In April the Townedgers will release their first album in five years called No Exit. Recorded with longtime associate and producer Richard Dennanbaugh along with R. Smith, No Exit returns the the harder rock and roll sound that the TEs haven't done since There's Nothing Yet although Rod Smith has said that this record is more like Town's Edge Rock, the album that put R.Smith and company on the map 30 years ago. With a generous 14 song selection and 57 minute running time, it's another chapter into a long career and life's meaning for Rod Smith and the band.
For the first since 20, Geoff Redding returns to full time guitar player and John Verhoven taking up bass duties before leaving to reform Bullshot with Mark Glarington who contributes the title track and dedicated to Michelle Bachmann, the crazed GOP Minnesota Senator that has been known to say stupid stuff. The artwork itself pretty much ties in with the song as well.
Smith says that the recording was unique, the first time we went into the studio with a blank paper and no songs, the 14 songs, with the exception of One More Time which lyrics from a 1992 session was used and Stone City a remake of a hidden cut from More R.Smith And The Townedgers, finally given the full song treatment were recorded as they happened from jamming and coming up with new chords along the way. It's been a while since we done that way Smith says and even he was surprised of the end results.
The one cover song used is the infamous The End by The Doors, which came together very quickly after an impromptu jam session, to which Dennanbaugh overheard Smith sing This Is The End to a D minor chord Redding was playing as the band was writing new songs. One of most unsounding of all Townedgers number, the The End plays to the original Doors version with plenty of improvisation all around and done on a dare the song ends the album to which after the playback everybody looking and Smith saying "did we really do that?"
In R Smith fashion, the songs on No Exit are a style and ideas that is typical of The Townedgers, in fact when you think about it, plenty of influences are all over the place with the vocals the most surprising of all. Smith channels his inner Luna in One More Time, revisits the ghost of Jim Morrison on The End, screams with the best of Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke on Law Of The Land and somehow Ian Curtis plays rock star on You Know I'm Not Good For You, but Smith's inner Del Shannon can be heard on the reflective Curio and Passage To Yesterday and as always pays Neil Young a tribute with Into The Now.
"I think this record has the best vocals that I have ever done" Smith says with pride. "But God knows we spent many a hour trying to get them up in the mix. Plus the fact that either we had bad cassette tapes or the damn player was falling apart didn't help much either". Martin Daniels who worked on the remixing with Chris Denton said that was a problem as well. "Smith loves to hide the vocals as far back as he can" Daniels says "and we fought with technology to get them out in front". For the most part, I think there's a bit more sense of humor than Pawnshops For Olivia, said Daniels. Abstract Girl is very tongue in cheek, and the Pies in the oven comment, well that's about baking but I guess you can consider that risque.
No Exit the album begin in December after Diggy Kat, a friend DJ and Townedgers supporter was talking about a new album and Smith didn't think there wasn't any forthcoming, and basically the TEs were history. Diggy Kat convinced Smith to revisit the TEs catalog and played a few songs during his broadcast. "That got the ball rolling" said Smith. "So I spent most of January going through my favorite albums and decided let's give this another go and besides this is the 30th year of Town Edge Rock. So in late January and thoughout the winter months, Smith begin to write with major plodding from Redding and Dennanbaugh. Geoff Redding: "For the last five years, we did things Rod's way and nothing was getting done, we had to show him that's more to life than buying out music stores. We had to go over to his place, get him off the computer or from the TV set and get him to get involved with the music. If he got bored, we still had to continue to get him to be interested and that the biggest hurdle. We were going to lose him at the record store this time out."
Another factor in the making of No Exit was that a song submitted for Songs That Made An Impact, Queen Of Anamosa was included. "Make no mistake Diggy Kat got it going, therefore I had to make a new album" Smith says. "But I also thought Queen Of Anamosa was better as a electric number rather than the acoustic number that was quickly mixed and given to Diggy for his compilation" (the acoustic version can be found on Soul Biscuits! 2012) "therefore we did a electric number"
"In a era to which independent music is so much out there that everything gets lost in the shuffle No Exit was made for our fans and for myself," Smith remarks. " Basically I wanted to hear something new for myself since I am too a fan of The Townedgers. If I'm not a fan than it's all a wasted effort, you can't bullshit the masses or critics or radio, so it's all for ourselves and the ones that support us the best. I can see myself playing this album as long as I live. I think it fits in well with Pawnshops or Road Less Traveled or Diamonds In The Skies".
And what is about that Cannery Row? Smith: Basically it's my version of Don't Tell Me Your Troubles by Don Gibson done in a different way. Take yourself and problems away and go to Cannery Row and tell it to the ghosts that live there. It's something different I gather.
NO EXIT
Produced by Richard Dennanbaugh with Rodney Smith
Recorded by Richard Dennanbaugh, R.S. and Martin Daniels
Mixed by Chris Denton with input from the creepy old dude
Recorded at The Hoarder House, Springville Wintertime 2013
The Songs:
Into The Now (Smith/Redding) 4:19
Abstract Girl (Smith/Redding) 3:39
Queen Of Anamosa (Smith) 4:00
One More Time (Smith/Orbit) 4:55
Keep On Walking (Smith) 3:30
Cannery Row (Smith/Redding) 3:29
Law Of The Land (Smith/Orbit) 3:27
Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever (Smith/Passmore) 5:07
You Know I'm Not Good For You (Smith/Miller) 3:09
A Passage To Yesterday (Smith/Redding) 2:46
Stone City (Smith/Redding/Verhoven/Janey) 2:24
No Exit (Smith/Redding/Glarington) 3:50
Curio (Smith/Redding/Verhoven) 2:40
The End (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) 9:35
All songs Copyright Control.
The End: Doors Music Company (ASCAP)
Sunday 31 March 2013
Curio
CURIO-2:40
(Smith/Redding/Verhoven)
I really must be going
I must be on my way
Like a river that is flowing
I'm moving on from place to place
I live for the moments
That help and get me through this day
And everything is paid for
It's all yours to take away
And like a bargain store, you know
That everything must go
I sure hope what you're looking for
You might find
Just like a curio
Like a curio
Memoirs of this life
An souvenirs of days gone by
Long ago forgotten
Hidden deep within my mind
It's not what I ask for
When I see it slip away
And end up having relics
Of long gone yesterdays
And like a bargain store, you know
That everything must go
I sure hope what you're looking for
You might find.
Just like a curio
Like a curio
(C) 2013
(Smith/Redding/Verhoven)
I really must be going
I must be on my way
Like a river that is flowing
I'm moving on from place to place
I live for the moments
That help and get me through this day
And everything is paid for
It's all yours to take away
And like a bargain store, you know
That everything must go
I sure hope what you're looking for
You might find
Just like a curio
Like a curio
Memoirs of this life
An souvenirs of days gone by
Long ago forgotten
Hidden deep within my mind
It's not what I ask for
When I see it slip away
And end up having relics
Of long gone yesterdays
And like a bargain store, you know
That everything must go
I sure hope what you're looking for
You might find.
Just like a curio
Like a curio
(C) 2013
No Exit
NO EXIT-3:50
(Smith/Glarington)
It was here where I last left ya
Finished what we started before
The uptown Chevy girl has returned home
As she sits upon her velvet throne
Thinking that she did no wrong
While the man of her dreams had enough and he is gone
(C)
And I wish you the best
And you learn something from this
But you left me with no exit
Forever gone from your bitterness
Ain't it funny how love begins
Ain't it sad when it ends
It's a shame it came be like that just in the movies (in the movies)
I'm not at good at ultimatums
Especially on the receiving end
It's a good indication, reason why you're lonely
(C)
One more bridge to cross
And the river is looking wide
But you burn that bridge down
I sure hope I can get to the other side
(C)
And I wish you the best
Hope you learn something from this
But you left me with no exit
Forever gone from your pettyness
(C) 2013
(Smith/Glarington)
It was here where I last left ya
Finished what we started before
The uptown Chevy girl has returned home
As she sits upon her velvet throne
Thinking that she did no wrong
While the man of her dreams had enough and he is gone
(C)
And I wish you the best
And you learn something from this
But you left me with no exit
Forever gone from your bitterness
Ain't it funny how love begins
Ain't it sad when it ends
It's a shame it came be like that just in the movies (in the movies)
I'm not at good at ultimatums
Especially on the receiving end
It's a good indication, reason why you're lonely
(C)
One more bridge to cross
And the river is looking wide
But you burn that bridge down
I sure hope I can get to the other side
(C)
And I wish you the best
Hope you learn something from this
But you left me with no exit
Forever gone from your pettyness
(C) 2013
Stone City
STONE CITY 2:25
(Smith/Redding/Verhoven/Janey)
Gonna put on my walking shoes
Going down to Stone City Blues
Viola in the neighborhood
We're a suburb of Stone City
Stone City, Stone City
Stone City Rock And Roll
Stone City, Stone City
Rock on
ROCK ON!
Let me tell you about a place I know
It's what we call the general store
Next to the Wapsi where you can fish
Keep the big ones throw back the rest down in
Stone City Stone City
Stone City Rock And Roll
Stone City Stone City
Rock on
ROCK ON!
Stone City (yeah)
Stone City
rock on, rock on etc etc.
In the summertime in the shade
We'll playing like we have got it made
Don't need a reason to celebrate
Of the best damn place in the state
Down in Stone City, Stone City
Stone City Rock And Roll
Stone City, Stone City
Rock on
ROCK ON!
(C) 2001 2013
(Smith/Redding/Verhoven/Janey)
Gonna put on my walking shoes
Going down to Stone City Blues
Viola in the neighborhood
We're a suburb of Stone City
Stone City, Stone City
Stone City Rock And Roll
Stone City, Stone City
Rock on
ROCK ON!
Let me tell you about a place I know
It's what we call the general store
Next to the Wapsi where you can fish
Keep the big ones throw back the rest down in
Stone City Stone City
Stone City Rock And Roll
Stone City Stone City
Rock on
ROCK ON!
Stone City (yeah)
Stone City
rock on, rock on etc etc.
In the summertime in the shade
We'll playing like we have got it made
Don't need a reason to celebrate
Of the best damn place in the state
Down in Stone City, Stone City
Stone City Rock And Roll
Stone City, Stone City
Rock on
ROCK ON!
(C) 2001 2013
A Passage To Yesterday
A PASSAGE TO YESTERDAY-2:45
(Smith/Redding)
A passage to yesterday
Returning to days gone by
Thinking of my youth
When it used to be good
When life was easy back then
Records in the store
Is what I came here for
The melody that plays
And takes me away
To a place I've long to return
After the sun goes down
Wait till the stars come out
Make a wish and keep it
For some day it might come true
The life that I lead
Of music you can see
Has been here so far
Just like this old guitar
And shall be my friend till I'm dead
After the sun goes down
Wait till the stars come out
We'll make a wish and keep it
For some day it might come true
Progess must be made
But leave me in my ways
Cause, I'm not from here
And you're not from there
And never the twain shall meet
(C) 2013
(Smith/Redding)
A passage to yesterday
Returning to days gone by
Thinking of my youth
When it used to be good
When life was easy back then
Records in the store
Is what I came here for
The melody that plays
And takes me away
To a place I've long to return
After the sun goes down
Wait till the stars come out
Make a wish and keep it
For some day it might come true
The life that I lead
Of music you can see
Has been here so far
Just like this old guitar
And shall be my friend till I'm dead
After the sun goes down
Wait till the stars come out
We'll make a wish and keep it
For some day it might come true
Progess must be made
But leave me in my ways
Cause, I'm not from here
And you're not from there
And never the twain shall meet
(C) 2013
You Know I'm Not Good For You
YOU KNOW I'M NOT GOOD FOR YOU 3:09
(Smith/Miller)
It's not my intention to be
To leave you in misery
To show an loving embrace
Could be your biggest mistake
You are a woman at hand
And I'm a playing in this band
And like I give a damn
You don't fit my demands
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
It's just the way it is
I have no time for this
Of some unwilling bliss
Another test of wits
On a illogical myth
On a illogical myth
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
It's just the way it is
It's just the way it is
It's just the way it is
You know I'm not good for you
(C) 2012
(Smith/Miller)
It's not my intention to be
To leave you in misery
To show an loving embrace
Could be your biggest mistake
You are a woman at hand
And I'm a playing in this band
And like I give a damn
You don't fit my demands
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
It's just the way it is
I have no time for this
Of some unwilling bliss
Another test of wits
On a illogical myth
On a illogical myth
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
You know I'm not good for you
It's just the way it is
It's just the way it is
It's just the way it is
You know I'm not good for you
(C) 2012
Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever
GOODBYE DOESN'T MEAN FOREVER-5:05
(Smith/Passmore)
I'm traveling on in a minstrel show
Driving down on a open road to places unknown
I'm feeling tired as I'm getting stoned
Playing a song that touches down deep in my soul
Goodbye doesn't mean forever
It means I had a good time see you later
Goodbye shouldn't mean forever
It paves the way to a start of a brand new day
The hippie dream is not what it seems
You see the old man has left and became a Conservative
So we fend for ourselves cuz there's no one we can trust
It's just the way we live
The way we give
And get nothing in return
Goodbye doesn't mean forever
I had a good time see you later
Goodbye shouldn't mean forever
It paves the way to a start of a brand new day
And so it goes, and you and I know
That the time we share together
Are few and far between
So you take what you can get and you never forget
That the man in the band
With guitar in the hand
Is just a spirit that you can never land
Now goodbye doesn't mean forever
I hope you had a good time see you later
Goodbye shouldn't mean forever
It paves the way to the start of a brand new day
(C) 2013
(Smith/Passmore)
I'm traveling on in a minstrel show
Driving down on a open road to places unknown
I'm feeling tired as I'm getting stoned
Playing a song that touches down deep in my soul
Goodbye doesn't mean forever
It means I had a good time see you later
Goodbye shouldn't mean forever
It paves the way to a start of a brand new day
The hippie dream is not what it seems
You see the old man has left and became a Conservative
So we fend for ourselves cuz there's no one we can trust
It's just the way we live
The way we give
And get nothing in return
Goodbye doesn't mean forever
I had a good time see you later
Goodbye shouldn't mean forever
It paves the way to a start of a brand new day
And so it goes, and you and I know
That the time we share together
Are few and far between
So you take what you can get and you never forget
That the man in the band
With guitar in the hand
Is just a spirit that you can never land
Now goodbye doesn't mean forever
I hope you had a good time see you later
Goodbye shouldn't mean forever
It paves the way to the start of a brand new day
(C) 2013
The Law Of The Land
THE LAW OF THE LAND-3:30
(Smith/Orbit)
The law of the land
Money is the name
The law of the land
Richness is the fame
How much can you make?
The law of the land
Survival is the game
The law of the land
Richmen put in their claim
To boost their profit line.
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
SAVE US FROM OURSELVES
The law of the land
Is not for you or me
The law of the land
Are only to decieve
while the thieves find the loopholes
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
SAVE US FROM OURSELVES
Save me from yourself
(C) 2013
(Smith/Orbit)
The law of the land
Money is the name
The law of the land
Richness is the fame
How much can you make?
The law of the land
Survival is the game
The law of the land
Richmen put in their claim
To boost their profit line.
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
SAVE US FROM OURSELVES
The law of the land
Is not for you or me
The law of the land
Are only to decieve
while the thieves find the loopholes
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
Save us from ourselves
SAVE US FROM OURSELVES
Save me from yourself
(C) 2013
Cannery Row
Cannery Row 3:30
(Smith/Redding)
There are many things on my mind
So many things so little time
What we accumulate in this life
And never satisfied of what we find
(C)
So take your problems down the road
And go as far as you can go
Down to a place called Cannery Row
That's where the ghosts live I am told
Cannery Row.
Living a life of misadventure
Loving a life of misconception
We are not of who we are
Is the biggest cause of deception here
(C)
I'm not a advocate for romance
But I will thank you for this dance
And if I ever get the chance
Maybe I will show you the golden chalice
(C)
I think I'm down to my last years
Of running around and submit more fears
Got what I wanted and I threw it away
For this life is like a unsolved mystery
(C)
So take your problems down the road
And go as far as you can go
What is this place called Cannery Row
It's where the ghosts live I am told
Cannery Row
Cannery Row
Cannery Row
Cannery Row
(C) 2013
(Smith/Redding)
There are many things on my mind
So many things so little time
What we accumulate in this life
And never satisfied of what we find
(C)
So take your problems down the road
And go as far as you can go
Down to a place called Cannery Row
That's where the ghosts live I am told
Cannery Row.
Living a life of misadventure
Loving a life of misconception
We are not of who we are
Is the biggest cause of deception here
(C)
I'm not a advocate for romance
But I will thank you for this dance
And if I ever get the chance
Maybe I will show you the golden chalice
(C)
I think I'm down to my last years
Of running around and submit more fears
Got what I wanted and I threw it away
For this life is like a unsolved mystery
(C)
So take your problems down the road
And go as far as you can go
What is this place called Cannery Row
It's where the ghosts live I am told
Cannery Row
Cannery Row
Cannery Row
Cannery Row
(C) 2013
Keep On Walking
KEEP ON WALKING (We'll Get There) 3:25
(Smith)
Woke up this morning and I had the blues
I'm gonna take a trip, put on my walking shoes
Down to a place called top of the point
Gonna see this woman rocking the joint
She hits the stage all dressed in black
And takes her shoes off, she don't look back
That boogie woman like to feel the burn
As she plays her guitar to black cat bone
Big black drummer he keeps the beat
Vibrations running down to the street
She's asking us if she want some more
Of those funky old blues she knows by the score
So tell me how did I get this way
Got this guitar slinger right in my face
I know she wouldn't give me the time of day
I'm too old for her you know that's my fate
Walk some more babe!
I had a good time down at the show
Till the car broke down, now I'm all alone
It's a long walk to get back home
Was it worth it you ask well maybe so
Walk on
Keep on walking
Keep on walking
Keep on walking
Keep on walking
We'll get there.
(C) 2013
(Smith)
Woke up this morning and I had the blues
I'm gonna take a trip, put on my walking shoes
Down to a place called top of the point
Gonna see this woman rocking the joint
She hits the stage all dressed in black
And takes her shoes off, she don't look back
That boogie woman like to feel the burn
As she plays her guitar to black cat bone
Big black drummer he keeps the beat
Vibrations running down to the street
She's asking us if she want some more
Of those funky old blues she knows by the score
So tell me how did I get this way
Got this guitar slinger right in my face
I know she wouldn't give me the time of day
I'm too old for her you know that's my fate
Walk some more babe!
I had a good time down at the show
Till the car broke down, now I'm all alone
It's a long walk to get back home
Was it worth it you ask well maybe so
Walk on
Keep on walking
Keep on walking
Keep on walking
Keep on walking
We'll get there.
(C) 2013
One More Time
ONE MORE TIME-4:57
(Smith/Orbit)
Maybe I should have let her flowers
Or called her every hour
Or left a note to say How Are You?
I hope she at least read it once
Do you think I tried too hard
Or if I didn't try at all?
You think that if she really cared
She would at least, at least call
(C)
Take it out on me baby
Take it out on me baby
Take it out of me baby, one more time
Well she said that she had another
Somebody she spends her time with
I didn't ask her to give up her world
Just think of me once in a while
(C)
Not asking you to give up your life
I just want you to take a chance
Well if she really did cared at all
She wouldn't put me though this hell
(C)
May just as well not fall in love
Cuz you never ever get anywhere
Competition gets to be too much
And you never get what you want
Take it out on me baby
Why don't you take it out on me baby
Come on and take it out on me baby
One more time
One more time
One more time
(C) 2013
(Smith/Orbit)
Maybe I should have let her flowers
Or called her every hour
Or left a note to say How Are You?
I hope she at least read it once
Do you think I tried too hard
Or if I didn't try at all?
You think that if she really cared
She would at least, at least call
(C)
Take it out on me baby
Take it out on me baby
Take it out of me baby, one more time
Well she said that she had another
Somebody she spends her time with
I didn't ask her to give up her world
Just think of me once in a while
(C)
Not asking you to give up your life
I just want you to take a chance
Well if she really did cared at all
She wouldn't put me though this hell
(C)
May just as well not fall in love
Cuz you never ever get anywhere
Competition gets to be too much
And you never get what you want
Take it out on me baby
Why don't you take it out on me baby
Come on and take it out on me baby
One more time
One more time
One more time
(C) 2013
Saturday 30 March 2013
Queen Of Anamosa
QUEEN OF ANAMOSA-4:00
(Smith)
She's the queen of Anamosa
The pride of Garnavillo Road
She used to live in New York City
Now some folks think that's sure a pity
(C)
And you know there ain't nothing wrong with that
And you know that woman knows where it's at
And you know it wasn't easy getting here
Take me home before the fools drive me away
She's gotta smile that I'm dreaming of
I wanna drink from her loving cup
Now there's no reason for this bitterness
With her around it's happiness
(C)
She's the queen of Anamosa
Small town wonder gonna pull you under
A nation of fools in front of her stage
She makes it clear that she's all the rage
(C)
(c) 2012
(Smith)
She's the queen of Anamosa
The pride of Garnavillo Road
She used to live in New York City
Now some folks think that's sure a pity
(C)
And you know there ain't nothing wrong with that
And you know that woman knows where it's at
And you know it wasn't easy getting here
Take me home before the fools drive me away
She's gotta smile that I'm dreaming of
I wanna drink from her loving cup
Now there's no reason for this bitterness
With her around it's happiness
(C)
She's the queen of Anamosa
Small town wonder gonna pull you under
A nation of fools in front of her stage
She makes it clear that she's all the rage
(C)
(c) 2012
Abstract Girl
ABSTRACT GIRL-3:39
(Smith/Redding)
Well I'm beating it down the line
Going about ninety five
I gotta destination that I must be getting to
She's making pies in the oven
Stuffing cherries into her muffins
She gonna see what trouble she can get into
(C)
And I'm not saying that it's going to be me
But I just have to see
Imperfect world with an abstract girl
Taking our changes on what's to be
Well I'm living fancy and free
Doing what comes naturally
I'm set in my ways, cannot change so come what may
It's not easy for her to do
To give her love to some old fool
There's other guys standing in line but they know she's mine
(C)
Last (C)
I'm not saying that it's going to be me
But I just have to see
Imperfect world with an abstract girl
Making the changes on what's to be.
(C) 2013
A live version substitutes the line
She's baking pies in the oven
Making Chicken Biscuits for supper.
In today's PC word I added that line to get away from the double entre of stuffing cherries in her muffins. Seems to work better for the live crows as it stands.
(Smith/Redding)
Well I'm beating it down the line
Going about ninety five
I gotta destination that I must be getting to
She's making pies in the oven
Stuffing cherries into her muffins
She gonna see what trouble she can get into
(C)
And I'm not saying that it's going to be me
But I just have to see
Imperfect world with an abstract girl
Taking our changes on what's to be
Well I'm living fancy and free
Doing what comes naturally
I'm set in my ways, cannot change so come what may
It's not easy for her to do
To give her love to some old fool
There's other guys standing in line but they know she's mine
(C)
Last (C)
I'm not saying that it's going to be me
But I just have to see
Imperfect world with an abstract girl
Making the changes on what's to be.
(C) 2013
A live version substitutes the line
She's baking pies in the oven
Making Chicken Biscuits for supper.
In today's PC word I added that line to get away from the double entre of stuffing cherries in her muffins. Seems to work better for the live crows as it stands.
Into The Now
INTO THE NOW-4:19
(Smith/Redding)
Woke up to the feeling now that feeling is coming back
Just like an engine train riding down that rusty track
I've been gone for so long not that anybody really cared
But it's time to make it known that this old boy is coming back
It's all right
It's all right
It's all right
Can you feel it in the air as the winds of change begins?
I didn't mean to be the barer of the negative
But it's all in your mind to think it's all positive
Separate the good and bad and take it for what it is.
It's all right
It's all right
It's all right
Little things mean a lot especially compliments
Doesn't take a genius to see you get more loving with that
But run them in the ground and you'll reap what you sow
Don't take my silence for granted I have forgotten more than you know
It's all right
It's all right
It's all right
(C) 2013
(Smith/Redding)
Woke up to the feeling now that feeling is coming back
Just like an engine train riding down that rusty track
I've been gone for so long not that anybody really cared
But it's time to make it known that this old boy is coming back
It's all right
It's all right
It's all right
Can you feel it in the air as the winds of change begins?
I didn't mean to be the barer of the negative
But it's all in your mind to think it's all positive
Separate the good and bad and take it for what it is.
It's all right
It's all right
It's all right
Little things mean a lot especially compliments
Doesn't take a genius to see you get more loving with that
But run them in the ground and you'll reap what you sow
Don't take my silence for granted I have forgotten more than you know
It's all right
It's all right
It's all right
(C) 2013
Friday 29 March 2013
So Much For That
Before Town's Edge Rock, there was So Much For That, the first attempt to do real songs and overdub them to make them sound like a proper album. Prior to that, Jack Orbit was producing the last echophonic album and it wasn't going anywhere so he basically said if you're going to get anywhere, write your songs.
For three weeks I basically practiced playing the guitar and writing off hand lyrics left and right. It was fairly easy, since I wasn't working anywhere and I was going to Kirkwood to learn to get into the field of radio (which turned out to be a bust). And I had parents that actually supported my rock and roll wanna be and my father still had that reel to reel player that I used for the earlier stuff.
When recording, I used the reel to reel tape to do the guitar and vocals and for overdubbing the drums I would record them on cassette and used the reel to reel to set the recording levels. Very primitive especially later albums would be from cassette to cassette which was a good idea in theory BUT, the Realistic cassette deck played tapes faster than the other cassette player, which meant the songs sounded slower. This was before the days that I got a 4 track recorder but for the most part it did the job.
The Songs:
LuWanna (Smith/Schminkey) 3:41
You Were With Me (Smith/Schminkey) 3:30
Don't Take It Home (Smith/Glarington) 3:08
Train Goes Nowhere (Smith) 3:49
Movin On To Better Things (Smith/Willard) 6:05
The Wire (Smith) 3:45
We Had Met The Enemy And They Are Us (Smith) 4:00
Headbanger (Smith) 5:00
I Wanna Make You Mine (Smith) 1:33
Flattery Will Get You Nowhere (Smith/Orbit/Glarington) 4:10
Arizona Nights (Smith/Orbit) 3:20
Crackpot Experiment (Smith) 1:25
Why Me Why You (Smith) 2:40
Unfinished Song (So Much For That) (Smith/Orbit/Miller/Glarington) 4:47
Production By Jack Orbit with Rodney Smith
Recorded By Kyle Guttenburg, assisted by Ken Miller
Recorded April 1983 Maier Studios
A lot of the songs were slapped together from old written lyrics, Don't Take It Home was co written with Ron Glarington, whose son Mark would help me write some of the new album No Exit. Movin On To Better Things was given another shot but on this version, the guitar was tuned way out of tune to try to match the original version off Paraphernalia which was out of tune. You Were With Me originally done by The Open Highway band since I wanted to do an original song and they did this one just to shut me up. Arizona Nights would appear later on Living In The Twilight Zone with drums added on.
30 years onward, So Much For That has been forgotten although I Wanna Make You Mine and Headbanger were done live with the TEs from time to time as well as The Wire. Back in the 80s, Movin On To Better Things was the last song we would do before calling it an evening. Another problem was that the songs were done in various tempos and measures, meaning it was hard to hit the right breaks on We Have Met The Enemy....or LuWanna which has that walking blues shuffle that I have trouble playing at times. The call and response of drums and guitars hitting the breaks on Why Me Why You has worked better in the studio than playing live plus the fact that Geoff Redding never cared much for it. Train Goes Nowhere was worked into our playlist in the 1990s but since has been retired. Arizona Nights was supposed to be a statement about loving the Arizona desert and it was honest at the time but for the most part I simply outgrew it. The Unfinished Song is snippets of noise and guitar and drum solos featuring a goofy ending.
Well it's a beautiful day today, wouldn't you agree?
So We're taking the rest of the day off but will leave you with some advice
Stay cheerful and smile all the time and we'll see you on the other side.
It took about 20 takes to do the final guitar line, which goes to show that sometimes having a lead guitarist would work better for me. The guitar line that ended the scene of Beverly Hillbillies before they went to commercial.
So Much isn't a perfect album but it was much better than the last album of this multitude but it did suggest that with more practice and better songs this band would get better. Which lead to Town's Edge Rock.
And a new era.
For three weeks I basically practiced playing the guitar and writing off hand lyrics left and right. It was fairly easy, since I wasn't working anywhere and I was going to Kirkwood to learn to get into the field of radio (which turned out to be a bust). And I had parents that actually supported my rock and roll wanna be and my father still had that reel to reel player that I used for the earlier stuff.
When recording, I used the reel to reel tape to do the guitar and vocals and for overdubbing the drums I would record them on cassette and used the reel to reel to set the recording levels. Very primitive especially later albums would be from cassette to cassette which was a good idea in theory BUT, the Realistic cassette deck played tapes faster than the other cassette player, which meant the songs sounded slower. This was before the days that I got a 4 track recorder but for the most part it did the job.
The Songs:
LuWanna (Smith/Schminkey) 3:41
You Were With Me (Smith/Schminkey) 3:30
Don't Take It Home (Smith/Glarington) 3:08
Train Goes Nowhere (Smith) 3:49
Movin On To Better Things (Smith/Willard) 6:05
The Wire (Smith) 3:45
We Had Met The Enemy And They Are Us (Smith) 4:00
Headbanger (Smith) 5:00
I Wanna Make You Mine (Smith) 1:33
Flattery Will Get You Nowhere (Smith/Orbit/Glarington) 4:10
Arizona Nights (Smith/Orbit) 3:20
Crackpot Experiment (Smith) 1:25
Why Me Why You (Smith) 2:40
Unfinished Song (So Much For That) (Smith/Orbit/Miller/Glarington) 4:47
Production By Jack Orbit with Rodney Smith
Recorded By Kyle Guttenburg, assisted by Ken Miller
Recorded April 1983 Maier Studios
A lot of the songs were slapped together from old written lyrics, Don't Take It Home was co written with Ron Glarington, whose son Mark would help me write some of the new album No Exit. Movin On To Better Things was given another shot but on this version, the guitar was tuned way out of tune to try to match the original version off Paraphernalia which was out of tune. You Were With Me originally done by The Open Highway band since I wanted to do an original song and they did this one just to shut me up. Arizona Nights would appear later on Living In The Twilight Zone with drums added on.
30 years onward, So Much For That has been forgotten although I Wanna Make You Mine and Headbanger were done live with the TEs from time to time as well as The Wire. Back in the 80s, Movin On To Better Things was the last song we would do before calling it an evening. Another problem was that the songs were done in various tempos and measures, meaning it was hard to hit the right breaks on We Have Met The Enemy....or LuWanna which has that walking blues shuffle that I have trouble playing at times. The call and response of drums and guitars hitting the breaks on Why Me Why You has worked better in the studio than playing live plus the fact that Geoff Redding never cared much for it. Train Goes Nowhere was worked into our playlist in the 1990s but since has been retired. Arizona Nights was supposed to be a statement about loving the Arizona desert and it was honest at the time but for the most part I simply outgrew it. The Unfinished Song is snippets of noise and guitar and drum solos featuring a goofy ending.
Well it's a beautiful day today, wouldn't you agree?
So We're taking the rest of the day off but will leave you with some advice
Stay cheerful and smile all the time and we'll see you on the other side.
It took about 20 takes to do the final guitar line, which goes to show that sometimes having a lead guitarist would work better for me. The guitar line that ended the scene of Beverly Hillbillies before they went to commercial.
So Much isn't a perfect album but it was much better than the last album of this multitude but it did suggest that with more practice and better songs this band would get better. Which lead to Town's Edge Rock.
And a new era.
Wednesday 27 March 2013
History Lession 1972-1982
You have to start from somewhere and in 1972 I composed a half hour cassette of "songs" that were basically me bashing on toy drums and cymbals. The cymbals never seem to last long.
I remember bits and pieces of making cassettes but all of them have been destroyed or recorded over with classic rock tunes. I do remember a crazed version of Ring A Ling done with brushes after my mom took away my drum sticks.
First proper cassette album was something called Talking Book and basically your run of the mill 12 year old fucking off and calling it music. I did a cover of Ray Charles Never Seen Enough Of It, and doing some goofy stuff like Ramshackle Cadillac or The Killers.
I had a guitar but couldn't play it. Most guitar numbers were noise but some did have a bit of melody. The Flyer comes to mind so was Do You. In 1975,somebody threw out an old two string acoustic guitar so I took that and made more noise and made a 8 track that I still have but nothing to play it on. No biggie.
In 1976, my dad was responsible for me continue to record although by that time, I was banging on coffee cans yelling into a microphone and calling it KROD. On August 20, 1976 began the echophonic years. It was learn as you go and in November I mastered the art of overdubbing on something called Beautiful Renditions, hey it had guitar and had percussion. It sounded like rock to me.
Thoughout the 70s I continued to make tapes of such primitive noise and foolhardiness and even thought about getting a band going in high school, even though I couldn't play well. One fateful night at variety show at high school, something would change my perception of music. A cover band featuring a couple dudes, the bass player would actually play in some better known cover bands across the state (forgot his name) but the drummer was Lonnie Washburn, a steller pounder on drums and as they tore through a couple Ted Nugent numbers he got me started to seriously play drums in a better way. I just had to get out of my coffee can phase.
In 1980 my best friend Russ Swearingen and I went to Keneey's Music Store off First Ave in Cedar Rapids and he purchased a Music Man bass and Old Man Keeney sold me a clear blue Zickos for 300 dollars! My first actual drumset and we started to practice and learn to play drums while still making echophonic tapes. Paraphernalia, the album title had a couple sides of me and Russ with Darren Johnson playing guitar wreck Same Old Song And Dance and Godzilla and the rest of the project me bashing away on drums but for the first time wrote a actual proper song called Movin On To Better Things (Co written with Steve Willard who thought about joining our little band but decided to get a real job and stayed married to his wife to which they're still together after 35 years). Later in the summer I did another song called Out Of Gas and is kinda catchy if you think about it. But for the most part I spent many a time and effort learning to play drums while taking notes listening to records. The big influence on me was Keith Moon and John Bonham but also Jerry Shirley of Humble Pie too. And Lon Washburn although we never met or hung out that much but his drum style you can hear in the Townedgers Music and other bands for that matter.
1981 bought the world The Power Of Positive Thinking and more memorable songs, All Night Dancing comes to mind and even though I didn't know much guitar, I knew enough of sounds and frets that really beginning to know part of chords but it was still fucking around. But I was beginning to jam with other people, most notably Doug Spinler and his dad in 1981 jam at their place and with Russ and his cousin Mike Swearingen. Although Doug Spinler wasn't part of the Paraphernalia band he suggested another Doug, Bonesteel to take over and Doug got the guitar job by default, he later drafted Duwayne Schiminkey to which DW would teach me enough guitar to become a guitarist that knew what I was doing.
1982 Paraphernalia made an EP that included the infamous Rocky Mountain Way and Rock Me Baby to which I would be smashing cymbals left and right and becoming the wild man drummer that would actually overshadow the more efficient style of Washburn. By then I was playing Zildjian cymbals since nobody had Paiste around (I did have a old 404 that West Music had on sale for 50 bucks) and those Z's took a helluva beating. With Russ back into the Marines, the band went on hold and I did Bizarre Behavior that has perhaps one of the wildest drum solos ever committed to tape and a song called Heart Of Stone that would be reworked to You Were With Me, which was basically a song about Amy Holtz, a girl that I met at Chuckie Cheese playing video games and she was bored with her bubba boyfriend and wanted time away from him I guess. We were together for about 3 weeks till she went back to him. Guess they did get married and had a couple kids along the way but as for myself, I was more into music and making my own music.
Which leads into 1983, Jack Orbit is production a bunch of off the wall drum stuff and things were not going well. He turned the tape player off and simply told me it's time to start actually doing real songs and not this 1 take throw it on tape and see if it stick crap.
During practice at an Open Highway get together, me and DW were messing around on guitar on a song which had no words and I start singing LuWanna, Do You Wanna, repeat both lines, I can tell when your home cuz your always on the phone LuWanna.
Thus began LuWanna, the first song written for a new collection of a real album with real put together songs called So Much For That. It's a silly song but it's was a new beginning.
With Jack Orbit and Ken Miller, a engineer friend of Jack's it became The Route 66 Band. For the most part it was my band, both had other priorities at hand but for the next 22 years it would be that until a name change had to happen since there was another Iowa band that was called Route 66 and I needed something that nobody had.
In 1996 Route 66 was renamed The Townedgers.
And the story begins.
I remember bits and pieces of making cassettes but all of them have been destroyed or recorded over with classic rock tunes. I do remember a crazed version of Ring A Ling done with brushes after my mom took away my drum sticks.
First proper cassette album was something called Talking Book and basically your run of the mill 12 year old fucking off and calling it music. I did a cover of Ray Charles Never Seen Enough Of It, and doing some goofy stuff like Ramshackle Cadillac or The Killers.
I had a guitar but couldn't play it. Most guitar numbers were noise but some did have a bit of melody. The Flyer comes to mind so was Do You. In 1975,somebody threw out an old two string acoustic guitar so I took that and made more noise and made a 8 track that I still have but nothing to play it on. No biggie.
In 1976, my dad was responsible for me continue to record although by that time, I was banging on coffee cans yelling into a microphone and calling it KROD. On August 20, 1976 began the echophonic years. It was learn as you go and in November I mastered the art of overdubbing on something called Beautiful Renditions, hey it had guitar and had percussion. It sounded like rock to me.
Thoughout the 70s I continued to make tapes of such primitive noise and foolhardiness and even thought about getting a band going in high school, even though I couldn't play well. One fateful night at variety show at high school, something would change my perception of music. A cover band featuring a couple dudes, the bass player would actually play in some better known cover bands across the state (forgot his name) but the drummer was Lonnie Washburn, a steller pounder on drums and as they tore through a couple Ted Nugent numbers he got me started to seriously play drums in a better way. I just had to get out of my coffee can phase.
In 1980 my best friend Russ Swearingen and I went to Keneey's Music Store off First Ave in Cedar Rapids and he purchased a Music Man bass and Old Man Keeney sold me a clear blue Zickos for 300 dollars! My first actual drumset and we started to practice and learn to play drums while still making echophonic tapes. Paraphernalia, the album title had a couple sides of me and Russ with Darren Johnson playing guitar wreck Same Old Song And Dance and Godzilla and the rest of the project me bashing away on drums but for the first time wrote a actual proper song called Movin On To Better Things (Co written with Steve Willard who thought about joining our little band but decided to get a real job and stayed married to his wife to which they're still together after 35 years). Later in the summer I did another song called Out Of Gas and is kinda catchy if you think about it. But for the most part I spent many a time and effort learning to play drums while taking notes listening to records. The big influence on me was Keith Moon and John Bonham but also Jerry Shirley of Humble Pie too. And Lon Washburn although we never met or hung out that much but his drum style you can hear in the Townedgers Music and other bands for that matter.
1981 bought the world The Power Of Positive Thinking and more memorable songs, All Night Dancing comes to mind and even though I didn't know much guitar, I knew enough of sounds and frets that really beginning to know part of chords but it was still fucking around. But I was beginning to jam with other people, most notably Doug Spinler and his dad in 1981 jam at their place and with Russ and his cousin Mike Swearingen. Although Doug Spinler wasn't part of the Paraphernalia band he suggested another Doug, Bonesteel to take over and Doug got the guitar job by default, he later drafted Duwayne Schiminkey to which DW would teach me enough guitar to become a guitarist that knew what I was doing.
1982 Paraphernalia made an EP that included the infamous Rocky Mountain Way and Rock Me Baby to which I would be smashing cymbals left and right and becoming the wild man drummer that would actually overshadow the more efficient style of Washburn. By then I was playing Zildjian cymbals since nobody had Paiste around (I did have a old 404 that West Music had on sale for 50 bucks) and those Z's took a helluva beating. With Russ back into the Marines, the band went on hold and I did Bizarre Behavior that has perhaps one of the wildest drum solos ever committed to tape and a song called Heart Of Stone that would be reworked to You Were With Me, which was basically a song about Amy Holtz, a girl that I met at Chuckie Cheese playing video games and she was bored with her bubba boyfriend and wanted time away from him I guess. We were together for about 3 weeks till she went back to him. Guess they did get married and had a couple kids along the way but as for myself, I was more into music and making my own music.
Which leads into 1983, Jack Orbit is production a bunch of off the wall drum stuff and things were not going well. He turned the tape player off and simply told me it's time to start actually doing real songs and not this 1 take throw it on tape and see if it stick crap.
During practice at an Open Highway get together, me and DW were messing around on guitar on a song which had no words and I start singing LuWanna, Do You Wanna, repeat both lines, I can tell when your home cuz your always on the phone LuWanna.
Thus began LuWanna, the first song written for a new collection of a real album with real put together songs called So Much For That. It's a silly song but it's was a new beginning.
With Jack Orbit and Ken Miller, a engineer friend of Jack's it became The Route 66 Band. For the most part it was my band, both had other priorities at hand but for the next 22 years it would be that until a name change had to happen since there was another Iowa band that was called Route 66 and I needed something that nobody had.
In 1996 Route 66 was renamed The Townedgers.
And the story begins.
Tuesday 26 March 2013
Welcome To The Townedger's Website
In 1969 my folks bought me my first drum set. It was a toy drumset that had a flashing bulb in the kick drum. It didn't last too long.
In 1971, my folks bought me a guitar from K mart that cost thirty dollars which included an amp.
In 1972 they bought me another toy drum set that didn't last very long either. They also bought a cassette recorder that would enable me to record silly drum solos, nonsensical songs about nothing and screaming.
In 1976 my dad bought a reel to reel recorder to which I would steal some of his tapes and record more nonsense and banged on coffee cans.
In 1980 I bought myself a real drumset. A Zickos that lasted about 8 years and sold off like a idiot. I wished I still had it.
In 1983 while trying to do another echophonic tape, Jack Orbit informed me to start writing music and learn to play the guitar. I bugged my old guitar playing buddy from Paraphernalia to show me the chords. In 1983 my first proper album of real songs So Much For That came out.
In June of 1983, I started another album called Town's Edge Rock. For three weeks I wrote and played everything and created my own garage rock punk. It's rude and crude.
Thirty years later I celebrate my 30th year of doing this with a new album called No Exit. We have come a long way.
This site is intended for the preservation and dedication of all things that is The Townedgers and assorted projects that I played in. I was searching for the ideal place to do this and after trying Tumblr for a while and not exactly pleased with the end results, I decided to keep it in Blogspot to which also has my Top Ten And Review Site and Consortium site.
The Townedgers Site is all things TEs and with thoughts and lyrics found here for reference. It's easier to type them out here rather than the computer. 2013 is the year of the return of the Townedgers. Hang on. it's going to be a long hard ride.
In 1971, my folks bought me a guitar from K mart that cost thirty dollars which included an amp.
In 1972 they bought me another toy drum set that didn't last very long either. They also bought a cassette recorder that would enable me to record silly drum solos, nonsensical songs about nothing and screaming.
In 1976 my dad bought a reel to reel recorder to which I would steal some of his tapes and record more nonsense and banged on coffee cans.
In 1980 I bought myself a real drumset. A Zickos that lasted about 8 years and sold off like a idiot. I wished I still had it.
In 1983 while trying to do another echophonic tape, Jack Orbit informed me to start writing music and learn to play the guitar. I bugged my old guitar playing buddy from Paraphernalia to show me the chords. In 1983 my first proper album of real songs So Much For That came out.
In June of 1983, I started another album called Town's Edge Rock. For three weeks I wrote and played everything and created my own garage rock punk. It's rude and crude.
Thirty years later I celebrate my 30th year of doing this with a new album called No Exit. We have come a long way.
This site is intended for the preservation and dedication of all things that is The Townedgers and assorted projects that I played in. I was searching for the ideal place to do this and after trying Tumblr for a while and not exactly pleased with the end results, I decided to keep it in Blogspot to which also has my Top Ten And Review Site and Consortium site.
The Townedgers Site is all things TEs and with thoughts and lyrics found here for reference. It's easier to type them out here rather than the computer. 2013 is the year of the return of the Townedgers. Hang on. it's going to be a long hard ride.
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