my first that's a cool venue. Yeah. Not to shamelessly plug, but if people haven't been up to the Three Sheeps Brewery, it's it's an hour away from here and it's it's worth the drive.

SPEAKER_01
18:33

Yeah, the the atmosphere was amazing. So many people showed up for it, which was just a blast. There were people, you know, we were there early on in the day and just got to hang out with Josh and and um as we were setting up is like Yeah, just a very special place to be, and I think the environment, you know, even though it was a competition, like being there with all the other bands and getting to connect with, you know, everyone who had qualified for the finals and then getting to hear them all perform was really, really cool. It was a super fun night.

SPEAKER_06
19:05

It was cool for us too, because I mean we've never done anything like this, we've never seen our tap room look like that. Um, you know, so that was super fun to just we took so much seating out and just made standing room and then it got filled, and like people were just so into it. It was so fun for us. That was that was a cool moment. Oh, yeah, dude. That was yeah, that was the culmination. I think first thing I said when I saw you guys pull up, I was like, dude, tonight is like the culmination of a lot of work for all of us. It was we just got to like sit back and enjoy it, you know what I mean? It just it was awesome.

SPEAKER_02
19:33

You guys should have seen the event. They they put a full amateur wrestling setup in the middle right there.

SPEAKER_06
19:39

Yeah, that was that's awesome. Coming back again in 2026. Wow. Heard of your best.

SPEAKER_02
19:45

That was that was insanity. Handful. Yeah, whole rest. Wasn't bad either. Yeah, that's coming up in October. So plenty of opportunities to get up to Sheefs. Great, great, great venue up there. Um, what would you say the biggest misconception people have of like either your band or bands in general that are kind of at this point and climbing and trying to make it?

SPEAKER_05
20:11

That's a good question.

SPEAKER_01
20:15

Should we all answer or like one? Yeah, I well, I can I can go. I would say I think there's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that is not really related to writing or playing or practicing music that that we're doing.

SPEAKER_00
20:33

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01
20:34

Yeah, we have band practice, but that's not necessarily the right name for it.

SPEAKER_00
20:38

We barely play our instruments. It's like the ratio of playing to doing other things is is astounding, I think, if you were to So what are the other things?

SPEAKER_04
20:47

See the numbers. I mean, we talk about social media posting, we talk about upcoming shows and like when can we fit in, you know, the rehearsal and also what does our set list look like, music video shoots, making sure that we're coordinating with like a videographer or photographer if we want them here. Um also just like general band vision for like making sure that we have a plan kind of going into not only the next week or month, but maybe a couple months out, because you want to have you know a good release plan um so you can properly promote and get your music out there. So I mean I'm missing a ton of things. I know I am. I mean, editing the videos is is so much time and work, mixing masters, mixing mastery.

SPEAKER_05
21:29

Even just finding the right textbook to go over the video, like finding the right moment, extracting that from sifting through hours upon hours of live footage and then finding some text to put over it. I mean, it takes way longer than you think.

SPEAKER_04
21:42

Booking shows, coordinating with venues, coordinating with bands.

SPEAKER_06
21:46

Oh, yeah. So you guys kind of all have your own roles, you know. It's like one person like do this, one person does that. Like yeah, a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_05
21:53

I do the social media, Raph does the booking, Matt does kind of like a lot of things merch, graphic design, um, long. Form videos, anything you see on YouTube, that's Matt editing that. And Evan has done some editing as well. And then Evan does all of our production like on stage and then off the stage. So all of the songs you hear on Spotify were mixed, mastered, produced by Evan. Super, super talented.

SPEAKER_06
22:15

Which is like super unique for a band to do their own recording and like editing and mastering it. Not as much nowadays.

SPEAKER_00
22:20

No, not as much, yeah. I mean, if if there's any member of a band, uh like smaller bands like us, like that knows how to do it, a lot of people are opting to do it themselves.

SPEAKER_06
22:30

And um maybe what's unique is that you do it so well. I mean it sounds so professional.

SPEAKER_01
22:36

Yeah, Evan's too humble, but yeah, we're we're incredibly lucky to have both Evan's skills and the like amazing space that he's built that we get to practice and record in as well.

SPEAKER_00
22:46

Yeah, thanks. Yeah, a lot of bands do it themselves um and and succeed and and it saves a lot of money, a lot of time. It's I mean, I've had bands come to my studio and pay me for studio time, pay me for mixing, or some combination of the two, and and um and even at my level it's still it's still hundreds, if not in the thousands of dollars, depending on how much time you spend. So it's like you know, that's where that's where bands I think find roadblocks, but now that those roadblocks aren't as prominent because there's so many ways you can record at home and so many great videos out there and how to learn how to do it yourself, and and I mean that's really where I started too. Like I just got obsessed with it and spent god knows how many hours on YouTube and then even more hours just trying it and doing it and sucking and trying again and taking the mix to the car, and I've literally turned around on my way home to go back to the studio to fix stuff in the in the early days because I would just be obsessed with it, just like still isn't right, I gotta go back and fix this thing, you know. It's just like it becomes it becomes an obsession for sure. But um yeah, bands bands can do it themselves for sure.

SPEAKER_06
23:57

So what's it like to balance like a normal work life with all of this?

SPEAKER_05
24:04

I mean, I was just talking about this the other day with a friend. Like I wake up at uh seven my ship starts, and I'm just working, working, working, working, working. Sometimes I go to the studio and then I get home at eleven and that's it. So it's um it's definitely a lot of work, but it doesn't really feel like it when you're doing something that is I mean the heck, even making the videos is just super inspiring to see like those numbers climb and you feel like you're moving towards something. Um but it is a lot of work, it's a lot of tinkering, as Evan said, and playing my instrument, as I said earlier, doing vocal exercises, guitar exercises, all the things that aren't super glamorous is you know, being on stage and winning a nice check in a trip to LA, you know? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02
24:47

No, it's like three minutes out of the hundreds of hours that was three minutes, and then like you gotta perform in those three minutes too.

SPEAKER_04
24:55

Oh yeah. There's a balance, and there's also uh I would say I've been feeling this recently, just like a duality with like we'll play an amazing show and it'll feel really good, and like the weekend will be, you know, we'll be riding this high, and then I'll kind of have to like snap back and be more in like my work mode with like doing it. That's more the Josh type mode, you know? Yeah, exactly. Duality of man, Raf versus man.

SPEAKER_06
25:20

And so it like so you're right, Raf is when you're on stage, but Josh is when you're at your job.

SPEAKER_04
25:25

Um yeah, I guess in some capacity, I'll be right back. In the insider info here. Okay, I'm largely the same person. But I don't know. Um it's very interesting. I think it's something we we all experience differently, even as all of our roles are different, um, and what is asked of those roles um in our job, but it is certainly something that up to this point we've been able to manage, and as we continue to grow, we'll have to have conversations about how to continue that.

SPEAKER_06
25:56

So speaking of that duality, it this just made me chuckle. So you guys had won, you know, won the the battle of the bands, you had this big great moment, had this check, you got to celebrate your fans, all these pictures and stuff. And then what did you guys do after all that? What did you do? What did you have to go back and do? You had to go back and pack up all your stuff. It was just like to me, it was just so funny. It's like these guys are like working their butts off. Like they have a room full of people who are screaming their names and like you know, celebrating with them, and then they have to like still have to go and pack up all their stuff and put it away by themselves. Like, you guys need some roadies now, yeah. Right. That's just how that's just life for you know an up-and-coming band.

SPEAKER_01
26:37

It's like everyone else goes out to get a drink at the bar, and we're like, ah, well, we're gonna be packing up here until 1 a.m. probably.

SPEAKER_04
26:45

Like you come into the bars like we have literally an hour of packing up here to do. Oh, maybe.

SPEAKER_02
26:51

Um, you you said you you don't drink while you're on stage or before. What's the what's the pre-show routine? Are any are any of you guys uh drinking or doing anything before? Is it all just interesting out there soberly? Hey everyone, it's your host, Richie Burke, and I just wanted to to remind you that fall, good time. Good time to get your life together and great time to look at your finances. And if you're doing so and you need some help, talk to the experts at Annex. Annex is a holistic wealth management firm with offices in and all around Milwaukee that helps you with everything from retirement planning, smart investing, estate planning, legacy planning, and tax strategies all under one roof. That is our good friends over at Annex Wealth Management. Know the difference. Just head to annexwealth.com. That is annexwealth.com. And all right, let's get back to the episode with Secret Menu, the band.

SPEAKER_01
27:52

I think there's a limit on the drinks generally. Yeah, that would probably be good. You don't want to go overboard. Yeah, it can be dangerous when you get an open tab at a venue. You gotta especially if you're going on later.

SPEAKER_02
28:03

But uh yeah, yeah, I went back. I went back there. I mean, some people were drinking beers, some people were not. I was I was just curious if you guys yeah.

SPEAKER_05
28:10

You know what's funny, as our music got more and more complex, I found it increasingly more difficult to actually perform like two or three beers deep. Like I wanna know, man. I gotta be locked in for that one. Totally.

SPEAKER_04
28:23

I'd say, yeah, I mean, pre-show rituals uh largely are like making sure that we do a vocal warm-up. We always do that like 10-15 minutes duration, usually 30 to 45 minutes before we're playing. I'm definitely drinking a lot of water to dehydrated. Um, if I do have a drink, it's like probably only one and it's like on stage. But typically, like if I'm drinking beer when we're playing, like I'm burping, and so I'm trying not to be burping when we're singing.

SPEAKER_05
28:48

Dude, if you ever see us making a face like it's because I'm like holding back on that. So we gotta sing through it sometimes.

SPEAKER_04
28:54

Largely just water for me. Um, I mean, I feel like Evan's running around doing 80 things like he's got like, you know, Evan's in the audio world too, so he's making sure that, you know, we're we're sound checked, we sound good, and if we have lights, the lighting is set up, all that stuff is is dialed.

SPEAKER_00
29:10

Yeah, it's it's probably more energy drinks than beer for me, you know. I feel like it is with drummers.

SPEAKER_06
29:15

They're the ones who have a pile of monster behind them.

SPEAKER_02
29:17

Yeah, that's my bad habit. You're probably doing it at like 7, 8, 9 p.m. too. No, like 11 in 2000. 11 p.m.

SPEAKER_00
29:26

You're going open at the end of band just, yeah. Yeah, the 9 p.m. booster is what uh it's been dubbed, I think. But it's not it's not as bad as we portray it online, I swear, guys. Like, I don't I'm not like three monsters. Damn. Look into the camera and ask Monster Lynn the sponsor. For real. Celsius, yeah, yeah, Celsius has been one. Hit him up.

SPEAKER_02
29:50

Uh C4 hasn't got any REM sleep in a decade.

SPEAKER_00
29:55

It's tough out here in this industry though, for real, because you know, like last night I was at the Sylvie until midnight. Yeah. And the night before, I actually all four days this week so far have been twelve to fifteen hour days for me at at the venues. So that's I mean, we we show up at nine o'clock and or so, and we don't leave until midnight at least. And that's how that's how it is, you know, in in the industry working. But um yeah, I don't know, pre-show ritual. I gotta eat something. You gotta eat something. I learned that if I don't eat something, I I almost throw up. That was I opened for Bear Tooth a couple years ago in 2020 in my last band, and I I learned then that I did not eat enough. So the the coupling of not eating enough and then the nerves for playing on such a large. No, no, I didn't. I held it, I held it in, but man, I wanted to. That would be pretty hardcore though. Yeah. That that would be. Yeah. I've seen it. I've seen a drummer throw up on stage and keep going. You kind of have to almost. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02
30:56

Yeah, you gotta play through the pin. Um anyway, what it what is you all's craziest or funniest or most memorable fan interaction or interaction at a show.

SPEAKER_01
31:09

Oh man.

SPEAKER_02
31:10

Any anything pop come to mind?

SPEAKER_05
31:12

The first thing that came to mind, this wasn't at a show, but I thought this was super funny. This was like a couple months into us starting, right? So we have zero following, and we get these like series of Facebook VMs. And it's like, is this the empanada guy? The empanada guy guy. Oh yeah, like I'm gonna sell my truck to come to one of your shows. Not a bunch of girls, it is the empanada guy. It was like all these pictures of him, like I mean, like tons and tons of empanadas.

SPEAKER_01
31:43

And then like fresh babes, like, hey, this is what I got. It's what this is what you could be getting. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05
31:49

Never came to a show. You know, it was like literally pages and pages and pages of DM, and then that was it.

SPEAKER_04
31:55

He just kind of went ghost after that. Never another time. I think we should hit him up. Empanadas.

SPEAKER_06
32:00

Empanada guys are out there. Come on, reach out to us again.

SPEAKER_04
32:04

Or scroll all the way back and do like. I think it's tricky too, is like the the the notification that you have a message on Facebook if you because you have like multiple, you have your personal and you have like the band page, it kind of gets weird sometimes. And so I always responded to him, and I we have like a conversation, but he was very passionate about empanadas. It was multiple like you know, DMs about it. And we were, I mean, I would have tried some of it.

SPEAKER_02
32:27

It was a few years ago. I would say for probably not a sophisticated AI bot at that point.

SPEAKER_04
32:36

Where does he live? I have no idea.

SPEAKER_05
32:38

No, I thought it was something. Can we get him to LA?

SPEAKER_00
32:42

Can we get him to LA? Empanada merch. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we need him to come to the session, I think, with Empanada.

SPEAKER_01
32:50

We need an empanada shape sticker. Could have been a crazy collab on the secret menu with empanada guy.

SPEAKER_06
32:56

We love food trucks at three sheep, so empanada guy reach out. There we go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02
33:01

Um one question. You you guys were obviously in Madison, you've you've been all over the state. What are what are each of your favorite music venues either to play or watch a show in Wisconsin? Would love your answer on this too, Josh.

unknown
33:16

Oh man.

SPEAKER_01
33:19

I think if we're talking about venues, honestly, Cactus Club is is top tier for me. Why is that? The you know, it's not a it's not a giant place, but every show we've ever done there, you know, even like not depending on how many people there, just feels so energetic and the you know, the room's kind of tight and everyone's kind of squished in. Um they just yeah, it's it's a really just a good vibe in there. And the green room is like this old 70s apartment. I think it's an Airbnb that you can that you can rent out if you're a band coming through.

SPEAKER_02
33:59

So is it above? It's above, yeah.

SPEAKER_01
34:03

They've got an organ sort of like jamming out before the show. It's it's fun.

SPEAKER_05
34:09

Yeah, I second that. I like active.

SPEAKER_04
34:12

I mean, I was gonna say cactus club too, but I I'm gonna give a I want to give another venue like a shout-out too, as well. I mean, personally, this I had a ton of fun at Three Sheeps, like that's not just because you're here, I would have said that outside of this. Like, just like it so much of what I enjoy when we play shows is is like the vibe uh and the people who were there, and like that's what made the the battle of bands so exciting. It was just people were there and they wanted to hear music, and that and that you could feel it in the room, you could feel the energy there, and so like that makes a space great in addition to like the things that are also required, like a good sound system and making sure that the room can, you know, give people a proper listening experience. Um it's also just like a really good atmosphere.

SPEAKER_00
34:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04
35:00

I mean, I have you been at tons of venues, so is there some that stick out to you?

SPEAKER_00
35:05

Uh I mean, yeah, I could definitely give some shout-outs. Um our first show we played like legit uh secret menu is the Rigby. Oh I would say where's the rigby? In Madison. Okay. Yeah. Um it's it's yeah, right right near the Capitol. But it it's I I wouldn't love to like from first glance, I wouldn't love to play there or or you know, have a show or see a show there. But it's I think it's an energy thing. From the energy perspective, like that's a good vibe.

SPEAKER_05
35:38

And we got in trouble, do you remember?

SPEAKER_00
35:40

Because the first show we had, yeah, we we oversold the room, and and the floor was literally they had to t come up and tell us to make sure people wouldn't jump, we wouldn't have people like jump up and down because the floor like bowed up and down. And uh we had like some light stands with some light fixtures on them, and you could see the lights moving side to side uh during some of it. Yeah, it was it was a little scary. But that was a good vibe.

SPEAKER_04
36:05

Yeah, and it was very interesting because the owner was pissed, but the booking um you know, the person who books a show uh was so like chill.

SPEAKER_02
36:13

So like the booking person was probably happy you filled the room. The owner was probably scared shitless that you were sure. The owner makes a lot of sense, yeah, doesn't want to deal with that.

SPEAKER_00
36:25

Some more would be like X-ray arcade. Yeah. Um I've I've mixed a bunch of shows there. I got some good friends in some metal bands and hardcore bands, and that that room is always a good vibe. Uh what else? I mean, I I gotta shout out the rave. I mean, I'd uh uh hopefully someday we'll be there as well. But um yeah, that that place is is a little polarizing, I think, because you know people have mixed experiences at every venue, but it is something special going to see a band in the ballroom. I just worked this b uh uh show for this band called Turnstyle, if anybody out there knows Turnstyle, and um it was their first show of the tour. I was there for all the rehearsal days as a tech helping the tour out, and they they put on a absolutely sick show. And when you when you do it right in that room and you get a good engineer, that's the toughest part too. Those rooms aren't easy to mix, and the ballroom has like a seven second reverb time naturally. So this is him getting into that technical side. We're getting deep. Yeah, you're well, hey, you're asking me the question. So that but that room's magic too. If if you get the right engineer and the right band and the right experience, and um, yeah, good room, Sylvie. We played what Miramar? Miramar in Milwaukee.

SPEAKER_04
37:42

We played the Majestic, the High Noon, the Cooperage. Um Cooperidge is a good spot. I was gonna say I really enjoyed that show. We played like a cr a Christmas time show there. It was um we played with Alley Eyes and the Keystones. No, it wasn't Motherwind. And Motherwind, I think it was four band.

SPEAKER_05
37:59

No, Alley's was there.

SPEAKER_04
38:00

Uh yeah, yeah, they were there. Oh yeah, they were there. Uh it was it was it was a good spot. Motherwind, Alley Eyes, um The Keystones. And uh it was uh I really like that that that venue as well.

SPEAKER_02
38:14

Josh, what would you add?

SPEAKER_06
38:16

Alright, so this is a deep cut, but if you uh ever find yourself in Sheboygan, the Wild Center is such it's a gorgeous, you know, old uh theater that has been you know renovated and it's actually expanding. Um just such a hidden hidden gem on A Street in Sheboygan. Uh they bring in all kinds of, you know, uh, you know, I'd say semi-big name acts, but such a cool location to go see a show or you know see uh some sort of performance or musical or whatever it is. Super cool place.

SPEAKER_02
38:45

Nice. Nice. I was I was gonna give a shout out to the rip too. I think um maybe my favorite concert there was Snoop Dogg in 2008. I remember bringing a uh water bottle of vodka to the Marquette dorm, pouring some in some lemonade, walking over there very early, and we ended up in the front row. Let's go. Came out in like a handkerchief material pimp suit with like Snoop Dogg and diamonds across the mic, and uh him and the dog pound just just tore that show up.

SPEAKER_03
39:14

So Richie, could you still put off a move like that? Bringing a bringing a bottom of the show.

SPEAKER_02
39:20

I try I try not to do that. I've thought I've thought about doing that at the Pfizer because the cocktails are like $24. But I've restrained myself. I don't want to be the guy to get caught doing that, so I haven't done that in the world.

SPEAKER_03
39:34

They do, they do. Some was Wisconsinitis Tall Boys.

SPEAKER_02
39:38

14. It might actually be 16, but that's 14 you can spend for my uh I always make sure to grab one or two of those over there. I'm curious to hear your guys' take on this too. Any um, other than yourselves, any other artists to watch in in the Milwaukee or Wisconsin area?

SPEAKER_06
40:00

Can I answer while you guys are thinking? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02
40:02

We just saw a lot of them. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06
40:04

Well, yeah, one of the bands that completely blew me away at the Milwaukee show was Hot Mess. Those guys are new, they know they're relatively new, they're up and coming. Shout out to the ball. Oh man, they were so good.

SPEAKER_00
40:17

I talked to the singer after the show and I told him he reminded me of um uh beauty school dropouts, and he's like, that's one of my biggest inspirations right now. I was like, I see it, I see it.

SPEAKER_06
40:28

Yeah, they just came out with a couple new singles too, which are awesome. So I think those guys are gonna be a big name in Wisconsin before we know it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00
40:36

Yeah. Um hardcore scene again, maybe, but Still Stair. Still Stairs coming back with their with their sequel to uh their their album they put out recently. So All Heart is the first one, and No Breaks is the second one. No breaks is coming out, so shout out Marcus. Still Stair is pretty sick. I like working with those guys.

SPEAKER_01
40:54

You got yeah, I'll I'll give a couple shout-outs. One one Milwaukee and one uh a little bit further, but Moon Glow. Um, I don't know if you guys have have heard of them, but we've played a couple shows with them, and I really, really enjoy listening to their music and also just their energy uh live is is amazing. And then also this is a Chicagoland uh band, but Natarosynth, who we played with a couple times. Uh they're I would say like you know, they clearly are super passionate about like really working on their craft and and making amazing music and amazing live music. Um super nice guys, also really nice guys, and uh yeah, really enjoy them too.

SPEAKER_04
41:40

Um I'd say uh I gotta go with Alley Eyes for me. Like I have a long time friend of AJ, and just like I always enjoyed just their kind of sound and what they've got going on. Um we've played some shows with them and I just enjoy chatting with them. Um I would say like for me, completely dark horse of the whole competition. I was completely blown away by Axe and the Hatchman. Is that correct? It was the last band on the first night. The Taxman? The taxman. I said meant taxman. The full band name was It's just the Taxman. Oh, it's the Taxman.

SPEAKER_05
42:15

You're thinking of Axe and the Hatchetman, okay. You're confusing the two. I just said the Taxman.

SPEAKER_04
42:19

I was completely blown away by their sound, how good they were, and like I would I need to go to C show. I went up to them was like, we need to play a bill together. Okay.

SPEAKER_02
42:28

So were they the kids in college or younger? Am I thinking someone else?

SPEAKER_06
42:34

I think they maybe seemed a little younger than you guys, but I think they're from. They've actually played at three sheets before, so that would be fun to get you guys together. Yeah, together.

SPEAKER_05
42:43

That was gonna be my answer too. Like listening to them, they reminded me a lot of um There's this guy still woozy. He was in this band prior to that called And It's Escaping Me, Feed Me Jack. And it's like very much like you know, clean guitars, really good melodies, you know, some time changes, stuff that like we kind of do as well. So I I thoroughly enjoyed them. That was the answer to that.

SPEAKER_06
43:03

Yeah, they always had this like like throwback like Beatles type sounds.

SPEAKER_04
43:06

Yeah, the songwriting was really cool. Yeah, yeah, the hollow body bass, and it just kind of gave that vibe. It's like so sick.

SPEAKER_02
43:13

Um, do you do you guys have any ultimate goal or dream as as a band? Go ahead, Raf.

SPEAKER_04
43:19

I mean I always well, okay, it's a tagline, but I I felt like when we created Secret Menu, we were always extremely direct and passionate about like where we're going, you know, because I think as a musician, there are many different paths you can take. And I said, I want us to sell out Madison Square Garden. That is like I know it's a huge goal and a very lofty goal, but it also gives us a lot of stuff to aim for and let's align like those actions to that goal. So we've always been moving with that sort of intention, and hopefully one day all things will it'll it'll make sense and it'll happen.

SPEAKER_02
43:54

Love it. Josh, you got anything else for these guys?

SPEAKER_06
43:56

Here's a question, kind of similar. If if Secret Menu were to cease to exist tomorrow, like what would be the lasting impression that you would hope people would remember about you guys, your music, but also just like your impact on the Wisconsin music scene.

SPEAKER_05
44:11

I think it's about community like honestly, we've been approached by a couple people who have been like, I just did it. I know what your song is about, but that resonates with me. And that like as a musician, that is the biggest compliment you could ever get. To know that you were able to create something that connected with someone and made them hopefully feel less alone. Like, I don't think it's about changing the world, I think it's about changing someone's world. And if we can do that as a mu as musicians, like that's all that's all I want to do.

SPEAKER_06
44:43

Dang, that was deep. That's that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_02
44:46

Yeah, where hey, where where where can people find you guys?

SPEAKER_04
44:49

Okay, so yeah, I mean you can find us basically everywhere at Secret Menu the Band. Um, and our website is always up to date with all of our upcoming shows, uh, which is just www.secretmenuband.com. Uh and yeah, we just on all socials.

SPEAKER_01
45:03

Yep.

SPEAKER_02
45:04

Very cool. Well, uh, congrats on all your success so far. We look forward to following you, and it was great meeting you all today. Thanks. Thank you for having us. Thank you for tuning into this episode of Milwaukee Uncut. Thank you to Josh from Three Sheeps for co hosting this one with me and to Secret Menu for coming on before signing off. Just want to thank our partners who make Milwaukee Uncut possible. Annex Wealth Management, Nicola, Drink Wisconsin Abel Beverage Company, and Three Sheeps.