R.E.M and Ardmore Music Hall

Dude:  What’s up, DJ Caterina?

DJ Cat: Hey, did you hear that Michael Shannon, part-time musician and full-time famous Hollywood actor (and he’s so amazing as an actor!) and musician Jason Narducy (Bob Mould Band, Superchunk) are taking their act on the road for a tour in February?

Dude:  Really?

DJ Cat: Yup, the duo is going out for a seven-date concert tour where they will perform R.E.M.’s debut album “Murmur” in full every night. And one of the stops is at Ardmore Music Hall.

Dude:  Sounds intriguing.

DJ Cat:  Maybe. I’m not necessarily a big R.E.M fan, but I have enjoyed hearing R.E.M.’s lead singer Michael Stipe discuss how he was in awe of Michael Hutchence's (lead singer of INXS) songwriting.

Dude:  But are you going to this concert?

DJ Cat: Another R.E.M story that I’m familiar with is that when Philadelphia’s Flight of Mavis was touring with The Reivers in 1991, people began hearing ‘underground’ stories that R.E.M. were performing secret concerts on the East Coast under the name, Flight of Mavis. Except it wasn’t R.E.M.—it WAS Flight of Mavis.  

Dude:  …and?

DJ Cat:  Frank Brown, the lead singer of Flight of Mavis, now fronts a band called Travel Lanes. AND his other band, Buzz Zeemer has also just released an album of “new-to-us” songs recorded in the 1990s, hence the name, “Lost and Found.”
It’s on bandcamp!

Dude:  Am I in a commercial here?! Look, I’m leaving.

DJ Cat:  I’m all out of R.E.M. stories, anyway.

Buzz Zeemer - The Red Sessions

Somewhere in the early 2010's, I picked up some Buzz Zeemer "demo" tracks online that were ID'd as "The Red Sessions" or "The Red Days." What I didn't know was that these tracks--Easy Does It, All Better Said, What I've Got--were recorded at Adam Lasus' Studio Red in the 1990s. You can see Studio Red on the inner sleeve of Buzz Zeemer's "Lost and Found" vinyl. If you still haven't heard any of these tracks, check it out soon! 
Meanwhile, one of my goals is to walk down a city street, turn a corner and BOOM! There's my favorite band just performing on the sidewalk! And listen to that TC solo! 🎶🤩🎸 

Punk Rock Girls - Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings

Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings' cover of "Punk Rock Girls" by American punk rock band, the Queers. Track is from the 1999 album "Hi-Ho-Silver!" by Tommy Conwell and the Little Kings on Llist Records.

Buzz Zeemer CD Extra Tracks - "Lost and Found"

 

If you are wondering about the five 😉 “extra” songs on the Buzz Zeemer CD…wonder no more! The songs are: 

• You Told Me 
• I Didn’t Know 
• Make You Feel Better 
• Different Roads 
• I Live Next Door 

My current faves are “Happy Hour” and “Anywhere.” These two songs are ‘new to me’ – because as a BUZZ ZEEMER SUPER FAN, I’ve been lucky enough to own and hear these songs for many years now, including “Shelly Don’t Mind.” Mainly getting my copies online from other fans, finding some live music on MySpace (yes—MySpace!), and even Dave Maybaum, who gave me a CD of BZ songs the first time I met him before a Travel Lanes gig. And what I always considered my super-secret favorite songs of all time are now available to the world: “Easy Does It” and “Make You Feel Better.” Oh! And those amazing Tommy Conwell guitar solos! 😍 

Thank you to Frank Brown, Pat Feeney, Adam Lasus, Ken Buono and all the others who made this recording a reality in 2023. And giving me something that kept me hopeful this summer. 

🎶 ...Still nothing seems to matter
but the time we’re on her step
it's just that what she takes for granted I can’t forget 

…she don’t have time much to wonder 

what’s in the stars or what’s under
she don’t have a clue about the guy she calls a friend
So please accept my bit the best performance. 

'cause if I tried to tell her
 there’s no way to take it back
If I told her I’m not sure how we’d react. 🎶
- Easy Does It by Buzz Zeemer