"Return" of Tandyn Almer?

[rn57]

I moved to the DC area in '97, and a couple of years later I learned via the online White Pages or some such that Tandyn Almer lived about five miles from me. But for some reason I was disinclined to do the howdy-neighbor stuff.  After a while he moved to Virginia. The last time I took an IQ test I came in at 150, instead of the previous 128, so I thought about taking the Mensa test - he belonged, maybe still does, to the DC area chapter - but I didn't. 

So Tandyn drifted to the back of my consciousness, until the 50th tour got underway. Then I Googled him a bit, and found out that he seems to be poised to increase his visibility.  What's going on is that Sundazed, for some time, has been working on a CD/digital release, "Along Comes Tandyn." From what I gather, it would mostly consist of the "New Songs" demo album that has been discussed here before, plus some bonus tracks. (One would be the "Along Comes Mary" demo he did with Curt Boettcher; Bob Irwin now has a clean copy of it at hand so it looks like the album, originally planned for release last fall, may be approaching the point of availability.)

It's hard to say whether Tandyn is going to take any part in promoting the album beyond whatever he'd be doing in regard to the liner notes and such...but who knows....maybe one of these eons he might materialize among the Honored Guests.

[onkster]

Soap-opera aspect aside, the comings and goings of band members is kind of fascinating.

What makes these happen? Personal conflicts? Outside project conflicts (timing/availability)? Lawyers' meddling?

I imagine it would be all of the above. Everybody's gotta work, and it can't always happen "in concert" (pun intended).

The interesting part, to me, is: there are definite fallings-out...then, later, things get patched up. Does that mean the falling out wasn't all that bad? Or is it that the making-up is somehow extra good?

[rn57]

I guess he'll be the most recent fellow with a BB writing credit to hit the seven-oh until it's Al's turn.

[Don Malcolm]

How about a solo piano version of "Beatrice From Baltimore"?? 

[Jason Penick]

What's going on is that Sundazed, for some time, has been working on a CD/digital release, "Along Comes Tandyn." From what I gather, it would mostly consist of the "New Songs" demo album that has been discussed here before, plus some bonus tracks. (One would be the "Along Comes Mary" demo he did with Curt Boettcher; Bob Irwin now has a clean copy of it at hand so it looks like the album, originally planned for release last fall, may be approaching the point of availability.)

This is fan-friggin-tastic. I wonder if they're just going to needledrop the acetate that showed up on eBay years back, or if they've since found a better source?

I'm glad Sundazed is behind this though, they do the best work of all the classic rock era reissue labels.

The fact they found a clean tape on the Boettcher "Mary" demo is promising though. I actually met Jules Alexander a few weeks ago and completely forgot to ask him about his role on that recording. I did get a chance to ask Russ Giguere why The Association cut ties with Curt though; he said it was because Curt altered their core sound too much and they wanted to get back to who they thought they were for their next release.

[dogear]

good news for all Boettcher fans - it has been quite awhile now since something substantial from the vaults has been unearthed.
PS:  Hi Jason, no action on the Boettcher board for years - who is running the website now??

[Jason Penick]

As far as I know, Matthew Moring is still behind it. However, like you, I haven't seen much in the way of updates there since the last time I checked.

I think the lack of new, "lost" material kind of killed the momentum over there. For a while in the early oughties it seemed like there was new, unheard Boettcher product coming out ever 6 months or so.

[dogear]

Tandyn Almer on 45 - not complete but OK for a start, check http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=Tandyn+almer&sm=se

[rn57]

Tandyn Almer on 45 - not complete but OK for a start, check http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=Tandyn+almer&sm=se

Have heard just about all these records - and the Almer or Almer-related tracks are all pretty worthwhile.  The 1968 LP by the late Dennis Olivieri, from which the 45 comes is a peculiar record indeed. On one song, "I Cry In The Morning" ole Tandyn lays down a slow, funky groove on a roxichord or some such. 35 or so years later this passage was sampled by DJ Shadow for a record which hit #1 on the US dance chart, "Six Days." (Since "Morning" was Olivieri's composition he got the royalties.) But that's Tandyn's brand of subtle perfection, to use a Caddyshackism - he could repose in a seclusion that made Syd Barrett look like a veritable Karadashian, yet play on a chart-topping record at the same time.

The list leaves out several UK 45s with Almer songs - The Action's "Shadows And Reflections" would be the best-known of these.

"Little Girl Lost And Found," as it happens, has an Association link - its female singer, Ruthann Friedman, wrote "Windy." (The male singer was Tom Shipley who gave us "One Toke Over The Line.")