Jimmy Flemion discusses home recordings, tape archives, and Foreign Leisure’s September 2026 reissue.

Transmission 429: Interview with The Frogs

In April 1980, brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion formed The Frogs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, working with guitar, drums, and dual vocals. Drawing early inspiration from Marc Bolan, David Bowie, and Gary Numan, they initially adapted folk tunes and nursery rhymes into punk arrangements at local venues like The Starship. By 1982, the introduction of their “Death Songs” coincided with a total overhaul of their stage presentation, incorporating bat wings, boas, flashpots, and fog, a visual escalation intended to command attention within a local scene they felt alienated from.

Title: My Daughter The Broad
Artist: The Frogs
Release Date: 2026-09-11
Genres: Experimental Music, Indie Rock, Lo-fi
Label: Foreign Leisure Records
Description: Jimmy Flemion discusses The Frogs, tape improvisations, and the September 11, 2026 Foreign Leisure reissue of My Daughter The Broad.

Parallel to their stage act, the Flemions maintained an extensive practice of home recording. These sessions yielded “Made-Up Songs”—fully improvised compositions captured directly to cassette and reel-to-reel tape. Following their self-titled 1988 debut and 1989’s It’s Only Right And Natural, Matador Records released My Daughter The Broad in June 1996. The album compiled tracks recorded spontaneously between 1986 and 1996, combining immediate pop structures with lyrics addressing taboo and absurd themes, as seen in tracks like “Which One Of You Gave My Daughter The Dope?” and “Children Run Away.”

The band’s output attracted a dedicated following among high-profile contemporaries. They toured with Pearl Jam, were sampled by Beck, collaborated with Kurt Cobain, and released the 1997 EP Starjob, produced by Billy Corgan. My Daughter The Broad remains one of the most brilliantly cracked and endlessly inventive artifacts of 1990s underground pop.

Following Dennis Flemion’s death in 2012, the band’s catalog went largely out of print on physical formats. On September 11, 2026, Foreign Leisure Records reissued My Daughter The Broad as a double LP for its 30th anniversary, featuring eight bonus tracks drawn from the original tape archives. Below, Jimmy Flemion discusses the origins of their home-recording process, the Milwaukee scene, and the creation of the 1996 album.

How did the two of you decide to start a band together in 1980, and what were you after at the time?

We had witnessed bands perform at the time and realized that the path was right in front of us. Both of us had a passion for music, specifically the joy of screaming and shouting, and the electric feeling we felt inside when playing music, especially when amplified. We wanted to pursue a career in music.

What was the Milwaukee scene like for a group like yours in those early years?

There was a camaraderie and hierarchy among them. Being outsiders at this time, not feeling a part of the scene, only added to our determination. I would describe ourselves as the dark horse.

Where did the visual side of the live show come from, and how did it develop?

It originated from a law of show business: dressing up for a big show. We didn’t start out that way; we dressed normally. However, the invention of death songs led us to adopt wings and boas, glam-like costumes, mainly inspired by Marc Bolan & T-Rex. As the years passed, we needed new costumes to keep the audience engaged and excited.

How did the home recordings go from private tapes to something people could buy?

There was a surge in musical creation, and Dennis was always eager to share the music with the world. It was a natural progression, as it would allow people to understand our music and our message, and ultimately, our value.

What were you and Dennis listening to when the band was taking shape?

David Bowie, Elvis Costello, The Kinks, Lena Lovich, Gary Numan, XTC.

What pulls you toward a subject when you sit down to write?

I don’t specifically sit down to write about any particular subject. I write about what I’m feeling at the time and I don’t think about “oh I’m feeling down.” “I’m feeling up.” I just sort of sit down and wait for it to come out, or just sing, or say, or write what’s on my mind or in my soul at the time. It’s a learning lesson in of itself when I realize what I’m actually feeling and it ends up helping me understand my feelings and emotions better.

What feeds your work outside of music; art, film, whatever else is in the room?

What sparks and fires my imagination is my belief in the good of mankind and how can I improve my life, improve my world, and through the expression of hope and love that these things will reveal themselves to me.

Where did the title ‘My Daughter The Broad’ come from, and what were you signalling with it?

We pondered the dominant themes of the album, and one that stood out was the concept of a daughter. This theme was evident in both “Gwendolyn Macrae” and “Which one of you gave my daughter the dope?” During a phone conversation with a friend of ours, Bob Whittaker, Dennis was brainstorming album titles. Bob, who managed the band Mudhoney, had released an album titled “My Brother the Cow.” Inspired by this, Dennis decided to create a playful take on it, titled “My Daughter the Broad.” This phrase was quite common in the 1960s, a time we grew up in, and it resonated deeply with us.

Why do you think this particular record connected with people the way it did?

Perhaps there were themes that hadn’t been explored before, and in the manner in which we approached them. It was captivating that we conveyed the words, the corresponding chords, and the melodies that resonated with people on an emotional and personal level.

How were these recordings actually made, and how much of it survives as it happened?

Each song has a unique beginning or story behind it. For instance, I would begin playing the piano, and Dennis would join in. He would grab one of his cassettes, insert it into the cassette recorder, and then gradually increase the volume. As I played the riff for “Children Run Away,” he would join in on the baby grand piano, leaning on it while holding a microphone. He would sing spontaneously, and I would interpret his lyrics based on his gestures. Occasionally, he would nod to indicate that we were transitioning to a new section. He would then continue singing about the principal as it was during that particular section of the song. The song would conclude, and that was how they would go. They were all improvised on the spot. This is just one example. Each song was created spontaneously between 1986 and 1996. Eighteen songs were recorded on reel-to-reel tape, while twelve were recorded on cassette tape. The reel-to-reel recordings have overdubs, while the cassette recordings do not. Everything is preserved as it happened, with the exception of Dennis overdubbing some of the lines of “Reelin’ & Rockin’ #1 & #2” to create a lyrical promise, taking time out to write the clock time lines and make the words ring out, ultimately aiming to make them classic.

How did this reissue come together, and what made this the right moment?

I discovered that Josh Modell, the owner of Foreign Leisure, had a record label. During a conversation with him, he expressed his desire to release a reissue of our back catalog. He had a particular interest in releasing “My Daughter The Broad” at that time. I informed him that June 4, 1996, was approaching, which would mark the 30th anniversary of the album’s release. Fortunately, everything came together seamlessly, including the addition of extra tracks, the creation of a double LP, and the inclusion of liner notes. It was a truly memorable moment, and we were both incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

What do you hear in this material when you go back to it today?

There was such a pure, undeniable joy! I’m still blown away that everything came together perfectly—the melodies, the words, the feelings, the emotions. The music has so much variety and different styles, and I’m really proud of it.

What has your relationship with labels looked like across the years?

They’ve all come and gone, and I’m grateful for the time we spent with them. We were able to release some things during that time. I’ve been enjoying the music coming out in physical form. I’m grateful that the time has come again for this record, and I’m looking forward to more in the future.

What are you working on now, and what would you still like to do?

I’ve been putting together a collection of all my songs that haven’t been released yet, and I’m excited about the possibility of them coming out in the future. Plus, I’d love to tour more and play in different countries around the world I’ve never had the chance to perform in before, I really enjoy playing live and connecting with the audience.

Photos courtesy of © The Frogs

Matteo Damiani

Matteo Damiani is an Italian photographer and author. Curator of the sites Retrofuturista.com; weirditaly.com; china-underground.com and others