Milo Bobbins and the Budget Boys

Inducted: April 2010

Unless you’ve never met Pete Steiner, or maybe just have seen him quietly taking notes at a City Council meeting, you’d never describe him as a man of few words.

He’s on the radio every day, for one thing — talking is his job on KTOE. He also writes a column for Mankato Magazine every month in which he reminisces about times and places past, usually at length, and readers eat it up.

So, when we sent him a few questions via e-mail to answer for the Meet the Band series, we certainly didn’t expect him to get straight to the point. Surprisingly, answering for the eight-year-old Milo Bobbins and the Budget Boys, that’s exactly what he did. (The Budget Boys are Billy Steiner on harmonica and vocals, Dave Pengra on bass and vocals, and Ron Arsenault on guitar and vocals. But mostly Pete plays alone.)

So: Meet Pete Steiner, the man of few words. But don’t worry, the music speaks for itself.
Check out music samples and buy the band’s albums, “The Struggle to Free Milo Bobbins” and “Just Enough Money for Beer,” at their Web site.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your band. What’s your sound like? What genre of music would you say it fits into, if I could be so bold as to categorize?
A: Folk, blues, gospel.

Q: Do you play original material or covers? A mix of both?
A: About 50-50.

Q: What’s your inspiration for the music you write? Political? Observational? Spiritual?
A: Observational, occasionally political.

Q: If you cover, how do you choose songs for your repertoire?
A: Songs we like; usually NOT hits, lyrics important.

Q: What’s a good night on stage like?
A: When we remember all the words.

Q: What do you love about performing?
A: Transports you to a special place.

Q: Who are some of your influences?
A: Dylan, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Hank Williams, Tom Paxton.

Q: If you ever made the cover of Rolling Stone, what other bands would you want to be compared to?
A: Afraid to even dream about that.

Q: Where’s your favorite place to play in Mankato and why?
A: Intimate spaces preferred — Coffee Hag, Wine Café, used to love McGoff’s (before it closed).

Q: How do you unwind after a show?
A: Probably with a cold one or two.

Q: Any interesting band rituals? (Don’t change your socks for days before a gig? A shot of whiskey before you take the stage?)
A: Picking out a favorite hat to wear.