I can safely say it's been officially a year since I return back into the C.R. Music scene. I guess I can say that at this stage of life, I have come to appreciated it more than I did when Paraphernalia/Tyrus was around. I also have a different mindset, back in 1983 we had aspirations to make it big in the music world, only to have endless practices and very few gigs and when we finally get that gig of note, we broke up.
Throughout the years, I went into the working world, on occasion to drum up a new album under The Route 66 or Townedgers name just to show the world that I was still around. I only got lucky when Diggy Kat started his net radio station and managed to keep The TEs alive by playing selected songs. Even in 30 years exile, nobody knew that I played drums or compose depressing songs about love and loss. At times, I found myself in bands that either Mike Swearingen or Russ formed and they managed to convince me to get off the couch and play.
Except for The Routers, the band that Greg Nutter drafted me in and I/O the 2009 reunion of me and Russ, I have stayed away from gig playing. Simply of the fact that I worked evenings and wasn't looking for any bands. Looking back, had I been on days I might have drawn up a cred of playing. But then again, I didn't know anybody and I tend to shy away from people and places that I'm familiar with. The only time I showed at a jam, I hid behind most of the people and then went home soon afterwards.
Last year, a couple things happened. One was the Tyrus/Paraphernalia reunion at a sports bar, on the same day my high school sweetheart married her high school sweetheart. Another was jamming with Rod Albaugh after work, we did a few off the wall songs and it put a thought into my head about maybe participating in a weekend jam. And then I got invited to a uptown jam session and I managed to overcome my stage fright and not knowing anybody to do a couple of songs. A very shaky start but the people at hand were very supportive. And I returned back to that bar on nights I didn't have to work and slowly but surely I was trying to shake off the rust from not playing alongside people. Eventually I managed to be lucky enough to jam with some of the finest folks around, and even played drums behind some of the most talented drummers as they took their turn at singing in front of people and not behind the drum kit. How I managed to play the song behind Tiffany Z remains one of the most cherished moments of my comeback.
While there have been great moments, there are not so memorable moments: The Wiley Kats. Ernest The Soul Man, which we tore up the floor one week and then the next he quit talking to me when I explain the reasons why I couldn't join up the band due to my work commitments, I never said no, I said I'd jam with him at future jams. It shouldn't come down to not talking if you just want to have fun and do music on the weekends. In the long run, Rick Nelson was right, you can't please everyone so you got to please yourself.
Being 30 years removed from the music scene, I found myself totality outdated. I have seen bands playing classic rock along the likes of Blink 182, Pearl Jam and Eve 6. I've seen country bands play more Bon Jovi than Buck Owens, and I have seen bands continue to play the same old bar standards of long ago and far away, the likes of Skynyrd or Folsom Prison Blues which give me the blues to play. I went to see my jamming buddies and their bands to get a feel of what songs they play and if and when there would be a chance for me to join them on stage if need be. Or perhaps give them my phone number if in case their drummer went MIA or needed a night off. And then go home and practice on the drums just to keep in shape with the time keeping. Just in case. But the one song I do notice most bands play is What's Up by 4 Non Blondes. What is the secret to that song that people love about? I will have to ask somebody from the Acousta Kitties or Tiffany herself about that one.
In some ways I still feel like I'm on the outside looking in, but not as the total stranger that came in from the cold when I gathered up the courage to head to Wrigleyville on the first Thursday night jam.
I have surrounded myself with some great players and managed to hang around them for a while and talk music. It's a beautiful feeling to be on stage with the likes of a Tommy Bruner, a Kenneth John Webb, a Jess Toomsen, or Julie Gordon, or to help out fellow drummers like Terry McDowell, a Mike Lint or Tiffany Z and Mike Serbousek. It's a special feeling to have old bandmates like DeWayne Schminkey or Russ Swearingen show up for a song or two, and I really wish that would happen more often. Or even the day Dennis Lancaster flies from Phoenix with guitar at hand to play a popcorn jam. To which my bucket list would be completed. Knowing what I know now, it's a shame that Dennis and I couldn't keep the old band going, looking back we both should have taken on jam sessions and improving our craft. I can't say we would be rock and roll stars but at least we'd be better known on the local music scene.
It's funny how fast a year can go by. And it's been a long strange but somehow a fun trip. And I may as well sign up for another year of misadventures and rock and roll from a middle aged rocker who never did grow up.
Another strange adventure begins.
Monday, 4 July 2016
Sunday, 3 July 2016
Popcorn Jam 7-3-16: West 66 Otherwise
I didn't think about doing any drum cameos when I told Mike Serbousek about coming down to Hot Shots to sit in on some songs, but I think he wanted me to do just that. I guess he was serious about playing the last set too. Had I known What I Like About You and Mama Let Him Play was on that list, I would have signed off on that.
While Mike plays in Julie And The Mad Dogs, he also is in West 66, a band that's a bit more classic rock than the Mad Dogs. I suppose getting up at 5 AM does take a toll on you if you're working days and perhaps Mike looked somewhat tired but he managed to do a good job. We hung out and talked a bit during breaks and I told him if I do show up at other gigs I'd be happy to help out on a few songs, however I joked if I had to do a set, I'm requesting the usual union fees for musicians. I think he got a laugh out of that.
To play in classic rock covers bands, you have to really do it for the fun, the money really isn't there. And I'm not sure if Sweet Home Alabama is a requirement for playing at bars, but at least we were spared of Folsom Prison Blues. I could work with the band if need be, after all, I did first time takes of Hey Bartender and a slow song that I'm not sure of the name, so I really had to follow the bass player. I think I did okay, although I'm sure Herm Sarduy would have stormed the stage to play Hey Bartender.
Hot Shots in Anamosa has its regulars and of course if you're a stranger you have many pairs of eyes staring at you. Mike had a friend who works with him, and he's pretty cool guy. He bought me a drink and we bullshitted a while. Somehow I got dragged into the dance floor with his wife I think (or mom maybe?) and I can't slow-dance worth a shit and after half way she gave up on me. But we got back to the dance floor on Call Me The Breeze. I think I'm done dancing for a while. Anyway, this was this bearded fellow who kept staring at me at times, some say he was a homeless dude, and he talked to me after I did Johnny B Goode, but I tried to avoid him, he was really creepy. But afterwards I did thank the guys in West 66 for playing drums, and gave Mike a hug on the way out. He did mentioned that next week, he won't be sleeping much when Julie And The Mad Dogs play Rumors next Friday Night, he'll have to get back up at 5 AM on Saturday to go into work. I wished him luck on that.
Saturday, I did an half acoustic, half electric thing to try to sharper up my skills for the next live Townedger album and trying to go without the lyric sheet. I have to conclude that no matter what I do, the shows are not going to be perfect and there will be words messed up, guitar notes messed up and not a thing I can about it. I suppose it's the power of rock and roll although The Townedgers are making The Replacements sound like Rush. While there were plenty of songs taken off certain albums (Town's Edge Rock, Pawnshops For Olivia) some albums got left out in the cold, Wapsipinicon Dreaming and Diamonds In The Skies for that matter. After years of singing about a certain girl from high school, I decided to bury her in the past by not singing Running In The Rain anymore, I think I did that with the other high school sweetheart too. Songs that once served a purpose, don't mean nothing and it reminds me of somebody I'll never see or know anymore. These songs had a place and time that is now history. Why I chose to do Listen To Love is that it's easier to sing, it has a catchy melody and it isn't directed toward anybody in particular. Or Ever So Much, which started on TE Rock and then found its way on Pawnshops For Olivia, the latter version a very pretty type of song celebrating love. Everybody should be in love at least once in their life.
For many years I have tried my best to find the right one, only to come up short or wasted three weeks of this life on idiotically ill-advised thoughts from the heart. The heart has no conscience. When things don't go as planned, the heart breaks. The mind knows better, if my heart would have listen to my mind about forty years ago, I wouldn't be this leery about love. Even today, I still fall into that trap, and I'm sure till the day I pass on, that will go on. Even in my own cynical ways, I still believe in love and still believe somebody would be fool hardy and willing to share their life with me. Being a hobbyist musician drummer and record hoarder doesn't make me that attractive to anybody. But let's face it, the majority of women out there today at my age do not want to come to a place where the first thing that greets them is a five piece drum set and 7 cymbals staring them in the face. Or three guitars.
And so it goes. I have friends that do matter, band mates that do care and the blessings from the Lord. As I continue my musical adventures, I remain on a road that is like Arizona highway 66. Once in a while I'll hook up with good friends to jam a song or two and then it's back to Solitude, driving but with good music in the background. Whoever I come to find down the road is invited to come along for the ride..............
Popcorn Jam Set list:
Spooky (Atlanta Rhythm Section Version)
Dead Flowers
Gimme Shelter
Lineup:
Tommy Bruner-Lead vocals on Dead Flowers, Gimme Shelter
Ted Reilly-Bass
Tom Craft-Keyboard, vocals on Spooky
R.S.-The Drummer
Music Director: Terry McDowell
Tommy Bruner is a very dedicated person who plays for the love of rock and roll. Who else can hi tail it back from Davenport and playing at the new Rhythm City Casino And Resort the past two nights to forgo sleep and play at the popcorn jam? Next to Terry who has hosted the jams, Tommy has played about three or four of them since Tim Duffy moved out of town.
Once again, the jammers were mostly drummers, only Tim Canfield (Bass) and Stuart Frondle (Guitar) were not drummers, (Oh forgot about the bass player that showed up to do Bad Motor Scooter). I think this is the first time Canfield was at the popcorn jam in a player's mode. Despite it being the forth of July weekend and plenty of other band happenings going on around the town, we had a nice turnout. Karie Skogman from Lipstick Slick, Ted's main band came on with Stuart to do a version of Bad Motor Scooter, the famed Montrose song that we took to speed metal in Paraphernalia years ago. I did wish I could played that song just for old time's sake but it's Terry's jam and his call and I'm sure the guys felt more comfortable with him behind the drums. They did a nice version of it.
I think the keyboard player played the jam a while back but I can't think of his name. He mostly did Billy Joel numbers and threw out Spooky the ARS version rather than Dennis Yost and Classics IV. He'd later join Tim Canfield and Kevin Faulkner on Get Together, Barefootin and left soon after. After that Tommy dusted off the Rolling Stones song book to do Dead Flowers, to which his version is much slower than the Townedgers and I had to fall back on the groove between him and Ted. Gimme Shelter was another Stones number that Tommy sings in his bands but this was the first time I attempted it in any band. It was kinda jamming with plenty of sloppy drums to go along with that. Still in good fun.
I suppose I should take a look at the Cooter's Acoustic jam with Mike Williams hosting. I know Dan Hartman plays a role and helps out a lot down there but since there's no drums I tend not to be that interested. Or stay close to home and check out the Stone City Acoustic jams. Problem is all three of them start at the same time on Sunday Afternoon's 4 and ends at 7, although the Cooters jam might go on for another half hour or so.
Next commitment will be the July 8th Julie And The Mad Dogs gig at Rumors. After that I may take the next week off and do my annual walk from New Bo to Cedar Lake and back again. But I have a sneaky feeling that Mike Serbousek might need a bit of emotional support that Friday Night.
Any way I can, I help him get through it. As soon as I get off work.
http://www.notsomoderndrummer.com/
While Mike plays in Julie And The Mad Dogs, he also is in West 66, a band that's a bit more classic rock than the Mad Dogs. I suppose getting up at 5 AM does take a toll on you if you're working days and perhaps Mike looked somewhat tired but he managed to do a good job. We hung out and talked a bit during breaks and I told him if I do show up at other gigs I'd be happy to help out on a few songs, however I joked if I had to do a set, I'm requesting the usual union fees for musicians. I think he got a laugh out of that.
To play in classic rock covers bands, you have to really do it for the fun, the money really isn't there. And I'm not sure if Sweet Home Alabama is a requirement for playing at bars, but at least we were spared of Folsom Prison Blues. I could work with the band if need be, after all, I did first time takes of Hey Bartender and a slow song that I'm not sure of the name, so I really had to follow the bass player. I think I did okay, although I'm sure Herm Sarduy would have stormed the stage to play Hey Bartender.
Hot Shots in Anamosa has its regulars and of course if you're a stranger you have many pairs of eyes staring at you. Mike had a friend who works with him, and he's pretty cool guy. He bought me a drink and we bullshitted a while. Somehow I got dragged into the dance floor with his wife I think (or mom maybe?) and I can't slow-dance worth a shit and after half way she gave up on me. But we got back to the dance floor on Call Me The Breeze. I think I'm done dancing for a while. Anyway, this was this bearded fellow who kept staring at me at times, some say he was a homeless dude, and he talked to me after I did Johnny B Goode, but I tried to avoid him, he was really creepy. But afterwards I did thank the guys in West 66 for playing drums, and gave Mike a hug on the way out. He did mentioned that next week, he won't be sleeping much when Julie And The Mad Dogs play Rumors next Friday Night, he'll have to get back up at 5 AM on Saturday to go into work. I wished him luck on that.
Saturday, I did an half acoustic, half electric thing to try to sharper up my skills for the next live Townedger album and trying to go without the lyric sheet. I have to conclude that no matter what I do, the shows are not going to be perfect and there will be words messed up, guitar notes messed up and not a thing I can about it. I suppose it's the power of rock and roll although The Townedgers are making The Replacements sound like Rush. While there were plenty of songs taken off certain albums (Town's Edge Rock, Pawnshops For Olivia) some albums got left out in the cold, Wapsipinicon Dreaming and Diamonds In The Skies for that matter. After years of singing about a certain girl from high school, I decided to bury her in the past by not singing Running In The Rain anymore, I think I did that with the other high school sweetheart too. Songs that once served a purpose, don't mean nothing and it reminds me of somebody I'll never see or know anymore. These songs had a place and time that is now history. Why I chose to do Listen To Love is that it's easier to sing, it has a catchy melody and it isn't directed toward anybody in particular. Or Ever So Much, which started on TE Rock and then found its way on Pawnshops For Olivia, the latter version a very pretty type of song celebrating love. Everybody should be in love at least once in their life.
For many years I have tried my best to find the right one, only to come up short or wasted three weeks of this life on idiotically ill-advised thoughts from the heart. The heart has no conscience. When things don't go as planned, the heart breaks. The mind knows better, if my heart would have listen to my mind about forty years ago, I wouldn't be this leery about love. Even today, I still fall into that trap, and I'm sure till the day I pass on, that will go on. Even in my own cynical ways, I still believe in love and still believe somebody would be fool hardy and willing to share their life with me. Being a hobbyist musician drummer and record hoarder doesn't make me that attractive to anybody. But let's face it, the majority of women out there today at my age do not want to come to a place where the first thing that greets them is a five piece drum set and 7 cymbals staring them in the face. Or three guitars.
And so it goes. I have friends that do matter, band mates that do care and the blessings from the Lord. As I continue my musical adventures, I remain on a road that is like Arizona highway 66. Once in a while I'll hook up with good friends to jam a song or two and then it's back to Solitude, driving but with good music in the background. Whoever I come to find down the road is invited to come along for the ride..............
Popcorn Jam Set list:
Spooky (Atlanta Rhythm Section Version)
Dead Flowers
Gimme Shelter
Lineup:
Tommy Bruner-Lead vocals on Dead Flowers, Gimme Shelter
Ted Reilly-Bass
Tom Craft-Keyboard, vocals on Spooky
R.S.-The Drummer
Music Director: Terry McDowell
Tommy Bruner is a very dedicated person who plays for the love of rock and roll. Who else can hi tail it back from Davenport and playing at the new Rhythm City Casino And Resort the past two nights to forgo sleep and play at the popcorn jam? Next to Terry who has hosted the jams, Tommy has played about three or four of them since Tim Duffy moved out of town.
Once again, the jammers were mostly drummers, only Tim Canfield (Bass) and Stuart Frondle (Guitar) were not drummers, (Oh forgot about the bass player that showed up to do Bad Motor Scooter). I think this is the first time Canfield was at the popcorn jam in a player's mode. Despite it being the forth of July weekend and plenty of other band happenings going on around the town, we had a nice turnout. Karie Skogman from Lipstick Slick, Ted's main band came on with Stuart to do a version of Bad Motor Scooter, the famed Montrose song that we took to speed metal in Paraphernalia years ago. I did wish I could played that song just for old time's sake but it's Terry's jam and his call and I'm sure the guys felt more comfortable with him behind the drums. They did a nice version of it.
I think the keyboard player played the jam a while back but I can't think of his name. He mostly did Billy Joel numbers and threw out Spooky the ARS version rather than Dennis Yost and Classics IV. He'd later join Tim Canfield and Kevin Faulkner on Get Together, Barefootin and left soon after. After that Tommy dusted off the Rolling Stones song book to do Dead Flowers, to which his version is much slower than the Townedgers and I had to fall back on the groove between him and Ted. Gimme Shelter was another Stones number that Tommy sings in his bands but this was the first time I attempted it in any band. It was kinda jamming with plenty of sloppy drums to go along with that. Still in good fun.
I suppose I should take a look at the Cooter's Acoustic jam with Mike Williams hosting. I know Dan Hartman plays a role and helps out a lot down there but since there's no drums I tend not to be that interested. Or stay close to home and check out the Stone City Acoustic jams. Problem is all three of them start at the same time on Sunday Afternoon's 4 and ends at 7, although the Cooters jam might go on for another half hour or so.
Next commitment will be the July 8th Julie And The Mad Dogs gig at Rumors. After that I may take the next week off and do my annual walk from New Bo to Cedar Lake and back again. But I have a sneaky feeling that Mike Serbousek might need a bit of emotional support that Friday Night.
Any way I can, I help him get through it. As soon as I get off work.
http://www.notsomoderndrummer.com/
Thursday, 30 June 2016
More End Of Month Thoughts From The Townedger
In the road of life, I don't know where I'm going
I just follow where it leads down the line
As I conclude this month, I have been enlightened and encouraged to keep playing rock and roll that I have been doing for 35 plus years. I still have days to which I tend to wonder if I have the strength to make it to the stage and play music, but I have a great bunch of musician friends who keep me going, even in my darkest hours.
The Townedgers have been my side project for many years and many albums to which some get heard, and most don't. That's the way it goes in life. Except for Fitting Finales, I really have not paid much attention to that band, opting to try something different with The Wiley Kats, only to throw in the towel after a month. Work got in the way, but the chemistry wasn't quite right.
As I put together a set list for upcoming Townedgers live in the studio set, I have been looking into more obscure songs or lesser known. I think I picked about 6 or 7 songs from Light At The End Of The Tunnel for consideration. However, since We All Sleep Alone made number 1 last year, it would make logical sense to include that song. Usually, I can remember the words better to Does It Matter or Better Days than I could with We All Sleep Alone but I need to locate the lyrics and revisit it; if not my A and R person will be solely disappointed.
That said, I am open to be available to any band that is looking for a drummer if my job situation doesn't improve. I'm getting tired of going through the hoops of layoffs for the past 15 years, but I've been there so long that they would have to pay me at least a year severance. And I could use some time to recharge my batteries so to speak.
There are options on the table of band playing although the gigs would be few and far between. The most likely scenario would be reviving the Open Highway Band, or perhaps Tyrus/Paraphernalia. It's hard to get Russ motivated to do the old bar songs of yesterday and I know how he feels about Sweet Home Alabama or Cocaine, and it's golf season and he enjoys that more than hearing a 20 inch crash bashing in his ear. Plus we really are not keen to practice every other day either. Since 2009, Russ and I only played together one time and it's like riding a bike. It's rough going at first but then you get back into the groove quite fast.
Scenario number 2 was the uncertain future of Julie And The Mad Dogs and talk about them breaking up in July. In previous blogs I have raved about them and being the outsider trying to brush up their set and song list and watching some of their old videos online when Kyle Oyloe was alive but I arrived too late to the party and after he passed away too. But I started to show up to their gigs and managed to sit in on a song or two. It came down to if Mike choosing one of the two bands he was playing in, if he was to leave, I would have lobbied to play drums. They have a great chemistry between them, it's pure rock and roll and I really didn't want them to dissolve. But in the end, Mike could still play with both bands, thus they would continue on.
In this one year of being back in music, Julie Gordon has been one of the coolest and most inspirational of the musicians that have welcomed me back. She might be the light at the end of the tunnel, she can sing anything that comes to mind. A missing piece to the puzzle of this life? Only God knows.
The forth of July will mark 5 years since Dennis Pusateri left this world. I still miss him and his warped sense of humor, and the nights we would trade cassettes to listen to while processing Pell Grants years ago. We did reconnect around 2008 at the Wilson Avenue Hy Vee and I'm still bothered that I didn't get to say hi to him the last time I've seen him, while getting Chinese food and racing back to work, I'd would see him later on I figured. But I didn't plan on seeing him at his funeral the next time. I'm sure in the afterworld, he's riding his motorcycle up and down Arizona 66 and playing loud rock and roll. I love you Dennis.
I just follow where it leads down the line
As I conclude this month, I have been enlightened and encouraged to keep playing rock and roll that I have been doing for 35 plus years. I still have days to which I tend to wonder if I have the strength to make it to the stage and play music, but I have a great bunch of musician friends who keep me going, even in my darkest hours.
The Townedgers have been my side project for many years and many albums to which some get heard, and most don't. That's the way it goes in life. Except for Fitting Finales, I really have not paid much attention to that band, opting to try something different with The Wiley Kats, only to throw in the towel after a month. Work got in the way, but the chemistry wasn't quite right.
As I put together a set list for upcoming Townedgers live in the studio set, I have been looking into more obscure songs or lesser known. I think I picked about 6 or 7 songs from Light At The End Of The Tunnel for consideration. However, since We All Sleep Alone made number 1 last year, it would make logical sense to include that song. Usually, I can remember the words better to Does It Matter or Better Days than I could with We All Sleep Alone but I need to locate the lyrics and revisit it; if not my A and R person will be solely disappointed.
That said, I am open to be available to any band that is looking for a drummer if my job situation doesn't improve. I'm getting tired of going through the hoops of layoffs for the past 15 years, but I've been there so long that they would have to pay me at least a year severance. And I could use some time to recharge my batteries so to speak.
There are options on the table of band playing although the gigs would be few and far between. The most likely scenario would be reviving the Open Highway Band, or perhaps Tyrus/Paraphernalia. It's hard to get Russ motivated to do the old bar songs of yesterday and I know how he feels about Sweet Home Alabama or Cocaine, and it's golf season and he enjoys that more than hearing a 20 inch crash bashing in his ear. Plus we really are not keen to practice every other day either. Since 2009, Russ and I only played together one time and it's like riding a bike. It's rough going at first but then you get back into the groove quite fast.
Scenario number 2 was the uncertain future of Julie And The Mad Dogs and talk about them breaking up in July. In previous blogs I have raved about them and being the outsider trying to brush up their set and song list and watching some of their old videos online when Kyle Oyloe was alive but I arrived too late to the party and after he passed away too. But I started to show up to their gigs and managed to sit in on a song or two. It came down to if Mike choosing one of the two bands he was playing in, if he was to leave, I would have lobbied to play drums. They have a great chemistry between them, it's pure rock and roll and I really didn't want them to dissolve. But in the end, Mike could still play with both bands, thus they would continue on.
In this one year of being back in music, Julie Gordon has been one of the coolest and most inspirational of the musicians that have welcomed me back. She might be the light at the end of the tunnel, she can sing anything that comes to mind. A missing piece to the puzzle of this life? Only God knows.
The forth of July will mark 5 years since Dennis Pusateri left this world. I still miss him and his warped sense of humor, and the nights we would trade cassettes to listen to while processing Pell Grants years ago. We did reconnect around 2008 at the Wilson Avenue Hy Vee and I'm still bothered that I didn't get to say hi to him the last time I've seen him, while getting Chinese food and racing back to work, I'd would see him later on I figured. But I didn't plan on seeing him at his funeral the next time. I'm sure in the afterworld, he's riding his motorcycle up and down Arizona 66 and playing loud rock and roll. I love you Dennis.
Sunday, 26 June 2016
Popcorn Jam-6/26/16 Women Have The Power
Lineup:
Kevin Simnacher-Guitar
Nikki Davidson-Lead Vocal (Can't Get Enough, All I Want To Do)
Cecie Stark-Lead Vocal (China Grove)
Kenneth John Webb-Bass
R.Smith-Drums
Music Director: Terry McDowell
(L to R: Kevin Simnacher, R.Smith, Cecie Stark, Kenneth John Webb, Nikki Davidson)
A big turnout today (Seth Williams and Pat Geasland were there but didn't play drums), and for the most part this was Jim Reisner's chance to show off his new band Flawed Logic. This band featured a female drummer, her name is Haley Ryan and this woman is great. She really tackled Radar Love on just like the record it seems. Got to chat with Seth the bass player in the bathroom, we exchanged pleasantries, told him and Jim they got a real rocking band. Of course Herman was trying to give Haley some drum suggestions about listening to more John Bonham, I don't think she needs any of that, I'd told her to be herself and creative her own sound. Since Tiffany is now up in LaCrosse, I think the best woman drummer has to be Haley Ryan. I have to check them out whenever they're in the neighborhood. https://www.facebook.com/flawdlogicband/?pnref=story
Plenty of drummers in tow, so my song list was short and to the point. Any hope of not playing Bad Company two weeks in a row came to an end as we started up Can't Get Enough and then off to do China Grove. Nikki D, became the de facto lead singer after Tim Duffy left The Saloonatics and she could belt them out too. Of course they had to do What's Up, the only 4 Non Blondes song that everybody plays live around here. I don't get it, but people seem to like that song, and I think Terry McDowell may have played that today.
This was the first time I ever attempted to do All I Want To Do, the Sheryl Crow number and that was Ken's idea. Ken plays in Two Buck Chuck and Hostage but I always welcome the chance to jam with him. He gets into the music, and really there's nobody quite like him. He brings a special element into the music. As I fumbled around the Sheryl Crow number he kept a solid beat so I wasn't too off. I never played it live and added different elements of beat to that song, a disco beat, a James Brown shuffle beat. China Grove I haven't done since the Open Highway years, but Kevin and Ken were professional enough to know where the opening breaks were at the beginning of the song. I know they played this song many many times before. Usually for me, I'm more into the original songs. I've managed to share the stage with great bass players from Dan Johnson to Jess Toomsen to all purpose Tim Duffy and my Paraphernalia sidekick Russ Swearingen but Kenneth Webb remains one of the more fun guys in popcorn jams. I hope we can jam on future popcorn jams. He rocks!
The amazing Kevin S. continues to propagate his photography wizardry skills. Case in point, who farted?
Of course we wear our sunglasses at night...sometimes inside too. Even Terry McDowell got into the act.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ws-nLMyT-c&feature=share
Kevin Simnacher-Guitar
Nikki Davidson-Lead Vocal (Can't Get Enough, All I Want To Do)
Cecie Stark-Lead Vocal (China Grove)
Kenneth John Webb-Bass
R.Smith-Drums
Music Director: Terry McDowell
(L to R: Kevin Simnacher, R.Smith, Cecie Stark, Kenneth John Webb, Nikki Davidson)
A big turnout today (Seth Williams and Pat Geasland were there but didn't play drums), and for the most part this was Jim Reisner's chance to show off his new band Flawed Logic. This band featured a female drummer, her name is Haley Ryan and this woman is great. She really tackled Radar Love on just like the record it seems. Got to chat with Seth the bass player in the bathroom, we exchanged pleasantries, told him and Jim they got a real rocking band. Of course Herman was trying to give Haley some drum suggestions about listening to more John Bonham, I don't think she needs any of that, I'd told her to be herself and creative her own sound. Since Tiffany is now up in LaCrosse, I think the best woman drummer has to be Haley Ryan. I have to check them out whenever they're in the neighborhood. https://www.facebook.com/flawdlogicband/?pnref=story
Plenty of drummers in tow, so my song list was short and to the point. Any hope of not playing Bad Company two weeks in a row came to an end as we started up Can't Get Enough and then off to do China Grove. Nikki D, became the de facto lead singer after Tim Duffy left The Saloonatics and she could belt them out too. Of course they had to do What's Up, the only 4 Non Blondes song that everybody plays live around here. I don't get it, but people seem to like that song, and I think Terry McDowell may have played that today.
This was the first time I ever attempted to do All I Want To Do, the Sheryl Crow number and that was Ken's idea. Ken plays in Two Buck Chuck and Hostage but I always welcome the chance to jam with him. He gets into the music, and really there's nobody quite like him. He brings a special element into the music. As I fumbled around the Sheryl Crow number he kept a solid beat so I wasn't too off. I never played it live and added different elements of beat to that song, a disco beat, a James Brown shuffle beat. China Grove I haven't done since the Open Highway years, but Kevin and Ken were professional enough to know where the opening breaks were at the beginning of the song. I know they played this song many many times before. Usually for me, I'm more into the original songs. I've managed to share the stage with great bass players from Dan Johnson to Jess Toomsen to all purpose Tim Duffy and my Paraphernalia sidekick Russ Swearingen but Kenneth Webb remains one of the more fun guys in popcorn jams. I hope we can jam on future popcorn jams. He rocks!
The amazing Kevin S. continues to propagate his photography wizardry skills. Case in point, who farted?
Of course we wear our sunglasses at night...sometimes inside too. Even Terry McDowell got into the act.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ws-nLMyT-c&feature=share
Thursday, 23 June 2016
Thoughts Of The Townedger-June Edition
40 summers ago, it was the last time I would ever see my first love Jeanette. It was a long distance puppy love, started in 1975 on a trip to Michigan and she came down with her folks a year later. She chased me around the yard and I thought that was so cool. To the point that we were walking hand in hand up to the tent located in the front of her uncle's house when all of a sudden a massive rain cloud came out of nowhere and damn near drowned us. God said no to that and he was right. A year later I wanted to take her up to the Dairy Queen for a ice cream cone and a malt but her dad said no. They were here for a week, then went home. I'd never see her again. It's pointless to bring up what happened afterwards, it doesn't matter anyway. But I wished I could have those feelings toward somebody like I did Jeanette. I think when you get your heart broken, you become more guarded and each failed love, the walls get built higher and higher. I didn't pick the right one back then, we were too young and too stupid to be reminded it was puppy love that wouldn't last. We thought we knew it all...and was proven wrong as time went by.
35 Summers ago, was Paraphernalia going to my dad's basement and laying down a couple tracks, Come Together and Rock Me Baby. Those would be the first songs that I recorded with Mike Swearingen, who took time out from his band to help me, Russ and Doug Bonesteel sound better. And it would be the sign of bigger and better things to come.
1 summer ago, I came out of retirement to play in weekly jams in this town. Started at Wrigleyville in Marion and then migrated over to Rumor's Bar And Grill for the Popcorn Jam on Sundays. There have been highs, and there has been lows and I mentioned them in previous blogs and really don't need to bring them up. The reason why things don't work out is that they were not meant to be, like relationships. And I wasn't about to retire from my job to play for a 250 dollar split of the bar gig, especially if the leader of that band wasn't capable enough to know the songs at hand. But he's welcome to come on down to Rumors to do a song or two...for fun that is.
Terry McDowell has done an outstanding job of keeping the Jams going since Tim Duffy moved to Georgia. I wasn't there last week, but I heard that it was a metal type of jam and the Rumor's owner didn't like it very much. I also missed out playing on Herm's drumset. I guess Herm is looking for a new band since he had a falling out with the guys in Kick It. I like Herm but he tends to be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to playing songs for fun, especially The Beatles. I look at jams as doing a different take or spin on songs, and I don't play by the record, I'm not that disciplined, I grew up playing like Keith Moon more than Ringo Starr. Dan from Kick It can be as hard headed at times too but I got along with him fine. Knowing their song selection I don't think I'd be a good fit for them. But they'll find somebody that's more their style. Rocky Smith comes to mind.
I decided to do something different last week and that was taking part of the World Naked Bike Ride day, and it was held up in Madison last Saturday. This naked bike ride is a protest against fossil fuels and to love your body. In this day and age, people are caught up trying to look like model, and if you are a bit chubby, social media tends to ridicule you. Which is bullshit. There's a woman at work I used to mini crush on, and she was a bigger sized person but now she has lost so much weight (over 200 pounds) that she looks like skin and bones and not a healthy sort of way. But that's her life, but a good gust of wind might blow her away too. But the WNBR people came in all sizes and shapes and age group. There was a few guys in their 60s and 70s trotting out on their bikes in full nudity. I think there was about 300 people that did take part and I was one of them. I have not seen very many recent pictures of the Madison Rides this year but give it time, I'm sure they'll surface more in the future. It was a unique and fun bike ride but I think one time is enough. I'm surprised I actually went through doing this.
I had reservations about doing this, but when we got to the destination point, everybody whipped them off, just like that. I figured why not and join the crowd. In the 3 and half hour get together, which included a two hour ride through downtown Madison and the Capital, I'd say it was no different than riding a bike fully clothed, except there was plenty of hooting and hollering and picture taking. I'm sure as time marches on, we'll see more pictures and videos of WNBR Madison 2016. Once the two hour bike ride was over, I didn't stick around very long. It was fun, it was different but I doubt I'll do that again. I'm still trying to recover from thigh and leg cramps a week later.
Uncle Ike's in Asbury/Dubuque is a cool place to check out used drums and it's closer than Music Go Round in Davenport. I damn near went home with a Ludwig Vista Lite drum set. I would love to find a Zickos set but I don't think I ever will. Should have kept mine from the beginning.
For special appearances, I'll be hanging around the next two shows from Julie And The Mad Dogs and the Popcorn Jam, but as of the moment no projects coming up until August when I might do a album that revisits some of my better known stuff.
Julie Jules Gordon is a wonderful musician and she loves everybody equally. She has gone out of her way to make me feel at home at jam sessions and at her shows, be it the Acoustakitties or The Mad Dogs. I think she along with Terry McDowell and Tommy Bruner has kept my interest in playing music going, there are times I have really been fighting the insecurities that plagued me with stage fright from time to time. It's a shame that I never got to know Kyle Oyloe sooner. It's not fair in life when somebody like Kyle leaves this world earlier than he should, the man was loved and still is loved. That said, I do think Dakota McWhortor has done a fine job in taking over. He's young but he's very capable of playing lead guitar in the place of Kyle. I have become friends with Mike Serbousek, who's might be the loudest drummer I ever known. I think his style fits the band quite well. I think he's inching closer to the CR music scene, he has moved from Monticello to Anamosa over the weekend! Still, Julie And The Mad Dogs has a chemistry that was kinda like Paraphernalia Tyrus-we didn't exactly play it by record but we made it up with pure intensity. Mike does that element of playing with rude tenacity. I am glad that Mike has decided to keep himself in this band, while working around his other band West 66. If there was a conflict of sorts, I would have volunteer myself to play drums. Bands do come and go but I refuse to believe that their time was over. And I think in the great beyond Kyle might agree with me. BTW Kyle if you're reading this, say hello to Lemmy for me please.
And I'm working getting a picture with Julie in action with her band since I never seem to get away from her picture taking too.;-)
The 2nd and 4th pictures are from Julie, The vintage Mike photo comes courtesy of Rod Smith Enterprises and Archives, in association with Paraphernalia Incorporated.
(below: At the Sanity Room-Independence)
35 Summers ago, was Paraphernalia going to my dad's basement and laying down a couple tracks, Come Together and Rock Me Baby. Those would be the first songs that I recorded with Mike Swearingen, who took time out from his band to help me, Russ and Doug Bonesteel sound better. And it would be the sign of bigger and better things to come.
1 summer ago, I came out of retirement to play in weekly jams in this town. Started at Wrigleyville in Marion and then migrated over to Rumor's Bar And Grill for the Popcorn Jam on Sundays. There have been highs, and there has been lows and I mentioned them in previous blogs and really don't need to bring them up. The reason why things don't work out is that they were not meant to be, like relationships. And I wasn't about to retire from my job to play for a 250 dollar split of the bar gig, especially if the leader of that band wasn't capable enough to know the songs at hand. But he's welcome to come on down to Rumors to do a song or two...for fun that is.
Terry McDowell has done an outstanding job of keeping the Jams going since Tim Duffy moved to Georgia. I wasn't there last week, but I heard that it was a metal type of jam and the Rumor's owner didn't like it very much. I also missed out playing on Herm's drumset. I guess Herm is looking for a new band since he had a falling out with the guys in Kick It. I like Herm but he tends to be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to playing songs for fun, especially The Beatles. I look at jams as doing a different take or spin on songs, and I don't play by the record, I'm not that disciplined, I grew up playing like Keith Moon more than Ringo Starr. Dan from Kick It can be as hard headed at times too but I got along with him fine. Knowing their song selection I don't think I'd be a good fit for them. But they'll find somebody that's more their style. Rocky Smith comes to mind.
I decided to do something different last week and that was taking part of the World Naked Bike Ride day, and it was held up in Madison last Saturday. This naked bike ride is a protest against fossil fuels and to love your body. In this day and age, people are caught up trying to look like model, and if you are a bit chubby, social media tends to ridicule you. Which is bullshit. There's a woman at work I used to mini crush on, and she was a bigger sized person but now she has lost so much weight (over 200 pounds) that she looks like skin and bones and not a healthy sort of way. But that's her life, but a good gust of wind might blow her away too. But the WNBR people came in all sizes and shapes and age group. There was a few guys in their 60s and 70s trotting out on their bikes in full nudity. I think there was about 300 people that did take part and I was one of them. I have not seen very many recent pictures of the Madison Rides this year but give it time, I'm sure they'll surface more in the future. It was a unique and fun bike ride but I think one time is enough. I'm surprised I actually went through doing this.
I had reservations about doing this, but when we got to the destination point, everybody whipped them off, just like that. I figured why not and join the crowd. In the 3 and half hour get together, which included a two hour ride through downtown Madison and the Capital, I'd say it was no different than riding a bike fully clothed, except there was plenty of hooting and hollering and picture taking. I'm sure as time marches on, we'll see more pictures and videos of WNBR Madison 2016. Once the two hour bike ride was over, I didn't stick around very long. It was fun, it was different but I doubt I'll do that again. I'm still trying to recover from thigh and leg cramps a week later.
Uncle Ike's in Asbury/Dubuque is a cool place to check out used drums and it's closer than Music Go Round in Davenport. I damn near went home with a Ludwig Vista Lite drum set. I would love to find a Zickos set but I don't think I ever will. Should have kept mine from the beginning.
For special appearances, I'll be hanging around the next two shows from Julie And The Mad Dogs and the Popcorn Jam, but as of the moment no projects coming up until August when I might do a album that revisits some of my better known stuff.
Julie Jules Gordon is a wonderful musician and she loves everybody equally. She has gone out of her way to make me feel at home at jam sessions and at her shows, be it the Acoustakitties or The Mad Dogs. I think she along with Terry McDowell and Tommy Bruner has kept my interest in playing music going, there are times I have really been fighting the insecurities that plagued me with stage fright from time to time. It's a shame that I never got to know Kyle Oyloe sooner. It's not fair in life when somebody like Kyle leaves this world earlier than he should, the man was loved and still is loved. That said, I do think Dakota McWhortor has done a fine job in taking over. He's young but he's very capable of playing lead guitar in the place of Kyle. I have become friends with Mike Serbousek, who's might be the loudest drummer I ever known. I think his style fits the band quite well. I think he's inching closer to the CR music scene, he has moved from Monticello to Anamosa over the weekend! Still, Julie And The Mad Dogs has a chemistry that was kinda like Paraphernalia Tyrus-we didn't exactly play it by record but we made it up with pure intensity. Mike does that element of playing with rude tenacity. I am glad that Mike has decided to keep himself in this band, while working around his other band West 66. If there was a conflict of sorts, I would have volunteer myself to play drums. Bands do come and go but I refuse to believe that their time was over. And I think in the great beyond Kyle might agree with me. BTW Kyle if you're reading this, say hello to Lemmy for me please.
And I'm working getting a picture with Julie in action with her band since I never seem to get away from her picture taking too.;-)
The 2nd and 4th pictures are from Julie, The vintage Mike photo comes courtesy of Rod Smith Enterprises and Archives, in association with Paraphernalia Incorporated.
(below: At the Sanity Room-Independence)
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Popcorn Jam 6-12-16 Beatlemania
Lineup
Mike Lint-Vocal (Ain't No Sunshine)
John Stephaniek-Bass (Ain't No Sunshine)
Steve Bray-Vocal (Ticket To Ride)
Dan Johnson Vocal and Bass (Ticket To Ride, Baby You're A Rich Man, Money)
Tommy Bruner-Guitar and Lead vocal on Baby You're A Rich Man)
Bob Gleason-Harmonica on Ain't No Sunshine
Ringo Smith-Drums
Songlist:
Ain't No Sunshine
Ticket To Ride
Baby You're A Rich Man
Money (That's what I want)
If anything, Dan Johnson and Tommy Bruner are the iron men of jammers; Dan playing 9 venues, Tommy 7 including the weekend with Past Masters in Riverside. Brook Hoover also played 8 dates, including a couple up in Fort Dodge, but it was enough for him to take the day off and not make it.
I chatted with Kenny Webb, who is hosting the jam two weeks from today and he had steak in the crock pot ready to go and didn't make the stage. I've been meaning to catch Ken and his offshoot band Two Buck Chuck sometime this summer.
Another light turnout, sometimes I wonder if the Cooters Jam is cutting into the participants, that one is more acoustic driven, as well as the Stone City General Jam, which is more closer to home but again, very acoustic. John Stephaniek, helped spelled Dan Johnson, after all D.J was busy playing around the town the past couple days, John is in the Twist And Shout band, mostly oldies and classic rock. Herm Sarduy from Kick It also played drums, he's a bit more into playing into record and I don't think he cared much for Kevin Faulkner's playing on Hey Bartender, a song that Herm can play in his sleep on drums but Kevin was not familiar with Herm's version. I'm sure if Herm knew that if we were about to play the Beatles medley that Tommy and Dan knew, he would have stayed on the drums.
I've done Ticket To Ride in other bands (Open Highway, The Routers) so I could have done Ringo's tom tom beat. Ringo Starr gets raked over the coals, but he is a very solid and influential drummer, his radical high hat tom rolls on Come Together is a bitch to play even on good days, but while Herm is more locked into play the tom pounds on Ticket To Ride, I more or less play with 4/4 beat on the chorus. The Beatles made great music but not to point of being sacred not to do 'em. Steve Bray, my good friend from Record Realm came up to sing lead vocals, the first time I ever shared the stage with him. For Baby You're A Rich Man, that was my first time ever playing it.
Herm bought his snare drum up and he always has a nice set and drum heads to make it sound good. The dude has at least 7 or 8 drum sets stored away at home or someplace. I barely have room for one.
At the end, Mike was trying to bum a ride home from me with his friend but I think they ended up going with Herm. The way it goes I guess.
Mike Lint-Vocal (Ain't No Sunshine)
John Stephaniek-Bass (Ain't No Sunshine)
Steve Bray-Vocal (Ticket To Ride)
Dan Johnson Vocal and Bass (Ticket To Ride, Baby You're A Rich Man, Money)
Tommy Bruner-Guitar and Lead vocal on Baby You're A Rich Man)
Bob Gleason-Harmonica on Ain't No Sunshine
Ringo Smith-Drums
Songlist:
Ain't No Sunshine
Ticket To Ride
Baby You're A Rich Man
Money (That's what I want)
If anything, Dan Johnson and Tommy Bruner are the iron men of jammers; Dan playing 9 venues, Tommy 7 including the weekend with Past Masters in Riverside. Brook Hoover also played 8 dates, including a couple up in Fort Dodge, but it was enough for him to take the day off and not make it.
I chatted with Kenny Webb, who is hosting the jam two weeks from today and he had steak in the crock pot ready to go and didn't make the stage. I've been meaning to catch Ken and his offshoot band Two Buck Chuck sometime this summer.
Another light turnout, sometimes I wonder if the Cooters Jam is cutting into the participants, that one is more acoustic driven, as well as the Stone City General Jam, which is more closer to home but again, very acoustic. John Stephaniek, helped spelled Dan Johnson, after all D.J was busy playing around the town the past couple days, John is in the Twist And Shout band, mostly oldies and classic rock. Herm Sarduy from Kick It also played drums, he's a bit more into playing into record and I don't think he cared much for Kevin Faulkner's playing on Hey Bartender, a song that Herm can play in his sleep on drums but Kevin was not familiar with Herm's version. I'm sure if Herm knew that if we were about to play the Beatles medley that Tommy and Dan knew, he would have stayed on the drums.
I've done Ticket To Ride in other bands (Open Highway, The Routers) so I could have done Ringo's tom tom beat. Ringo Starr gets raked over the coals, but he is a very solid and influential drummer, his radical high hat tom rolls on Come Together is a bitch to play even on good days, but while Herm is more locked into play the tom pounds on Ticket To Ride, I more or less play with 4/4 beat on the chorus. The Beatles made great music but not to point of being sacred not to do 'em. Steve Bray, my good friend from Record Realm came up to sing lead vocals, the first time I ever shared the stage with him. For Baby You're A Rich Man, that was my first time ever playing it.
Herm bought his snare drum up and he always has a nice set and drum heads to make it sound good. The dude has at least 7 or 8 drum sets stored away at home or someplace. I barely have room for one.
At the end, Mike was trying to bum a ride home from me with his friend but I think they ended up going with Herm. The way it goes I guess.
Monday, 6 June 2016
Popcorn Jam 6-5-16 Dirty Work
Lineup:
Tom Miller (from Past Masters)-Lead vocals on Hound Dog and Blue Suede Shoes
Mike Lint-Lead vocals on Ain't No Sunshine
Tommy Bruner (also from Past Masters)-Guitar
John Stepaniak-Bass
Ted Reilly-Bass on Born To Be Wild
Terry McDowell-Drums on Born To Be Wild
Old Silver Throat Crabby-Drums, except Lead Vocals on Born To Be Wild
Another sparse turnout today, the guys from In The Attic came up to do a half hour set but the volume gestapo folks were out and about, the lead guitar player got yelled at for being too loud.
This is kind of a bittersweet jam. It was fun to play drums on the more quieter numbers and I got to be the drummer behind Tom Miller who plays drums for The Past Masters, but he does a segment of a couple of Elvis tunes with Bart Carfizzi behind the drumset. I don't think Terry wanted to do them, so he asked me and I accepted the job. Nothing flashy but keeping a standard beat. Later Terry wanted to jam with Ted on a couple rock and roll numbers and everybody seemed to shy away from the old Steppenwolf rock classic, so I took the lead vocals and got to share the stage with Terry McDowell as well. Very awkward at first but I did okay considering that I remembered about 98 percent of the word and sang it for the first time live.
Why this was bittersweet was Ernest the Soul Man popping up very late in the jam while I was singing away at Born To Be Wild, but he just distanced himself from me and didn't say hi. Was he mad at me for not joining up his band a couple weeks ago? I hope not. I love the guy and the songs that we did at the jam but I really don't have the time to really get into another band since I work nights and have to keep up on other things, blogging about records and collecting and pay bills and mow the yard and compiling Townedger Radio. In the back of my mind, I'm thinking of songs that might work for Ernest in the future of popcorn jams. All I ever wanted to do was jam with folks and have fun, not have them getting mad at me for not starting a new band. Why make a big deal about something about nothing. Let's have fun and not worry about making big bucks playing the local dive for tips and a free sandwich with only a few folks showing up and going home after the first set. Ernest talked to Tommy for a bit and then walked on out.
I know it shouldn't but it does bother me. I talked to Martin Daniels afterwards about it, and he said you cannot change how people think of you, most of them wouldn't give two shits anyway. When you think you have a special bond with an Ernest the Soul Man, you wouldn't think it would mattered, just wait till the next jam and do what you like to do. It's just my way of looking at things.
Still working on pre production of the next Townedgers album. I have a couple title suggestions, I Was Young Once or Love's Guessing Game, I'm thinking Richard Dennanbaugh will be behind the control board. I was bouncing a few ideas off Martin and Mark Glarington but nothing is set in stone yet. I spent Saturday Night at Cedar River Landing with Julie And The Mad Dogs and sat in on Mike Serbousek's number of J.B.Goode. Lorie Parker, Julie's band mate from Acousta Kitties was the special guest. The Mad Dogs have two more gigs coming up, one in Anamosa on the 25th and their farewell show on July 8th at Rumors. I plan to attend both shows.
Tom Miller (from Past Masters)-Lead vocals on Hound Dog and Blue Suede Shoes
Mike Lint-Lead vocals on Ain't No Sunshine
Tommy Bruner (also from Past Masters)-Guitar
John Stepaniak-Bass
Ted Reilly-Bass on Born To Be Wild
Terry McDowell-Drums on Born To Be Wild
Old Silver Throat Crabby-Drums, except Lead Vocals on Born To Be Wild
Another sparse turnout today, the guys from In The Attic came up to do a half hour set but the volume gestapo folks were out and about, the lead guitar player got yelled at for being too loud.
This is kind of a bittersweet jam. It was fun to play drums on the more quieter numbers and I got to be the drummer behind Tom Miller who plays drums for The Past Masters, but he does a segment of a couple of Elvis tunes with Bart Carfizzi behind the drumset. I don't think Terry wanted to do them, so he asked me and I accepted the job. Nothing flashy but keeping a standard beat. Later Terry wanted to jam with Ted on a couple rock and roll numbers and everybody seemed to shy away from the old Steppenwolf rock classic, so I took the lead vocals and got to share the stage with Terry McDowell as well. Very awkward at first but I did okay considering that I remembered about 98 percent of the word and sang it for the first time live.
Why this was bittersweet was Ernest the Soul Man popping up very late in the jam while I was singing away at Born To Be Wild, but he just distanced himself from me and didn't say hi. Was he mad at me for not joining up his band a couple weeks ago? I hope not. I love the guy and the songs that we did at the jam but I really don't have the time to really get into another band since I work nights and have to keep up on other things, blogging about records and collecting and pay bills and mow the yard and compiling Townedger Radio. In the back of my mind, I'm thinking of songs that might work for Ernest in the future of popcorn jams. All I ever wanted to do was jam with folks and have fun, not have them getting mad at me for not starting a new band. Why make a big deal about something about nothing. Let's have fun and not worry about making big bucks playing the local dive for tips and a free sandwich with only a few folks showing up and going home after the first set. Ernest talked to Tommy for a bit and then walked on out.
I know it shouldn't but it does bother me. I talked to Martin Daniels afterwards about it, and he said you cannot change how people think of you, most of them wouldn't give two shits anyway. When you think you have a special bond with an Ernest the Soul Man, you wouldn't think it would mattered, just wait till the next jam and do what you like to do. It's just my way of looking at things.
Still working on pre production of the next Townedgers album. I have a couple title suggestions, I Was Young Once or Love's Guessing Game, I'm thinking Richard Dennanbaugh will be behind the control board. I was bouncing a few ideas off Martin and Mark Glarington but nothing is set in stone yet. I spent Saturday Night at Cedar River Landing with Julie And The Mad Dogs and sat in on Mike Serbousek's number of J.B.Goode. Lorie Parker, Julie's band mate from Acousta Kitties was the special guest. The Mad Dogs have two more gigs coming up, one in Anamosa on the 25th and their farewell show on July 8th at Rumors. I plan to attend both shows.
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