Party of four: Sam Llanas leaves the BoDeans

In a blow to dads and older uncles citywide, Sam Llanas announced today that he is leaving longtime Milwaukee fixture BoDeans. A statement on the group’s Facebook page reads in full:

We have released an announcement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Sammy Llanas has officially left the BoDeans. The band will continue on with all tour and promotional activities, including this weekend’s shows at the Milwaukee Zoo and Spirit of Peace Music Festival, in Freeport, IL. The band will also be making an in store appearance at the Exclusive Company in Greenfield, WI on Saturday at 3 PM. Please come out and show your support.

All joking aside—will Summerfest survive without them?—the group’s apparent demise marks the end of an era in Milwaukee music. Formed in 1983, Llanas and company quickly garnered a surprising amount of local and national acclaim. Following their 1986 debut, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, the group was voted the Best New American Band in a Rolling Stone readers poll. In 1994, the song “Closer To Free” was used as the theme song to Party Of Five, and would forever link the BoDeans with images of a young Matthew Fox and a weeping Neve Campbell. Not bad for a bunch of dudes from Waukesha.