Thoughts from The Townedger-May 2021

Spring processing has kept my playing to a bare minimal this month.  I enjoy the privilege of working 10 to 12 hour days although the temps stepped up after Sheryl took the rest of the month off to recovered from heart surgery.   I wish her the best in recovery.  Scott, Jane and Madison have been a joy to work with, especially Maddie to which I'm sure she hates me calling her that.  Since Geoff Redding's daughter is named Madison, she prefers to be called Maddy.  Sheryl didn't have much kind words to say about Maddie (there I go again), I think she wanted to prove Sheryl work and could prove she can do the work. And that she did, she even pointed out that a certain job didn't have the right project number.  To which Mr. Tim, the first shift scan coordinator is still livid that nobody pointed that error out first.  But leave it to a temp that seen it and called it to my attention.  She earned her parking spot for sure.  A depressing fact: she doesn't turn 20 till September.  She wasn't even born when There's Nothing Left came out. She wasn't even born when I was seeing Lisa.  Gawd,  I'm ancient. Jane and Scott did the jobs and forms that I threw at them.  Probably the best set of temps that I ever had working for me.  

Needless to say, Spring Processing this year was the most chaotic that I have ever seen.  The petty fights and constant bitching from first shift.  I don't think I ever had this many run ins with my former printing senior Leonard aka Skittles a nick name that came to be after I had to redo a batch that had pages that needed to be slit, Madison always got a good laugh out of that when I call him Skittles.  He's better known as Captain Panic.  Me and Tony Woods would raz him back in the 90s about getting laid than he did.  But that was a long time ago.  I like to think I have a good working relationship with Lenny but this spring season seemed otherwise.  Retirement sounds good at this point.

With Spring Processing coming to an end, I can finally get back to playing guitar once again.  Since there are issues with Geoff Redding, The Townedgers have once again been pushed on the backburner once again and the new album destined for the archives.  This month had me playing drums for a couple songs at Rumors, and a good sign that the COVID is subsiding, more drummers are showing up for the Sunday and Wednesday jams.  Julie has been keeping busy with projects with Dave, tho I haven't heard anything about the Friday Night Checkers' reunion with Ryan.   I haven't pushed my own music projects on her.  Five years later after Kyle, she hasn't found that right person to replace him, and whatever I bring to the cause isn't her type of music.  Four years ago, we took in a movie and date night for the first time and somehow defied the odds and stayed together.  Kyle took the key to her heart when he passed on.  I'm simply a substitute in his absence.  Afterwards, the DOA reunion might be the last time that happens.  Ryan  was out of it most of the time, when Julie doesn't talk about it, something told me that it was a bad gig.  

David Bosier passed away from kidney failure this week.  I made a note of it and once again somebody made a comment about they didn't know that I was that close to him.  Fact of the matter is that I never knew David personally but rather a fellow musician that I noted that passed away.  Kevin Sinmacher knew him better and David did play in a few bands around the area.   He lived to be 70 years old and still had his hair   I'll be lucky if I can survive 65 and have any hair left.

For almost six years, I have been a small part of the CR music scene, be it smart assed drummer that sits on a couple songs at Rumor s  on Sundays, or the legend in his own mind acoustic troubadour elsewhere or the backbeat to Blues Rox with Russ back into play.  It looks to be this summer will be more a Blues Rox thing than anything else.  Spring processing made me put the guitar up for the month and I haven't played anywhere with guitar in hand.  I'll talk to Jim Jacobmeyer about a gig at the Sanctuary this summer before Fall Processing wrecks everything again.

10 years ago, Nicole moved out here in a almost year long relationship which ended on a bad note.  She has rebounded and finally get married in July, with a guy she's been going with the past five years.  Nicole was a big supporter of the Townedgers but never got to see or hear me play live.  It wasn't a fun time for neither one of us, mostly staying at home on weekends, watching TV and getting the strangest fights.  We had a great long distance love and when she came out to visit things were great, but something changed when she was down here.  I remember one night after having fun, that she decided to put together a book shelf at 3 AM in the morning and wanted me to help her, to which I was no help at all and all of a sudden I broke something and the finished project would lean.  When we broke up, I took this shelf home and filled it full of records and it has stayed standing straight up.  It's a stark reminder of when things went south but it does hold about 400 albums and CDs.  She has a good man now.  I wish her all the best.

I still haven't heard word about FB and Company doing the First Saturday Of The Month Jam since I haven't played there since March of last year.  The Phil Bo King jam last week did bring out some of those jammers from that place, Captain Kirksey, Chuck Savage, Corey Baker, Jeff Allen and Dakota McWhortor were there to play, Ron was there to watch.  I do think the next time Phil Bo has a jam, I will bring regular drums, the electric ones just didn't work for me.  I am not a fan of electric drums at all. 

Rumors Jam 5/29/21

Songs

Broken Hearts Are For Assholes (attempted) 
Further Down The Road

Bobby McGee

Gold Dust Woman

Dreams

Love Me Like A Man (Aborted) 

Kat Blue-Vocals

Tom Berdo-Harp

Tommy Bruner-Guitar and Vocals

Billy Bourbon-Guitar

Morris-Guitar

Dave Bonham-Bass

Terry McDowell-Host

R.Smith-Drums

Memorial day weekend and many folk were out enjoying the day or watching other bands. Bob Miller and Rick Wengel were the other drummers there.  Dave stayed to play bass, Kimberly did her usual signature songs.  Not a particularly good set by me, I added some Keith Moon drum fills to Gold Dust Woman which showed me to once again be ahead by a half step to the jammers.   Before hand, I went to listen to Sleeze Rox at Chrome Horse.  Some interesting choice of music but they didn't play Britzkrieg Bop right.  Plus they were loud, I could hear them over at Sinclair Park three blocks away.  I can't think of any other bands that played Britney Fox (Girlschool) than the Roxx.   Not my cup of tea but they did entertained the folks that did showed up.  

Nothing more to add about the Rumors' jam. Greg Nost is still nursing through his injuries and Al Hendricks stayed home. Bob Miller got talked into playing before another 15 minute break before we got back to playing again.  I could have swore that we played five songs but Broken Hearts was just messing around and Love Me Like A Man didn't happen due a change of new people.  To which I was on my way to the store to pick up stuff for another week of spring processing bullshit and housesitting while Julie is visiting relatives.    To which we are thankful that we did get to share our talents with the world.  With June coming up, I can get back to playing guitar and shaking the rust off the Acoustic Adventures. 

Till next month.