Thoughts From The Townedger June Edition

It's summertime and yes we have tornadoes.  Kim Moorman took this shot of the tornado that went from Alburnett to Central City to Prairieburg.  This thing was on the ground for a good half hour at least.

I've been documenting the set list of songs that I have for past few months and there seems to be a turning away from original stuff to crowd favorites. I really do not think that the songs from the new album Logic And Lies will get anybody to listen to the album.  That's okay as long as net radio continues to promote the efforts.  I know Tommy Bruner and I have had spirited discussions about trying to get bar gigs, and he knows better than I do that in order to get people to dance and drink you have the play the time tried and tired songs.   I never doubt Tommy's wisdom, he's been doing this for almost 50 years, and he does challenge me when we jam together. Somehow he managed to get me to actually play I Shot The Sheriff in a reggae type funky mode. It must have been the Bob Marley T Shirt that inspired me to play that way.  Or Carlton Barrett.

I still hold out that I can jam with Russ on stage once again, but he's been dealing with some health issues as well.  Nothing is certain when you get this far in life.  I wish it was about 20 years ago, maybe then I would have gotten myself to do the jams sooner than I did.

Same thing with Dewayne Schminkey. I think being a grand parent he likes more.  Enjoy your grandkids and hang with them.  I dropped the ball on backing Dewayne up when he wanted to come to Rumors to do a set with me last month but I promise that I'll be there if he wants to do a couple songs together.

I hate to admit it but I am getting bald and it is sad I can't do anything about it. It's hard to believe that 20 years ago I still have a full amount of hair on top of my head but nowadays it seems it is all going south, in places I'd rather had no hair at.  But I didn't think I would make it this far in life, even less still playing music.

Quite honestly, I have never gotten into Radiohead, nor Interpol  Or Wilco, I tend to think they are a bit overrated.

The new band collective I'm doing has some fine musicians in it. Mark Randolph is a very good guitar player, Tim Nemec is a solid bass player and Larry Alexman is the new guy but he has plenty of guitars and even a drumset too.  What's not to love about that.  It means saving wear and tear on my back.  Belinda James does some vocals too.  I've known her long enough to play her songs quite well.  You won't believe the quality of how some of our local female singers can sing.   Belinda can really put the emotional wail into Stormy Monday and make you feel the blues and the way she sings it.  I have the honor of backing up the two best female singers in the area, her and Julie Gordon.  Jules has more of a rocking voice, she can belt them out with the best of Stevie Nicks or Pat Benetar but she can be subtle too.  I could listen to her sing all night.  And, she has the softest and greatest kisses too. That said, I look at her as a musical partner.  She can adapt to anything, if she can adapt to my style of music then she has to be somebody special.  Or is an excellent musician. Or both.  I still would love to add her to this new band collective.

(Lusus Greene Photo from the early 90s. Photo: Thomas Duggerby)
(I still cannot remember that name no matter how hard I try, every picture helps though)
The guess is Aaron Webber is the drummer.

Bart Carfizzi has had major back pains thoughout the whole year and he had to retire from the Past Masters due to his back issues. I believe he still wants to play in a band but without the long distance traveling that the Past Masters have to do.  Nevertheless that is a big paycheck he's leaving behind.  I wish they can heal his back so he wouldn't have those issues.

The Chicago Cubs have been a major disappointment this year. I doubt if they will make the playoffs since nobody knows how to pitch or get timely hits when they're supposed to.  On a related subject I do not miss TV, too many Pharma Commercials, and too many commercials and the news channel are bullshit.   If I'm subjected to TV, I'll watch TCM or Me TV or outside of that my TV stays off.

Some of Belinda James Demos: https://myspace.com/belinda.james/music/songs




Tune in next month for more pointless banter and observations.

Checkers Jam-Riding The Storm Out Part 2

Checker's Acoustic Jam Hosted By Dan Hartman

(Photo: Cathy Spina)

Songs:


Everybody's Talking
I Fought The Law
If I Were A Carpenter
Let's Work Together
Ring Of Fire

(Eddie Jarrell from Wild Bill And The Pony Express Band)

With:
Mike Frederich-Banjo
Eddie Jarrell-Bass

Also I helped play guitar for.

Dan Hartman
Cathy Spina
Lorie Parker
Skip Richards
Mark Awad
Donna Jo Eisley
The Cello player
Derek: The Trumpet Player

(Central City/Prairieburg tornado 6/28/17: Deb Zumbach: Photo)

Leave it to mother nature to throw her wrath at us once again.  We had a tornado that tore through a path from the outskirts of Alburnett to Central City and then to Prarieburg to which part of that town got leveled.  It might have been a EF 2 tornado, I don't know.

(Praireburg Tornado 6/28/17: Photo Courtesy of KWWL)

For the jams, Bart hosted one at Rumors but by the time I got done with the Checkers' showcase and made it there, he was already packed up and gone. It really doesn't make much sense to have two jams on the same night.  That was tried three times before and none of them worked out.  Also the tornadoes in the area and severe weather didn't help either.  Whatever the case may be, the next time he attempts to do this will be when Dreams Of Arcadia hosts the Checker's jam. I like Bart but I'm more dedicated to the Checker's one.  I like the atmosphere better at Checkers.

(Jordan's Grove Tornado 6/28/17)

Once again, I played a safe song list, no originals this time out.  It's getting to the point that doing songs like Everybody's Talking or Ring Of Fire works better than say anything off the new album.  People seem to like the played songs better too.   This doesn't exactly bode well for any debut of new originals but I'm sure I'll try a few out on the next Whittier Jam.

It's the first time I got to jam with Eddie Jarrell on bass.  He's a veteran of many bands (most recently Wild Bill And The Pony Express) and pretty much followed me without any problems. Usually Mike helps me out on one or two songs but this time out he played banjo to all of the songs.  Mark Assad and Skip Richards would later show up, leaving us with three able bodied bass players.

The only drummer that was there.  Your's truly

(Aftermath of Central City/Prairieburg Tornado 6/28/17)

Rumors Jam 6/25/17

Terry McDowell Presents The Rumors Jam

Songs:

I Shot The Sheriff
I'm Going To Move To The Outskirts Of Town

With:

Mike Clair-Guitar
Tommy Bruner-Lead Vocals and lead/slide guitar
Jeremiah Murphy-Bass
R.Smith-Drums

Upon that, I been drafted into a new band featuring fellow jammers Mark Randolph, Belinda James, Tim Slaymaker and Larry Alexman  who has his own space and drumset for me to pound on.  Which means I don't have to haul my drums anywhere.  He lives on Northview Drive in Marion, about six blocks away from my folks house.  And it's easy to get to.  We basically worked on some of the songs that we do at acoustic jams, plus some interesting stuff (Beds Are Burning).  I think this might have some sort of band potential of playing places although the guys are not too keen of doing bars all the time. After all, we all over 50 I think.  This should not hamper anything planned with Julie or get in the way of recording the drum tracks to Logic And Lies.

For the Rumors Jam, a packed house and plenty of drummers but Terry was gracious enough to pencil me in toward the end which for the first time I attempted to do a reggae styled version of I Shot The Sheriff.  Since I wore my Bob Marley T Shirt they thought they should do it that way.  It actually went very well and Mark Randolph managed to document that performance.  The other song was a more bluesy take on the Louis Jordan chestnut I'm Going To move To The Outskirts Of Town.  Belinda and Mark did a couple songs earlier on, one with Trevor on drums and another featuring the eccentric Bill Brown on drums.

Having Tommy Bruner and Mike Clair on stage and also the great bass playing of Jeremiah Murphy made it possible that I Shot The Sheriff turned out great for a first time playing it in that style. Great musicians will make me sound that much better.  Thank you guys.

From T.B.

 I enjoy co-hosting jams and here's why. My main money gig is a classic pop show band that's been very successful. I enjoy playing the songs, I enjoy the travel and the money is good, enough to pay for recording and releasing my own CDs. But it's a show, a product, and I know the show, so well I could do it in my sleep with my eyes closed. The jams are what keep me in touch with improvisation, thinking on my feet and adapting to playing with people I don't play with on a regular basis and sometimes music I'm not used to playing. To me that is well worth taking less pay for than I would make at my regular gig, because the things I mentioned are the life blood of any guitarist who doesn't want to become sterile.

Checkers Jam 6/21/17-Protest Tunes

Checkers Acousta Crabby Jam

Hosts: Cathy Spina/Lorie Parker

Setlist:

Let Your Love Flow (Lorie Parker: Backing Vocals)
Don't It Make You Wanna Dance
Get It Over With
Ring Of Fire

With:

Cathy Spina
Lorie Parker
Carl Meiners
Tommy Bruner
Mike Clair
Jeff Craft
Barb Myers

Not exactly a great day.  It had to rain so I couldn't mow the yard and the Folk Hootenanny got rained out as well. You would think Mother Nature would leave the GD storms out of my jams for one time.  It didn't help that Trump was in town, blocking off the highways and by ways and Barb Myers couldn't get out of Wright Brothers Blvd since the idiot squad had things blocked off.  I didn't see much of a need to go protest the Failed Reality Star as he clogged up the downtown area.  I basically came through Mount Vernon Rd and the back way into New Bo.  I thought about a walk but once again the rains changed all of that, so I tried the new Mexican place where the Chrome Horse/Big Dogs used to be at.  Too preppy for me.

Tonight's jam was supposed to be protest music but as you can tell, neither For What It's Worth or I Fought The Law were played.  Tommy Bruner, The Bear and Jeff Craft later showed up so I didn't get to do a second set of songs. I did back Carl up on a couple of tunes.  The turnout was light due to Steve Black Wolf and a couple others both joining the Trump parade (Steve was protesting, the others were at a Pro Trump Rally).  Don't It Make You Wanna Dance made it's debut, and for the second time ever, Let Your Love Flow got played, this time Lorie Parker doing the backing vocals rather than the lead vocals, had she asked I would have let her do that.   Get It Over With was very sloppy and I missed a few chords and had a false start.  Cathy made a funny comment and I cracked up soon afterward.  Take Two!

Belinda and Mark were not present tonight.  There were some fun moments but I don't think my set really stood out very much. Highlight was Tommy and The Bear doing a few choice covers.  Cathy called them Bare Tommy which got a laugh of the folks.  Next week it is Dan Hartman doing the jam but Rumors is starting up another Wednesday Night jam, this time with Bart Carfizzi hosting.  I'm nor sure if the blues jam with Tim Wiley is going on.  I have to ask him next time I see him.  On a side note, Bart's Rumors Acoustic Jam falls on the same Wednesday Night  that Julie hosts the Checker's Acoustic Jam.  Not exactly a good thing.

The Acousta Something Showcase at Checkers 6/15/17

Checkers Acoustic Jam 6/15/17
(Hosts: Julie Gordon/Ryan Matthew Paul (Dreams Of Arcadia)

Songs;

It's Been A While (Belinda James-Vocals)
Gold Dust Woman (Julie Gordon-Vocals)
Come Together (Belinda James-Vocals)
She's About A Mover
Listen To Her Heart
Ring Of Fire (Belinda James, Julie Gordon, Matthew Ryan Paul, Steve Black Wolf-Backing Vocals)
House Of The Rising Sun (Belinda James-Vocals)
Turn The Page (Steve Black Wolf-Vocals)
Knocking On Heaven's Door (Donna Jo Eisner and Steve Black Wolf-Vocals)
Last Kiss/Stand By Me (Steve Black Wolf-Vocals)

With:

Julie Gordon: Percussion, hand drums and backing vocals
Belinda James: Backing Vocals
Ryan Matthew Paul: Keyboards, Harmonica and hand drums
Steve Black Wolf: Guitar and vocals
Sofia Chesney: Backing vocals


Also: Parlor City Jam 6/14/17
Tom Giblin: Host

With:
Matt on Guitar
Mark Awad-Bass
Dan Johnson-Bass
Tom Giblin: Keyboards
A Harmonica Player
And the Legendary Tony Brown on Guitar and Vocals

2 songs including Cissy Strut

(Janis Jules Gordon)

It was a nice conclusion to a very busy week of jamming and playing music.  While the crowd at Checkers was very small, there were enough jammers to keep the pace going. Sadly, one of the jammers got upset and left during my portion of the jam.  I really don't know why, she's an older woman that usually strums along to certain songs but somehow a disagreement came out and she left early. So I basically postponed Ring Of Fire then chose to do Listen To Her Heart, one of the new cover songs that I debuted, the other was another run through of She's About A  Mover.

Again, I chose the  songs that would go over better than the songs from Logic And Lies, in fact I kind of shelved them altogether.  Of course, those who were there wanted to hear Gold Dust Woman with Julie so we did that.  Then I tapped Belinda to sing Come Together, and she did that.  And then people wanted to hear Ring Of Fire and they wanted to sing the chorus so I let them do that.   Which leaves She's About A Mover with that choppy E chord, and easy to remember lyrics.  Or seek out a song that starts in A and use the D and E chords, I Feel A Whole Lot Better is one song, Let's Work Together another and You Tell Me Why but I had to words to Listen To Her Heart.  Ryan Paul swears he's never heard of that Tom Petty song.  They don't usually play it too much but it is on his Greatest Hits CD.

(Ryan Matthew Paul, under the watchful eye of Dale Jr.)

Mark Randolph was sick, so it was Belinda James going solo and I helped her on It's Been A While and House Of The Rising Sun although my guitar was unplugged. I kept teasing her by playing the riff to Fever, Julie picked up on that, but I shook my head and said I need to polish it up more before attempted to play it live. For another long lunch I overextended it by a few more minutes by helping Steve play another version of Knocking On Heaven's Door and the Last Kiss/Stand By Me medley he's famous for before I really had to get back to work.  Sofia Chesney, did two versions of the Leonard Cohen song Hallelujah.   I believe Dreams Of Arcadia that the more Julie and Ryan work together, the better they sound.  Geez, me and  her only do three songs together and she makes me sound better than before.

Tuesday Night, I did a rare appearance at Parlor City and got to jam with Tony Brown on two songs and damned if they didn't put me on the spot with Cissy Strut.  It helps that I have done it before. The bass player was the same guy that helped play Stop Draggin My Heart Around and I think he's very good at playing funk blues type of bass.  He's very good, I just can't think of his name.  The first song I don't know the name but Tony Brown is a master of improvising on the spot and he did just that.  Both songs went about 10 minutes for the whole duration.  I must have done very well, everybody gave me some nice comments about my playing on Cissy Strut.  I'm proud of that too, but I think the highlight was jamming with Four Day Creep with Dreams I Never See Again.   BTW, Troy Mitchell made a rare Tuesday Night sighting and we chatted for a bit.   Always great to see him, I need to catch more of his bands when they play in the near future (Inch 75 is another band he's in)

P.S.  In the 1990s, Julie was part of a band called Lusus Greene and their music was more punk/new wave and gothic  but I have found some of their old videos posted on You Tube running from the likes of White Light White Heat to Jefferson Airplane's She Has Funny Cars and White Rabbit.   Half the time I can't remember their name.  But they do a killer version of Dominance And Submission.  It's kinda odd to see the woman who sings Gold Dust Woman with me go full tilt into Dominance And Submission back in the 1990s and in a different direction.

Rumors Jam 6/11/17-Play On!

Wess Side Jam at Rumors 6/11/17

Terry McDowell-Host

(All photos except where noted courtesy of Tami Soukup)

With:

The Bear-Guitar
Belinda James-Vocals
Tim Wiley-Guitar
Jeremiah Murphy-Bass
Ryan Matthew Paul-Keyboards and Harp
R.Smith-Drums

(Belinda James, The Bear, Jeremiah Murphy, Ryan Matthew Paul, R. Smith)

Songs;

It's Been A While
Blue Bayou
Fever
Stormy Monday

Bonus Songs:

With:

Peter Stark-Counter Vocals  on Stop Dragging My Heart Again
Cecie Stark-Lead Vocals
Tommy Bruner-Lead Guitar
The Bear-Guitar
Mark Awad-Bass

(Peter and Cecie Stark singing Stop Draggin My Heart Around)

Stop Draggin My Heart Around
Day Tripper

The Bear is Mike Clair

Another surprising jam to which it went so well, somebody offered up a hundred dollars to extend the jam another hour.  Mighty nice of those persons who pony up the dollars to do that.   A lot of folk did show up.  Even Julie popped up to do a couple songs later on.

Once again I paired up with Tim Wiley, but the star of the segment was Belinda James tearing into It's Been A While and of course Fever, with full drums, to which at some point I broke a drum stick.  Actually I broke two today, one during a vigorous tear through I Don't Need No Doctor at home and then on Fever of all songs.  Perhaps the heat in the car had something to do with the sticks becoming more brittle but in no certain terms should I break one during a mellow song.  Terry was using the 16 inch A crash that got cracked after many performances and after striking it, I was shocked to see the crack got bigger!  In the future I may donate the one cymbal I got here that has a slight chip on it, and simply let Terry have it, since I have been pounding on his drums for over a year now.  But power drummers will tend to put dents and cracks into their cymbals, when your emotions take over, chances are when you strike something it's going to hurt.  I know I put a nice bruise on my knuckle after a rim shot nailed my left knuckle (Damn that hurts!).

I didn't talk much to Tim, we did fist pump another when I first popped in, but I hardly noticed him after that.  I got lost in the zone.  Belinda popped in Rumors and left Mark at home. After our set, Tim did move on elsewhere but the past couple times of jamming with him on stage was kinda fun. For the most part though, Belinda did the songs that she was good at, and all four songs she has done at both acoustic and electric jams.  She's a very good vocalist, especially when she gets into the final part of Stormy Monday.

Of note, was Ryan Matthew Paul joining the fun and I think was a part of the hosts the way he handled himself on the songs.  Julie Gordon's appearance did bring him out more in the open, I didn't jam with her since she showed up at the tail end of Stormy Monday, but she did get the crowd cheering with her Sweet Home Chicago and These Boots Were Made for Walking. Ryan also helped Belinda on the songs that I did too.  Mike Lint played drums and Sweet Home Chicago was almost Blues Brothers length.  Later on, Peter and Cecie Stark came up, and Peter has been having some sort of breathing problems and he says he's doing better.

(Mike "The Bear" Clair and his wife Renee  singing Landslide: Laura Oliver Green Photo Credit)

The big surprise was that somebody in the audience was having such a good time with the jam, that they offered up 100 dollars for it to continue another hour.  It was the first jam that extended to 8 PM, which kinda made me had a change in plans of going to Marion to the Summer Of Love Festival.  However, Terry asked me to help Cecie and Peter and play drums on  Stop Dragging My Heart Around.  I did that song a couple times before, once with Cecie and Mike Lint last year and then with Julie And The Mad Dogs last year but somehow I managed to get all the breaks down somewhat and got a thumbs up from Peter in the process.  I was quite flattered and honored that they ask me to do that song with them.  And then I concluded my jam with Day Tripper.  Afterwards Mike Clair's wife came up to do Landslide with him then Terry took over the rest of the way with them doing I'm Not The Only One and Dreams (which usually Cecie sings it).  Then the Pink Floyd wrap up of Time and Comfortably Numb before Message In A Bottle finally ended the show before 8.

Afterwards, I did managed to pop down to the Summer Of Love Festival and hung with Brook Hoover's set before seeing Craig Erickson close his show with a Jimi Hendrix version of Star Springled Banner before Billy Lee and Bryce Janey close the whole thing with their blues rock, Dan Johnson and Tom Giblin helping out.

A lot of things happened these past 48 hours between recording new songs and doing the acoustic jam and sitting in with Four Day Creep on Dreams I'll Never See Again plus an extra six songs at Rumors.

Various Jams And Recording Sessions Over The Weekend

Acoustic Jam-Gilligan's Pub CR IA 6/10/17
Karl Hudson-Host

Set list:

She's About A Mover
Everybody's Talking
Listen To Love
Ring Of Fire (Jeff Overly-Alto Sax)
No Expectations

2nd Set:

Tim Nemec-Bass
Jeff Overly-Alto Sax and backing vocals
Belinda James-Lead Vocals
Karl Hudson-Guitar on Gold Dust Woman

Ever So Much
For What Its Worth
Come Together (Belinda James-Lead Vocals)
Gold Dust Woman (Belinda James-Lead Vocals)

Summer is here and the turnout for the Gilligan's Jam was disappointing to the fact that it might be the last acoustic jam.  Jeff Overly made it from Fort Madison as well as Belinda and Mark Randolph and later Tim Nemec showed up to play bass.  I might be missing a song from the first set but for the most part the highlight was playing Ring Of Fire with Jeff adding alto sax and Karl being so impressed he gave me 10 dollars.  My first paying gig!

Nothing real new outside of She's About A Mover, I didn't feel the need to debut anything from Logic And Lies but I did dust off Listen To Love and dedicated that to Mark's son Andrew who was really into his date.   Tim Nemec played bass on the second set of songs and Belinda taking over vocals for Come Together and Gold Dust Woman, to which Julie Gordon was missed.

Anyway, since this jam was moved to 5 to 8 I bypassed the Whittier Acoustic Jam in favor going to Walford to see Four Day Creep.  Rick Clay plays guitar and the best drummer in town Troy Mitchell plays drums, he had a common bond with the late Bruce Stanley and we have become jam buddies and good friends.  The crowd at Wild Hogs was even less than the Gilligan's Acoustic Jam but despite Amanda being under the weather they are a pretty good hard rocking band.  Later, during the very short third set, Troy and Rick invited me up on stage and I got to do Dreams I Never See Again, this time without any malfunction.  Rick told me that there was a loose plug in which came out later on the song when we did it a couple weeks ago.  Troy was quite impressed with how I played drums and invited me to play drums again next time they play.  Troy and Rick great guys, great band.

I missed supper so I went to Taco Bell and waited for ten minutes for some sort of help, only to have some strange looking zombie type of women up there but nobody seemed interested to take my order so I went on to McDonald's for a couple of cheeseburgers and made a return trip to Wild Hogs to catch Four Day Creep.  After all, I did tell people I was going there to see them.

For cymbals, Troy has mostly Sabian's for crashes, although I think the ride might be a Zildjian A Ride and Zildjian A hats. He might be using a 20 inch AAX crash (not a power crash I don't think) as well as a 18 inch AAX crash and 16 inch crash plus a 18 inch China.



Recording Session 12 6/10/17 Hoarder House Of Hits
Producer: Rodney Smith/Terry Bainbridge
Recording: Martin Daniels

I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song
Best Of Me
On Highway 94
The Red Telegraph

With: Geoff Redding and Martin Daniels

I think this is the last session of recording new music, so there was an attempt to cover the Jim Croce cover and then couldn't find the words for Best Of Me, so I had to seek out the CD and copy the words off that and managed to do it in one take.  Highway 94 was a requested number for the album and so I fired that one up, plus The Red Telegraph before concluding the sessions when my brother came from from the Monticello Car Show, otherwise their voices would have been heard in the background.

Best Of Me came off These Things Must Pass but on the recording the guitars are sadly out of tune.  I have no idea how the song came together.  Something to do with discovering the inner soul of the person you're making love with.   The Red Telegraph originally done for Tales Of The Red Caboose is one of those songs about looking forward to the future without anything holding you back. Upon choosing songs to redo, Terry Bainbridge wanted me to take another crack at The Nailer but I told him I couldn't play the odd tempos of that song and basically it would be too much work for a song that nobody is going to play on the radio anyway.  The Red Telegraph is easier to sing and play.  You can't win them all.

And then:

(Photo courtesy of Four Day Creep)

Guest Drummer For Four Day Creep On Dreams I'll Never See Again

Amanda Britcher-Vocals
Rick Clay-Guitar and vocals on Dream I'll Never See Again
John Baughman-Bass
Troy Mitchell: Drums

Recording Session 11

Hoarder House Of Hits-6/9/17

Songs

She's About A Mover
Listen to Her Heart
Jimmy Brown The Newsboy

Producer: Rodney Smith/Terry Bainbridge
Recording: Martin Daniels

With: Geoff Redding, Martin Daniels

It seemed easy to record She's About A Mover but the damn guitar down riffs was a nightmare to put on record.  When you go freeform, it doesn't mean a smooth transition to overdub, at least not in my book.  Eventually I did a sloppy but presentable take of that.  Jimmy Brown was another problem, I couldn't recite the lyrics and don't know how many times I had to retake after fucking up the words, (I swear the morning paper rather than sell and other halfassed notions.)  I could have settled on it after take 5 but thought I could improve on the song, 10 takes later it got done.

At least Listen To Her Heart was not as problematic.  That was a one take.

As I continue to labor through some cover songs, I was going over some new ideas to present to Julie the next time I seen her.  We're supposed to get together Saturday Night which I decided to forgo the Whittier Acoustic Jam just to spend time with her.  Going out on the date with a musician takes a lot of planning and patience and since she has to do gigs to get some income, I have to let her do just that and keep out of the way.  I do miss sharing the stage with her on acoustic jams, we haven't done that since last Wednesday.  She remains a captivating vocalist.

The fallacy of Logic And Lies

It's early morning as I write this.  I don't know how I managed to write Logic And Lies, it seems like the songs wrote themselves as I battled my emotions and depressions through the recording sessions.  Buoyed by positive crowds and jammers at various jam sessions, this helped me in the making of the record.  The highs of hearing Belinda James sing Come Together and Julie Gordon on Gold Dust Woman,   And even managing to take Julie out on a actual date in the process.  And her getting me to smile all the while at our last get together.  I could get used to this.

That said, Logic And Lies, the album itself really has drained me.  It has really turned into a dark album of sorts, to the point that it makes Pawnshops For Olivia look more like the Brady Bunch Sunshiny Day. If it wasn't for the cover versions it may even make Joy Division or Swans look more happy happy.  And it may be my final effort of new music.  I never know, I've been saying that ever since Town's Edge Rock, done 34 years ago.  But I really do not want to go through these wide range of emotions,  I'm surprised I have not had a stroke or heart attack yet.

Upon discussing the album with my producer and Geoff Redding, I informed them that my last new song will be recorded and it will conclude the album; it's called I'm On The Right Road Now, and I suppose of the beginning of the title track, everything has been a twisted song cycle.  I've done twisted song albums in the past, Love Sucks (1983), Drive In Blues (1992) and Pawnshops (2008) started out with hope, only the have the final song find things in despair, D.I.B concludes with Pretender, which was basically thought up lyrics on the spot about watching things fall apart and nothing changes.  Pawnshops had Beyond The Sun, to which the chorus line suggests the only time I could be together with the person of interest would be the after life, which would be bullshit anyway.  But after subjecting the listener with corrosive love songs, I want to end the album on a uptempo note, telling folks that I finally found what I was looking for in life.  Which is...more music.

I think the future is brighter, despite the antics of the GOP and the failed reality star in the white house, but it's a fragile line that I walk.  I have proven that I can rock with the musicians in town and a shame that I didn't do this sooner than I did, and managed to pick up the guitar and sing my songs and getting folks to sing along.  I didn't figure this would happen, not in a million years but somehow one night at Checkers and a couple songs and the ball started rolling again.  I think I could convince somebody to give me a gig playing the music that I love to play (Checker's?, Ramsey's?, F B and Company?). Or to revamp Paraphernalia in the way that I wanted them to sound?  Or even do something called The New Townedgers?   A million things on my mind but I'm not sure if the world wants to hear a 50 something dude sing depressing heartbreak songs.  I'd rather not subject Julie on that; in fact it seems when I do the acoustic jams and having her duet it's the uptempo, happier songs that make it work.  Not that Gold Dust Woman is a happy song, or the emotions that go through Ring Of Fire.  Perhaps Johnny Cash was going through the same thing when he sang it.  But in the end he did managed to get June.

Next week, I think we'll continue to add some remakes of Townedgers songs (The guys want another go through on On Highway 94) and more cover songs that I have yet to commit to tape (No Expectations, Lynch Party, You're Gonna Miss Me) and perhaps putting at as a stand along covers album under The TEs name. The drum tracks will come later in the month, and then the usual mixing and hoping to get it on disc.

And after that, relax. I'm in need of a vacation, to get away from it all. It's been all too much.

Recording Session 10 6/8/17  Hoarder House Of Hits In Anamosa
Producer: Rodney Smith/Terry Bainbridge
Recording: Martin Daniels/R.Smith

Songs:
I'm On The Right Road Now
Ring Of Fire
Lynch Party

Rumors Jam 6/4/17-No Expectations No Disappointments

Recording Session 8-Hoarder House Of Hits-Anamosa IA

Production: Rodney Smith/Terry Bainbridge
Recording: Martin Daniels

With: Geoff Redding, Mel Strobie

Songs:

Love's Guessing Game (Smith/Redding)
Solid Rock (M. Knopfler)

(L-R: Bart Carfizzi, James Gritman, R.Smith, Russ the Bartender, Kevin Simnacher who also took all these fine pictures you see here)

Rumors Jam On A Sunday Afternoon:  Terry McDowell: Host

With:

Kevin Simnacher-Guitar
Tim Wiley-Guitar
Bart Carfizzi-Keyboards
James Gritman-Bass
Russ The Bartender-Vocals
Rob Wallace-Vocal on Too Much Time On My Hands


Songs:

Can't Get Enough
Feel Like Making Love
Brown Eyed Girl
Too Much Time On My Hands

Given the circumstances the jam went better than expected.  Dewayne Schminkey talked about showing up and never did and Julie had to take care of other things and couldn't make it, so basically it turned out to be a reunion of me and Tim Wiley, helping out Russ sing his usual Bad Company numbers.  Ron LeFleur and Dakota McWhorter was in attendance and it was a Saloonatics gathering too. I wanted to jam with Kenny Webb, but James Gritman does a good job on bass. Very workmanlike although he was giving me a much needed laugh while he was mugging with Bart on Feel Like Making Love. Tami Soukup takes a picture of that.

Summer is finally here so the air conditioning was on full blast, which turned out to be a relief. Later, Russ brought some chicken strips over and I had a couple and Terry took one.  Turns out we were both eating the chicken strips that Ron ordered, so I gave them a few dollars and told them dinner at McDonalds was on me.  Later on, I directed Trevor Worcil on how to play Ain't No Sunshine from the crowd as he seemed a bit lost on the breaks, they threw a lot of curves at him but the kid still did a nice job.

(Photo: Frank Smith from last week's jam)

Earlier in the afternoon, I worked on a couple songs for the new album.  Love's Guessing Game just happened on the spot and I wrote the whole thing out in a two hour session.   The new album is becoming an emotional sort of record.  But I keep pushing on with new songs and hope to have some sort of happy to combat the usual dark and despair numbers that keep cropping up.  The recording room was getting to be like a sauna so I turned the ceiling fan on and it can be heard on the recording. I think it gives a bit of ambiance to the song.   Next up, was a run through of Solid Rock but it's very problematic, so let's call it a rehearsal number.  I think we'll try for a better take next time we attempt to do it.

Tim Wiley was the special guest star of the jam.   The way it goes.

Recording Session 9-Hoarder House Of Hits-Anamosa IA 6/5/17

Producer: Rodney Smith/Terry Bainbridge
Recording: Terry Bainbridge
With: Geoff Redding

It's Just A Notion (Smith/Redding)

Recording Session 10-Hoarder House Of Hits-Anamosa IA 6/6/17

All We Are (Smith/Redding/Daniels)
For What It's Worth (S.Stills)


Producer: Rodney Smith/Terry Bainbridge
Recording: Martin Daniels/R.Smith

With: Geoff Redding, Martin Daniels

It's funny how jamming with the same three chords will yield into a new song and All We Are was yet another out of the blue song using a repetitive G and D chord, done in a power pop arrangement. Terry Bainbridge did remark how much we have improved since the last proper album he helped produced thirty years ago, Tales Of The Red Caboose   It used to be that we go into a song on a dry run and hoped that things fall into place.  Had we had a decent recorded back then, that album would be a much better sounding album rather than recording it Low Fi on a Metal cassette tape, which didn't work very well.  Nowadays, I will do a song a couple times before pushing the record button, which means most songs get done in one or two takes.  And the less work on a song the better it holds up.   It was a good thing that these songs get recorded, I basically have forgotten had they went now.

The second song, it was decided to cover For What Its Worth on tape since chances are it will be put out under this album or a covers album.  And we may have to use another tape to get more songs into the can for that to happen.  I've done this song many times to the point I can sing them without cheat sheets, although we had a false start since I forgot the first line of the song (there's something happening here).  Plus on the final line which goes into your life it will creep, however I ended up singing heart in stead of life,  I don't see a need to retake the song but next acoustic jam I will remember the actual word.    I hope to cover a couple more before it all ends for this album, most notably Gold Dust Woman and see if I can do justice to this song, from a male point of view.   In reality, Julie Gordon owns this song.  If I fail to keep the spirit of this song alive, Julie will once again be called upon to sing it.   I may have to enlist either Rod Albaugh or Brook Hoover to record it instead of me.