Thoughts From The Townedger-Sept Edition

 End Of The Month already.  The Harvest Moon is shining.

The passing of Gregdon Cole does hit hard, tho he had cancer the past three years,   I will miss his charm and approach to the music and his puppet acts.  Children did get a kick out of his puppets.  

The Blues Jam last Saturday was interesting for how everybody came together.  Kimberly might have a big falling out with Dave Bonham earlier in the year but he did pop in on stage to back her up on bass.  That's him on bass, Freddy Jones plays harmonica.  MJ is playing guitar.  Kimberly is singing.

DJ, Me, Dakota, Julie 

Love is complicated.  Through my adventures of the past five years back playing on the music scene, finding love was not on my list of things to do.  My breakup in 2012, made me not even wanting to try again.   I had a couple of women that I chatted with at jams but they didn't make me feel that I should ask them out.  Especially one woman who I chatted with who got angry when I told her about the Rumor's jam and she mentioned that the bartender woman stole her husband.  The above photo is Julie and Donna Jo singing Dreams.  Dakota McWhortor was playing the main riff. I was doing my best trying to make the best of a shitty amp and broken guitar plugs. 

If anybody has been playing attention, you would have read the up and downs and feelings that I had during this time of being a part of Julie's life.  It's really a nice love story that starts out that she lost her bestie just about five years ago, and I played the benefit but never got around to express my sympathy. I think five months later, she somehow invited herself to an empty chair at my table and we exchanged hellos.   I managed to catch her Mad Dog shows and AcousticKitties at that time.  I remember after a Mad Dogs gig that I was in her way as she was packing her things and she asked why I haven't ask her for a date.  Caught me off guard.   Told her I would think about it.  So on Memorial Day 2017, she asked me out.    And that became a new chapter in my life.   I continued to stumble around and wonder and wander about.  On Dec 2, of 2017 she walked me to my car singing Walking After Midnight.  I think I was floating on air on the way home.

I don't remember much of her in the first couple months of coming back to play.  Kyle Oyloe and I were FB friends and were friendly to one another in the two jams that he was there, but Julie and I didn't associate, outside of maybe a hello.    But nobody could predict that five years later on, I would finally win her heart, despite my mistake of not using her at the Stone City open mic earlier in the month.  In the time that I have known her, she was my favorite singer.  It still remains a mystery of what she saw in me that made her want to be a part of my life.  There were times that I thought that we were over n done with and I always said if it wasn't meant to be, she's free to find another.  Julie never did look at anybody else even when we were apart;  life happened and dealt her a bad hand but she kept moving forward, kept going after her musical dream and devoting her time to her furbabies.   And wasn't about to lose me to anybody else.    She remains my fave singer, she can do better,  but for me there's nobody else that comes close to her.

The big shame of the Blues jam was that Joe Hutchcroft wasn't used that much outside of providing drums.  Looking back, he should have played on a couple of Blues Rox numbers, he should have helped Dave and Julie and MJ and Kimberly.    He was supposed to back me up on my numbers but Eli Snow decided to play drums instead.   I do believe Eli provided a great beat to Mannish Boy.

I still love the sound of K Zildjian cymbals but my latest gigs with Blues Rox, I was using The Paiste Signature and Innovations cymbals.  They really do sound great in live settings.  Joe's cymbal lineup are Paiste, 2 2002 cymbals, a 505 Ride and a 404 Crash.  I had a 404 Paiste back in 1980 but got rid of that for a song.  I wouldn't turn out an cymbal endorsement from Zildjian or Paiste.  But I think I take the Paiste cymbals with me since the host K's are upstairs and still on the DW set.  To which i have no intention of taking out playing live anytime soon.  I may sell it in exchange for a Yamaha set but would keep the DW hardware.

I still don't know if Russ will be a part of Blues Rox, tho it was clear that having a bass player really helped the sound at the Blues Jam.  Either way, I still remain to be a part of Blues Rox for a while. 

We love Donna Jo but I can really do without her calling me her brother when she is three sheets to the wind.

Having wrist cramps during the Blues Crabb segment really sucked.  I suppose in hindsight I should have drank more water as Julie told me too.  Someday I will learn to listen to her more.

Julie and me still need to work on getting together a decent play list if we are going to venture out on our own (as Acousta Crabbies, It's Complicated, or Jules and the Crabb).  While I consider Mannish Boy to be a one off on the blues, I still have my originals and my favorite songs to do.  The consideration factor of coming to a happy medium remains to be seen.  While I can back up anybody that comes along, it is decided that if Julie is there, she will be the one that I play along with.  And basically who can sing Gold Dust Woman better than her (outside of Stevie Nicks). 

As you can tell, most of these pictures are from the Sanctuary Blues Jam last Saturday.  MJ, Diana Conwell-Koening, Julie Gordon, Donna Jo and James Jacobmeyer took these photos. 

Until next time.  If you can't be  with the one you love honey, love the one you're with.

Artisan Blues Jam Number 1-Fall 2020

 Setlist

Dreams

Drift Away

Let's Work Together

Mannish Boy

With:

Julie Gordon-Lead vocal (Dreams, Drift Away)

Donna Jo Elsner-Harmony vocal (Dreams, Drift Away)

Dakota McWhortor-Lead Guitar

Dave Bonham-Bass

Eli Snow-Drums

I played guitar and sang on the last two.

Joe Hutchcroft-Bought the drums and got shortchanged on playing them.  Apologies to him.

With Blues Rox

Kris Bries-Lead Guitar and Lead Vocals

Brian Bries-Other guitar and vocals

Phil Koening-Bass

I played Drums

With Kimberly and MJ

Kimberly Kirtzan-Lead vocal

MariJane Eschner-lead guitar

Phil Bo King and Dave Bonham-Bass (they alternate) 

Freddy Jones-Harmonica

I played drums

With Guitar Dave and JJ

Julie Gordon-Lead Vocals

Dave Bonham-Guitar and vocals

Dakota McWhortor-Guitar

Phil Koening-Bass

I Played drums

Phil Koening hosted the first blues jam outdoors show.  Patrick Lower and Dave Bonham ran the sound. The snake that Campbell Steele gave us was crappy.  And I was using an amp that sounded like shit didn't help much either.  For my set, Julie and Donna Jo did the first two songs and I just did two blues jam numbers that took up time.  Mannish Boy went for 5 minutes and 37 seconds.  Julie recorded part of it.  Somehow that won me her heart for that show.

Joe got slighted out.  He was the host drummer but me and Eliot were playing most of the time.  MJ n Kimberly asked me to play for them,   As well as Dave and Julie.

The Blues Rox number went over by 15 minutes.  I know with Voodoo Chile we exceeded the 20 minute playing time limit.  While Phil Bo mentioned that some people didn't play, as far as I know, the ones who signed up did play.  Corey Baker and Chuck Savage were there as well as Dave Pike and his wife.  And Eliot with his Segnet persona.

Eliot plays pretty good drums, tho a bit more timid on the playing.  But he did have great feel for what I was playing.

Bob Dorr showed up but didn't play.  Nice of him to support the blues jams.

Stone City: A Blown Speaker, A 12 String And A Jule

 Songs

Jet Airliner

For What Its Worth

Gimme One Good Reason

Gold Dust Woman

Julie Gordon: Lead vocals

Host: Michael Joe (Bird dog) McCullough 

Dave Lam, Guitar Dave, Bill Schlatter, Mr. Smith, Diana Conwell-Koening, Phil Koening and Cindy Usher in this photo taken by Diana.

Notes:

Thanks To Jeffrey Brown for coming out and supporting the act.

Bird Dog hosted the show and we got to play the shortest sets of anybody.  Not that it really matters, Julie hung around long enough to sing, and while Bird Dog thought my guitar was shortening out his speakers, turns out the console was blown.  Dave Bonham was good enough to lend me his 12 string.

It wasn't that impressive of a set, Julie was dealing with pollen problems and I was getting quite bored while Bird Dog was fumbling around the console trying to find the right sound.  

It started out a nice day but it got cooler due to the easterly winds, good thing I had a long sleeve shirt on.

I don't know what happened but when I got to play, the soundboard was crackling.  Bird Dog thought it was my guitar, so I borrowed Dave's 12 string.  Got the same result.  

Ron Lafluer came up later and reprised Gimme One Good Reason.  To which I tipped my cap and went for a Mexican Dinner.

  

Sanctuary-Three Years Onward

 Songs

Sundown

Drift Away

Gimme One Good Reason

Stop Draggin My Heart Around

Cinnamon Girl

Gold Dust Woman

With

Julie Gordon: Guest Vocalist

Notables:  Cyndi Mahoney, Phil Bo King, Diana Conwell-Koening, Dave Bonham, Lee Kohl, Jim Jacobmeyer, Dave Pike, Patrick Lower, Eliot Snodgrass and Signet. 

And Gregdon Cole in spirit. 

Notes:

The question remains if Cyndi would have shown up.  Not only did she show up but also Kimberly and her husband as well. The only problem was that, Julie was there and she would be my guest star to redo the songs that Kimberly sang in Stone City.   Certainly, Julie should have been the go to person to sing that Sunday, but I got too passive and deferred. 

So Julie was the special guest singer.

This was my third year celebrating  of being part of the Sanctuary open mic.  

Anyway, with Julie there, Kimberly was not going to have me to play guitar for her.  Phil Bo could have helped her but my singing partner was not going to have that.  She wasn't thrilled to see Cyndi there.  After the fallout I had with Cyndi on Saturday, and unfriending her the next day, we wouldn't going to be sociable.   We basically ignored each other all through the night.   Nothing much to say, and nothing much to do, this will probably be the way every time we see each other at the jams.  I do hope she will get the chance to sing live, but that's going to be up to her and her only and with other musicians. 

Whatever support I had from Cyndi was not there.  She would sit there, staring at her smart phone and not clapping after the song was over.  I think it finally got to her and she left during Stop Dragging My Heart Around right around the line  "I know you really wanna tell me goodbye".  But in the process I still could hear Dave Pike's playing the Baby Elephant Walk while she was going out the door.   No big loss.

It was the first time that Julie and me played an extended set since July of last year.  The missed chance from Stone City rectified that.  To be honest, I really didn't feel like being there since Cyndi was there and spent most of the time in the Green Room going over songs with Julie and hanging back stage on the stairs.  By the time we did play, Kimberly and David were gone, simply of Dave being around I suppose.  

In the end, Julie won out and for her reward got me all to herself.  To which nobody complained.

One year later, and Cyndi has not appeared at any jams or open mics.   To which nobody noticed or complained. 

 

Pub 1848-Mind Your Own Business Lil Wayne

 Songs

Ring Of Fire

Logic And Lies

Jet Airliner

I Fought The Law

For What Its Worth.

My monthly return to Moline and Sean Ryan's Monday open mic.  I have a couple of guys singing along and laughing away at my songs.  And then while getting into the car while changing CDs, some nappy headed asshole tried to get into the car and almost got run over when I put it in reverse.  People talk about black lives matters and you get these fucks that try to take what's yours.   I'm not having it. 

However it didn't deter a pretty good night of music and hearing Mr. Anoymous do stand up comedy. A woman came up to do trance music and it almost put me to sleep.  By then Sean Ryan's host. Spencer Praught was back up with Mike Brock on percussion.  I invited Mike to come on up to play but he said he believes that I don't need percussion since I play guitar like a drummer does.  

However, Sunday's Stone City jam had some fallout.  After the Saturday Night powwow with Cyndi blowing up about the fact I was spending time Julie  didn't set too well with me.  I finally got tired and took her off my friend's list.  The endless banter, the obsessive behavior.  She didn't get it.  I tried my best to offer some sort of help to get her back to sing once again on stage.  She did buy a mic stand, a mic and a amp and I do hope she can find somebody to back her up.  It won't be me.

Kimberly's powerhouse performance also didn't set well with others.  I guess I have much to learn about love.  The big mistake was to keep Julie on the side and have her sing with Dave instead.   We haven't done anything in over a year and perhaps she was waiting for me to call her up on stage to sing Gold Dust Woman.  Even when peeking through the sunglasses at her, I can see steam coming out of her ears.  It's the competitor deep down inside her when it comes to certain songs, she should sing them with me.   If we're going to be together, I must employ her to help me with my music.

If I don't I will hear about it.

Stone City-What It Is All About

 Songs:

Willin

Fox On The Run

Never Trust A Sleeping Train

For What Its Worth

Cinnamon Girl

Drift Away

Gimme One Good Reason

Gold Dust Woman

Kimberly Kirzan: Lead vocal on 6-8

I'm not a fan of the new Blogger and it's messed up format.  The GD format keeps changing back to Paragraph when I need the Normal mode.  Just like Facebook, people keep fucking up things.

For the first time in a six months, Julie returned but had Guitar Dave backing her up.  They did repeat one of the songs that I played (Willin') but I didn't play that one to spite them, but rather to polish it up.  For future shows if Jules and Dave come out to play, I won't play it.

Since I wasn't feeling up to it, (back spams) I didn't make the Quarantine Jam 3 over at Steve's place.  I really didn't want to deal with Virginia's meddling of the songs that I played.   But I do await Steve's report of the Q Jam results.  I do hope he had people to show up.  But only Donna Jo and Virginia showed up to help Steve's cause.   No word if Cyndi showed up. 

Most of the regulars was there and Kimberly stayed even as Dave was there and really took off on the songs that we played.  The three songs that we played were the highlight of the jam, even with Julie there, Kimberly blasted out Gold Dust Woman and Drift Away, a song that we never did together.  Since Julie was there with Dave, I didn't borrow her, nor Freddy Jones.   I'm sure Kim did aim for a claim to Gold Dust Woman with Julie watching on.    I do suspect the next time we play that song, Julie will be singing it.  She'll insist on that.

Other notables to the party:  Patrick McGoolihan, Carl Meiners, Maki Dervo who hosted, Mike Fredricks, Bill Schlatter, Ray Larson and Phil Bo King (Koening and Diana too)  And Bella the doggie. 

Five years ago, my original return to the jams was met with indifference.  The late T Ray Robertson and Dave Bonham were the two jammers that I paired up with.  In fact Dave wasn't impressed by my over the top drumming and lack of helping the band out, opting to provide the beats my way.    To be honest, the first six months was attempting to fit in and being the old/new kid on the block, I have yet to learn to play alongside the bass players, driving poor Kenny Webb up the wall with a caffeinated and out of control beat.  Fast forward to yesterday, while helping moving Julie's bedpost out of the way upstairs and getting back spams beforehand, he marveled on how well I adapted to Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.  A song that I never really gotten to play at all.  In fact, that might have been the first time I ever played.   He still talks about that performance.

I'm flattered that Dave considers me to be one of the best drummers out there, even better than Terry McDowell.   Terry is more into the modern rock stuff, which I am not interested but I do pride myself in learning to adapt to certain songs of note.  In the past five years, I worked hard to solidify the beat and learn to be a more patient drummer, without the bash and crash of years before.  I'm still learning.

When you're a musician, you may leave the music but the music never leaves you.   We tell ourselves that we will walk away and retire but even I don't believe it.  If I did say if  I would retire, I'd be full of it.   The Townedgers, may end, but my musical journey will continue.  I am looking forward to have Russ be part the rhythm section for Blues Rox.  Will the Bries tolerate him?  I think they might if he doesn't go overboard with ideas.   

Blues Rox Quarantine Garage Sessions The Final One.

The Dayflower are growing big time around the yard.  I used to tear these things out due to them being a general annoyance but seeing the Micky Mouse ears and day flowers makes it a nice scenery to the yard.  Plus Dayflower leaves and seeds are quite tasty.  Perfect for that homemade salad.

The Garage Sessions tonight was supposed to be a fundraiser for the Norway Fire Department for all that they did during the cleanup from Shitstorm 2020, but nobody showed up and all we raised was 13 dollars.   Had a couple neighbors sitting back and listen for a while, one of them was playing Eric Clapton Crossroads in the background before his wife came home and he turned it off.

The Garage Sessions amounted nothing more than just messing around. A couple of kids sat in and played some metal riffs and songs and somehow Kristopher and me managed to figure out Enter Sandman before I did a drum solo which led to Wipe Out version 1.    Kristopher's mom wanted to hear that again, so we gave her version number 2.

Russ and Deb showed up and Russ being smart ass, requested Free Bird, to which we gave him a number that was one part Skynyrd and two parts Ginger Baker and Cream.   That might have been the highlight, and of course the other would be Voodoo Chile.  To which by then the fucking mosquitoes were using me as a buffet and I got bit about 10 times playing in the dark. 

Not a paying gig but we did have a pizza supper before going home.   And made it home before yet another thunderstorm hit the area.

Appendix: Stone City Open Mic With Mike The Bird Dog Blues Man

Songs

Fox On The Run

Good Time Charlie Got The Blues

Let's Work Together/

Jet Airliner

For What Its Worth

Cinnamon Girl 

With Carl Meiners, Maki Dervo, Danny Trumm, Mike Fredericks and others.