Observations: New David Bowie, Townedgers Reissues

Seven entrees into the new year we simply have been very busy with all things going around here.  Last week's Samantha Fish dazzling the crowd with her performance and then taking off to Chicago for Buddy Guy and now returning to the cold grey fog that is Des Moines.  Have to sit this one out; the car's not fixed.

For all my work and worth of finally seeing Samantha Fish playing live, I'm surprised that the blog of her Davenport show has only reached 11 views, which is shocking considering the fact that Samantha is the most researched name in this blog.  I can't figure that one out but I'll do my best to promote her, even though I'm doing this on my own time and dime.  Guess my review wasn't that great after all.

Thinking we hit our strive with our best month ever, I've been feverishly trying to update and keep in touch with the latest goings on but looks like reality is sitting back in and we'll be returning to the land of 2,000 views again.   Which I have to take as a labor of love since this blog will not be in the league of the other well knowns who tend to favor Mumford and Sons and get on David Bowie's case on his new album.  The biggest can of worms opened was that it will be released via Columbia/ISO, which Bowie has been a part of  in over 12 years.   Doesn't look like Bowie is going to tour on this album so basically this is a special project issued on a major label. And nobody buys albums anymore.

Except for the ill fated Davenport trip, I have yet to step forward into Half Priced Books this year.  Not that it matters, it just that I have been busy with other things and the weather is too cold to go anywhere although we are in the last of a January thaw that begin last weekend and has continued to this day but it's foggy outside.  I'm sure I passed on a few interesting things but let's face it, I'm swimming in a sea of dollar bin cds and don't have anymore room to acquire anymore either.  Unless I can get some more shelves up around here.  The mentality here continues to keep looking for things I passed up on but seems only time I have to listen to is when I take the player up to work.  But let's face it, so much music and so little time.  The new music is going have to be pretty damn good for me to even consider it in this day and age.

I continue to read Bob Lefsetz blogs when he puts them out and I pick and choose between them.  I have no use for the blog when he talks about skiing in Aspen or whereever he goes for ski action.  And hope he doesn't come across the same fate that came to Claude Nobs or Sonny Bono.  The man loves Mumford and Sons, I don't.  He thinks the new Bowie single is bland and not hit worthy, I do too.  Let's face it, Bowie's 90s stuff is forgettable and although I do like his 2002 "farewell" album Reality, I hardly ever play it.  Heathen was total crap, Outside was worse and let's not discuss Hours..... Good to see Tony Visconti back behind the producer's booth and Earl Slick is as reliable as a sideman ever was but will I listen to The Next Day when it comes out?  I really doubt it.   Give Me Substance says the cynical ole man and echoed by the crabb.   Or maybe I'll wait till it comes into the used bins.  That is if we still have any used bins around town.

Which comes to The Townedgers, a band that I'm a part of and talk a lot in this blog but don't expect you the reader to follow their music. Their heyday came from the 90s and if anything have taken a long vacation since 2008's soul draining Pawnshops For Olivia.  But there had been finished product that never got out to the masses, not that the masses are clamoring for it.  Their catalog of the 2000's is in shambles and need of some TLC.  So in 2013, it was time for yours truly to start looking through the archives and make available once again stuff that was one and done.   First up is 7/7/07 a one day romp in the studio of past efforts, but basically a fun but ragged romp through some TE comps and a cover of Summertime Blues to boot.  That will be reissued via the fine folks at Pizza/Maier Records.  Next is a remix and re imagined Light At The End Of The Tunnel-The Dennanbaugh Remix album which makes a more metallic sound than the original 1996 album with drums more to the forefront rather than back.  Not exactly thrilled with the sound of some of these but it's for my own amusement, not radio or Lefsetz either.    A third reissue project is another one day romp into the studio with more TE covers and failed hit Solon but somehow that master has gotten lost in the wide range of crap around the house.  Once I find it, we command some airwork and throw it out to the world.  The 2009 aborted Country album to which outtakes from Pawnshops and Highway Home if and when we find the damn master to that and finally, The Great Lost Townedgers Album to which remains a secret.  I had aspirations to revisit the TE 20 album but the master tapes are missing as well, so that's on hold till I find the fucking things.

As for new Townedgers music, we are on the clock but we have two projects that are going as I type this.  One a new album of new songs including a punk version of Greenback Dollar.  And second Town's Edge Rock Revisited to which I pay tribute to the first album of music that I ever did that turned out worth a shit. Long time producer Richard Dennanbaugh will be there with words of encouragement.  And a whip should I get too lazy and play bejeweled till the daylight comes.  So if the folks at Half Priced Books may have to put out a APB about my whereabouts, rest assured that I'll return eventually.    But this being the 30th anniversary of Town's Edge Rock, what better way to revisit the past by remaking the songs that made that album special.   So for fans of the TE (all 8 of you), the clouds are beginning to part and the TE's return is coming down to make music more fun for those who like their independent garage rock on the ragged side.

As they say, stay tuned for further developments.