Llanas was one of the founding members of the roots rock band BoDeans, which he formed with high school friend Kurt Neumann in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Under the guidance of producer T Bone Burnett, Bodeans entered Hollywood's Sunset Sound Factory in October to record their first album.
Llanas provided backing vocals on three tracks from Robbie Robertson's self-titled 1987 solo album.
[citation needed] BoDeans took some time off in the late 1990s so Neumann and Llanas could record solo albums.
Llanas founded Absinthe, with the help of Milwaukee musicians Jim Eannelli (guitars and bass) and Guy Hoffman (formerly of Oil Tasters and Violent Femmes, currently of Radio Romeo).