I was setting up some recording gear at a Plate-O-Shrimp show, and the person I was with recognized the harmonica player in the opening band as an old high school chum. They got to talking, and Rich – their singer/guitar player – asked me if I would record their set. I told him my price was a beer, and he bought me two. Then they proceeded to shred through an mind-blowing set of hyper speed-metal, Southern-fried Boogie, and raw t(h)rashy urban blues, that all bordered on some unholy swill of psychedelic skronk. That was my introduction to The Pushrods.

When Rich came over to my house a few days later to pick up the disc I mastered of their set, he told me that their harmonica player, Mike D., had just left the band, and he had to find a replacement. Naturally, the first thing out of my mouth was to tell him that I played harp, and I’d be into the gig. Once I passed the audition (beers and a couple of acoustic tunes at Rich’s apartment), I played more than a dozen shows with ’em in the next year, before I had to give it up in 2004, when I relocated to Alaska.

design: © 2003; Rich Peterson

Rich started the band a while back (2001?) while living in River Falls, Wisconsin. I’m not sure what line-up changes they went through before I met them, except that Dan had stepped in to replace a previous bass player, who I think played on their first CD, 4 songs, released in 2001, and that at one point, their drummer was Mike Franklin, who would eventually bring his stylin’ guitar prowess to Cal Hopkins’ Amish Armada, Death & Texas, and Kentucky Gag Order. In 2003, the band saw a change of guitarists, and recorded a second CD, The Lowertown Offensive. Rich also pulled double duty as vocalist in The Squabs, filling the spot left by founder Kevin Carroll [RIP]; Eric played guitar in Amish Armada, and Dan also played guitar in Big Bang Fury.

Playing in The Pushrods opened a few other doors for me as well – I found myself playing harmonica with Panel Of Experts, and on a couple of occasions, both bands would share the same bill. Additionally, The Pushrods once played a bill with The Summer People, which eventually led to me putting in a tenure with that group, after I had returned from Alaska, even putting in an appearance on their third album, Stranger Things Have Happened. Several times during that later period, I would also join various incarnations of The Squabs on stage, including Secret Six and Peggy Suicide. I also laid down a harp track in their studio for a song called “The Rev”, which turned up on their second album, Stick A Knife In It (Spotify, 2023).

The Pushrods shared a swanky practice space in Lowertown St. Paul (above Ryan’s), with Ten Extra Pounds, whose drummer DWitt is one talented poster artist. As of 2011, there was still a website called Gig Posters that featured a bunch of his work [defunct as of 2025] (it seems that he also made a few posters for another band with a very similar name!)

Eric posted a short blurb about The Pushrods on his Lethatgic site, along with a few other bands he’s been involved with – that link is still live as of Sep 2025.

Lo and behold, as of 2025, there is a ghost from the much loved and sadly lamented TCPunk site, captured in the Wayback Machine, that attests to the strength of The Pushrods’ fan base, dating back to 2002.

For posterity, here’s a list of the shows I recorded of the band – hopefully, I’ll be able to get some of these uploaded to Live Music Archive at some point:

Saturday 25 January 2003 – Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon; St. Paul, MN [J.Free’s 1st show] [2003 CDR transfer only?]
Friday 25 February 2003 – Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon; St. Paul, MN [J. Free’s 2nd show] [2003 CDR transfer only? Possibly the show I have on video]
Saturday 5 April 2003 – Terminal Bar; Minneapolis, MN [Dave Olson’s last show] [2003 CDR transfer only?]
Friday 18 April 2003 – Terminal Bar; Minneapolis, MN [Clinton Maxon’s 1st show] [2003 CDR transfer only?]
Thursday 24 April 2003 – Lee’s Liquor Lounge; Minneapolis, MN [4-track recording]
Thursday 12 June 2003 – Turf Club; St. Paul, MN [double-bill with Panel Of Experts] [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]
Sunday 22 June 2003 – Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon; St. Paul, MN [2003 CDR transfer only?]
Friday 1 August 2003 – Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon; St. Paul, MN [2003 CDR transfer only?]
Thursday 15 October 2003 – Uptown Bar + Grill; Minneapolis, MN [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]
Thursday 30 October 2003 – Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon; St. Paul, MN [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]
Saturday 15 November 2003 – The Purple Door; Woodville, WI [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]
Friday 28 November 2003 – Uptown Bar + Grill; Minneapolis, MN [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]
Thursday 4 December 2003 – Turf Club; St. Paul, MN [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]
Friday 9 January 2004 – live show in rehearsal space; St. Paul, MN [J.Free’s last show] [2011 azimuth-optimized 24/96 transfer]

….somewhere, I should still have that first time I recorded the band, with Mike D. playing harmonica, and Plate-O-Shrimp on the bill. 
Oh yeah, I should also have a recording of a show we played in Mankato, MN, with 480 Volts.
 I once had a video of the very first show I played with The Pushrods, but that seems to have gone missing, although I do have a video of a show where I played on most of the set, and The Big O was still in the band, rocking out like a madman.

I’ll see about getting some songs posted here in a bit.

The Pushrods :
Tapes / 
live tracks and rehearsal sessions

[I’ll try to get these audio files hosted here soon!]

Words & music © Pushrods 2001 – 2003 
except:
Rip This Joint & Dead Flowers – © The Rolling Stones
Hollywood Babylon – © The Misfits
Glad, Damn Glad – © Supersuckers
Oney – © 480 Volts

Studio tracks recorded by Dan Cowell / End Of The Line Records.
All the live tracks were recorded live by J. Free; with various mics and tape decks. It’s lo-fi. Whatever.
Azimuth-optimized analog/digital transfer in 2011 by J. Free; from the original cassettes

One night after a set with The Pushrods at Big V’s, I was invited by Panel Of Experts to be a fourth wheel for a Clash Tribute set they were putting together for the annual 7th St. Entry cover band contest. The idea was that instead of recruiting a second guitarist to mimic Mick Jones, how about a bit of harmonica instead? We were up against some formidable opponents – Uberscenester combining Blue Oyster Cult and Weezer, Plate-O-Shrimp with Jean Chapdelaine from Kontrol Panel as The Pretenders, Arcwelder + friends doing a David Bowie set, Mammy Nuns as Guns & Roses, and yet amazingly enough, the winner was Panel Of Experts! Our prize? A case of Night Train, which lasted about a day.

Together, we went on to reprise the Clash set at The Fine Line, and a sold-out tribute show at The Turf Club, which also led to me putting in a tenure with that group, playing a handful of their original songs as well, which helped to redefine the harmonica as an ensemble instrument – albeit in a garage rock band. So, for the remainder of the year, I was suddenly pulling double-duty with both bands, which occasionally would end up playing the same shows as well. Rock’n’roll, as they say…

Here is a clip of an expanded six-piece Panel Of Experts, from a sold-out all-Clash tribute show at The Turf Club, in St. Paul, MN, Friday March 21, 2003.

There is certainly more of this sort of thing available.

Meanwhile, here’s a list of all the dates I played with Panel Of Experts:

2003-01-29 • Minneapolis MN • 7th St Entry [Clash set]

2003-02-04 • Minneapolis MN • Fine Line [mostly Clash set]

2003-02-20 • Minneapolis MN • Terminal Bar [bill w/ Floorshakers / Pushrods]

2003-03-21 • St. Paul, MN • The Turf Club [Clash set]

2003-04-05 • Minneapolis MN • Terminal Bar [bill w/ Conquerors / Pushrods]

2003-05-03 • Minneapolis MN • Terminal Bar

2003-05-16 • Minneapolis MN • First Avenue [bill w/ Spectors / Hang-Ups]

2003-06-12 • St Paul MN • Turf Club [Bill w/ Pushrods]

2003-06-19 • Minneapolis MN • Uptown Bar + Grill [bill w/ Metro Division]

2003-06-xx • Minneapolis MN • 7th St Entry [bill w/ Bloodshot]

Panel Of Experts:
Live tracks

[I’ll try to get these audio files hosted here soon!]

Words & music © whomever they belong to

All the live tracks were recorded live by J. Free; with various mics and tape decks. It’s lo-fi. Whatever. Azimuth-optimized analog/digital transfer in 2011 by J. Free; from the original cassettes

The Summer People first got on my radar when they shared a bill at Turf Club with The Pushrods (2003-12-04*). After their set, I talked with the band about the possibility of playing a bit of harmonica with them, a suggestion that was met somewhat favorably, given our shared interests in contemporary desert rock and early blues-tinged psychedelia. That early conversation eventually led to me putting in a tenure with that group, after I had returned from Alaska, even putting in an appearance on their third album, Stranger Things Have Happened.

Why these guys didn’t get more attention is a mystery to me, especially since their three CDs were released on the locally renowned Garage D’Or record label, run by the equally locally renowned Terry Katzman [RIP], a longtime champion of the Twin Cities music scene. If you were into bands like The Who, Black Sabbath, Sonic Youth, The Birthday Party (or their modern day torchbearers The Jesus Lizard), The Summer People definitely had something up their collective sleeve that was bound to perk up your ears. And that’s not to say they sounded the least bit like any of those bands, but you could tell their passion came from the same creative realm. Clayton projected a stage personae that alternated between self-effacing sheepishness and the wild-eyed fury of a man possessed, while Aaron channeled the Sturm und Drang of untold ages and a mind-blowing myriad of string-bending styles all at once. Chris and Nick worked together as a single organic rhythmic unit, displaying a symbiotic prowess at pushing the tension to the point of no return, but always keeping it tightly reigned for maximum impact.

How in the world I fit into the equation, I have no idea, but somehow we all seemed to think it could work, even though no real guidelines were ever established. I never was an official member of the band (come to think of it, I never even rehearsed anything with them), but they were a great bunch of guys to work with and party with, and it was a pretty casual situation, of just showing up when they called me, and playing whatever felt right. Basically, my role was that of a fan just showing up and sitting in with the group.

I recall hearing back in the day that many of the shows I played with The Summer People – if not all of them – were video-taped by a member of Clayton’s family, but I’ve never seen any of those. Possibly, they may still exist, and if so, it would be a blast to be able to see some of those sets again – maybe it would even be possible to upload some of those here to share with people.

These are the dates I have located so far, from the shows I played with The Summer People – maybe more will turn up!

2003-12-04 St. Paul, MN • Turf Club [bill w/ Floorshakers / Pushrods*]
2004-08-25 St. Paul, MN • Station 4 [bill w/ The Living Daylights] • on Live Music Archives
2004-10-16 Mpls, MN • Lee’s Liquor Lounge [bill w/ Bridge Club / Thunder In The Valley / Brother Sister] • on Live Music Archive
2005-01-01 Mpls, MN • 7th St. Entry • on Live Music Archive
2005-01-14 Mpls, MN • Terminal Bar • on Live Music Archive
2005-01-19 Mpls, MN • Uptown Bar + Grill • on Live Music Archive
2005-02-17 St. Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon
2005-02-19 Mpls, MN • Uptown Bar + Grill [bill w/ Superhopper / Ten Extra Pounds / 20 Dollar Love]
2005-03-17 St. Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon [bill w/ Plate-O-Shrimp / All American Cheap Shots / Ten Extra Pounds] • on Live Music Archive
2005-04-09 Mpls, MN • Terminal Bar [bill w/ Tonnage / Ten Extra Pounds]
2005-04-22 Mpls, MN • Club Underground [Spring St Bar + Grill] [bill w/ Chris J (of Eddie Mac)]
2005-04-27 Mpls, MN • Turf Club [bill w/ All American Cheap Shots / Bloodshot]
2005-05-01 St. Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon [bill w/ Twenty Dollar Love]
2005-06-23 St. Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon
2005-06-25 St. Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon • on Live Music Archive
2005-08-13 Mpls, MN • Terminal Bar [bill w/ The Living Daylights]
2005-08-20 Mpls, MN • Aardvark Records [bill w/ Mezzofist]
2006-04-29 Mpls, MN Club Underground [Spring St Bar + Grill]

Any stories and images / photos / flyers go with these shows can be found on the Sonic Archives blog

Here are a few of the posters for some of the shows we played – artwork done by the incredibly talented D.Witt.
(who also happened to be in the band Ten Extra Pounds, don’tcha know?)
These images are provided courtesy of the now-defunct GigPoster site, although I do have actual posters, and maybe will find some time to scan them at some point.

Poster art: ©D.Witt

Poster art: ©D.Witt

Poster art: ©D.Witt

The Summer People:
Live tracks

[I’ll try to get these audio files hosted here soon!]

Words & music ©

[I’ll try to get these audio files hosted here soon!]

Words & music © whomever they belong to

All the live tracks were recorded live by J. Free; with various mics and tape decks. It’s lo-fi. Whatever. Azimuth-optimized analog/digital transfer in 2011 by J. Free; from the original cassettes

While I was still in harp mode, I managed to squeeze in a couple of impromptu sit-in spots with these fine groups:

The Big Wu spin-off group God Johnson, which can be found on the Live Music Archive:

God Johnson Live at The Cabooze on 2004-08-11

God Johnson Live at The Cabooze on 2004-08-18

The Squabs – including a few different incarnations of that group:

Peggy Suicide
2004-11-20 St Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon
Mexican Blackbird [a ZZ Top cover]
Window 20 [a Squabs original]

Squabs
2005-04-16 St. Paul, MN • Christensen’s Big V’s Saloon
It’s A Long Way From Austin To St. Paul [a Squabs original]
Window 20 [a Squabs original]

St. Paul, MN • Turf Club
It’s A Long Way From Austin To St. Paul [a Squabs original]
Window 20 [a Squabs original]

Straight Six
2006-04-14 Minneapolis MN • Club Underground [Spring St Bar + Grill]
It’s A Long Way From Austin To St. Paul [a Squabs original]

Additionally, there were a couple of random jam sessions, for lack of a better description, I suppose:

El Rancho Manana Bluegrass band

Art-A-Whirl revolving door jam

Junkshot house party band

This was a one-off wishful thinking project – I basically dubbed a harmonica track along with a live recording of Papa Mali. This was the second take.

Papa Mali: When The Levee Breaks
Recorded Live at 9th Big Wu Family Reunion
Harmony Park • Clark’s Grove, MN 28 May 2006

There are a few more of these tidbits floating around, but moving forward, it was back to the guitars, and all the rest of my instruments.

Odds ‘n Sods:
Various tracks

[I’ll try to get these audio files hosted here soon!]

Words & music © whomever they belong to

Studio tracks recorded by ……. All the live tracks were recorded live by J. Free; with various mics and tape decks. It’s lo-fi. Whatever. Azimuth-optimized analog/digital transfer in 2011 by J. Free; from the original cassettes