Thoughts From The Townedger June

Must be June in Iowa.  Fucking water in the basement.  Diggy Kat gets to interview me as I promote my new album Forthcoming Trains.  Being A and R of the band, he pointed out I omitted Drinking Again on the album cover.  Fuck me running.

I still hope to partake in The Bacon Jam in the near future.  If and when that happens remains to be seen.  As for Alex and that get together, nothing has happened and if we don't connect before he goes to days next month it ain't going to happen.  There's been a lot of bitterness of Mike toward his ex wife.  There's a time you have to let go and a time to moan and a time to complain about it.  I know he's hurting and truly angry.  Better to write a song about it rather than continue to badmouth via the social networks.  That never got nowhere with me.  As much as I would like to, I doubt if Mike will return to do any new songs with me or the band anymore.  He rather do Karaoke.  His choice but not mine.

I think it's pointless to talk about the past loves of my life.  They made good songs for that certain place and time.  The majority of them can be found on social networks. I recall Janice wanting that family life back when she was chasing me around high school but really we couldn't have been more opposites.  Besides we don't look the same as we did back then.  We're both old.  And not exactly good looking anymore.

I miss Donna Will, she was a good friend when talking music and glad to see her in DC ten years ago.  She's kinda disappeared from the computer the past year and hope she's still around.

The next project, I'll be using the Zildjian lineup of the Road Less Traveled for cymbals.  Out of all the Z lineup's they're my favorite.  However,  I do have the Paiste cymbals all locked away for the right project.  I do have to say though, the Paiste cymbals used for the 30 album (The 3000s, 2002 and Signature all added a bit more aggressive sound.  Any cymbal lineup can work for you.  Even the copper tins of beginner cymbals, Paiste PST 7 highly recommended.

http://www.grassrootsy.com/2012/02/22/an-open-letter-to-venues-that-exploit-their-musicians/

The Bacon Jam

Every Wednesday Night at Checker's Tavern in Cedar Rapids is the Bacon Jam, a collective of some of the legendary musicians of the area get together from 8 to 11 and jam for about 3 hours.  I have talked about going to this and see what goes on but can't do it since I work nights.  Tonight I decided to check it out and hopefully get on stage.

For the most part, the musicians Tom Bruner, Dan Johnson and a cast of a few have made this a selective event for over the hill rockers past their prime to do the classic rock overplayed stuff and tonight was no exception.  The first notable chords of Margaritaville,  the old Kansas City classic song and Can't Get Enough and plenty more.  It's all fun.

But I sat there in the background jamming to the beat and playing table drums, basically pounding my hands on the table to keep the beat whereas some of the drummers would over do drum rolls or fills.  The best drummer was the guy that works in the drum section at Guitar Center.  Some kid could spin his sticks just like Tommy Lee but couldn't keep the beat and made a mess out of a simple 4/4 Keep Your Hands To Yourself, or miss the breaks of Can't Get Enough and when I heard them do Dead Flowers, I was chomping at the bit to bumrush the stage and show them how to actually do it.  I haven't done many jam sessions over the years but from what I heard, I don't think I would have embarrassed myself at all if I made it behind the drums for a jam session.  Even after all these years I remain a mystery to the rest of these musicians, doesn't matter if I made a new Townedger album or get played on Radio Buzz'd. But I always been a eccentric anyway.  I doubt if I will ever change but who knows, perhaps the next session they might bite the bullet and let me sit in on a few numbers.

I might surprise them and even myself.



Come to think of it, the waitress never did bother to give out some of that free bacon either.  And I gave her a 2 dollar tip from the pizza burger!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE6zEmlnwaM

Look for a cameo of myself at the 20 and 33 second mark.  Told you I was there.

Forthcoming Trains Album Notes

For the record:

Side 1

How Hard It Is (Smith/Willard/Swearingen/Redding/Daniels) 4:00
Midnight Run 3:33
We All Sleep Alone (Smith/Orbit) 3:12
Endless Highway 3:00
Just Enough Love 3:03
Light Years Away (Smith/Redding) 3:11
Faygo 2:33

Side 2

Long Time Gone 2:48
Something To Believe In (Smith/Orbit) 3:20
Drinking Again (Smith/Daniels) 4:45
Are You Gonna Be The One 3:05
Wolfie (Smith/Redding/Daniels) 3:30
Knockin On Heaven's Door (B.Dylan) 5:03
Home 2:05

Total Time 47:30

Produced by Rodney Smith and Hugh McConnell
A & R: Diggy Kat 

Songs written and composed by Rodney Smith: Music by The Townedgers except where noted.
Copyright control except track 13 (Ram's Horn Music BMI)

Recorded at the Hoarder House Of Hits-Stone City IA March 2014
Engineers: Hugh McConnell, M.D. R.S. Assisted by David Kilkenny
No Pro Tools used in the making of this recording.
The old Pearl Snare, used in the Paraphernalia records years ago was brought back to life.
Vintage Zildjian Cymbals from the 80s was also used. Main drum set remains the DW.
The 1988 Red Fender Strat was the main electric guitar of choice.


Mixed and mastered at MRK by Martin Daniels and R. Smith
Knockin' On Heaven's Door dedicated to the memory of Dennis Pusateri. Ride on brother. 

Thanks to the usual crew of family, friends and spirits who kept this going.
C 2014 Townedgers Music Emporium