Checker's Acoustic Jam 12/28/18 Having Some Sax On Stage

Songs:

Feel A Whole Lot Better
Dead Flowers
Games People Play

With

Mike Frederick
Steve Black Wolf
Ryan Matthew Paul
Mark Randolph
Belinda Christensen-James
Lorie Parker
Julie Gordon
Skip Richards
Carl Reiners
Buddy Z
David Arnold on Sax
Donna Jo Farley-Percussion
Tom, the percussion player
and a few others

(Photo: Lorie Parker)

The past two weeks have been some of the more fun of the jams that I have done and I am happy that I could do it playing guitar.  While I only bothered Brook Hoover for one guitar session, I felt that he gave me the confidence to play guitar in a live setting, although I don't venture much out of my comfort zone.  I have been dealing with sore hands and wrists from recording with The Townedgers and the Wapsipinicon Dreamers projects and banging on the congas. And for tonight's showcase, I pretty much did that for the first couple hours till Tom wanted to play them.  I would have gladly surrendered them sooner.  I don't have drumsticks at hand so i have to use my hands and fingers.  Tom and Ryan Paul are more adventurous, I am more at home keeping the beat.

(Photo: Lorie Parker L to R, Buddy Archbremmer, Steve Black Wolf, Ryan Matthew Paul, David Arnold, Me, Mark Randolph, Belinda Christensen-James, Skip Richards, covering Fever)

The major story was Julie Gordon coming back to play, three weeks after knee replacement surgery.  And she paced herself throughout the jam.  Kathy Hartman Spina had to bow out but things went fairly well.  Abigail did a few songs and even for a 10 year old she knows them songs, she didn't need a cheat sheet for Jesus Take The Wheel or Spiders Or Snakes.   Steve Black Wolf did Turn The Page, Stand By Me and Knockin On Heaven's Door.  Belinda and Mark did a Blue Bayou and a extended version of Fever, complete with Saxophone solo.  I don't know who the guy's name was, he was gone by the time I popped up to finish the set with the three songs mentioned.   Anyway, I know how Mark Randolph plays on Fever and I know how Belinda sings it, it was becoming commonplace to do this song when they're in town.  Mike Frederick, is one of my brother's best friends (or used to be) but I have seen him at the jams playing banjo from time to time.  But as I continue to get more involved with the acoustical side of things it still is fun jamming with him.

Last week, I did four songs, this time out things were running late, so I decided on Feel A Whole Lot Better as a repeat.  Had I gotten on earlier I would have done a couple originals off Jubilee but I was playing percussion so therefore I didn't figure on playing much on guitar, even with sore joints.  Dead Flowers was a request from Donna to which I dedicated it to her from afar, and Skip Richards added some backing vocals like Keith Richards on a live version.  I do the song in a  D A G D segment.  Some folks do it in A, which I think I tried to do on The Townedgers Country album, but that version was pretty damn fast.  The new version on the Wapsipinicon Dreamers album is much slower and probably truer to the Stones version.

And there's Games People Play, the old 60s hit for Joe South.  I discovered the chords last week and decided to take a crack at that.  Since The W.D. project was just about done, I didn't think a version was needed, but it could work for the jams.  Start out in G, then mosey up to D, down to C then D and then G, the country version.  I can't work it in South's E progression, it sounds weird. The original thought was to have either Lorie or Belinda sing it but since I had the cheat sheet with me, I carried on.  And got everybody to sing along as well.

While I have been more at home doing things on my own, I have come to find having musical support is vital more than solo.  To have Ryan Paul play keyboards on the instrumental passages and backing vocals from Skip or Lorie or Julie really brings out more into the song than just going it alone. Perhaps I should have done this more sooner but I really didn't have the confidence like I do now.  Now I feel I can jump on stage and do a song and play good with it.

It's a learning event for each time I play.  Be it, trying to play a quiet and reserve drum beat at Parlor City or interpret how to play I Feel A Whole Lot Better or Dead Flowers and have the interplay among fellow musicians.   I have learn a lot in these two weeks of playing at Acoustic and blues jams that I have incorporated into the music of The Townedgers as well.  I don't need to smash cymbals or pound on the drums to prove a point but rather keep a swinging beat to get people to dance or to have them sing along to Games People Play....it just blows my mind I'm even doing Games People Play on stage.  Too bad I didn't have this sort of voice or drive when Paraphernalia was around.   This will not figure in me getting into the music industry, I'm too old and too out of step for the flavor of the hour, but as long I'm having fun with music now, it's all that matters.   And to have a great support group of musicians, it makes things that much better.

Even more than half way to 60, I'm having the most fun now.  I don't forsee myself stopping anytime soon.  As long as I have a paying job, this remains a hobby but with the support of the Acousta Kitties and Terry McDowell and many other, this should go on a while.

Thoughts From The Townedger December Edition

Finishing up on the Wapsipinicon Dreamers CD, I managed to get back spams on the tail end of recording that project.  I guess hunching down to try to sing and look at the words are hazardous to your health.

As I finish up my Parlor City Jam tonight. I guess I can play quiet and keep a beat.  Jon Wilson complimented on how tight and quiet that I did on my half hour set.  At that point, I have come to expect to play quiet around Tommy Giblin, who stands no loudness.  In fact he shouted down this guitar player who got a bit rowdy during his song but I admire anybody that plays Peter Gunn.

Pain is part of the gig, from what Dan Johnson told me upon break, though he seemed surprised that I did play guitar.  He gave a few suggestions next time I decide on playing guitar and he talked about some good Cannabis oils that can stop back pain but it's only available in Colorado.  I pretty much rely on pain killers from the doctors and don't like taking them. They kinda mess me up with dizziness today and while I felt no pain playing drums, the pain only kicked in when I got off the drum throne. And walked like Quasimodo back to the car after I finished up.  I usually stay all night but I wasn't feeling all that great, threw a few dollars in the tip jar and headed to Wally World to get breakfast rolls and complete a few blogs tonight.   First time I got to jam with Ryan Phelan on guitar.  Probably one of the more jazzier guitar players I have met.  Outside of Peter Gunn, most of what we did were improvised jams along the way.  I put out a beat and Ryan followed right behind.  Dan took that part of the set off, we had some younger hippie dude play bass and he was quite good.  Even though the place was packed, Dan didn't seem to be in a very good mood.  The crowd wasn't music listeners.  Mike Williams, came later on, and he did bring his female friend with him and I suspect she would play drums for a bit.  I didn't know anybody outside of Dan and Tom and there wasn't many empty seats.  So I called it a night.

While 2016 didn't promise anything on the local circuit for me, I still had a good year jamming on songs with fellow musicians and got to jam with just about everybody.  Dan Johnson, Tommy Bruner, The Acousta Kitties, Julie And The Mad Dogs, the guys from Hostage, even Bob Dorr and Jeff Petersen from The Blue Band last week, even DeWayne Schminkey jammed with me twice.  Who is missing from it all, Russ Swearingen.  We didn't share the stage at all this year.  I'm disappointed with that but 2017 I think will have us back together again.  He sez he's not ready for the stage, so I don't pressure him with that.  When the time is right it will happen.

 (Photo: Photollbrarian via Flickir)

With Jubilee finally out and released to the world The Townedgers have fulfilled their music obligations for this year.  But I do want to complete the Wapsipinicon Dreamers album, simply of the fact that all these cover versions would be the ones that I would be playing at some jam.  I wanted to project to be simple, to be fun and that the songs don't go over 3 minutes.  Keep it simple so to speak. And the first sessions were fun but 10 days later, it was beginning to be a chore and I really didn't think the world needed to hear Games People Play, but we did do Let Your Love Flow.  Most of these songs came from records that I grew up with or attempting to do something different.  It still sounds like a Townedgers album, after all I'm doing the vocals.  Here in the wintertime, it's really hard to sing in a dry room with a voice that cracks after time.    My voice held up during Jubilee, but doing the Wapsi Dreamers sessions it gave out on the first day, after we did do 6 songs.   Instead of hitting the higher notes on such stuff like Let Your Love Flow or Solitary Man I did the vocals midrange and was okay with the results.

(photo: Joslyn Art Museum-Omaha  Grant Wood's Painting of Stone City)

When Wapsipinicon Dreamers get done, that should also set me free of any album commitments for 2017, with my label it counts as a legitimate album.  I do have an outtakes album coming out, which means there will be 3 albums from myself, and we're getting too close to Neil Young Territory.  People get tired of new stuff I guess.  I'm needing to get back to Rod Albaugh to do the sessions we did earlier this year. I may do some newer songs and then ask Rod to fill in on the drums and stuff.  He's very good at doing such things.  I want to focus more on guitars rather than drums next year.  It may be a futile effort but Rod is a damn good drummer too.  I might run that by him, take my drums off the recordings and have him add his own sound to it.

(my favorite photo on playing the drums, Thank you Kevin Sinmacher)

As for Tim Wiley and the Wiley Kats, that's history.  While Tim gets a bad rap, most people are leery around him.  He's been cool with me and I can dig that.  But he shouldn't have trouble remembering how Voodoo Chile goes or Little Wing, he's done these songs time and time again.  He should have an idea on how to do them.  As I told him before, I'm not quitting my job for the tip jar.  If the established legends around here can't seem to get bookings, then it's going to be doubly hard for us.  And these isn't much out there for 50 somethings.  And if you're going to jam with the best, you have to follow their rules.  Which is why Tom Giblin is adamant about playing it quiet, and Parlor City has rules of keeping it quiet. Follow or else.  Besides, I enjoy jamming with Tom, it's not too often that I jam with keyboard players.  I want to establish and keep  that vibe when we do play together.

It's now been four months since Bruce Stanley passed away and he continues to be in my thoughts. I dedicated Jubilee to his memory.  There is a void in this life from his passing that can never be fulfilled.  We talked music and we talked of life.  He was a great guitar player and even better drummer from what I heard.  There are reservations of course, he never told me where he lived at.  I'm sure that place is a shrine with all the guitars and music he had inside.

(Photo: Dennis Lancaster)

There's not a lot of old pictures of me and the band.  Most of what I have I have posted from time to time but Dennis uncovered a picture of myself and DeWayne.  I thought it was during the Open Highway years, but my clodhoppers say it was 1988 and Dennis was in town on vacation.  He got tired of the winters and moved to Arizona in 1985.  His son Joseph has been accepted at Berklee in 2017.  His kids are growing up, DeWayne is now a Grandfather.  And me, I never started.  And doubt that will ever happen.

I think from here on out, I'll stick to Zildjian Cymbals. For some reason they have helped the albums sound great from Forthcoming Trains onward.  Paiste are great cymbals too, but when I hear the Townedger/Rodney Smith sound it's usually Zildjians.  The Paiste Cymbals are gathering dust.  Perhaps it's time for a cymbal sale.

Any album can be my last.  As long as I'm still alive there's always a chance for a new album.  With each passing year I find myself writing less and less and revisiting songs that I think would sound better nowadays. That's how Forthcoming Trains turned out to be the best album I've done. I straddled the line of new songs and covers of my own stuff and not rely on others.  To be honest, I don't think there's much left to write about.  I'm good about writing songs about heartbreak, love lost and trains. It was so much simpler back in 1983 or 1986 to write about what I was feeling inside.  Let's face it, I can't write about a high school sweetheart anymore, I can still revisit certain women that inspired me to write songs but if you go to the well too many times, it ends sounding less inspired.   The revenge songs I can do without, Barfly, that song's time is gone.  And I do have a civil relationship with the woman at hand.  And the Uptown Chevy Girl too.  I will always love the Uptown Chevy Girl, and Olivia to which Pawnshops For Olivia is the stuff that make legends.  The door is closed between us now.  And as the song says if you love somebody set them free.  And I did that.

So we made it through another year.  We're still alive.  Let's see if we can make it through another trip around the sun.

 

Promoting Jubliee-Checker's Tavern 12/21/16

Parlor City Jam Lineup 12/20/16

Bob Dorr-Harmonica and lead vocals
Jeff Petersen-Guitar and vocals
Tom Giblin-Keyboards
Dan Johnson-Bass
R.Smith-Loud drums

Songs:

Move It On Over
I'm A Man
House Of The Rising Sun
Four In The Morning
Green Onions
Rocking My Life Away

(Photo: Cathy Hartman Spina- With Joe Hutchcroft on congas)

Rodney Smith Solo with some help-12/21/16

Rodney Smith-Lead vocals and guitar!
Skip Richards-Bass
Joe Hutchcroft-Backing vocals and percussion
Lorie Parker-Lead vocals on Let Your Love Flow

Songs:

Rock Me Baby
I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
Ever So Much
Let Your Love Flow


It's been over a year since I got the old guitar out to play songs, last time was Wrigleyville last year.  With the completion of Jubilee I really wanted to emphasis and focus more on guitar work rather than pounding on the drums during jam sessions.  Taking time off from work to have fun jamming this week was nice, although work still remains to be done in playing more softly in front of a captive audience and a owner not too keen on loud music.  Which Tuesday Night, I got to sit in with Bob Dorr and Jeff Petersen from The Blue Band.  Both are long time veterans and established as Hall Of Fame rockers from Iowa.  In the presence of Dorr, I do come to find he was a very vast and knowledge of the blues, really tearing into I'm A Man, and shouting through the harmonica microphone, I think I heard not only Little Walter but even Captain Beefheart in Dorr's vocals.  I also found myself being carried away by my playing on Move It On Over, to which Tom Giblin politely mentioned that I was playing too loud and instructed me on how to tone it down.  Even with 35 plus years of drumming, I still remain somewhat undisciplined and not on the same page.  Any future Parlor City jams I must find a way to come down to not stand out. Giblin knows what works and once we got on the same page, I discovered an inner groove to compliment Tom's playing and Bob's harmonica, Jeff's guitar and Dan's bass (note: Dan wasn't playing bass during my time on stage, the same guy who backed up Skeeter Lewis was on stage but nobody ever mentioned his name and I tried to look it up on past jams.  If and when I find the name I'll add him to the mix.  The best part was getting folks out on the dance floor on Rockin My Life Away, a song that Jerry Lee Lewis did as well as George Thorogood.  Guess which version I knew best.

The big announcement was that on Wednesday I was going to play guitar at the Checker's Acoustic Jam and last night, I went through The Townedgers songs and picked out about 6 to do and ended up doing four.  I did stop to see how Karl Hudson was doing with the Rumors Acoustic Jam and it wasn't looking very well, even worse when somebody stole one of Karl's prized microphones.  Everybody likes Karl and wishes the best for him but when it comes to acoustic Wednesday Nights it has been Checkers and the Acousta Kitties.   Cathy Hartman Spina and Lorie Parker and Julie Gordon have been one of the most beloved trio out there and every show they have is fun.  Which was why I chose to play guitar, I knew they would support me and there would be plenty of musicians to help out putting my music together.  I thought on occasion that Russ or Dewayne would be on stage helping me out, but Russ says he's still not ready to hit the stage and while I invite him to show on jams, I resigned to the fact that he won't be there.   He's afraid that somebody will spring out Sweet Home Alabama on him, which did happen the two times he did show up.  He swears there will not be a third time. But in the situation with Karl, he's a full time musician and will find ways to get gigs, although I'm sure he probably wishes he was back in Florida and the sunshine and warm weather.   Playing to a sparse crowd, to which somebody rips off your band equipment makes a lousy evening.  And that may have put an end to the Rumors Acoustic Jam.  He's better off hosting something in Stone City, they usually have good turnouts even on winter nights there.

It was Cathy and Lorie doing the show, Steve Black Wolf and Skip Richards helping out and Joe Hutchcroft making a rare appearance.  Certainly, when it was my time to hit the stage on guitar I didn't figure he would be up there.  By that time, Skip Richards popped up to play bass.  I was still trying to figure out what to start out, and ended up doing Rock Me Baby instead of Let's Work Together.  Most of the songs were three chords easy to play, I told Joe to do some blues conga work and it actually worked very well to my surprise.  I used the version off Jubilee and even to the tag ending.   On the next song Feel A Whole Lot Better, Joe offered to do the counter vocals and that worked out well, even the harmonies of a first time, not bad since we never worked together with me playing guitar.  But it's still a work in progress but being my debut as guitarist lead singer, the process of practicing the songs before coming to Checkers helped a lot.    Next up, I did Ever So Much from Pawnshops for Olivia, basically D, C, G, and repeat till you get tired of the song, which is about 3 minutes tops.  The crowd seemed to like it judging by some woman giving her boyfriend a lap dance. And then I pawned off the lead vocals to Let Your Love Flow to Lorie Parker and her and Joe kinda did a duet since that song was bit out of her vocal range (and of course mine but I'll get that song right eventually) but I did sang backing vocal. 

Overall for a debut, it was better than expected.  After announcing that I was going to show up and play guitar I had thoughts to cancel out. But I needed to get this done, to see if I could do it and I did it.   After which I went back to play percussion and later straight cowbell after a couple folks jumped up to play congas.   I wanted to do Knocking On Heaven's Door with Steve Black Wolf but when he did that song I was on the congas instead of guitar but no biggie.  But for a winter night, there was a good crowd and plenty of people up there to support it.  Julie Gordon, two weeks after knee replacement wanted to show up, but I think we talked her out of it for at least another week.   I plan to return next week and take up guitar again for a few more songs, I just have to get used to having people around to help me and get more comfortable.  With the Acousta Kitties around, they do make the jams fun and the patrons very supportive.  Some are pretty dedicated, Belinda Christensen James works in Waterloo and comes down to do these jams with her boyfriend Mark Randolph.  Steve moved from Vermont and has hanged around the jam circuit for the past six months.  A lot of good people were there, and up to the crazy ending of Cathy and Lorie's husband rapping to Save a Horse Ride A Cowboy you had to be there.  In the end with Lorie doing her Boobalicius song to end the whole, I was there, playing the congas. 

Even with guitar in hand, I'm still a drummer by trade. ;-)

(The Acousta Kitties: Cathy Hartman Spina, Lorie Parker, Julie Jules Gordon) 

12-20-16 Parlor City Jam With Bob Dorr/Jeff Petersen (Archives)

 Songs played

Move It On Over

I'm A Man

House Of The Rising Sun

Four In The Morning

Green Onions

Rocking My Life Away

Jeff Petersen-Vocals and guitar

Bob Dorr-Harmonica and vocals

Dan Johnson-Bass

R.Smith-Drums

Tom Giblin-Keys

This came up on my memories file on FB.  This might have been my debut at Parlor City five years ago but then again I might have been there earlier on occasion.

This was a trial by fire.  Gibby doing his best to keep me in time with the rest of the guys.  There was another bass player there but time hasn't enabled me to remember his name.  I doubt if it was Mark Awad. Parlor City at that time, had the Tuesday Blues Jam (which ceased after March 2020) and most of the who who's in the blues market were there.  Alas, in this day and age COVID has made a lot of people not go to the jams anymore.

What I remembered most was the way Bob can sing through the harp mic and gave I'm A Man a more menacing sound.   While Bob was kind enough, I found him somewhat unapproachable, he made it clear that the way he had his drums it was best to leave them there at the way they were set up.  The crash ride cymbal really was down around my knee, a way too low for my liking but I worked around it.   Jeff, the guitar player was more friendlier and we could talk tunes.   Bob does have an extensive knowledge of music, after all, he's been a part of KUNI for over 40 years at least.  His Backtracks and Blue Avenue shows on the weekend are must listens.  And yeah, I need to send him a check in the mail for the KUNI public fundraiser.

While Bob n me have sometimes barely tolerate each other on FB, I do respect him.  Sometimes, when I did do the jam, I could look over and he would be staring intently through his shades and he was like that when the Marion Blues Jam took part a year ago.  I don't think I'm that hard to get to know, in fact Bob is invited to join me on a bargain hunt around Waterloo and hang a while.  

There might have been pictures taken of this jam but at this point, it's all a memory to me. 

The next day, I made my Acoustic Adventures debut at Checkers, feeling finally confident that I can play guitar and sing.  The rest, shall we say, is history 

Popcorn Jam 12/19/16-Hot Jam On A Cold Day

Lineup:

Brook Hoover-Guitar
Tommy Bruner-Guitar
Dan Johnson-Bass
Bob Gleason-Harmonica
Rodney Smith-Drums
Terry McDowell-Host

Songs:

I Knew The Bride
I Hear You Knocking
Boom Boom
You Can't Always Get What You Want
10 Minute Trippy Beats Jam
(also, some Christmas Surf Music improvised by Brook Hoover)

Typical December weather here, blowing snow all day yesterday and today we suffered through 4 below weather with a wind chill around 35 below zero.  And the Corsica's starter decided to take a dump, another something to be replaced on the car.

I've spent Saturday working on the new side country project still not under a working title or band.  Will it be the forthcoming of the legendary Wapsipincon Dreamers or do I tack it on under the Townedgers banner?  We did six songs before my vocals gave out.  I just didn't have the pitch to sing Let Your Love Flow.  I got  If I Were A Carpenter, Fly Away Home, O Death, Splendid Isolation, A Stranger To Himself and Spanish Harlem Incident.  I know Spanish Harlem Incident and Carpenter we practiced a lot on, Splendid Isolation was thought up upon the spot, although when Warren Zevon did his version he threw another chord into the chorus which we didn't and couldn't figure out till later on.   With the passing of Bruce Stanley, and now Ellis Kell, I got word that my cousin Billy Pinney died Thursday at age 57 from heart failure.  So we took up a version of O Death, the old traditional folk song done by Camper Von Beethoven and did a ominous version of it.  Looks like 57 is the new 27 of leaving this planet and both Bruce and Billy died at age 57.  I have a year and a month left to reach that age.

I don't like recording at this time of the year. With dry air and everybody sick at work, I end up having a gravely throat and it was ideal to sing O Death at a lower octave, not so much on the Mama part later on.   The hope is to find another 6 songs to live with and record them too, but I am not sure if I have the vocals to do them till perhaps springtime.   I might tire of the cover version quickly, but we hope to put our own little spin on Gold Dust Woman and Lodi before all things are said and done.

For Sunday, it was pointless to record, and while the temps were bone chilling cold I managed to pop into the Rumors Jam.  Needless to say, the turnout of jammers were very small.  This one woman, Sheila which I talked to on occasion, popped up to say hi, and peppered my friend Kathy with plenty of hugs and danced on the floor, but she got on a tirade on Blue Scratch, she tried out for them and I guess things didn't go well.  She didn't have much good things to say about them.  She disappeared after Boom Boom.

With only me and Kim Bean there, I had plenty of time on the stage, almost a full half hour or 35 minutes, almost a like a whole set list.   Basically it was the Brook Hoover show, throwing a lot of Surf Christmas songs into the mix and first time run through of I Knew The Bride (He chose the Nick Lowe version from Rose Of England) and DJ gave us Boom Boom, done with a bit more swing I think and Tommy did the Stones number, before we ended things on a improvisation piece of off beats and following Brook and then over to Dan and then to Tommy till about 8 minutes later. 

After that it was time for a nap.  Kim Bean took over and the insane Craig Dewitte popped up to slur his way through Tush and managed to hug almost all the jammers out there, except for me.  I think he forgot jamming alongside me earlier in the year.  Kim plays unbelievably light on the drums, a very light drummer's touch.  Dan threw him a curve on Love Me Two Times by The Doors, it's not one of the Saloonatics songs (probably been better to do Riders On The Storm as originally intended). Afterwards I chatted with Brook about recording drums and who The Townedgers are all about.  No word about any projects together but there's always next year.

If there's any pictures of me at the recent popcorn jams, I have yet to come across them.  It would have been nice had somebody taken some pictures of the last jam song. I actually worked up a sweat.

And finally, on Monday my coworker and one time producer Steve Rasmussen underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery.  On Friday he went home.  That was record time recovery but I don't think Steve cares much for the hospital or doctors, which almost cost him his life it seems.   Take it slow Frank, I don't want to sing O Death at your funeral anytime soon.

On behalf of DJ, and Tommy (Brenda Snow photo credit), plus The Townedgers, Merry Christmas.

 

The Blues

I'm still at odds with myself about jamming with folks.  I have great moments, some not so great and sometimes why the hell I show up at these things, when there will be 8 other drummers or the like.  Tonight, while braving 1 above temps and a lurking full moon outdoors, I continue to be wowed by the drummers who do show up and the extended jams continue.  Brenda, Tommy Bruner's girlfriend mentioned that her dentist was playing drums during a spirited set with Skeeter Lewis, an old blues soul singer with a big ponytail down to his butt.   Dan Johnson jams with Skeeter from time to time, why I didn't know Skeeter?  I just don't go out often enough to see who's playing out there.

Eric Douglas was the drummer host and he used a couple 18 inch crashes for a high hat, ala Doug Clifford.  Since there was a assortment of great drummers, I didn't get to play but on one song, Dead Flowers with DJ, Tom Giblin, Tommy Bruner and Skeeter Lewis doing backing vocals., Dan did Jingle "f'n" Bells and I just clapped along while Eric played Hi hat.

Basically it was a nice to get away from work and from the Negative Nelly  who continues to bitch and moan about if I do any work or not, let alone me helping Sonya burst and trim labels. I have to deal with this shit for 31 years working at my place of employment, do not nothing at all but I'm supposed to do test jobs and do a shift report, to which I said hell with it, we have a full staff and I really don't want to deal with the Negative Nelly.  I cannot help if her personal life is hell, just don't blame me for the bullshit in her life.  Either kill yourself or get another job or fuck off.   It pays the same and basically I'm sick and tired of it all.  They laid off the wrong people again.   Or just let me go, so I continue to get back into the music scene full time instead of jams and one offs.   Where's Rod at? He went fucking someplace to have fun and get away from you how about that???

At the jam I talked with Brenda about The Wiley Kat, who usually shows up for the blues jam and hangs at Cooters.  The band thing didn't work out and while Tim and I are on the level and opening to jams, unless he has anything lined up, there's nothing there to continue onward.  Ben Benton, the bass player has been keeping busy with the Kirkwood Jazz band and really he was the one that kept us together, even though Tim wanted to can him on occasion. Ben has good rhythm and sense of melody, which is why he's in the jazz band.  He fucking rocked it on One Way Out.

However, I don't see myself hosting any jam sessions and the phone hasn't ring with any offers about doing something to that effect.  Having a evening job quells any attempt although I do have vacation days to use if the need arrives.  In a attempt to bullshit myself, I am considering getting some low volume cymbals just in case a Stone City or Parlor City gig comes up. But for now it's business as usual.

The Townedgers new album is now done and completed, I have found myself adding more new songs for inclusion for the next album.  Since I have two TE albums done for this year, I'm tempted to revive the Wapsipinicon Dreamers side project, which has been off and on since 1992 when Chris Dutcher and I started work on a couple songs, only to have him bail out after completing one of them.  The intent is to cover certain songs with a folk/country mood and put under The Wapsi Dreamers name, and I tried to do that a couple times.  One became A Long Time Forgotten, the other was Forthcoming Trains.  Both came out under The Townedgers.

So I continue to while away the hours on guitar picking old favorites from the record player and seeing what I can do with them and so far we have 5 songs ready to record.  And tonight's blues jam I was taking notes on the guitar players and their songs.  The dentist drummer may not have gotten the beat right on Cissy Strut but he did a outstanding job in his own way and on All Along The Watchtower.  Perhaps being freed from the Negative Nelly at work, I could hang with Dan Johnson more and get a feel of what he does for music and the guys such as Daddy O or Skeeter.  But for now, I'll continue with what I'm doing with The Townedgers and bide my time.  It's all I can do.

The new album. It's Called Jubilee

I'm finishing up listening to the final mix of the new album called Jubilee

I haven't done a live album since 2008 and each album, the drums become less manic and more keeping the beat.  I think I've come a long way from 30 years ago and the bash and crash of Every Hour On The Hour.  Like our previous live albums, it done live in the studio, or in this case in the shadow of the haunted Viola School to which we serenaded the 23 spirits to about an hour and 10 minutes of Townedger favorites and a few covers.  In terms of theory, it is a contractual obligation to get something in the can and be credited for doing something in 2016, but in no means it was phoned in.  In fact, I think we do much better versions of Get It Over With and Light Years Away on this album then on the previous albums. Plus finding some covers to do as well.  Waiting For The Man and I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better was done partly by my getting together with Brook Hoover on a guitar lesson and he taught me basic guitar chords or where everything stacks up on the fretboard.

Upon talking to Geoff Redding, he wanted to have more input and more involvement this time out. He's been on a part time role on the past couple albums, so this time he's on the full album.  There are 17 songs on the CD,  Fool For Your Glasses was the only one that didn't make the cut. Time considerations and besides a recording glitch didn't help things much.  I'll add it to a rarities CD when the time comes around.   For the first time as well, I'm giving the whole band production credit.  Not that you will see Geoff or Martin come down to a jam or two, they have their own lives to contend with.   For the first time since 1989, Terry Bainbridge came out of semi retirement to run sound and help record the whole she bang.  Most of the stuff was done during Thanksgiving Week, and drum mixing done during various afternoons from December 1 to 8th.  Me and Martin tackled the mixing of the recording to disc on 12/10/16

The Songs:

The One That Knows Me Best  (Smith/Redding)  3:14
Love Like Backfire (Smith/Lancaster/R.Swearingen) 3:48
Remember Me (Smith/Redding) 3:44
Better Days  (Smith/Orbit) 4:49
Listen To Love (Smith/Redding) 2:45
Waiting For The Man (Lou Reed) 6:25
The Life We Lead (Smith)  3:10
Get It Over With (Smith)  3:12
Realitesville (Smith/Orbit) 3:18
Light Years Away (Smith) 3:29
Rock Me Baby (B.B.King) 3:45
A Perfect Life (Smith) 3:15
Summer Of Your Discontent (Smith) 4:30
I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better (G.Clark) 2:47
Somewhere Down The Line (Smith/Orbit) 3:53
It's So Hard (Smith/Orbit) 3:15
The End (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) 6:36

All Townedgers songs copyright control. except  (Lou Reed-Three Prong Music BMI), (B B King, Modern Music BMI) (G.Clark Tickson Music BMI), (The Doors, Doors Music BMI)
Love Like Backfire: Dennis Lancaster and Russ Swearingen had a hand in the lyrics, music by R.Smith  (C) 1984 Dennyco Inc/Paraphernalia Tyrus Toonz (CC) 

The Participants:
Geoff Redding: Lead guitar and backing vocals
Martin Daniels: Low end guitar
Rodney Smith: Acoustic guitar, drums, lead vocals

Produced by The Townedgers & Terry Bainbridge
A&R: Diggy Kat

Recorded near the Viola Elementary School during Thanksgiving weekend.
Other basic recordings done at The Hoarder House Of Hits, Springville  IA
Live recording done by Terry Bainbridge using the Radio Maierburg Remote Unit
Album mixed at Radio Maierburg Studio by R.Smith and Martin Daniels

Special thanks:
To all the musicians in the Cedar Rapids area for helping me find my way back to the stage and making me feel welcome once again.  Lucky Star Radio for continuing to promote this starving artist
Much love to Diggy Kat, a friend and fan of the music.  And Rick Smith for tolerating all those
loud noises coming out of the bedroom at ungodly hours of the day/night.

Shouts out to Rod Albaugh, Julie Gordon, Mike Serbousek, Terry McDowell, Dan Johnson,
Tim Giblin, Brook Hoover, The Acousta Kitties, Wooden Nickel Lottery, Tommy Bruner, Kathy
Runnells, Bart And Cathy, Ernest The Soul Man, Tim Wiley, Ben Benton, Bob Gleason for band
unity.

The inner circle: Russ Swearingen, Mike Swearingen, DeWayne Schminkey, Dennis Lancaster,
Doug Bonesteel, Randy Hartwig  (once a band always a band), Donna Will, Sonya Madden, Nicole Passmore.  And of course Mom and Dad.

This album is dedicated to the memory of Bruce Stanley

(C) 2016 The Townedgers Music Emporium


RMR-32016

Acoustic Jam with The Acousta Kitties-Checkers Lounge 11/30/16

Featuring:

Cathy Hartman Spina
Julie Gordon
Lorie Parker
Steve Black Wolf
Belinda Christensen-James
Abigail Bunker
Mark Randolph
Carl Meiners
Skip Richards 

And a few others...

I've played drums on more songs these past two night than I have in two months all together at Rumors Popcorn Jam.  Not that it really matters but the more I play onstage, the more it made sense to drive into town to play.  With us not being too busy at work and I had vacation time to use, I figured since I was in the neighborhood to show up and see what happens.

Tuesday night I sat on on about 6 songs with Brook Hoover, Dan Johnson, Jon Wilson and Tom Giblin, plus having Ernest sing his song too.  And then deciding to take a long lunch and hang with the Acousta Kitties for their Wednesday Night Checkers Acoustic Show.  Recently, Karl Hudson announced that he too was doing a acoustic jam on the same night at Rumors, prompting a conflict of interest. Usually with winter coming, not too many people venture out to jam, it's too cold, too icy, too snowy. Is it feasible to even have two acoustic jam sessions on a Wednesday Night?  I think Karl does have some pull of getting stellar musicians there, but the Acousta Kitties have their own fan base, and a great sponsor with Checkers Tavern too.

I figured I'd stop in and chat with Julie Gordon a spell and perhaps pop on stage and play a song or two and head back to work soon afterward.   I thought I'd be back to work by Ten.  I didn't figure upon being the main percussionist and playing most of the songs that everybody attempted.  There's plenty of them we did, hell we even did Last Kiss twice, once with Steve Black Wolf and later Skip Richards.  Keeping the beat on the congas is pretty hard on the wrists too, but what I found that did work was using the middle finger knuckle to keep the beat moreorless.  Abigail Bunker, did her favorite songs (Bobby McGee, Delta Dawn, Spiders And Snakes, couple others) by around then it was time to grab a pizza burger for supper and chatted with Julie about her upcoming hip replacement.  She thinks she can get back on stage within a couple weeks, but I cautioned her to take it easy for the first month or so.  Her next gig with the Mad Dogs is January 27th at Hot Shots in Anamosa.   She did mentioned that Ron LaFleur has been jamming with Dakota and Mike and the bass player from West 66 (now broken up) for a new band and project.  I'd be interested on how they sound, I'm sure Mike would love to have me spell him a while, but not sure if Ron would sign off on that deal.

For the whole jam, I had a fun time and Julie and her friends, Lorie and Cathy were very gracious and very funny with their crazy comical jokes and heavenly harmonies. At least playing congas, I didn't have to worry about being loud and quietly kept time on songs I wasn't familiar with.  The Acousta Kitties do have a few risque songs, usually Lorie Parker's originals about boobs was worth a laugh to hear.  The easygoing vibes is welcomed; I tend to get too damn serious on Popcorn Jams and want to tear the drums up in front of everybody.   But on Parlor City Blues Jam and the Acoustic Jams it's nice to unwind and not be so noticeable. And congas are perfect for that type of music, although I might invest in low volume cymbals for future acoustic jams and if I have time off.  But thank Lorie Parker for investing  into congas and leaving the power drums at home. Saves wear and tear on the ears.

Plenty of jammers to take the stage but unlike the 7 drummers who pile into Rumors on Popcorn Jams, I was the only drummer up there and I could spend all the time up there.  I have jammed with Belinda on a couple occasions, but this was the first time I got to jam with her man, Mark and he in fact did turn out a more jazzier version of Fever than the one that Tommy and Dan did a couple months ago.  They also did a unplugged version of It's Been Awhile, the Staind song, it was very interesting to say the very least but when we get together to do the Peggy Lee/Little Willie John classic, it does sound special to me.  But then again, when you work with somebody long enough, you get to figure out their arrangement of the song.  Mark did a very good job on the guitar on that song.

Well we were having so much fun, I lost track of the time, and by the time Skip started to do Hang On Sloopy it was past 10.  Cathy being concerned, managed to write out a note to give to Louie about  please excuse me being a late,  I had to keep a beat and no other drummers were around, and Louie got a good laugh out of that.  I think we all did.  After Sweet Home Alabama, I did say goodbye and head back to work and managed to get back there about 10:20.  I should have stayed for the encore of Knocking On Heaven's Door.

In the past week, I have gone through 4 stages of playing music.  The Townedgers, The Popcorn Jam, The Blues Jam at Parlor City and finally the acoustic jam at Checkers to close out a very busy (for me that is) time of music and jamming.   Sometimes I wish still living in the city to get to these jams more often than I do, but having a regular evening job does cut into playing.  So I try to make it count.  And I have to say, tonight was much fun.  We laugh and had a good time and I even sang too.

Thanks everybody for the good times and vibes.   See ya soon.

Photo: Lorie Parker, L to R Mark Randolph, R. Smith, Belinda Christensen-James, Skip Richards

Thoughts Of The Townedger November Edition

It has been a trying year to say the very least.  I've gotten word that Steve Rasmussen, my co worker and co producer for The Highway Home is to undergo open heart surgery this week.  I lost enough friends this year, I don't want to go to another funeral anymore.  Also Julie Gordon is going to have hip replacement done on her next month.  She'll probably be out of action for a couple months too.   She's in my thoughts too.

The next Townedgers album is called Jubilee, and it's basically a live album done within the shadows of the old Viola School Gym.  It's cavernous, and it has a good sound to it.  The hope is that the owners will finally get enough money to cover the sunroof top as shown in the photo.  On this project I wanted to revisit some of the lesser known stuff as well do some choice covers.  For this I enlisted Terry Bainbridge to get the sound up to par.  We usually don't give Terry much to work with. In 1987 we did a low fi cassette to cassette album called Tales Of The Red Caboose and a bright idea was to use metal tape to record it.  Not exactly a good move on my part.

For covers and since Lou Reed has done a lot using the same chords we took on Waiting For The Man and I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better, the Byrds song.  And for a finale, I decided on The End, for a second time and without the Killer Woke Before Dawn segment.  Very much improvised and going with the moment.  Like most of the songs, very rough and sloppy.  We never play the song in the same way, every version is different.  I guess that's what they call  rock and roll.

(this does have potential to be a cool place to play, all they need a decent dance floor)

 
(a blurry sunset photo in Davenport)

Is Brook Hoover and I going to record anytime soon?  I look at it, the way I look at any projects with Russ or Julie or anybody else.  If it happens it happens but Brook makes a living playing music and any appearance I'll have to compensate him for his time and efforts.  He also a great guitar lessons instructor as well. 

I still have pictures from my travels in Arizona, this was taken outside Room 220 at the Motel 6 in Kingman.  I love that area, plenty of trains and that Route 66 spirit lurking around.  I haven't been to my adopted home in over 3 years, but I'm there in spirit.

Trains and music.  The only things I know in life.  I guess it seems full circle to bring certain people back into The Townedgers, Mel Strobie popped in on a jam or two and now Terry Bainbridge manning the sound for Jubilee.  I worked on a song list and messed with different types of songs before settling for 15 songs, concluding with The End.  The big omission was We All Sleep Alone was left off, our only number 1 song.  There was simply no room for that song and since the best version is on Forthcoming Trains it was best to leave it there.  But I wasn't too happy about The Live We Lead, the version sounded unfinished on Fitting Finales and the next attempt was cut short at the ending.  I suppose we can attempt to do another live album in the future but in reality, there's hasn't been a live document since 20 in 2003 and the 2008 cuts were simply bootlegs and no attempt to really issue them on a stand alone best of.  The songs are all there but Jubilee is marketed as an official Townedgers release.   And I tend to be indifferent when it comes to reissuing the 2008 stuff.  If enough interest gets shown then we'll see.  But even in a social media world of millions of bands out there wanting your time (and most importantly) your money I still couldn't be arrested, even as accomplice.  But I think it's worthy enough to put on Townedger Radio from time to time.  And even my A and R guy does get the songs played on Lucky Star Radio.  Outside of Diggy Kat, my trust level for anybody else is very limited.  We've been sold up the river without a paddle a few times.

If memory serves me right, Jubilee will be the first TE live album without anything from Town's Edge Rock. I thought about doing All Over Now at the finale but I think the song has served its purpose many years ago when my X Girlfriend and her then hubby destroyed that song during their reception while a friend of mine played it for them.  The best version was the IMU 1987 Midnight No Shame Theater that we played at.  Later versions I'm not impressed with.  I dusted off Remember Me and Perfect Life just to do something different.   Sure a lot of albums were missing key tracks and I did pick a couple from Pawnshops For Olivia and Fitting Finales and four cover versions, but I wanted to give a glimpse of how the Townedgers sound today.  The object was to have fun and keep it simple.   And I think I can live with the results.

Dennis Lancaster found a old picture of me, Dewayne Schminkey and Randy Hartwig. We agree that this picture was taken in the 1980s and since I'm wearing clodhoppers it must be around 1985, or even as late as 1988.  Thought it was an Open Highway Band photo at first.  There are memories of Randy and myself hitting Dennis' wedding in 1990 and there's other pictures to prove it.  Can't believe that's even me in the picture, certainly Dwayne and Randy don't look like that anymore.

As you can tell (Wake Up Dennis and Dewayne!) DeWayne is a Grandpa now.  Guess he has to take his naps whereever he can. The last leftover picture of the Open Highway/Paraphernalia Reunion.

For Jubilee, I used the Fender electric guitar and the Guild acoustic guitar.  Geoff usually plays Gibson, but he too brought a Fender to the proceedings.  I know when we did The End, I played the Gibson Les Paul, and it has a more aggressive tone.  The past two years, I been using the Zildjian cymbals.  Even in the six years of Paiste cymbals use, people still think that the TE sound was the Zildjians, the dark crashes and 18 inch crash rides come in handy.  Not sure if and when I'll dust the Paiste cymbals off, I should give them a good home, if somebody provides enough money for me. Money does talk you know.

Bruce Stanley has now been gone for three months now and there's not a moment that I don't think about him.  You can't replace somebody with that much music knowledge and he was a great guy to be around with.  I've been blessed with the presence of the likes of a Tommy Bruner, a Terry McDowell, a Brook Hoover and Dan Johnson, Tim Duffy, Mike Serbousek, too many to mention.  And they do take their music seriously, or even jams.  I tend to improvise the hell out of things, I don't play it by record and perhaps that throw a curve into things.  It's kinda punk rock mentality, even back in the days of starting out, we would not play the same song twice.  32 years after the fact, Tyrus Paraphernalia played by our own rules.   Even though back then with an eye toward doing original stuff, I think we really did have something special between us.  We were not seasoned musicians known around the area but rather just home town friends that stumbled upon this rock and roll fantasy to which thankfully got preserved on tape.  We were fast, we were sloppy as hell but damn we rocked.  To which to The Townedgers can't duplicate.  Overall, we were not only friends but also brothers of the rock and roll.

The question still remains, will there ever a reunion of these guys?  As long as we're still alive anything is possible.  Dennis makes good money being an airline pilot and hasn't picked up a guitar in many years.  I'd be tickled pink if he shocks us and pops up at a jam in the future.  Anything is possible, even though we might be dreaming, but I do regret that we couldn't keep it going after the OK Lounge gig.  I guess I never knew how good of a drummer I really was when Dennis came back into the fold after I recorded Towns Edge Rock and wanted to get a band going.  Granted with him and Russ, we did have our own groove and sound.  I was more concerned with original stuff and going from there.  Perhaps had I learned to sing and do covers I could have given Tyrus Paraphernalia a more variety of sound and less reliance on Mike Swearingen.  I'm not sure if Waiting For The Man or The End would make much sense in a bar scene wanting to hear Free Bird or Wanted Dead Or Alive, but perhaps we could get people to dance to Feel A Whole Lot Better.

We still haven't had  any snow on the ground.  This may not look like much but this is our Morning Glories still growing on Veteran's Day 11/11/16, the latest we ever had them growing.  But after that day, the killing frost did take them out.  Morning Glories are nice clingy weeds that grow everywhere you put them.  They certainly took over most of our yard this year.  I'm sure they'll will be back. 

The Parlor City Blues Jam is less loud than the Popcorn Jam and sometimes I'd rather to have fun and keep time rather than bashing the drums.  The rare jam came Tuesday Night with Brook Hoover, Dan Johnson and Tom Giblin helping me out, Jon Wilson providing drums.  I got to do five songs for the quartet plus Sam from Mount Vernon heading back to college in California before the snows hit.  He sounds a lot like John Mayer.  Also Heather Brown joined up to do a cover of Crazy.  Sam's songs I wasn't too familiar or know who did them.  Ernest the Soul Man showed up and I concluded things with his rousing version of The Twist to which his vocals was at around 111 decibels. Parlor City frowns upon anything over 100 DB, but you can't blame Ernest.  Me and Dan Johnson backed him up before (with Tommy Bruner on guitar though) and Brook was a bit taken by the power of Ernest's vocals.  I love Terry McDowell and the Popcorn Jam but I have come to find that I get to play more songs during these Parlor City Blues Jams than the Popcorn Jam.  Parlor City doesn't have seven drummers on hand.  They had a young drummer who did a nice swinging Kansas City/Just Got Lucky medley by Dan Johnson.  Tim Wiley was also there, and I know he wanted to jam with me but he got paired up with the young drummer.   We briefly chatted and sounds like Ben Benton is moving on to other things, so he's looking for a new bass player.  And perhaps a new drummer as well. We did say goodbye before he went out into the night. 

And then I took the stage.

Poprcorn Jam 11/27/16 Duffy's Return

Lineup:

Cecie Stark-Vocals (Rocky Mountain Way, Gold Dust Woman)
Tommy Bruner-Lead Guitar
Bart Carfizzi-Keyboards, vocal (The Break Up Song)
Tim Duffy- Bass
Bob Gleason-Harmonica
Crabby-Drums

A & R: Terry McDowell

I started work on the next Townedger recording this weekend, a revisit of some older music and manic version of Waiting For The Man.  If all else fails, cover a Lou Reed song.  The album is going to be called Jubilee, The Townedgers Live at Viola School Gym.  Technically, not at the gym but our remote four track is a block away so I guess it qualifies as a live album.  It should be out before Christmas, the final release of 2016 I think.  Then it's on the next album, the working title is Logic And Lies.

My yearly checkup reveals everything is in working order, my blood pressure is down around 130/84, jamming will do that I guess, but the usual elevated liver diagnosis, which hasn't changed since 1998. Not worried too much over that.  The hope is finish the next Townedgers albums and then see what happens afterwards.   On the TE album, Geoff Redding is helping out more on guitar, he's been wanting a more active role and live albums are good for granted such wishes.  I haven't release an official live album since 20 in 2003, I did put out a couple 2008 get togethers but they are bootlegs so to speak.  Once again what was to be done in September is once again forced to get it done before the year is out.   The object was to record the songs as planned, mistakes in all, including me forgetting a verse to Love Like Backfire and a quick end to The Life We Lead, I guess I'll never be satisfied or get the finished take I want to get but in the spirit of rock and roll, if we work on a song more than 3 takes then the magic is gone and the songs get more and more forced.   With Rod Albaugh wanting to continue to polish up the stuff I recorded with him earlier in the year, I may have to put that on the back burner.    But on Friday Night after coming home and updating things, Brook Hoover, the brains behind the Surf Zombies and Flaming Camaros  invited me to come over at Midnight to do some recording.  Which I think he was pulling my leg,  I quizzed him Ain't You in Rock Island doing your Ramones Tribute Show,  Oh yeah yeah, we'll be taking the stage shortly.  Watta ham.

Brook turned 55 on Wednesday Night.  To which I was surprised that he was my age too.  He looks a lot younger, in fact we could probably do a Back To The Future sort of thing, he looks like Micheal J Fox and if I grow my hair out, I'm the mad scientist Doc.  I did managed to pop in while he was finishing up his solo set and wished him happy birthday that night.  I also did partake in the Acousta Kitties jam while getting off work early and Julie managed to get me up there to play the conga bongos for the last 4 songs of their set.   It's nice to play more than 3 songs at any jams but everybody seemed to enjoy my back beat on Sweet Home Chicago and a few others.  But conga playing is quite hard on the wrists.  I did managed to say to Belinda Christensen James and her boyfriend Mark Randolph and gave Julie a little something to help her with her forthcoming hip replacement.  She'll might be taking a sabbatical to recover and hopefully she'll get back on the stage in 3 to 4 months.

Thanksgiving, Doug Bonesteel was in town and offered me his grandma's record collection to which I took home.  Mostly a lotta Christmas and Country LPs, but there's a few keepers in tow.  We talked a few things, usual band bullshit and he did mentioned about the Open Highway band photos of our gig and his reception and promised to send them out eventually.  I doubt if I'll ever see them, they went home and was sitting down to supper and their washer/dryer caught fire and their house was a total loss.  I'll have to send something their way to help them through.  Nobody should have to go through that.

So on Sunday, The TEs did three songs and then I went off into town and try to get a bit of walking in before the jam and damned if it rained so that was a short walk.  Tim Duffy was in town to pick up a few things and it was decided that he should be part of the reunion of the Lab Rats.  Tim was much loved around the area, he's a good guy with a good heart and good sense of melody and songs.  The crowd was small but it did pick up later on, with the usual 7 drummers popping up at various songs. Usually Cecie is paired with her husband Peter (which I keep calling him Pete for some freaking reason) when Terry picks the musicians out, but somehow I drew the card to do Gold Dust Woman, a song that doesn't have much drums in it and the bands I did play it, I played hi hat and bass drum, forgetting at the end this is a tribal Mick Fleetwood sound at the end of the song.  Peter says there is a another version that does have drums (probably the version off The Dance, I based mine off Rumors) and playing it with the Night Flowers years ago, a slow beat when Janice Ferguson sang it.   I know Mike Serbousek does a drum track with The Mad Dogs and Peter with the Dunshee Moon.  Perhaps Peter would have been better suited for that song, or least I know how he plays it and plan accordingly.

Photo: Brenda Snow Bart Carfizzi, Tim Duffy, Terry McDowell, Tommy Bruner  The Lab Rats

The mellow side was replaced with Rocky Mountain Way, another song to show off my playing.  Tommy Bruner extended the lead a lot longer than I was used to, that's okay, improvisation is always welcomed, as I try to build it up to the ending, Tommy shook his head no, not yet and continued to play lead.  While of course Tim Duffy making faces and dancing all over the stage.  He was having a good time I do believe.   Overall the song was better done this time than the last attempt when Julie and The Mad Dogs were in town.    My time ended with Greg Kihn's The Breakup Song, which Bart sang.

Outside of that, the usual gang popped up at times.  Even Kim Bean from The Saloonatics did a few songs, he said he was battling a hangover but he still sounded quite good.  Kevin Faulkner and Tim Canfield came on stage to do their Get Together and New Orleans songs, The Starks continued the Stevie Nicks lovefest with Dreams and Mike Lint did his Ain't No Sunshine.  But overall this was Tim Duffy's day, and I was glad to get to share the stage with him again.  And I got plenty of hugs afterwards too.   As they say, I can't complain.

Come back soon Tim.

Popcorn Jam 11/20/16 Remembering Olivia

Still you'll always be in my heart
For the love that we share, shall never part
And maybe some day, when it's all said and done
We'll be together, beyond the sun.

(Photo: New Year's Day 2000)

17 years ago, I was spending time with Olivia up in the chilly winds and rains of Portland, taking on a dinner cruise on the big river and watching the sights of downtown Portland.  I think those times that we spent together were the best time of my life, a great ending to 1999 and hoping of things to come.   But like everything that has happened in this life, it simply wasn't meant to be.

She wasn't made for the cold harsh winters of the Great Midwest and when she did come out here, she ended up getting a walking phenomena that would last a good three months up to our last time together.   It's been so long ago I'm beginning to forget most of it outside of old pictures that confirmed us being together, and occasional reminders: printed emails and letters hidden in a box in the storage room.  And memories.

Around that time, my best friend was dating a woman from New York and things were not exactly going well for them.  However, me and Olivia did our best to convince Deb that my best friend was a nice guy and worthy of settling down with.  We talked about ways of keeping their fire alive for one another in my last trip to Portland in March, knowing that we were about to take different paths from one another.  In April of 2000, in St Louis, Russ realized that Deb was the best woman for him. As for me and Olivia, she remained in the Northwest.  On Valentines' Day 2001 Russ and Deb got married.  Eventually, Olivia would remarry too.  I continued on the road less traveled.  A few years later, both of us would chat off and on, which she managed to tap my inner thoughts that would become the album Pawnshops For Olivia, perhaps the most bittersweet album The Townedgers ever made, to which a followup album would take five years to be made.  Looking back on those times we brought in 2000, it was the best time in my life.   I still miss her.


Popcorn Jam 11/20/16

Tim Wiley-Guitar, vocals
Tommy Bruner-Guitar
Dan Johnson-Bass Guitar
Bob Gleason-Harmonica
I played drums

Songs:
Little Wing
Red House Blues
Crossroads

I always said that I was open to jam with Tim Wiley if and when that time came to be and it did Sunday.  I think it went well, though Little Wing and Redhouse Blues were very short versions. We concluded things with Crossroads, and Tim played a very fast riff and we all followed suit.  Dan Johnson held things together quite well.  Benton wasn't around so it wasn't a full fledged Wiley Kats reunion.  Once things were done Tim packed up and raced on down to Cooters to finish up the acoustic jam.  Some things never change but I did acknowledged and shake Tim's hand for doing a good job.

Next week the return of Tim Duffy for a one off reunion. We'll see how that one goes.

Bruce Stanley Popcorn Jam 11/13/16-Great Drummers Think Alike

Lineup:

With Four Day Creep

Amanda Britcher-vocals
Rick Clay-Guitar
John Baughman-Bass
Troy Mitchell-Drums
R.Smith-The other drummer


In charge: Terry McDowell


Steve Lawrence-playing guitar and vocals on All Right Now and Bonecrusher

Songs:

All Right Now
Bonecrusher

For a sendoff to Bruce it was kinda of a disappointing small crowd but they're mostly into the hard rock and roll.  For the most part the Four Day Creep gang kept things going.  Not a lot of other jammers, I think Mike Lint was the other drummer besides myself to take part in the fun.  Terry jamming along with them during the first hour.

Troy Mitchell is one of the best if not the best drummer in town, he can play Bonham better than myself and a great guy.  He was friends with Bruce for many years.  I had to laugh when Troy said he was following me on Bonecrusher a song from a band called Soul Hat that I wasn't familiar with.  I basically stayed on a regular beat and not the over the top version.  In fact I only knew that Hostage played it last week at Rumors and even then I didn't quite grasp of the offbeats this song was like.  

This was the second time I ever shared the stage with another drummer and it was a honor to have Troy play alongside me.  The guy can nailed the drum rolls on All Right Now too. I think I'm beginning to show my age that my wrist couldn't respond to the cascade rolls on the beginning of the lead guitar part.  Unlike the over the top version I did for The Routers in 1991, I was content to stay within the beats of the song and not over do it.

Although I only did two songs, the total time up on stage was about 10 minutes long.  It was nice to see Tim Hotz, my good friend from days of hanging at the record store come up and say hi.  He might a bit off the wall but Tim is one of my closest friends.  He did mention that he'll swing by Bruce's house on the way home.  I should have asked Tim where Bruce's place was at.  I don't think I've ever been there.  In fact I know I haven't.

Mike Lint did pay me a nice compliment by mentioning that I was one of the best drummers out there when Brook was asking people who their fave drummers were. In fact I was mentioned a couple more times.  It's a good feeling when people put you in the elite company of great drummers in town.  I gave Mike a nice hug over that.  Thanks mate!  You're pretty damn good yourself.

(Photo: Frank Smith  Toxic Blonde with Dawn Sedelcek and Terry Mac on drums)

Terry McDowell says:   You totally deserve to be mentioned on this list, too! Since we've gotten to know each other through the Sunday jams, I've noticed and appreciate your knack for playing what a song needs. I really dig that you realize the importance of dynamics when playing the drums. There's a time and place for it of course, but playing drums really hard is almost always unnecessary. I've seen you play with intensity without overshadowing everyone else - and that requires real talent!




Thanks Big Mac for those kind words.

I tend to think in my later years that I am more at home keeping it straight and to the point, if I overdo things it's because I'm in the moment,  that all goes back to the first time we recorded Rocky Mountain Way in 1982 and I was trying to hang on to my job as drummer for Paraphernalia.   Over course of time, my style of playing basically was decided on that over the top which you can hear on the Paraphernalia recordings and The Townedgers.   But as I get older I realize that I'm more suited to the basic styles of Al Jackson Jr and how he kept things tight more than Keith Moon bashing every cymbal and drum within arm reach.   Doing the jams the past 15 months has enabled me to actually play better drums, especially on Fitting Finales and interacting with other musicians is a plus too.  I don't expect to really change my style, I play by feeling rather than straight by record.  I must be doing something right when I mentioned to be one of the best drummers in town.  It may not look like it but I'm always taking notes when my fellow drummers take the stage.   Not bad for being one of the older rockers in town.

Popcorn Jam 11/6/16

Lineup:

Joe Hutchcroft-Vocals on Simple Man and Sister Golden Hair
Steve Black Wolf- Vocals on Tuesday's Gone
Karl Hudson-Acoustic guitar and backing vocals
Ryan Rolling-Electric guitar
Layne Goldsberry-Bass
Me, I'm just tagging along on drums

Terry McDowell holding it all together

Taking time off from The Townedgers putting the new album together, I didn't think I was going to do this jam.  I ended up getting major back spams from mowing the yard yesterday and barely could sit in my seat for Hostage playing that night.  And with Daylight Savings Time ending, the day ends quite fast, losing that hour of daylight.  But it's still 60 degrees when the sun was out.

While a good crowd was there a host of jammers left to go do the acoustic jam at Cooters and didn't bother waiting their turn.  Dakota and Joe LaFluer were one of them, Tim Wiley wore out his welcome and Jim and John weren't interested.  Joe  played drums on a couple of songs before taking the lead vocalist spot for Simple Man and Sister Golden Hair and I took the stage.  First time I had shared the stage with Layne Goldsberry of the Past Masters and he did a fine job of keeping me focused on the beat and not play too fast.  Not that I really wanted to, I was still having back issues and having a pinched nerve in my shoulder blade as well.  It's amazing how Joe looked a lot like Joe Maddon of the Cubs winning the world series fame.  Was nice jamming with him, he also does duty in The Shadow with Tommy Bruner and Bart Carfizzi.

Tim Wiley was up there and he was supporting Steve Black Wolf on a couple numbers but Terry didn't give him much in terms of songs.  I'm sure he wanted to do a couple of songs with me but that didn't happen.  Usually once he's done he packs up and leaves, he's done that many times including the Wiley Kats but it doesn't bother me all that much.  Abigail, the 12 year old came back to do a few songs but I didn't play drums on Bobby McGee.  But Tim will always be Tim and hooking his stuff up before a gig doesn't go over very well, especially on the host of the jams.  I don't hate Tim, never had, but sometimes I do question his decisions.  Who knows what the future holds but the door is always open to jam with him at Popcorn or Blues Jams.

I thought my segment went well, nothing outstanding but just having fun.  Afterwards I chatted with Ernest the soul man before some blonde took his attention away and then with Terry and The Starks and wished Cecie more happy birthday greetings.  Peter is a lucky guy.  They did a couple duets with Terry playing drums later in the jam. It may have been a first but Cecie that's happened once before.  He has this Aw shucks voice for Stop Draggin My Heart Around and it's kinda sweet.  Before things ended with Comfortably Numb and everybody going off in different directions.

Popcorn Jam 10/30/16 Where It Begins Ends

I am surprised that I made it this far back into the jams without falling into stage fright or indifference.  Most likely the latter than the former.  As I sit here and await what two songs that I'll be playing on stage today I think I am more in line into going out to enjoy a late fall day with temps still in early September mode.

15 months.  When I came out of the woodwork to finally share the stage with fellow musicians and managed to keep time and then expanded on what I learned over the course of these 15 months.  It's been a wonderful ride, playing with the likes of Hostage, finally getting to jam with Ernest the Soul Man on The Twist, having the legendary Tommy Bruner and Dan Johnson on the same stage, spelling Mike Serbousek for a few in Julie And The Mad Dogs and West 66, talking tunes with Terry McDowell and seeing Tiffany Z rocking it with 50 Shades Of Rock and Motorboat.   And seeing new drummers coming in to wow the crowd.    The list of many fine musicians.  It's been such fun and this did help shape Fitting Finales into a much better album than originally thought.

For most of the year, I have made the trek into town, to Rumors almost every Sunday to horn in on my chops and get to do a few songs on stage.  While last week was a nice tribute to Kyle Oyloe, only doing two songs gave the suggestion that I could have went to work and made more money during our busy time.  But I wanted to be there simply for Kyle.  In the end, once I got done with Roadhouse Blues, I should have taken my exit and enjoy what was left of a beautiful fall afternoon.    I have no ideal what Terry will have for me to do with songs.  There are times when I do show up, when I think I'm doing well, it turns out to be not so much as great as thought (just like last week) but then there's times I don't expect much and then things turned out great.  I still cannot put my finger why things didn't work last week, good intentions perhaps but too much overdrumming.  I don't think neither Terry nor Julie thinks too much about this, but I tend to be my own worst critic.  And stay too long too.  It's a wait and see for me, with Tommy and Dan it's a good support cast.  Whatever happens after today,  I need to return back to the music and vision that I originally had before July of 2015.  And the object is to concentrate more on guitar and vocals and not so much on drums. I can drum anytime of day and can back up anybody anywhere.  But as I found out, that I am a loner that has rebel against playing the same 20 bar songs every bar band plays at the local bar.  As a famous songwriter said "Like it or not, you are in this alone and have to follow your own star.”  And that applies to the music scene here today.  It was like that when I came on board back in the early 80s and left to go into the working world.  It's still like that in my 15 months of being back.

Popcorn Jam  Lineup:  (Photo: Brenda Snow)

Tommy Bruner-Guitar
Dan Johnson-Bass
Dave Bonham-Guitar
Jeff Craft-Keyboards and vocals
Bob Gleason-Harmonica
Abigail Bunker-Vocals on  Me And Bobby McGee and Delta Dawn.
Mr. Hate And Discontent-drums 

Songs:
Me And Bobby McGee
Delta Dawn
How Long
I'll Be Around
Gonna Have Some Fun Tonight

Bart Carfizzi returned back to the popcorn jam as keyboardist but Jeff Craft was in his spot when the jammers were chosen.  I can't recall the last time I did five songs in a jam (it's been a while) but this time out I had more fun than last week.  The original thought was Belinda Christensen James was going to show up to do Fever but that never happened.  Instead I backed up a 12 year old girl who sang the hell out of Me And Bobby McGee just like Janis did many moons ago.   I don't think her parents were even born when that song came out but I could be wrong.  She also did Delta Dawn, a song that I haven't played in ages.   How Long is usually done by Bart in Past Masters and the popcorn jam but Jeff Craft plays from time to time with Karl Hudson and Bryce Janey and is a capable vocalist and keyboard player.  At least this time he didn't force us to do Margaritaville or Two Pina Colidas or God Forbid the Piano Man.  He's done the Corey Stevens Gonna Have Some Fun Tonight, a song I never heard and slopped my way through it when he pulled it out of the song selection.   As always, Terry got to do the more fun jams, with Jeremy Jacobs and Tommy Bruner playing duel guitar on You Can't Always Get What You Want and later Barb Myers joining up to do Rain, which I would have loved to play.  And got to chat with Bob Gleason afterwards and caught up on old times.

This is Abigail Bunker, the 12 year old that sang Bobby McGee and Delta Dawn.  She has done the acoustic jam from time to time and now has started showing up during popcorn jam sessions.  Something tells me that she'll be leading some band in the near future.

Afterwards, Wooden Nickel Lottery played a surprise gig at Parlor City but I missed it for a good reason.  The Chicago Cubs finally made it to the World Series and Sunday Night was the first time I got to watch them on TV and at Wrigley.  I started out at Naso's Pizza and ended up having a Schlitz with a few friends at Wrigleyville.  Which the Cubs won 3-2.  Here's hoping they can win the next two games.

As I said before this jam was a lot more fun than last week.  We'll see how I feel for next week but I do want to start playing more guitar than drums at jams just to see if I can do it.  I always tend to threaten to quit playing the jams and then come back the next week.  The right combination of folks will determine if I will be back next week.  If Tommy or Dan is there, that's favorable.

Stay tuned. 

Thoughts From The Townedger October Edition

I spend way too much time on the social media circuit and never get nothing done in real life.


I've been dealing with the usual falltime allergy crap, scratchy throat, plugged up nose and it does play havoc with music.  I been getting back to guitar and trying to learn the basics and what better guy to take lessons than from Brook Hoover.  I threw a 20 in his direction and he showed me how he plays guitar, which is far different than me.  I can't seem to untie my ring and pinky when it comes to trying to stretch on the fret board but I did stumbled upon the basic chords of Cinnamon Girl.  I hope to somehow play this on stage myself rather than Geoff Redding or Rod Albaugh.  I could never touch Brook or Rod on their guitar playing, I can only improve on the songs that do come out for later albums, or in front of people.

It was a year ago last Sunday that Kyle Oyloe departed from this world and although I had better jams, the overall vibe was fairly positive, with Kyle's mom and family coming down.  15 months into the local scene, I'm beginning to find my place in the music world of CR and what the future holds for me I don't know.  Our job situation is more brighter, which means playing for bar gigs are not going to happen anytime soon and the only available time would be acoustic jams or Popcorn Jams. Last Sunday's jam was a big deal enough for me to get time off from work but hanging around just to do two songs was a disappointment.  But in the end, it's their call, be it Terry who had planned for me to do at least one more later in the jam or Julie wanting Mike to get back up on stage; he remains The Mad Dogs drummer and had to watch the first hour of Terry jamming with the songs that Mike has done time and time again.   And Mike did make a statement by playing some spirited drumwork on Fairies Wear Boots and managed to nail that opening to We're An American Band.  In reality I'd rather much back Mike up on Johnny B Goode (which we thought would happened but didn't), then to overdrum on Rocky Mountain Way.  Still people thought it went pretty good and it's nice getting compliments, even if it wasn't one of my better efforts.  Still I waited around for that final song which never came, once Trevor came up on stage and jammed with the new guy Ron La Fleur that was all she wrote.    And perhaps I stayed too long, especially hearing Buddy complaining about helping his son moving things back to Anamosa.

I think when you don't play in a working environment, you tend to be looked at as an outsider.  Terry can work and play in three other bands, Dan Johnson and Tommy Bruner stay regularly busy, as well as Brook or Jon Wilson and all do managed to host a jam session or two.   In my efforts to maybe host a jam session I ended up buying a pickup four piece drumset for further inclusion but since buying that set, it's only drawn cobwebs.  Questions still remain.  Is there's any hope for putting a new band together with some of the elite musicians in town?  Is it feasible to give The Wiley Kats another shot?   Or revamp Open Highway or Paraphernalia Tyrus with my best friend and Dewayne in tact?  Or hold down a barstool waiting to do three songs at a popcorn jam?

I don't think I ever played the rock and roll game quite right even during the Tyrus tenure.  I wanted to do originals and obscure songs right off the bat and basically had the right set of guys at that time. But it's hard to think you're making any effort dusting off something nobody plays but even while pulling off a rocking bunch of Montrose tunes, nobody's dancing but fart away on Free Bird and Maragaritaville and people dance to it.  And I think that was one reason why I walked away from it all three decades ago.   Playing Welcome To The Jungle or Crazy Train or Garth Brooks Friends In Low Places is just like working at a thankless job, only my thankless job pays the bills better.

Or maybe I was blowing hot air when I suggested if the Mad Dogs wanted to continue I would be happy to play drums for them, if Mike couldn't do it.  Once Mike said he wanted to continue The Mad Dogs and his other band, that was it. I love Mike Serbousek like a brother. If he needs me, I got his back.  Same with Julie.

But as for myself, I tend to renew going to jams by a week by week basis. I've been disappointed before, but I also had some memorable jams as well.  And been able to document the good and the bad as well.  Next jam will have Tommy Bruner and Dan Johnson, two of best musicians that I feel the most comfortable with and I'm committed to the next jam.   Somewhere down the line, Tim Duffy might be back to hang out too.  I do miss Tim Duffy a lot.  Terry McDowell has done a very good job continuing the popcorn jam, with Tim Duffy, he managed to bring a more diverse and eclectic lineup from time to time, (Jon Wilson, Brook Hoover have been missing from the Sunday jams).  I'll do my best to promote whatever Terry has for Sunday Jams, on the other side I need to revisit my own band, my own roots, and my own way to play music and that would be more acoustic jams with me playing guitar and getting better at it.   I enjoy hearing compliments on how I play drums, but the ultimate goal is to get kudos about playing acoustic guitar on my own compositions.


But I know that I have been a fragile sort of dude, the difficulties of stage fright and self doubt continue to plague me and the past couple jams it's gotten to the point that I'm not sure if I want to continue to popcorn jams fighting myself and the insecurities that took me out of playing live for a few years.  Perhaps it's time to walk away from it all once again and just continue as The Townedger and thinking up new music on my own.  Even in my most downward state, I can put on Pawnshops For Olivia or Diamonds In The Skies and the songs remind me that I'm a very good songwriter and drummer.  I shouldn't have to punish myself for forgoing hair metal overplayed stuff just to play originals and garage rock classics nobody else plays.   In the meantime I still do.

Fellow musician Jim Reisner has come up with his own application on chords and playing the guitar. Anything helps. http://jimsplayground.azurewebsites.net/Home

Falling in love with somebody new will never happen.  I know by now that I have blown chances of finding anybody that can put up with me longer than 2 hours.  Nicole did the best she could and I still love her the same way that when we first met and she did give me 11 months of her life to be with me too.  Does it bother me when she talks about a new guy in her life and makes me happy?  Not really, I always hope for the best for her, even if she's very active on the dating scene.  I do miss the fun that we did have, in those special times in St Louis.  But I do wish her well on this stage we call life.