American musician (died 2021)
Mike Hoffmann (1953/1954 – October 24, 2021) was an American guitarist and record producer. He is known for performing with the band Yipes! and as a producer with The Verve Pipe , Willy Porter , Paul Cebar and Violent Femmes co-founder Victor DeLorenzo .
Biography
Hoffmann was a graduate of Brookfield East High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The youngest of three children of Janet and Fred Hoffmann, he started playing in bands in high school.[ 1]
He was the guitarist in the Milwaukee power pop band Yipes! [ 2] The band had two albums with Millennium Records distributed by RCA Records .[ 3] Yipes! charted in the Billboard Hot 100 with its 1980 cover of the Beach Boys' "Darlin' ".[ 4]
Hoffmann played bass for Marshall Crenshaw on tour, and opened for acts such as Foreigner , Kansas , Jefferson Starship , Lou Reed , The Clash , Cheap Trick , The Replacements and Wilco .[ 5]
He recorded albums overseen by noted producers such as Nick Lowe , Mitchell Froom , Chris Thomas and Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads . Hoffmann also recorded with artists such as Herb Alpert , T Bone Burnett , k. d. lang and drummer Hal Blaine .[ 6]
Hoffmann was twice inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hall of Fame, in 2013 with the band Yipes!, and in 2021 as part of the group Semi-Twang.[ 7] [ 8]
He played in the group Carnival Strippers,[ 9] which had their music featured in the action movie Speed .
Hoffmann died at the age of 67 on October 24, 2021 from a pulmonary embolism.[ 1]
References
^ a b Levy, Pete. "Mike Hoffmann, Milwaukee music scene 'legend' from Semi-Twang and Yipes!, dies at 67" . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Retrieved November 8, 2021 .
^ Levy, Pete (April 12, 2013). "Former Milwaukee favorites Yipes! reuniting for WAMI awards" . Milwaukee Journal Sentinel .
^ "Billboard" . February 25, 1995.
^ "Billboard Top 100 1980" . Billboard . Retrieved November 8, 2021 .
^ Schlutz, Blaine (October 27, 2021). "Milwaukee Musician and Producer Mike Hoffmann Passes" . Shepard Express .
^ Rytlewski, Evan. "R.I.P. Mike Hoffmann, accomplished Milwaukee music veteran" . 88nine radio . Retrieved October 25, 2021 .
^ Tanzilo, Bobby (June 24, 2015). "Yipes! They're back!" . On Milwaukee magazine .
^ "Semi-Twang to be indicated into Wisconsin Area Music Industry Hall of Fame" . Kenosha News . October 17, 2021. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021.
^ "Billboard" . February 25, 1995. Retrieved November 8, 2021 .