Thoughts From The Townedger-July Edition

The CorVid Virus issues of 2020 continue to play havoc.  The Blu Room in Dubuque has closed their doors.  I was looking forward to play at their jams this year.   I will try to get back to the Pub 1848 Monday Jam before that gets shut down.  But I believe Sean Ryan will do his damnest to keep it going.  If anything I managed to see Julie and her furbabies this month.  I have to wear a mask when I go over.  It's the least I can do to show how much that I care about her.

Callie Jean  is now a CNA and working at a care place in Anamosa.  At this point, she's not singing anymore and is ready to become a first time mom.  She'll be a great mom; now let us work on her to quit smoking. She joins my ex Nicole as a CNA helper.

44 years ago....In my memories field, an old picture of Janice Tygerrsson came up, Tygerrsson is her married name, in 86, she married a guy from Iceland and have been together ever since.  Memories tend to fade but somehow she hasn't.  She remains a subconscious part of my life in the songs that I sing. I didn't take American Studies in my freshman year and had to take it the next year, to which Janice and her friends proceeded to make my life a living hell.  Back then it was a school girl crush and there were feeble attempts to go steady.  Both of us failed miserably and I still remember Colour My World by Chicago playing and somehow my feeble attempt to grab her hand to slow dance only to have her pull away, to which at that moment, the dream was shattered, and her buddy Sue stepped in.  The next day, she came into the Longfellow playground with Sue and it turned into a screamfest. Somehow she popped up with I Love You and I looked at her and sneered, yeah right.  We both cooled off and promised to make amends, which never happened.  In that time, I just couldn't get away from her.

I told the story and the aftermath so many time in other blogs that it's not worth the effort to relive the heartbreak or missed chances.  To be honest, Janice wanted a large family of her own, she couldn't get me out of the record stores or being the legend in my mind rocker at that time.  Would she have wanted me to be play music or drums?   I doubt it, but in the back of my mind when Paraphernalia was playing around the area  I did hope to see her somewhere down the line.  She moved to Texas with a classmate who passed away a while ago and found her soulmate and got that large family she wanted and now is a Grandma.  I don't see the need to post her picture of today, we haven't touched base in so long and we are not a part of each other's lives anyway.  I always told her, that I wasn't the one, you haven't met your true love.  But to be honest, when she sat on my lap one day after a date, I do admit that I kinda enjoyed that.  I just wish I was a bit more accessible and not so angry back then.

The story on John Field is getting more sadder.  Even Russ has given up hope to get John to play again, seems like he's in trouble with the law on something.  Or is in the hospital, or jail.

About Craig Morrison, one of those dudes that will promise to show up at your gig or jam and doesn't. He seemed to be more critical on musical things or opinions that I had.  He got into it with a friend of mine and then proceeded to take a photo of the exchange and unfriended me afterwards. The kind of dude I can do without in this life. To relieve him of his misery, I blocked him so he didn't get offended at everything I said on my other page.  He split one too many hairs so he can piss off.

It's not looking good for the FB Company Waubeek Jam to make a return this year.  Russ has expressed interest of playing there.  I could try to sell him the idea of playing in Blues Rox since getting a bass player would add more spice to the songs.   Not having the Parlor City blues jam has kinda taken Kristopher back a step or two but he does hold his own on the blues songs.  With the blues festivals canceled this summer, it took the wind out of our sails in getting exposure.  We could have open for Avery-Grows Band this summer.  But Brian races cars on Friday and Saturday Nights. I worry about him and always have a prayer that he will get through a race and not crash.

I still think bars will close down again if the stats keep going up for Corvid testing.  Blues Rox played  JA Tap tonight and while our performance wasn't up to par, especially for the first two sets, the owner mentioned he would like to have us back again, when things get back to normal.  I tend to think we need a bass player to help things along.  Not having Craig Erickson or Kevin Burt has rusted down what Kristopher can do, if they were around, chances are he'd be top notch again.  I still remain committed to Blues Rox, but like every band out there, there could be a change if the music gets stagnated.    They could go with a more relaxed drummer, but I'm their favorite drummer.  So I'm good for now.

Not a lot going on.  Next month will be a handful of acoustic adventures shows and the Cabin Jam.  But till then.

Rumors-The China Syndrome

Songs

You Can't Always Get What You Want
Working Man Blues
Take Me To The River
Mercury Blues
Can't Find My Way Home
I Used To Work In Chicago
Peaceful Easy Feeling
Dirty Water


Tommy Bruner-Lead Vocals and amazing slide guitar
Mike (Bear) Clair-Guitar and Lead Vocal (Working Man Blues, Peaceful Easy Feeling)
Jeremiah Murphy-Bass
Morris-Guitar
R.Smith-Drums
Terry McDowell-Drums and host

Notes:

Jeffrey Brown cleaned my clock about doing yard work yesterday and getting heat exhaustion.  Yeah, I wanted to get the yard work done but killing myself in 105 heat index and a dew point of 83.  So I basically stayed home and contented with sleep and Perry Mason reruns.

With Stone City jam not going through, (the storms never did came) I went to support the Rumor's cause and it was a large crowd.  The highlight was The Bear and Renee Clair popping up for the first time since December of 2018 and playing about 8 songs and goofing off on a couple others.  Semi retired, Mike doesn't come down from Vinton all that much, I think he did a couple times last year but didn't play. 


For the most part, it was Tommy Bruner that did the majority of songs and he was on fire today.  Probably some of the best playing he's done this year, and that's saying something.  His slide work on Mercury Blues really got the crowd going.  For Can't Find My Way Home, I played more of a jazzier type of melody rather than what Terry would play. Very much improvised   I could not find a regular beat. With Jeremiah's expertise in jam bass guitar playing, I let him do the major rhythm while I did some ride cymbal accents.  I think It went okay.

Morris returned for the first time since open heart surgery and being away for two weeks was record time.

While the Bear doesn't venture out much, his sense of humor was in tact, and somehow we were talking about china cymbals and the china effect, which got me cracking up.  Terry has a nice 2002 china crash which is nice n mellow.  So we had a lot of bad jokes and concluded with a major china cymbal accents on Dirty Water.   I told the guys I can bring about five other china cymbals if need be next time.  They didn't think that was funny.

Alas, this day marked the day that my Discman finally died, after playing the Peter Frampton Blues Band album, the motor died.  So I guess I will try out my Jensen discman, found for 2.88 at goodwill.  I hope I can find another Discman before too long.  I had this for about 16 years.  Time to recycle it.

From The Sanctuary-Emporium Of Hits

Fox On The Run
Logic And Lies
Cinnamon Girl
Free Bird (Extract)
Good Time Charlie
Dear Lisa
Please Send Me Somebody To Love
High Heel Sneakers/Used Car Blues
The Last Time

(Diana Conwell-Koeing, Fab Five Freddy Jones, Me, Cyndi Mahoney, hiding behind me)

I worked part of the day and then joined the folks at the Sanctuary for a evening of songs and fun.  Cyndi Mahoney complained I never play guitar enough but she wanted to hear me uninterrupted.
She got her wish.  Without Virginia Harlow screwing me up, I could play the songs without problems.   Jim mentioned that was my best performance ever.

Wow!  That's saying a lot.  I choked on the last chorus on Fox On The Run, and needed a drink.   Cinnamon Girl usually gets played last but it was third on the list.  Without Colton Thompson around I reclaimed Logic And Lies.  It's a Sanctuary favorite.  Used Car Blues came about when
I couldn't remember Hi Heel Sneakers so I went with that.    The Last Time, Phil Bo was singing the backing vocals from the crowd, and perhaps a couple others.  We don't get much of a crowd but the ones that do show up make it a fun night.


I'll go with that.

Rumors-Gaslighting

Songs played:

I'm Free

Tennessee Whiskey

Bitch

Still My Guitar Gently Weeps

Whipping Post

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Billy Bourbon-Lead vocals on all but Tennessee Whiskey and guitar

Tommy Bruner-Guitar and vocals

Ted Reilly-Bass

R.Smith-Drummer

Terry McDowell-Rumor's MC and provider of drums

The female singer was Sandy I think and sang the Chris Stapleton song.

So I'm day late putting the set list up.  I spent most of the day Sunday reconnecting with Julie as she watered and tended to her garden with Franklin providing comedy relief.  He might be an old puppy but Julie remarks that the only time Franklin ever plays is when I'm over there.  He got rewarded with a couple of chew toys and cleaned up holey socks.  Julie says perhaps it was better that I didn't wash them.  Both of us do make some sort of clumsy attempt to rekindle the love that we still have.  It's true that we love each other but more in a casual side.  Just when we think about moving on, something happens and we'll around each other.  Even in Corvid times, there's a bond that keeps us going.   

Julie finally gave me the Mac for a gift and I'm trying to figure out how to program it.  The junk Lenovo doesn't work CD duplicating anymore and it's been a year.  I have got to get my music and CDs out once again.

Saturday Night, I passed on playing with the Boy Scout Hippies in Central City on a real paying gig, for a night of going over songs with Blues Rox and five new Bad Company songs were played.  I knew the guys loved Brian Howe but if this keeps going, we may have to rename ourselves Blues Company or Bad Rox. And there's a German band called Blues Company.  This was supposed to be a garage event but it's was too fucking hot and humid and I ripped my crotch out of my good pants and hit my head twice on the low ceiling to the basement.   So I wasn't exactly in the best of moods. Kristopher discovered Blueberry Ale, two half glasses and he was blitzed.   No money but we got a lot of laughs and four pieces of pizza. 

While the afternoon was filled with chasing Franklin around the house and having a good time, I got to Rumors later than last Sunday.  The return of the former Kimberly Trevallion now known as the more easily to write Krizan, she was up and singing away when I got there.  The loudest voice in CR and she can belt them out.   Since Ted was playing bass, Karen was up there and we did say hi but she hasn't responded to the FB friend request that she made a fuss about a couple weeks ago.

With Morris out, the musicians were less than last week, tho' DJ Hovenstot did stay on to play the last half hour.  Billy did most of the singing and came up with new songs that I haven't played much, and by all means not a fan of Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.  But Billy's version of Whipping Post is not as intense as the Allman Brothers version. I think I like it that way.  Bitch was thought up on the spot, we never done that Rolling Stones number before.  In the two years that Billy Bourbon has been here, I come to find he knows a good 200 songs right off the bat.   

For myself, while trying to appease everybody by going to the Sunday jams,  Stone City has been omitted the past couple weeks.  I need to get back up there to support them.   Since the pandemic started, we haven't seen Randy Burghdorff playing bass or Al Hendricks at Rumors.  This has been the forth jam since the okay was given to play and there hasn't been an increase of players. Mike Lint sat this one out, so did Sir Bob Miller, Kimberly has returned for the first time, her and David got married last week.   Given as a whole, I don't believe Kimberly and me haven't been the same, not since Blues Rox told her that her services were not needed.  For the record, she can sing and I have not heard anybody like her.  She really doesn't need a microphone.   I do think with us being opposites on the political scene, it may play a role in being a part of her band.  I am always up to help her on the rumors jam if need be.  But that's Terry that has to decide who plays what and when.  He does accommodate me and my hectic jam routine.    I just haven't done the Stone City in a while.

For the most part, I had a good time trying to piece the numbers together and see how the boys play the songs and go with that.   If the weather is still humid and hot, I may have to take a pass on Stone City next Sunday.  But for the time being, my time will be spent on seeing Franklin n Julie and doing the Rumors jam afterward.

Billy Bourbon decided that I needed a picture wearing full PPE to shy away from drunks.  He took a nice picture of the lone stranger. 

Pub 1848 Acoustic Adventures Debut

Fox On The Run
Jet Airliner
Logic And Lies
Cinnamon Girl
For What Its Worth

With Sean Ryan, Mike Brock and others.


Going to Davenport and looking for records and cds and then spending the evening debuting at the Pub 1848 Monday Night Acoustic Get Together.  The guitar wasn't fully plugged in on during Fox On The Run but Sean did figured out it was a bad connection and took care of it.    It's nice to branch out and see how the new crowd would respond.    They all were quite nice to me.

Despite the CORNY virus going around, I was the only one that had a mask on.  I did see a lot of scantly clad women, especially one red head that wore a very loose fitting dress and having her boobs fall out.   I have no idea how I managed to go through Cinnamon Girl and watching them fall out as she bend over.  She did mentioned I did a great job with the songs. To which I tipped my hat and thank her for being part of the crowd that hung around.

Another woman, threw off her shirt and paraded around with her bra still on.  There were a couple other women that dressed to kill, tho I don't see many woman looking as groupies.  Still I find it interesting that during these strange times, you'll find women pushing the boundaries.  Makes me wish we go back to the days of free love and sex during the jams.  But I don't think that ever happened.  If it did I probably slept through it.

Or went home.

Rumors-Reunion With Julie

Songs:

First Mini Set

Black Magic Woman
Sympathy For The Devil
I can't get no Satisfaction
Comfortably Numb

Mini set two

Do It Again
Message In The Bottle
Join Together
Long Train Running
Low Rider
Get Back
Cocaine


Terry McDowell-Host and drum provider
Billy Bourbon-Lead singer and guitar
Tommy Bruner sang on  Message, Get Back and Comfortably Numb
Layne Goldsberry-Bass
Nick Lnencki-Harmonica
Morris-Guitar
Rod Smith, Sir Bob Miller, DJ Hovenstot-Drums n Percussion.

(Sir Bob Miller, Kimberly Hovenstot, me, George Melchner, Mike Lint, Morris-Billy Bourbon:photo)

I'm sure there might be another song that we did but what stands out that we did Join Together by the Who.  On Long Train Running, me and Sir Bob traded drum stools, and I took over the main drum set while Bob reclaimed his drum set.   Plus DJ and me double drummed on Comfortably Numb, to which Tommy always plays his butt off on that song.

Oh yeah, the drummers were too loud.  Nobody could hear over the drums.  Of course I patterned Sympathy for The Devil from the Get Your Ya Yas Out Rolling Stones version.  Of course I was gonna get yelled at anyway.

Logan Arnold gave me a nice compliment after I got done playing, he's related to Travis Arnold and Logan has played the jams a couple times. 

It did help having another drummer up there, I wasn't in the best of shape.  I spent the afternoon seeing Julie and playing with Franklin once again.  First time I saw her since March.  Since her bass player tested positive for the CORNY virus, The Truth Band had to cancel their gigs for the weekend. We did practiced social distancing from one another tho.  No hugs, no kisses.

Friday Night, Tiffany Z came into town with her band Bad Dog 2020 in North Liberty.  This is her forth band in five years, playing with Motorboat, Fifty Shades Of Rock, Freeport Social Club and now Bad Dog 2020.  They have a couple rough spots, Sweet Emotion the example, but the two guys were pretty cool to hang with.

Saturday, we got hit with straight line winds that knocked trees over in celebrating my best friend's B day.  The power was still off at Waubeek when I paid Ron and Tommy a visit, Lynda playing drums.  I didn't play, I was there to watch and have fun.  Lynda holds her own on drums, she's perfect for what Ron plays anyway.

The CORNY virus has kept a lot of musicians away from Rumors' since its indoors and a lot of musicians (including Julie) do not want to go into a bar full of drunks and not social distancing. All of the guest stars were drummers and I'm guessing that's why I haven't seen Al Hendricks or Greg Nost or others show up.  I take a mask and put it on at various times and wash hands.  At the moment, the jams will continue but without other guitar players, the owner might think to pull the plug despite our best efforts.

For the most part the Rumors jam hadn't have much for other players, tho Logan Arnold did play last week, and Dakota the week before.  The guess is gonna to see what will happen next week.  There may be a rethink of continuing the jams but as for me, I'm still all in.

Finally Morris says afterwards, that he has to get open heart surgery on Tuesday and will be out of action for a while.   I hope and pray that he will return.  We don't need to lose any more musicians around here.

Artisan Sanctuary: Five Years To This Day.

Realitesville
Smiling Faces Sometimes*
For What It's Worth
Everybody's Talking
Street Fighting Man*
Ring Of Fire
You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover
Logic And Lies

*Debut

Colton Thompson-Lead vocal on Logic And Lies. (I'm not a big fan on this photo, it makes look like the Robo Cop dude with the red eye, which is my readers on so I can read the songbook)

With: Jim Jacobmeyer, Dave Bonham, Phil Bo King and MJ.

(five years ago, the stranger came up to play drums. the Female keyboard player I can't remember the name but Dan Hartman, Dave Bonham and T Ray are the other jammers)

Five years ago to this date, Dave Bonham and T Ray Robertson welcomed me into the jams.  T Ray has passed on but Dave was at the open mic tonight in Marion.

We had to deal with two monsoon storms this afternoon, thus curtailing my mowing the yard and me going over a few songs.  Still annoyed with a certain somebody Sunday at Rumors, I started learning the Undisputed Truth's Smiling Faces Sometimes, and added a bit of Keith Richard's riffs.  For a naked first run through, it went quite well.  Dave requested Everybody's Talking so I did that one and Colton  wanted to hear some Johnny Cash, so Ring Of Fire was offered.

Earlier in the day, I was going over Sail Away To A Brand New Day, and starting playing that riff but it turned into Street Fighting Man so I decided to do that song instead for the first time ever live.  I'm surprised went better than expected.  But I still would have do a bit of tweaking around to make it sound better.  Had some sexy woman dancing along to that. But she had her husband with her, She mentioned that she worked at the Stone City General Store a few years ago.

Tonight's showcase I played the Silvertone guitar, which Julie gave me last year.  Needless to say it stayed in tune through the show (unlike last year when the new strings kept going out of tune) and it sounded quite good through the monitor.  Very light and easy to play, it's not a heavy guitar like the Telecaster and Strat.   Since Julie has quarantined herself from people, it's the closest thing I have that reminds me of her.   I gave that guitar her name just for the fact that I helped her through some trying times last year. 

In terms of theory, I wanted to do more originals but I had requests to do other songs such as Ring Of Fire and Everybody's Talking.   MJ and Phil Bo did All Along The Watchtower before me, so I had to cross that one out.  I figured Dave wanted to do Everybody's Talking but he wanted me to play that instead.  Cotton requested Logic And Lies, but he wanted to sing it, so I modify it a bit so he could sing it his way.   He sang the chorus twice after the verse.  I sang backup as a guide vocal.  For somebody who hasn't heard it in a year or so, he did better than average.

(Dave, five years after Wrigleyville)


Not a lot people due to the CORNY epidemic, but I had my mask and put it back on my face after singing.

Colton did some karaoke singing afterward and Steven Berry concluded the jam at around 9 30.

(Phil Bo and MJ with Patrick Ticklenburg)

So five years ago, I came up to the Wrigleyville jam in an attempt to see if I could play alongside others.  I was nudged on by the fact that Forthcoming Trains was great enough to get play on the radio and spirited up my courage to play once again, thanks to Rod Albaugh's encouragement.  The drums took a while but I finally found my groove and the guitar playing came later, tho I did play some rough songs at the Wrigleyville Jam.  Being a part of Stone City and Sanctuary open mics, I finally found my voice and guitar playing.  I don't expect much to come out of this but as a hobbyist gigging, I'm still having fun with this.

And time goes by way too fast.

(the slimline photos are from Marijane Euchner aka MJ)

Weekend Jams-Five Years Onward

Friday Night Birthday Bash with Meinfield and Wooden Nickel Lottery.

Songs

Can't You See/Heard It In A Love Song
Copperhead Road
Losing My Religion
Tequila
Wanted Dead Or Alive
Listen To The Music
Long Train Running
Ain't No Sunshine

With:
Rich Toomsen-Guitar, bass and vocals
Jess Toomsen-Bass Guitar and Vocals
Shawn Ster-Lead vocal and guitar (Wanted, Listen To The Music, Long Train Running)
Rick Gallo-Vocal and guitar (Ain't No Sunshine)
Cathy Hart-Lead Vocal (Long Train Running)
Donna Jo Elsner-Vocals and percussion
Delayne Stallman-Drums
Rodney Smith-Drums
Phil Bo King-Guitar


Notes:

Wooden Nickel Lottery provided most of the entertainment Friday night.  I helped out Shawn Ster on the Bon Jovi/Doobie Brothers number, we tackled Copperhead Road with precision, and attempted Tequila for the first time ever. Greg and Brenda announced that this would be their final Fourth Of July party and are moving to Utah once Greg retires.


Saturday Night: FB Company-Boy Scout Hippies

Ron LaFluer-Lead vocals and guitar
Tommy Bruner-Sang Dirty Water, and played guitar
R.Smith-Played Drums

Since I missed out on the Epic Center gig last week, Ron offered this Fourth Of July fireworks gig at the last moment and I took him up on it.  Tommy says he enjoys this sort of gig, where Ron does most of the singing and he can sit back and play. Except for a messed up Gimme Shelter, I think we did very well.  First time being part of the BSH since March of last year.

No AC inside FB company, so I sweated off about 10 pounds and played a varied set with Tommy and Ron.  With Dakota it was anything goes but with Tommy it's very restrained.  Not that I minded that much.  The fireworks show during breaks was kinda disappointing, plus I bit by about 10 mosquitoes in the process.


Stone City Song list; Maki Dervo Host, with Bill Schlatter, Carl Meiners, Danny Trumm and Guitar Dave Bonham and Bart Bock

Songs

Fox On The Run
Jet Airliner
I Always Wanted To Be With You
For What It's Worth
Logic And Lies
Get It Over With
Good Time Charlie

Small crowd but I got an early slot to play and managed to add a couple more than I usually do.  Get It Over With was sped up for some odd reason.  The highlight was singing I always wanted to be with you and have a hummingbird come up to hear the song flying over me.  And a couple of monarch butterflies that appear later on Logic And Lies.  I guess my winged friends want to hear more originals in the future.


Rumor's Wess-Side Jam, Brought to you by Terry McDowell and Friends.

Songs:

You Can't Always Get What You Want
Good Morning Little School Girl
Before You Accuse Me
Running Down A Dream
Knocking On Heaven's Door
Never Been To Spain
Black Magic Woman
Turn The Page
Ain't Living Long Like This
Brown Sugar


Billy Bourbon-Sang on most of the songs and played guitar
Tommy Bruner-Sang on The Rolling Stones numbers and played guitar
Ted Reilly-Played Bass
Morris-Rhythm guitar
I played drums on this segment.


After playing the Stone City acoustic jam, I bopped into Rumors to conclude this jam.  To which Ted played bass.  He was the first guy I jammed with on bass in the first Wrigleyville jam and my first jam actually.  Tommy got a double dose of me, since we played Saturday night in Waubeek.

I got there around 6 15, just in time to chat with Cyndi Mahoney for a spell and got to see a strange segment with Logan Arnold and Layne Goldsberry with Sir Bob Miller trying to figure out what the hell Logan was on and was trying to play.  Their version of Sunshine Of Your Love was different, Sir Bob not exactly playing the off beat right but rather a straight beat.  Layne relieved Logan with Rebel Yell and then Logan botching up I Want You To Want Me.  I wasn't sure what other songs they played, it all was noise to me.  Usually Logan is better than this, it sounded like he hadn't picked a guitar up in about a couple years.

Moving on, the Sunday Funday band attempted to do Running Down A Dream, a song I tend to overplay and too fast as well but it sounded okay,  Black Magic Woman altered from the Fleetwood Mac stomp to Santana to the Open Highway band.  Brown Sugar was dusted off for the first time, Tommy sang it but was not too impressed, but for a first time ever with this band, it went well.  And then after that, Cyndi' spilled her drink on my lap afterwards.   I guess she was too excited to hear how good we play.

Anyway, five years onward from my first jam and Ted returns to be my rhythm mate.  His wife Karen was there, she was the one to convince me to play live once again.  To which I raise my glass to her in a toast.

We have turned full circle again.