End Of Month Thoughts From The Townedger

February is such a blah month.  Especially when I was sick most of the month.  Finally lots of Vitamin C and Sunshine managed to kick this cough to the curb.  I'm about 80 percent well and ready to once again reconnect with The Townedgers on what's next.

8 months into returning back into the music scene and I'm ready to go back into playing originals and obscure covers.  I'm simply not cut out to do Hotel California on a nightly basis.  I have taken time out to watch my fellow musicians play in their bands but I've been disappointed in that they have a set list and play the same set list every night.  No surprises what so ever.  There's still a few more bands I need to listen to when they come around the area and Julie and The Mad Dogs are next on my list.

I have been raving about Julie Gordon for the past couple months, she's been one of a few folks that have welcomed me with open arms into the jams in town.  It's a great feeling when she says that she likes the way I play drums, flattery will get you everywhere and I'd follow her to the ends of the world and maybe  some day be the drummer backing her up at the local Anamosa bar (they have three places you can play at).   She can sing just about anything and make it her own.

I wish I would have happier news about getting something going on the side or being the potential new drummer for a local working band but I don't think it's going to happen.  The lines of communication have broken down so to speak.  There's always an outside chance but it's all speculation.  The only definite thing is The Townedgers.  Basically all the talk that was going down the past three months was simply that: talk.  And things are same as they ever was.

Outside of Julie Gordon, the good guys in the CR music scene remain Tommy Bruner, Brook Hoover, Tim Duffy, Kenny Webb, Terry McDowell, Jess and Rich Toomsen.  Bart Carfizzi and T Ray Robertson have been very instrumental in getting me interested to get up on stage and I thank them all for the good times and all the other drummers that were kind enough to let me use their drumsets during the Sunday Afternoon Jam sessions.  These eight months have been special and there have been some great times, and even DeWayne and Russ joining on stage to do a song or two.  That might be the last time we get to see a Tyrus reunion.  We're all getting old, some of them have grand kids and some of them are waiting for golf season to begin.  I have yet to catch up with Mike on doing something, but that'll be karaoke and I can't do that, unless it's with real instruments.   I'm not talking about band reunions anymore, that got realized last year, in May and then in August.  Over 30 and half years later,  it became reality.  For a brief moment it was 1984 all over again.

Looking at that picture of Terry's drumset, wouldn't it be nice to see the full set used at a jam session? He does have a few power crashes that do ring out when you hit them, after all he plays in a hard rock band.  But then again I'm sure he wouldn't have some drummer newbie trying to put dents into his crashes too ;-)   (This is his drum set during the Rumor's Sunday Afternoon Jam-not enough cymbals)



The difference between playing in bands is having a evening job, which makes me a part timer if anything.  I've always been an outsider, even back in the days of The Open Highway/Tyrus band.  We didn't play the hits but rather album cuts and whatever came to mind.  I thought we went over very well.  Coming back into the jam scene, I still remain an outsider.   That's not going to change anytime soon.

The best case scenario is whatever Rod Albaugh wants to do, he's in tune to original songs and can't do the Free Bird/Hotel California/Mustang Sally songs that tends to be overplayed time and time again.  And frequent acoustic jam sessions to do original songs.

The Blue Scratch drummer is Matt Johnson, not Williams.  I hate it every time  I call somebody the wrong name and it happened twice at Rumor's last week.  Sorry Matt, blame it on my old age and short term memory.

While watching Hostage play last night, I missed most of their last set while talking to a woman who said she played drums but never did take the stage on jam afternoons.  I think her name was Sheila.  Loved the way she came up to me and asked if I was a musician.  I thought about saying I'm a hobbyist.  She might had  a few too many but it was a nice casual talk about drumming and how to get on stage.  I told her about a few people I jammed with and Dave Bonham came to mind.  She had a few choice words about him. A total bit of a a hole she said.  He can be.  I didn't mind sharing his last jam at Rumors, an honor actually.  I don't think we'd get along if we did play in a band together. He tends to be more moody than I am. And not in a good way either.

I can't compete when golf season begins. I don't play golf but Russ does. He can have it.

By not playing in a band this summer might free me up for a trip back to Arizona.  It's been 3 years since I've been there, I wonder if they have any decent record stores left.  (Zia's Records rocks!)

The Life We Lead is now in the top 30 playlist at Lucky Star Radio.  Thanks Diggy Kat for the promotion.  Maybe the record isn't a total flop.

Between anniversaries, it was 30 years ago Wapsipinicon Dreaming came out, the first true album of decent originals that I could live with and gave me the idea that I could write my own and make a good album.  I thought about doing a revisit of that record with updated versions.  It's funny how the first couple sessions I had a 100 degree fever and we did five songs right off the bat.  20 years ago it was Light At The End Of The Tunnel, which I had a appendicitis attack and had to get my appendix removed during the recording of that.  I remember it well, being stuck at home without a car, (my ex Clarice was doing errands using  my car) and living at Broadcast Manor.  Which the temps were something like 40 below one day (!) and we had a couple of blizzards.  Five days after surgery, I was back with the first song Borrowed Time.   I also remember her buying a 1994 Corsica two weeks later and damn near ruined my credit rating by not making payments after we broke up on Valentine's Day 1998.   Looking back, Light At The End Of The Tunnel was a fine album, although it might have had a few too many songs tacked on at the end.  As for Clarice, I haven't seen her since 1999, when I took the Corsica back, two payments behind and the repo man not too far off.   I still have mixed feelings about our time together.

Till next time.

Photos of R. Smith (Julie Jules Gordon), Terry McDowell (Frank Smith), Below (unknown) 

Highlights From The Valentines Day Popcorn Jam

Lineup:
Dan Hartman-Guitar and Vocals
Tim Duffy-Keyboards, guitar and harmonica
Jay Dean-Bass Guitar
Barb Myers-Guitar
Crabapple Smith-Drums
Bob Gleason-Harmonica 


Music Director: Tim Duffy


Where to start.  Photo credits are by Julie Gordon, who when she shows up to jams, been known to take pictures.  God bless her.  The main hosts were The Acoustic Kitties shown with Tim Duffy. He's such a lucky man in such good company.

There was some doubt that I would show up, we had a clipper going through and about 3 inches of snow fell on Sunday.  The Townedger sat in a couple numbers, with the Acoustic Kitties playing the first hour long set.  In The Attic followed after the break.  Mike Lint played drums on Hotel California.

Blue Scratch played later in the afternoon,  (L to R-Jay Dean, Matt Johnson, Jeorgia Robison)

Despite being stuck with the wintertime flu for the past three weeks, I managed not to cough through my set and still looked somewhat presentable despite not shaving and feeling like crap. Ready to rock out on the few songs selected during my set.

Dan Hartman and Barb Myers teamed up with me and Jay Dean on a few songs.  Three of them were Dan's usual 50s country rock likings, You're Sixteen, I'm Ready, Pin Up Beauty Queen, (I'm sure that's not the right song) before we brought the house down with a rowdy version of I Saw Her Standing There.  I do love the way Dan does that "bluegrass" guitar lead.  Barb, too was under the flu cold bug as well.  I played alongside her earlier in the year when she bought out Creep by Radiohead.  She always throws a challenge when she takes the stage.

Barb again.

Bob Gleason.  Excellent harmonica player.

Last but not least, Terry McDowell.  He drums in at least four other bands I know of (Flex, Lab Rats, Threshold, Toxic Blonde).  Like Julie, Terry has been one of my biggest supporters of getting back into the music scene and can talk drums most of the night.  And he's kind enough to let me bash on his drum set during these jam sessions and otherwise.  Heck of a nice guy and a good friend.

In The Attic have been playing off and on on the weekends, lately they been getting more exposure playing down at Gabe's In Iowa City.  They been working on a brand new EP and should be worth checking out once they get it done.  They do their own original songs, a change of pace from Mustang Sally, to which I have to say hasn't been done for three straight weeks!  A record upon itself.

Thoughts of the Townedger-Februrary

It's safe to say that I'm sick of winter and the cold already.  I've been three weeks into a cold flu and a cough that won't go away.  Just when you think you're over this shit, you get sick all over again.

Basically we have promoted the new album the best way we can.  I'm sure Lucky Star Radio has been playing some tracks off it and we got played 87 times last month.  But the fact of the matter is that once again, the cd is not selling, nor the reviews have been so so.   It cuts at the heart of all the time and effort to make the record and then release it and watch it sink like a stone.  With that, this might be the end of The Townedgers.  I have talked about the return of Ken Miller into the fold and have Mark Glarington play guitar for one final performance, take our bows and head off into the sunset and back into the basement, like the title track of Fitting Finales suggests.

It's been frustrating as well to host the local jam session in town too.  I'd love to but the dude who puts together these jam sessions have not signed off on any future appearances as host drummer.  And I am beginning to lose interest in the whole thing.   But I do give kudos to fellow jam buddy Tim Duffy for opening up the vaults and trying out new songs for us to do.  Last Sunday, only me and Seth Williams were in the small crowd and hoping to spell Terry McDowell after his gig the night before three hours away in Illinois.   I did four songs and fifteen minutes later call it a day and the folks at Rumors Bar And Grill held a Super Bowl Party with plenty of Bar B Q pork sandwiches and sloppy joes.   It saved me about 10 dollars going to Panda Express.

But I don't hold much hope in hosting  upcoming jams and the Wrigleyville Jams have cease to exist.  If I get time off on weeknights I do owe Julie Gordon a couple of appearances at Checkers for the acoustic Wednesday Nights thingy the Acoustic Kitties.  After all, she's been one of the few folks who have vouched for me for any drummer vacancies in local bands.  But I also need to get over this fucking cough that has stopped any recording that I have been doing with Rodney Albaugh in revisiting songs off Fitting Finales, but my heart hasn't been into it, especially after the failure of the album itself.   But I do enjoy playing guitars with the other Rod and sometime in the future and if we both have the night off, I'm sure we'll invade a acoustic session somewhere.

Rock n roll is a young man's game, and I'm feeling my age.  But there's still plenty of musicians my age that are still playing in town.  Being 55 years old, it's hard to fathom that 33 years ago, I begin to really knuckle down and start writing and playing original songs.   And perhaps I may have slit my throat by doing original songs, rather than keeping Tyrus Paraphernalia going.  Perhaps we should have done the Sunday jams around town to find the right replacements for those who left the band.  Russ n I have talked about this time and time again, and the reasons why it didn't work. We leaned too heavily on our lead singer to get gigs, while he was in another band and making more money at it. Our bass player going back into the Services after getting married.  The argument that we were not ready for the bar scene. We needed a lead guitarist that could compliment our guitar player at that time, sad to say, we were a young band, and didn't have the gigs lined up, and the choice guitar players wanted a steady income and steady gigs.   We borrowed our lead singer's guitar player for the OK Lounge show and by the time we made it to the stage, we were done.  Yours truly wanted to focus more on songwriting and original stuff and the only serious player in the band was Dennis and six months later he relocated to Arizona.

In all fairness, nobody is blame.  Like many other bands, we started in basements and managed to make it to keggers and graduations, and we were good players, we were not great players and trying to live the rock and roll dream was that.  I sold that line of bullshit to my folks and they managed to let me stay home a few more years writing originals music and playing rock star in the basement.  What it did was set me back in the working world for another five years and basically I never recovered from that.  What suffered most was that I could never find the right girl to settle down and have a family.  In 1980s I dated twice at best.  And the one that got away, was in one of my college courses and I managed to see her smiling at me across the table at Kitty's  and I did nothing but watch her leave in disappointment that I never made an effort to say hi.  I was very shy but I thought I would get another chance to see her at school and explain myself. But I never would see her again, a loss that continues to haunt me.  What if.  We'll never know.

Valentine's Day is special for some but for me, it signaled that in 1998 Clarice, my GF of 3 and half years announced on that day she wanted out and she had been seeing somebody for at least 6 weeks. In my lifetime it's been painfully obvious that my choices in girlfriends were poor ones. I look back at 40 years of who came into my life and who left and the only ones that ever gave a shit was Belinda in the middle 80s and my last GF Nicole.   I had a love interest that after being with me for a couple weeks told me that it's impossible for her to be with me,   she looked at me straight in the eye and said, you married to music and records.  And then got married to the next guy within three months.

My old guitar player from the Open Highway Band Dewayne Schminkey became a grandpa over the weekend.  I know his wife is more ecstatic than he is.  My best friend has managed to have a cool son as well.  I'll never know the satisfaction of hearing my son or daughter play guitar or drums or sing.  It's too late, I certainly don't want bring any new life into a world of uncertainly where money and greed go hand and hand and watching the world go into Chaos with global warming and wars.  And by the time if I did have children becoming teen agers I'd be in my 70s.  There may have a time, in fact I did do work part time at a day care center.  In the end, my blind date was right, I was married to music and records and basically was a waste of time.

So, here I am at the Crossroads once again, depressed as Hell and tired of life itself and what could have been had I not been so gung ho on originals, knowing that no bar in town is going to go for that.  And being depressed of reminders of the past and the failures of seeing the one that got away still looking at you from afar on that fateful night at Kitty's.  Frustrated that all the work on Fitting Finales turned out to be yet another forgotten album that nobody outside of myself and the small handful of friends and fans will ever play again, (although I know I continue to play it at home many times).

With The Townedgers I have accomplished everything that I set out to do and Fitting Finales might be the final chapter.   There's other things to consider, other bands that might need a drummer or fill in.   For the past thirty years, me and my best friend Russ trade ideas and songs about starting up what used to be Tyrus/Paraphernalia and we did attempt to make something of it in 2008.  I always kept an open dialogue.  Chance of once again getting back the old Yamaha I sold off to his son that he doesn't use anymore now he's working and married and there's always talk that he's going to get the set back, but this has been going on for almost two years now.  My take remains the same:  Russ will always be my favorite bass player and when we got on stage for the first time in years it was the most fun I had since the OK Lounge.  But he has a different mindset than I do.  Once springtime comes around, all band talk will go out the window and he'll be back on the golf course picking up where he left behind.  I'm sure he knows a few more singers than I do but in the long run, they have not panned out, at least back in 2008.  I can give him the song set list of what the TEs do and what cover songs I can do and we can go on that.   The difference between now and then is I can sing with more confidence than back then in 2008 or 1984.  It's a shame that I didn't have that confidence when Tyrus was around.  We might have lasted longer.  It might help if he showed up for jam sessions like he said he would and not do so. If your work ethic is just to dream about it while shooting on the back nine for golf then it  won't happen. I love him like a brother but he's becoming No Show Russ.  In any part of any band that I played in, what annoys me is making promises you're going to be a gig and then don't show.  This is why I don't take stock into any Tyrus reunions.  If I'm going to brave snow and cold and icy roads just to get there, and you're in town watching the golf channel, just say you won't be there.  It'll save you from the embarrassment of playing in front of folk if you're not ready. Save the Rush tribute band to players that want to do it.  In the end the only sure thing is The Townedgers and with Kenny Miller back on board, we might swing something fun in the future.  As for new albums, only for my benefit.

This week I did managed to jam with the guys in Blue Scratch on a couple of songs.  Jay Dean is a solid bass player and Jeorgia Robison is a fine guitar player too.  I exchanged greetings with their regular drummer too, fine fellow he is.  We talked about doing a few more songs before it was over but in these jam sessions the host drummer starts and ends the sets.  And Terry McDowell is second to none in playing drums.  As I told Julie Gordon after the thing, don't worry about it, there's always a next time if you want it.   I still think there's a good chance we'll all be somewhere playing.  And I'll leave it at that.

I'm not sure if the Feb 2016 Acousta Kitties jam signaled anything about the future.  That might have been the night that Julie came to my table and hang out a while.  Little did we know that we would be crossing paths a lot more in the coming months.