Seems like a ominous title for this point in time. Back in the year 2000 (just after the first big crash), Ramona the Pest released its second album, Little Knives. ‘Crash‘ was a secret unlisted track that could only be heard after the 20 minutes or so of silence that followed the last song on the CD (ala Nirvana’s original Nevermind CD release). Hence, few heard it and those that did were likely startled out of their inside voice when it came blasting out of the speakers, perhaps while vacuuming (the original multi-task). Back when you had to listen on a stereo or boombox, not computers.

‘Crash‘ was one of the first songs Val and I had recorded together with just acoustic guitar and voice back in 1993. I had always wanted to produce a sort of Bo Diddley rave up version and finally got the chance with Toby Hawkins on drums. Toby is one of the most creative and talented drummer/percussionists, who rarely ever gets behind a kit. In fact, the the only time I had the pleasure was here and on Gunnar Madsen’s fantastic Power of a Hat record we did together in 1997.

Toby had been over at our warehouse studio doing a djembe overdub when we three got to talking about the old days. Toby suddenly hopped on the always mic’d up red sparkle WFL kit, adjusted a few things to his liking and we were off. Tracked live with Val on acoustic and vocal, myself on electric guitar and Toby on kit. A few backups were added right after and it was done. That’s often how great tracks happen, it all just comes together fast. Val is spot on as usual and I was happy with the guitar work. Check the hi-hat work and the hoodoo groove Toby came up with – really interesting. And when the chorus hits it really swings!

Recorded 100% analog on my dearly missed 1969 3M M23 1″ eight track open-reel machine and Soundcraft Series II board. My guitar chain was also completely analog at the time, so the echo on the guitar (and on Val’s voice during the mix) is for sure a Maestro EP3 Echoplex. Also for sure is my trusty ’67 Tele and ’65 Princeton Reverb. I love this track, hope you do too!

Today I found several very cool items in my pile of old show posters. This being a prime example:

Ramona and the Pest by Martha Colburn

Back story: Ramona The Pest was a band I played in/produced with my longtime friend and collaborator Val Esway in the late 90s and early 00’s. Martha Colburn, then an underground artist based in Baltimore, was pals with our film friend Keith Arnold (who now programs the Castro Theater in SF). They wanted to get a show together when she came out to CA, I think in late 1997 or 98. RTP played and Martha screened some of her films at the Starry Plough, our local watering hole on the Berkeley/Oakland border (which was a tad dodgier back then) to a small but rowdy audience. I definitely remember an early version of possibly Skellavision – lots of skeleton bodies and flames shooting out of porn star heads.

Martha made up this cool poster for the show. She either heard it wrong or was playing with the name of the band – not the first or last time that happened. Ramona and the Pest is probably a better name. Awesome stuff.