Shepherd Express

The publication began in May 1982 under the name Crazy Shepherd, inspired by a line from Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Footnotes to Howl” (”Holy the crazy shepherds of rebellion”). It was launched by a group of students from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, including Jeff Hansen, Doug Hissom, and Joe Porubcan, who managed the paper from various rented apartments close to the university. After initially being published irregularly, Crazy Shepherd transitioned to a consistent monthly release. Many of its founders later pursued careers in journalism, such as Jim McCarter, who became the publisher of the Metro Times in Detroit; Bill Conroy, who took on the role of editor at the San Antonio Business Journal; and Bill Lueders, who serves as the news editor for Isthmus in Madison.

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'Stand By': Trump Ally Aims Notorious Jan. 6 Threat at New Pope

3 days ago | shepherdexpress.com | Matthew Chapman

Longtime President Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon is no fan of the newly-elected Pope Leo XIV—and has an ominous message for him. According to Newsweek, Bannon said of the new pope, "It is shocking to me that a guy could be selected to be the pope that had had the Twitter feed and the statements he's had against American senior politicians," and that there will "definitely be friction" between the two of them.
The World After Gaza: A History by Pankaj Mishra

6 days ago | shepherdexpress.com | David Luhrssen |Pankaj Mishra

Pankaj Mishra’s intellectual life, his worldview, was shaped in large measure by Jewish writers and his Brahmin family’s admiration for Israel—a democracy that repeatedly fended off massive assaults from their authoritarian neighbors. Visiting Israel gave him a shock. The West Bank settlers and the growing right-wing fervor in Israeli put him in mind of the arrogant imperialism most of the world shook off in the last century.
Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care by Claudia Rowe

6 days ago | shepherdexpress.com | David Luhrssen

Can serious crime be blamed on bad foster care? Seattle journalist Claudia Rowe never gave the idea a thought until confronted by the case of a 16-year-old girl charged with murder after spending much of her life in the foster system. For children who survive family trauma, foster care is supposed to be “the net that had saved them,” she writes. Many have fallen through the holes.
Dreamsicle by Maren Morris

6 days ago | shepherdexpress.com | Jon Gilbertson

In 2023, Maren Morris told the world she was leaving the country-music industry, and that last word is key. Dreamsicle, her fourth album, keeps country sounds in the mix while it brings in more of the other sounds she was delving into before now. Morris expands more overtly with her many collaborators, including Delacey (who’s co-written with the very pop Chainsmokers and Halsey) and Jack Antonoff (who’s been a producer for and co-writer with … everyone, it seems).
These Fists Broke Box Offices

6 days ago | shepherdexpress.com | David Luhrssen

In the ‘70s, everybody was kung-fu fighting, as the old song went, and in one form or another, martial arts has become even more pervasive in American life. Along with Chinese takeouts, it was one of East Asia’s biggest exports before TikTok and Temu. The popularity of martial arts spiked with the rise of martial arts movies, the primary subject of These Fists Break Bricks.
This Week in MKE Music: May 8-14, 2025

1 week ago | shepherdexpress.com | Blaine Schultz

Eric Blowtorch and Ras Ameen @ Biersall Tavern; Jerry Grillo @ The Jazz Estate; Gang of Four’s farewell tour stops at Turner Hall; Derek Pritzl and Dandy L. Freling @ The Uptowner; Robert Świstelnicki’s ‘Songs of a Decaying Empire’ @ Sugar Maple and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music! Ari Hest @ Anodyne Coffee Roasting, Co., 7 p.m. Ari Hest has played every state and toured extensively through Europe.
Time to Talk Rice

1 week ago | shepherdexpress.com | Ari LeVaux

As we approach the growing season, and the kaleidoscope of fresh produce it brings, this is a good time to discuss rice, the ultimate blank slate of cooking. I say this because a rice dish is likely to be more compatible with whatever is in the garden, CSA box, or that cloth bag you brought home from farmers. Thus, rice is less likely to send you to the grocery store than any other carb.
Madcap Milwaukee Calendar: Shipwrecks and Trinkets

1 week ago | shepherdexpress.com | Tea Krulos

Friday, May 9 Mad Planet 533 E. Center St. This dance party features the Goth Barge DJs and DJ Kittens, who were all inspired by Mad Planet’s “teen night” back in the day, “the ones who lived through the glow of the early aughts before it all ended. And now, we’re bringing that energy back for one unforgettable night.” Expect to see and hear “throwback bangers, video nostalgia, and cat magic.” The show goes 9 p.m.-2 a.m., has a $7 cover and is 21plus.
Brew City Buzz: Events Happening May 8-14, 2025

1 week ago | shepherdexpress.com | Jamie Lee Rake

“Curious George: Let’s Get Curious!” at Discovery World The world of the monkey star of kid lit, family-friendly cinema is presented in an interactive presentation t. An apartment, building, produce stand, city park, rocket ship, miniature golf course, construction site and a museum-within-a-museum allow children and the adults with them to lean lessons in math, physics, engineering and the history of George and his creators.
Freedom of Mind

1 week ago | shepherdexpress.com | Philip Chard

The most vital freedom has nothing to do with civics, politics or law. It’s called “freedom of mind.” It emerges from the power to define oneself, to formulate one’s own identity, rather than having it imposed by others. Many of us don’t believe we possess the agency to determine or own minds, that we are permanently sculpted by genes, developmental experiences, early life trauma, family dynamics and the rest of the cooks in the mental kitchen.