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Biography
Milan Rodelle, a.k.a. The Leather Boy, (born as Milan Radenkovich on December 15, 1941 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia; died March 14, 1971 in New York City) was an enigmatic producer, songwriter and recording artist on numerous songs made throughout the 1960s, mostly though not exclusively in the garage rock genre. He released an LP and numerous singles for seven different national record labels and other independent labels (a total of more than 30 songs) under a variety of names: Milan with His Orchestra, Milan, The World of Milan, Milan (The Leather Boy), and The Leather Boy. Additionally, as the producer, arranger and/or songwriter, Milan oversaw many other releases by a variety of artists ranging from the pop singer Lou Christie, to the bubblegum pop band Ice Cream, to the psychedelic rock band The Head Shop.
Greg Shaw thought enough of Milan to place his song "I'm a Leather Boy" as the opening track on two different albums in the Pebbles series: the Pebbles, Volume 10 CD and the earlier Pebbles, Volume 11 LP (which was also the first album to be released on his AIP record label). He wrote of Milan as being "a cryptic artist who made a series of high image records offering himself as some leather-clad, bike-riding rebel, but so stylized he might've been imagined by Andy Warhol. . . . The only name to be found on these records is Milan, a name that also shows up as writer/producer on a big pile of records, from the early 60s right thru the end of the decade. . . . But who was he? No further clue has ever emerged. This is one guy whose story really cries out to be told."