End Of Month Thoughts From The Townedger

I have had the pleasure of jamming with Tim Duffy over the course of the 7 months of coming back from retirement and he's a cool guy to hang with.  Tonight he has put his house up for sale and will go through on his promise to return back to the south (Atlanta I think is his destination) within a few months.  I'm really sad to see him go, but he has lived down in the south for a time or two (he says Miami is still a nice place to visit) and perhaps these winters will cause anybody to move south.  I wish him well in his life journey.

I turned 55 Sunday and it wasn't a very good birthday.  I was sick with the dreaded winter cold that wiped me out for about 5 days and a steady diet of pills and Nyquil didn't help much either.  My boss prescribed Honey Tea and I think I have finally turned the corner.  Now if I can stop this post nasal drip going down my throat I'll be in a better mood.

Since being sick, I have stopped recording on any new projects, don't have the voice and if I did, it's mostly Tom Waits/Chuck E Weiss/and latter day Leonard Cohen and not in a good way.  Next month I'll try to salvage what recordings I did with Rod Albaugh behind the control board.  Since Fitting Finales was recorded on a subpar tape I may redo some of the songs for the next project.  I'm not used of recording guitars first and then vocals as Rod has suggested, but he knows the tricks to sweeten the vocals whereas if a flat note comes out.  I rather punch in and redo that messed up words or lines but his way saves wear and tear on the recording equipment.

Diggy Kat was kind enough to give a whole afternoon of Townedger Radio reruns on Lucky Star Radio this past Monday when I was home sick so I managed to catch the majority of those repeats. The only new song of the Townedgers I heard so far was Just To Satisfy You.  I must be missing something, unless I'm not listening when I'm supposed to.

I don't hate Glenn Frey like a few folks do out there, I didn't worship The Eagles either but I did like some of their music and albums.  Already Gone, my favorite song from them, On The Border my favorite album from them.  67 years is not a long time, I'm 12 years from that and anytime might be my last time on this planet.  Losing Glenn Frey, David Bowie and Lemmy the past month is a wake up call that I spent too much time on the negative and not enjoying the positive of life.  But I do worry about the fate of man and the sheer greed and hatred that seems to be more widespread.  I worry about the overpopulation of this world and one day Planet Earth is going to find a way to rid itself of mankind.  It's sad to see the world falling apart with the hatred of the right winger who use hate and warmongering and racism. We were not born with that when we came to this world but was taught by others in the name of religious beliefs.  Last time I checked the God that I know loves everybody.  God is love.  Never of hate.

Isabella still lives up in Spokane, we had a fling together in 2001 and have bittersweet memories of the whole encounter.  If you look hard enough you'll find her hanging around certain social networks putting selfies of herself from time to time. I'm glad that she is still alive and I wish her  well.  Spokane is a nice town to visit but it's not high on my places to go see anytime soon.  The four hour plane ride to there takes a lot out of me.   I do miss going to Seattle, haven't been there in 15 years, which was the last time I seen Isabella. 

The only person I will endorse for President is Bernie Sanders.  I have no use for Donald Trump nor Ted Cruz, the former is a blowhard that likes the spotlight, the latter is more dangerous if he becomes President.   The problem remains that the public could have fixed the 2014 elections by showing up to vote.  When they didn't, the idiots got in, Joni Wonderbags Ernst is one of them.   She doesn't represent my views whatsoever, I did not vote for her.  And never will.

I have musician friends that are both Flaming liberal left wing and radical Conservative  right.  And as long as they stick to playing music and keep politics out of things, I'm cool with that.  I never bring up anything political when it comes to jamming.

I'm not impressed with what the major labels put out for music anymore.  It has no staying power and whatever passes for alternative rock is awful, an instant channel changer.  My favorite bands are local, Wooden Nickel Lottery, Tommy Bruner, made fine debuts and I'll do my best to promote them the best way I know how.  Word of mouth.  Surf Zombies with Brook Hoover another fine example of out of the ordinary music.  These folks welcomed me into the local scene too.

While classic rock has its fun at jam sessions and during my formative years of playing in bands, I was more into the pub rock scene (Rockpile, Ducks Deluxe, Motors, Pirates, Eddie And The Hot Rods) or more notably (Robin Trower, Foghat, Ozark Mountain Daredevils) off the wall stuff that seldom gets played anymore.  If your into bar bands, you can do Free Bird in your sleep or Sweet Home Alabama or Mustang Sally.  I would love to see them dig deeper into the catalog or songs out there and I have suggested a few of them, mostly to deaf ears unless I grab a guitar and do a simple version of Let's Work Together.   Which might be the reason I have yet to host a jam session.  What are they going to do if I pull out In The Midnight Hour?  The Rascals version BTW.

Brian Mullahan worked on the majority of my albums back in the 80s and 90s.  I tend to think we had a genuine fondness of liking the songs and the direction that the music was going.  It also helped having a different point of view as well.  Had we had access to a real recording studio back then, I think the recordings would have been more classic, probably even better known than the low fi and the cassette to cassette overdubbing that I used back then.  I had no money for a real recording studio and still trying to find my craft in the early years.  And the truth was that my songs were not bar ready.  I couldn't see Paraphernalia Tyrus doing It's So Hard or All Over Now.   And the only song they ever did, Cocaine Train was a throwaway; Russ and Dennis found the right riffs for the song. Alas the lyrics didn't fit the music.

The Tyrus Reunion of last May also had my ex girl friend Penny's reception at the same bar.  Ironic at best but she couldn't find a better man for her than Karl.  Third time the charm?  Hope so.

 Highlights of the popcorn jam from January 5th here.  I don't appear till 4:51 on a version of Dreams and later at 6:35 on part of Little Wing with Dave Bonham on Guitar, Tim Duffy on Vocals and Kenny Webb on bass guitar.  Cecie Stark is the singer on Dreams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G0gX9uEjWA

  

The Tree Family Of Paraphernalis Tyrus

The early years of Paraphernalia.

1980 (the first actual jam sessions and attempted songs)

Darren Johnson
Russ Swearingen
Rodney Smith

1981 (The beginnings of The Open Highway Band)

Doug Spinler
Russ Swearingen
Rodney Smith

Another jam which Doug declined to join up but recommended another Doug, D. Bonesteel on guitar. Via association, Russ suggested and got Mike Swearingen (Suede) to sing the notable songs.  The lineup of Bonesteel/M+R Swearingen/Smith would eventually come up with Come Together and the first version of Rock Me Baby.

1981-1983 The Open Highway era

Doug Bonesteel
Dewayne Schminkey
Mike Swearingen
Rodney Smith
Russ Swearingen
Dennis Lancaster

While Russ was stationed in the Marines, the guys would join up to do a one off country project The Open Highway band.  Infamous for the January 1982 recording sessions of Rocky Mountain Way and Rock Me Baby (Version 3).  Throughout 1982, The Open Highway Band would jam off and on over at DeWayne Schminkey's parents house.  Bass playing duties were split between Dewayne and Doug and there was a replacement bass player for a while on Mike's recommendation (it may have been Tim Duffy but in reality it's been so long I forgot who the name).  The Open Highway Band did play a couple gigs, most notably The Pink Elephant Lounge in early 1983.  Band imploded after a major argument between the guitar players.

1983-1984  The TYRUS era.

Dennis Lancaster
Mike Swearingen
Russ Swearingen
Rodney Smith
Will Sigsbee
Shawn Ster (*)
(*) guest star

The best known Tyrus lineup is one that is not well known outside of the CR music scene. From September 1983 to the December 7 1984, this band did play at a couple keggers and wedding receptions (notably Doug Bonesteel's 1983 reception at Squaw Creek).  The core lineup of Lancaster, Smith, Russ and Mike Swearingen couldn't find a suitable lead guitarist to complement Dennis Lancaster.  Sigsbee was brought in March of 1984 and parted ways after a June 1984 kegger.  DeWayne Schminkey sat in at a wedding reception at the Legion Hall in October 1984 and Shawn Ster (Rampage, Precious Metal) filled in at the final gig, The OK Lounge, to which that gig was recorded in its entirety (missing a few songs due to cassette tape time limits).  Unfounded rumors about hosting a New Year's Eve show came to surface but nothing came of it.    The band went on hiatus to which they never came back.

Life after Paraphernalia Tyrus. (1985-present)

In 1985 Mike Swearingen coaxed Rodney Smith into joining up a new version of Stone Garden, the seminal late 60s band that featured Rick Novak and Virgil Hanson and the band rehearsed for a month before tensions flared up between Hanson and Novak and the band imploded.  In 1992 Smith  tapped Mike Swearingen to do lead vocals for The Routers, a side project originally started in 1991 with Greg Nutter and Dave Dolber and Mike replaced Paul Sternowski (later died in 1998 from cancer) and they played two gigs.  Rodney Smith continued to focus on his own band Route 66 (later The Townedgers), turning down the drummers job for the Pentangle, a Muscatine based hard rock band.  Mike Swearingen eventually retired from live music and since then has been a successful karaoke DJ, hosting the weekend shows at Checker's Tavern as of this writing. 

Dennis Lancaster would move to Arizona in 1985 and later became an airline pilot.  Russ Swearingen went back into the Marines after the OK Lounge finale and later moved back to Cedar Rapids in 1989.   There have been numerous attempts to restart Tyrus Paraphernalia (1990 and 2008, the latter the best chance of a return to the stage), but the flood of 2008 and the loss of a key guitar player/lead singer ended that attempt.  Smith continues to pop up on the local jam music scene playing drums and sometimes guitar on the acoustic jams but for the most part continues to lead his band The Townedgers through various albums.  In 2015, over thirty years since the OK Lounge final show, most of the original members, Rodney Smith, Dennis Lancaster, DeWayne Schminkey, Russ Swearingen and Randy Hartwig got together at Louie's Scoreboard to talk of old times, two months later another reunion with Doug Bonesteel attending they got back together once again.   In August of 2016, Russ and Rodney were one stage for the first time since 1984, playing a couple songs at a Wrigleyville Jam Session.  Two weeks later, DeWayne Schminkey shocked everybody as well, sitting on a four songs including doing a version of Knocking On Heaven's Door to which Rodney did the lead vocals.  That may have been the last time we'll ever hear of Tyrus Paraphernalia although while everybody is still alive, there might be yet another reunion of sorts.

Smith has continued to play in various open mics and jams and have managed to be in a couple of upstart bands that never anywhere, 2016 had Smith in The Wiley Kats (Tim Wiley and Ben Bernard), 2017 The Egads (with Belinda James, Mark Randolph, Larry Alexman and Tim Nemec) but the band never played together as a set lineup.  Usually it was Belinda and Rodney doing the acoustic sets but a 2017 Veterans Benefit in Vinton had Rich Toomsen (Wooden Nickel Lottery), Jeff Langenburg and Kim Bean helping out Smith, Randolph and James.  Smith, also lend a hand playing percussion for Dreams Of Arcadia (Julie Gordon and Ryan Paul) and sat in on drums for Blues Scratch and The Boy Scout Hippies.  In 2019 Smith joined up with Kristopher and Brian Bries in Blues Rox.  In November, Russ Swearingen joined the band as bass player, the first time Rodney and Russ played since 2008.  

Mike Swearingen-The Suede Years

James Mason has tapped into his archives about the band he used to play in. Suede.

They are up for consideration to be in the rock and roll hall of fame in Iowa.  Suede was a excellent 1970s horn driven group which Paraphernalia/Tyrus vocalist Mike Swearingen was part of later on. But Mike was his best in Suede.

Thanks for sharing these photos James!

Thoughts from The Townedger January Jam Edition

A few things on my mind before I turn 55 on Sunday.

I have no idea what the future of The Townedgers will be this year.  I have about four projects laying on the table and maybe  a chance to sit in with a working band for a time or two,  plus a added bonus of jamming with Ken Miller (Town's Edge Rock fame) on a Saturday afternoon jam session in town a weekend ago.  He really hasn't missed a step, we did jam on some of the new songs off Fitting Finales and we discussed about working on the next Townedgers album.  As of the moment I'm still working with Rodney Albaugh on some of the remakes of Fitting Finales, probably as an EP called (naturally) Fitting Finales Revisited. The other Rodney has added some nice bass guitar on the already laid guitar tracks and I did do some drums on a couple songs. I hope we can finish up the project soon, I may tap him to do the next album as well.  Maybe finalize some songs and submit to him to see what he can come up with.  I think Rod A has been a very supportive musician and he has adapted quite well to the songs at hand.  I believe we both can go to a acoustic jam session and knock them dead with The Live We Lead.  He loves that song.  He also makes me sound 20 times better when we continue to jam out on that song too.

If there's a chance of working with Rod in a realtime band I'm all for that too, we'll have to pick and choose the time of rehearsal and at least have an idea of knowing where the breaks are at and ending the song.  In 8 months of jamming, I have had a couple offers on the table about starting up a band but since none of them provide health insurance, I cannot give up what pays the bills and keeps a roof over my head.   It has been quite fun jamming with many fine people in the local music scene but I'm also beginning to see some of the more dominant dudes who think that their way of doing a song is their way.  There was another drummer by the name of Joe who popped up to sing a couple songs, and I take it he's one of the better known musicians out there.  As we tackled a couple of overplayed classic rock songs he complained that I was playing it too fast.  I didn't say a word but when I went home and pulled out the live version of this so called song I played too fast it turned out that I was playing the right speed.  To which I took a bow and head off stage right to have him fumble through Radar Love.

First of all, I don't play it by the record with the exact beat and arrangement. What I hear I  interpreted  the song to fit the intensity and objectivity to put my own style on how it sounds.  In my 35 years of playing rock and roll, I always had a eye and ear for the obscure (less played) and original material, I'm sure I could have a nice career of playing covers and getting all the beer and pussy that Joe has enjoyed over the years playing a certain overplayed live version of a tired classic.  I can't say if Joe does a slow version of said song, but when I was up there, I tend to play fast and loose.  I am not auditioning for some bald pony tailed old looking geezer but I'm there to have fun.  I'm not there to show off stick twirling or double timed bass beats but a chance to maintain me providing a driving beat.  And I think I did that.  Joe is a good drummer,  I'll give him that, but look up the Budokan version of I Want You To Want Me and tell me that's not a fast beat.  Or maybe he's more into the In Color version which is slower.

Second of all, I am not into drum solos.  Most of them are boring as hell, unless it's YYZ or Dogs Part Two. Keith Moon wasn't into them either but every song he plays on, he's doing a drum solo within the song. At my age, if I did a drum solo like I did back in 1980 or so, I'd be dead of a heart attack.  I don't think I played drums back then, I was pissed at the world and took them out on a Zickos drumset that would not succumb to the beating or those Zildjians that got big time dings and dents.  Even in my old age, I tend to look at my drumset still as something to take my frustrations out, there's a war within me and you can hear it in the drumbeats.  I know someday it's going to wipe me out.  I'll go down fighting but you can fucking bet that whatever I play will be much faster than the actual song.  Speed kills, either get on board and hang on for dear life or get the fuck out of the way.

That said, on the other side of things, I have nothing but great things to say about other drummers.  Terry McDowell has been one the best drummers and good friends that welcomed me back into the fold. He does things that make me go WOW and he does it with a three piece drumset during jams. There's a younger drummer, Mike Lint, who reminds me of myself when I was much younger.  Only he's more accomplished than what I did back then.  He's talking ghost beats and metal beats and I look at him and just smile.  He's a cool kid.  In a effort to help him out, I basically gave him my Impulse High hats that I scored cheap on EBAY and told him to remember me when he gets to be famous.  He really should be playing in a modern rock band.  And he'll be around, long after I'm gone from the scene and this world.  I think he has what it takes to be a great drummer.  And he is.

A few weeks back, I managed to do a couple songs with Julie Jules Gordon and got to see her stand in for Blue Scratch last Friday Night.  Julie plays in a couple other bands too, Julie And The Mad Dogs and Acoustic Kitties and maybe a couple more.  I can't stop raving about how she sings.  She can do rock with the best of them, even country.  I had to smile when she said she was nervous about singing blues songs but she totally nailed every song that they threw at her.  She got soul and she can sing the blues like Billie Holliday.  That's saying something.  She went out of her way to recommend me to a couple other bands and we only did three songs together.  I'd be honored to share the stage with her in a band in the near future.

Brook Hoover is another great guitarist and player that I wish I can jam with more often.  I think we're both on the same wavelength when it comes to off the wall music.  He plays in the Surf Zombies, a surf band.  The second coming of Dick Dale?  Tommy Bruner, another guitar great that I would give up my night job to start in a band with him.  He does originals too.  His latest album is great.

My idea of a all star jam lineup if and when I host rumors: Tom Bruner, Rod Albaugh and Brook Hoover on guitar, Julie Jules Gordon/T Ray Robertson/Cecie Stark  vocals, Kenny Webb/Russ Swearingen  bass guitar, Tim Duffy (bass/keyboards), Terry McDowell alt drummer, Mike Lint MVP.

I'm fighting a losing battle on this but I have been bought up on obscure songs for so long that if I did managed to get back to bar playing that what we play won't get the dance floor going.  I love Eddie And The Hot Rods' Beginning Of The End or Omaha by Moby Grape or Heighty Hi by Lee Michaels but I have this feeling that the bar faithful are going to be more interested in hearing Mustang Sally for the 55th time or Can't Get Enough or (God forbid) Free Bird. I think that's one of the reasons why I haven't done the classic rock bar scene.  And time is against me.  Which is why with The Townedgers I did pull out Already Gone by Eagles, Jet Airliner by Steve Miller and even Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot. Hell we can do Skynyrd, (On The Hunt) but I fear that this would all be for naught and even jam sessions there's not much stretching out on the obscure, which frustrates a few jammers from showing up.   But it seems that if your a woman playing in a band, it's a requirement to sing What's Up. Which I have done on previous jams and even (!) Radiohead's Creep when Barb Myers got up to sing.   And I never played it before.

Still, even at the end of last year I had a feeling that something special is going to happen in 2016 and I still believe it will come true.   The wheels are beginning to turn.  I can't wait to see what it's going to be!

Fitting Finales: Love Tonight

Love Tonight
(Smith)

When you close that door let it be known
From now till sunrise you're mine for the night
Put some music on to set things right
I don't care if it's something you like

I don't wanna fight I rather love tonight
I want to hold you till the morning light

Contrary to rumor I like some romance
Share your secrets and I'll share you mine
Where you lay your heard I'll be your pillow
I want to hear your heartbeat in time

I don't wanna fight I rather love tonight
I want to hold you till the morning light

If I wrote you a love song would you look at me strange?
If I said I love you would you call me insane?
If I brought you flowers would you run away?
If I made you happy then it's not too late.

I don't wanna fight I wanna love tonight (I wanna love you tonight)
I want to hold you till the morning light
I'm not gonna fight I'm gonna love you tonight (I'm gonna love you tonight)
I want to hold you till the morning light (till the morning light)
till the morning light
till the morning light
...

(C) 2007 R.Smith Enterprises

Originally part of the Highway Home sessions but not used, this got a second chance on Fitting Finales.  I was looking to do a romantic song of sorts.  It's done better and perhaps better.  Sure every guy wants a bit of romance too, but even the luckiest will get some if they know the right things to say.  But then again I wouldn't know on the subject, it has been awhile for me lately.

The Townedgers Say.

Fitting Finales: Get It Over With

Get It Over With
(Smith)


No arms to hold you with
No marriage in your sights
Is there any last words you wanna say
Well they never said it would be easy
I can see the train a comin'
Taking you off to who knows where
And I guess you can't win them all they say
But it'd be nice to win just once

Your love is gone, I know it has
Time to put you back into the past
Close the book and put it back
Say goodbye and get it over with

So are you having second thoughts
You look as if you don't wanna go
Well if I could I'd beg you to stay
But it would play havoc with my soul

Your love is gone, I know it has
Time to put you back into the past
Close the book and put it back
Say goodbye and get it over with

No arms to hold you with
No marriage in your sights
Is there any last words you wanna say
They never said it would end this way

But your love is gone, I know it has
Time to put you back into the past
Close the book and put it back
Say goodbye and get it over with
Say goodbye and get it over with
Say goodbye and get it over with
Say goodbye and get it over with

(C) 1992, 2015 R.Smith

Drive In Blues was an album that was a concept album about me trying to woo some woman who was not as she appeared to be. Infatuation that wore off in a hurry.  23 years down the road, I revisit this failed liaison with a different music arrangement and use of a capo around the fifth fret. A blessing that me and her never took it further, I wouldn't be playing music now if I was with her.

Album Archives: The Paraphernalia Years

Although I have played in a few bands and best known as The Townedgers, the first band I was in was called Paraphernalia, a silly name but for personal reasons I thought it would be a original name to use out in the music field.   The band has humble beginnings.

In high school, I went through a few toy drum sets and various coffee can percussion to think I can bullshit somebody into thinking about starting up a band.  There were high school bands most notably one that featured Lon Washburn and a bass/guitar player that eventually moved to Arizona and started a hair metal band out there and I can't think of his name.  The story went that they were tearing up a couple of Ted Nugent songs and Lonnie was a powerful drummer and you can praise or blame him for lighting a fire under my ass to play music.

Best friends always seem to do things together and Russ Swearingen came up with an idea about forming a band together, he play bass and I handle drums.   Problem was we didn't have those instruments, so basically I started saving up to buy a drum set and Russ went into the Marines to earn money to get a bass.   In 1980 I brought a Zickos drum set for 300 dollars from the legendary Old Man Keeney at Keeney's Music and Russ got a Music Man Bass.  Then Russ found a guitar player in Darren Johnson and we goofed off for about 20 minutes and that became Paraphernalia.

Over the years from 1980 to 1984 were the Paraphernalia years and lineups came and went. Some made the CR music scene (Doug Spinler, Mike Swearingen), most did not.  And some were just plain dreamers.  The Paraphernalia Years pretty much covers my favorite moments between 1980 and to the final OK Lounge gig in 1984.  Only Moving On To Better Things is a solo effort, everything else is band related.  Moving On To Better Things shouldn't be in there I guess, but it came from my 1980 Paraphernalia album and thought I try to present that as a band effort.  It's a one take rough around the edges, but to me that song would eventually become the sound of The Townedgers although one never told me that making music would take more than one take and tossed off words.

The songs:
Movin On To Better Things (R.Smith/S.Willard) 1980

Come Together (The Beatles) 1981
Lineup: Doug Bonesteel, Mike Swearingen, Russ Swearingen, R.Smith

It's weird to think that our first song attempted was Come Together and even back then it's a bitch to do with the triple beats, but I think we based our arrangement off Aerosmith's though. Even though Doug sold himself as lead guitar player this is the only song he ever did a lead on.

Rock Me Baby/Rocky Mountain Way 1982
Lineup: Dewayne Schminkey, Mike Swearingen, Russ Swearingen, Doug Bonesteel, R.S.

The infamous recording sessions that pretty much sealed my fate as a smash and crash drummer.  I don't think I was playing drums rather than trying my frustrations out on them after work.  I remember at that time I was living at an apartment three blocks away and walking to work and to home to record.  Certainly Mike did his best to rein in that inner Keith Moon in me but things just exploded in the middle of Rock Me Baby leading up to the crazy second version of RMW to which even with the mistake in the song we pulled it off as if it was part of the record.  Eventually this version of the band would play at the bar as The Open Highway Band while Russ was serving his country.

Pipeline/Clock Rocking 1982
Lineup: Dewayne Schminkey, Doug Bonesteel, Mike Swearingen, Dennis Lancaster, Randy Hartwig, R.S.

The Open Highway Band in full frontal attack mode. Dewayne was the one that inspired me to go all out, alas the rest of the band during practice sessions would also turn their amps up to 10 and we come home with ringing in the ears and headaches.  Dewayne was a underrated guitar player and he could play Chuck Berry as on the NSFW number Rock The Clock with Mike's bawdy lyrical content. He must have done them before, he never missed a note or word.  Randy Hartwig, subbed for Russ on bass guitar and Mike's daughter was banging on the tambourine and maybe Luwanna Hawker, (Dewayne's sister) on cowbell.  The harmonica player was Dennis Lancaster, a friend of Doug's that managed to sneak into the sessions and got drafted into the band.  He would become so much more in days to come.  Pipeline, is Dewayne thinking that song up on the spot and he played it with Doug on occasion.  Both songs were recorded on Dennis' boombox cassette player, note the wavering sound.

House Of The Rising Sun/Ice Cream Man 1983
Lineup: Dennis Lancaster, Doug Spinler, Russ Swearingen, R.S.

There was an attempt to bring Doug Spinler into the Open Highway Band.  Doug is a talented guitar player and could have made a good living in Nashville had he wanted to, but he chose to stay in town. I jammed with Doug and his dad around 1980 when I could barely play and when we did get back together again in 1981 we thought about getting a band going but Doug was strictly country and Russ and me rock and roll.  But he was gracious enough to partake in a jam session at the house.  Russ was very under the weather and we pretty much stopped after Ice Cream Man.  The vocals may not be much but the playing is great.  By then Dennis stepped in to become our lead guitar player.

You Were With Me (R.Smith/D.Schminkey)  1983
Lineup: Dennis Lancaster, Dewayne Schminkey, Mike Swearingen, Russ Swearingen, R.S.

There was a contest about about EMI records offering a contract for a band that had the right song, and the best would be on a 7 inch EP.  Last year KKRQ had a full album and we wanted to have a song for the world to hear, so we thought up of this little number.  Which didn't make the final cut.  The winning song was a piece of shit new wave number All His Friends Are Spies. Toni Basil would have been proud.

The Leech (Wurm) 1984
Lineup: Dennis Lancaster, Russ Swearingen, R.S.

Practice sessions at Dennis' place was tedious.  But his parents were very supporting enough to let us practice in the basement for about a year, I'm surprised they didn't charge rent since that's where my drums were at most of the time.  Most of the time Mike was supporting his other band which were playing more than we were and it was getting to us.  I bought the tape recorder over and pushed the on button and this little number came up. It's the ending to Starship Trooper by YES but it shows us improvising quite nicely.

Cocaine Train  1984 (Lyrics R.Smith-Music: D. Lancaster, R.Swearingen)
Lineup: Dennis Lancaster, Dewayne Schminkey, Mike Swearingen, Russ Swearingen, R.S.

From the Legion Hall Tom LeHew wedding reception to which we almost didn't get our instruments back due to Mike telling one too many anti Reagan jokes.  Cocaine Train, was originally off Living In The Twlight Zone by Route 66, my alias band at that time and I'm sure Russ picked that one out simply of the C word.  Somewhat of a anti drug song in a form of a runaway train but on Twilight Zone it was a throwaway track and bad one at that.  However Russ and Dennis came up with a whole new different riff and the bass riff is Russ's own.   Out of all the versions that we did, this one from the Legion is the best, I love that funky drum break at the lead, the cymbal on the offbeat.  This version is better than the OK lounge version simply of the fact that Mike remembered most of the words of this song.  Not that anybody paid much attention to it anyway.

Make It Last/Mean Disposition/Bad Motor Scooter/I Just Want To Make Love To You/Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy/Blue Morning, Blue Day  1984
Lineup: Dennis Lancaster, Mike Swearingen, Russ Swearingen, R.S. (Guest guitarist: Shawn Ster)

This is where the road ends, down on the corner where the OK Lounge used to sit, a place for bar bands to be rock stars for the night and we took that on in grand style.  The stuff of legends in our own mind but thanks to me and a handful of others, the December 7th, 1984 show has taken a life of its own and one could only imagine what would happened if we could have kept it going.  In reality, we were imploding, Russ was leaving us for a second stint in the Marines (he got married a few days before), Mike was playing regularly with another band  (Precious Metal or Rampage) and we hounded Mike to get us to the Ok Lounge to which miracle upon miracles he came through.  The catch was to get a guest guitar player to fill out the sound, and that guy was Shawn M. Ster   He only showed up to practice with us once, twice maybe but at that time he was Mike's other band so basically he was there by default.   The pros was that he can sing songs and let Mike rest his voice.   The con was that his idea of lead guitar was plenty of whammy bar and Eddie Van Halen type of metal guitar. And he could kill the mood of song, clearing the dance floor of Cocaine Train by saying it's an original. And then trying to figure out WTH he's playing on Mean Disposition.

Still, Shawn did play a role in shaping the sound once he kept his Van Halenisms down. The guitar lead exchange between him and Dennis on IJWTMLTY introduction is classic and as far as I'm concerned that song remains the best example of the band's high point, originally done as a medley (the opening number Rock Of Ages got omitted and I never liked the song that much anyway) but the whole medley of Rock/Want To Make Love To You and Your love is driving me crazy totaled 17 minutes of non stop rocking. The latter song was sped up to punk rock speed, and I suppose blame the caffeine sugarbuzz for my manic drumming. Being the time keeper, something kept me going on and on during the Don't Want Your Money part and the song actually is longer than the Foghat live version. I suppose it's was youth gone wild but this song showcase my drumming skills to a level that was part Keith Moon and part Jerry Shirley.   Poor Russ had to keep that repetitive bass line going and going till he almost got carpel tunnel on the spot but he earned his 35 dollars take home cut of the admission price to get to see us.  I always enjoyed hearing Dennis switching pedals from wah wah to overdrive on the jam parts, he came a long way from being simply the harmonica player that came in from the cold.  Looking back the Montrose numbers (A little Montrose for ya....we know already) Make It Last was typical Paraphernalia Tyrus improvising all the way to me speeding up the beat toward the end and what about Bad Motor Scooter, so unbelievably wild, I think that may have been Dennis' finest moment as lead guitar player.  It's a shame that nobody took videos of that final night. There was a woman that took pictures of the first night, who was a guest of Ster's but we never seen any of them and I think she had other things on her mind anyway.   There was talk about the owner of the OK impressed enough to offer us another gig on New Year's Eve, but by then we were all kind of sick of each other, we were losing Russ so we decided to put things on hold....

....and that's the end of the story.  The Paraphernalia Years was my version of the band's greatest hits and misses.  And what could have been.  Irony of it all is that everybody who was part of this band on these recordings are Facebook friends with me, even Ster, although the guy has yet to speak to me at the local jam sessions, he usually plays acoustic and solo.  We spun our wheels a lot and it sounds like it, but when we did click on a song, we made it our own, good, bad or otherwise. And with the exception of the guest guitarist, everybody involved are good friends, which most of us got together last year.   Don't expect Paraphernalia or Tyrus to get into the rock and roll hall of fame be it Iowa or Cedar Rapids but this album does bring up a valid point that we were a damn good rock and roll band in our own way.

All I'll go to my grave satisfied with that result.

M.I.A.  Will Sigsbee

 

From the archives.  The OK Lounge show: http://rscrabb.blogspot.com/2014/12/one-last-go-around-paraphernalia-ok.html

Fitting Finales-Grandiose Failures

Grandiose Failures
(Smith/Glarington)

Standing by the highway, with a suitcase in your hand
Maybe if you stay there a while somebody will stop and let you in
Sunrise above the mountain wakes me up from a deep sleep
Whiskey bottle on the floor reminds me of someone I don't wanna know

Did ya think that this would be easy
Going from one place to another
Sometimes things don't go as you  planned
When they don't you turn your tail and run

Now we all have our faults, can't tell the saints from the sinners
Maybe you don't think that way my babe as you look for another winner
Waiting at the bus station looking for your way out of here
Going to some never land and when you find it please send me a card

Did ya think that this would be easy
Going from one place to another
Sometimes things don't go as you planned
And when they don't you turn your tail and run.

(C) 2015 R.Smith

Once upon a time there was this band called Slobberbone and they made a couple great to good albums and this was my attempt to mimic their way of writing songs.  The jury is still out on how we did. 

Fitting Finales-The Title Song

Fitting Finales
(Smith)

I enjoyed the times we spend together
Jamming with friends in my endeavors
 I can't promise when we'll do it again
But for now enjoy the moment while we can

What have I got if it wasn't for you
Where would I be if it wasn't for you
Standing on the stage with our weapons at hand
Going full circle, the return of the band

Now I don't know how much time I got yet
Before I go riding into the sunset
As I return back to the basement
And look outside, satisfied with our accomplishments

What have I got if it wasn't for you
Where would I be if it wasn't for you
Standing on the stage with our weapons at hand
Coming full circle, the return of the band

I love you friends with all of my heart
For every ending there's a new start
A fitting finale for those who see
And what is done it will always, it'll always be

What have I got if it wasn't for you
Where would I be if it wasn't for you
Standing on the stage with our weapons at hand
Coming full circle, the return of the band

(C) 2015 R.Smith

Of course the centerpiece of Fitting Finales the album is this last song which I went home and wrote after my best friend Russ came on stage to jam with me for the first time in 30 years, not counting failed band efforts in between, but it was the summary of how I was feeling, not only for this historical reunion but rather getting back on the playing field.  And I still have got it, I have approached by three different bands.  The title actually goes way back to 1973 on a forgotten album I did on cassette, but while the title remains, the lyrics are up to date.  Being the old warhorse that I am, in the back of my mind that the stage frights of years ago might return but in all fairness I have no regrets of playing this sort of music over the years.  The pay may have been lousy but the music was pretty good.

Fitting Finales-From A Motel 6

From A Motel 6
(Smith/Kat)

All my life I've been a rambler
Showboat gambler, on a losing streak
So I set a course across the nation
Station to station, off to make a break
But the road is long, and the top is far
As I sit in this old bar, playing to no one

And I keep driving my life away
Searching for someone that will help me stay
The eyes of laughter, the fairest of sex
That cannot be found from a Motel 6

I've been down this road forever
Through stormy weather, as well as the sun
I see myself of few variations
Situations from a life undone
I made my choice for better or worse
Knowing the outcome would be the same as before
So here I am in an cheap motel
Screaming kids next door, this doesn't feel like home

And I keep driving my life away
Searching for someone that will help me stay
The eyes of laughter, the fairest of sex
That cannot be found from a Motel 6

I think of the girl that got away
Dream from yesterday, hope to meet her today
So tell me now where I'm going
The Almighty knowing, but he won't tell

And I keep driving my life away
Searching for someone that will help me stay
The eyes of laughter, the fairest of sex
That cannot be found from a Motel.....6
From a Motel 6
From a Motel 6
From a Motel 6
From A MOTEL 6

(C) 2015 R.Smith

Yet another rewrite of my life it seems.  This song came from a brainstorming session between me and Diggy Kat, the mysterious DJ of Lucky Star Radio who I actually been trading music ideas and music for over 10 plus years.  He would suggest things and phases and I would write some of them down to come up with this song.   And picturing myself back at Crookton Pass Bridge and imagining that I was back there writing this number.

This songs works better as a hard rock electric version rather than folk like strumming that is on Fitting Finales and I've been working with Rod Alan Albaugh in terms of adding a stunning lead guitar on where the final verse would be at.  We been working on some of these songs during my Christmas Break but if and when we can back together remains if we can find a workable weekend to do so.

Based upon a true story, I was staying at a Motel 6, when I had a Romper Room family next door banging doors and stomping on the floors and yelling and screaming.  That was the last time I ever stayed at the Madison Motel 6. 

Fitting Finales-I Know About Me

I Know About Me (Don't Know About You)
(Smith)

I have been living in a dream
That will never be realized
I've been ridiculed by bullies
Who were jealous of who I am
I don't relish in vengeance
But I believe in karma
For living well is the best revenge
To combat the ongoing drama

I'm not here to cause any harm
To anybody that comes my way
I live my life the best that I can do
I know about me, don't know about you

I never been much of a lover
History has proven that's a fact
I took chances on the wrong kind
Always knowing they're never be mine
So I end up being the lone wolf
Riding down that lonesome highway
Trying to find some distant memory
It's just as well, it was planned that way

I'm not here to cause any harm
To anybody that comes my way
I live my life the best that I can do
I know about me, don't know about you
I know about me, don't know about you
I know about me, don't know about you
I know about me, don't know about you

(C) 2015 R.Smith

It has taken me almost 55 years to accept that I'm a loner kind of guy and that any type of love is out of reach.  Growing up, I was bullied in high school by some dipshit who somehow was jealous of me.  And of course you know all too well about the so called high school cheerleader who I misjudged as my high school sweetheart.
This assumption of this life is damn near autobiographical in this song.  At this point in life, I wish no bad harm to the adversaries who drove me insane back then.   And living well is the best revenge, I have outlived at least three of them.

Fitting Finales-May Not Be A Next Time

May Not Be A Next Time
(Smith)

On the way to yesterday  I passed today
In my mind it seemed so fine
Of the time that I call you, I called you mine
To lay the claim, forget the pain
Of this life that I lead
To believe that I can make this right

But you're not here and I'm not there
And what we got is all  we have
You may not love me but the sun still shines
As for us, there may not be, may not be a next time


Bang a song on my guitar, drive a car and see how far
We can go before we crash
If this makes no sense to think that this pays
And that you really  care for me
No longer it seems to me

But you're not here and I'm not there
And what we got is all we have
You may not love me but the sun still shines
As for us, there'll never be, never be a next time

(C) 2015 R.Smith


The heartbreaks of long lost love, this song came to me while thinking that the one I knew in high school that chased me all over the place turned out to be a tease.  But then again high school infatuation is a illusion.   And I reminded of that when I think of her.

Fitting Finales-The Life We Lead

The Live We Lead
(Smith)

When I think of the time that you were mine
It brings a tear to my eyes
Spending sunny days and quiet nights
Hanging down by the riverside

It ain't easy but we're free
For it's the life that we lead
It ain't easy but we're free
And it's the life that we lead, the life we lead

May I have a moment of your time
Share a dinner and a movie with a bottle of wine
Steal a little lovin' on the side
And maybe pick up what we left behind

It ain't easy but we're free
And it's the life that we lead
It ain't easy but we're free
And it's the life that we lead
The life we lead.

(C) 2015 R.Smith



This came up as a spur of the moment song with me playing a two chord strum with a capo on the 2nd fret.  This song has taken a new life of its own on the recording with Rodney Albaugh to which he remarked that this is a very infectious song.  He also says it sounds much better with a new set of guitar strings  which he put on the Guild.  He's right it does sound better.

Fitting Finales-Different Paths

Different  Paths
(Smith/Orbit)


Our love has reached a critical stage
I guess it's too late to turn back now
I know you tried you best to love me
But it didn't work out no how

Different Paths
Different Paths
We have gone on different paths
Nothing to say
Nothing to do
Our love has gone on different paths

So tell me is it somebody else
What's he got that I don't have?
I don't like this hand that you dealt me
So I'll just fold em and you can have him

Different path, different paths
We have gone on different paths
Nothing to say, nothing to do
Our love has gone on different paths

Somehow I got this feeling that something was up
You didn't look at me or even speak
But when you tried all you did was cry
There ain't no good in your goodbye

Different paths, different paths
We have gone on different paths
Nothing to say, nothing to do
Our love has gone on different paths

(C) 1983, 2015 R. Smith


These lyrics really date back to the mid 80s and it might been inspired by the failure of my time with Theresa O Connor, who I met at some backyard party after a Paraphernalia show and I was dumb enough to call her when she was passing out phone numbers.  We were together for about 3 weeks in 1983.

We really didn't have anything in common. 
And we really did gone on different paths.

Fitting Finales-Better Off Alone

Better Off Alone
(Smith)


Seven times married
Seven times divorced
A hard core troubadour
But with a heart that's made out of stone
He can write you a good song
Makes you feel like you belong
But in the end he cannot change
Perhaps it's best that he remains

He's better off alone, staying par for the course
He says that things will get better
When she knows that they won't

So she says that she is leaving
She got her bags packed, ready to go
Contrary to rumor that the 3rd time wasn't the charm
As she goes back to the city
And leaves the old boy down on the farm

She's better off alone
Staying par for the course
She thinks that things will get better
When she knows that they won't

I played the game of love
And lost out in the end
Once the fascination's gone
And  that she doesn't even wanna be friends
That's the way it goes
Being alone, this I know
I rather not have her stay
If we're both gonna be miserable

We're better off alone
Staying par for the course
I think that things will get better
When we both know that it won't

(So bye bye)

(C) 2015 TE Music Emporium

This song is in three different settings.  The first verse is about the breakup of Steve Earle and his wife.  Earle is one of the best songwriters out there and you may not like the politics he does but he speaks his mind.  I think he wrote a song called Better Off Alone off the latest album.  Being a musician does bring stress and strains on any type of relationships, I know that all too well myself although I'll never see myself married seven times let alone one.  The second verse is when the inspiration for Pawnshops For Olivia came out here to see if she can handle a winter here in this state and ended up getting phenomena that lasted till March our last time together.  The winter was somewhat mild  (10 above) but it wasn't for her.   The third verse, part of that was lifted from I Wanna Make You Mine.  The original version that you hear on the album, the last line is I rather not have her stay for that my life is an open road but a later recording with Rod Albaugh behind the control board has the revised line I rather have her stay if we're gonna be miserable, which works better in context of the song.   In life there's people that have to have somebody in their life, no matter how toxic it can be, or perhaps maybe they can get along.  For myself and the failures of me not comprising and too set in my ways, I'm better off alone, no matter how much I say otherwise.