PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS REMAIN PAUSED

For my fabulous premium subscribers, payments remain paused. Your next payment will be delayed for however long my break from new posts lasts.

My break from Substack began back in March. I’m not sure when I will get back to posting new material. For now, I’m popping into your inbox to acknowledge an anniversary.

My latest long player, Fade Away Blue, turns one today.

The album had a good run, landing on year-end lists from SPIN and Magnet, receiving significant radio airplay, and racking up a respectable amount of sales and streams.

But more importantly, the record has connected with listeners. Just yesterday I awoke to the following note in my inbox.

This means more to me than any sales report or royalty check ever could.

I’m inspired as ever to keep making—and releasing—music. The songs have piled up, and work is underway on the follow-up to Fade Away Blue. I’m chipping away slowly but slowly, as I like to say.

I’ve been kicking around the idea of a ‘Super Deluxe’ version of Fade Away Blue. In addition to some of the rarities I’ve shared here on Love Songs Etc, I love the idea of cutting new alternate acoustic versions of a few of the tunes.

I started working on a fingerpicked version of “Sundown at Francis Nash” a while back, but that’s been simmering on the back burner as I sink my teeth into new material. More on all that later.

For now, you can stream the album or pick up a physical copy.

You can also dig into previous posts about the album by visiting the Fade Away Blue archive page.

I’ll be back in your inbox later.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

LIVE & IN-PERSON

July 24 - Union, WA • Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival

TIX + INFO

March 20, 2027 - Vashon Island, WA • Vashon Center for the Arts
Tickets go on sale on Black Friday

My break from Substack began back in March. I expect to resume posting new material in the next couple of months. Until then, I’ve got some reruns in the cue.

Regular readers of Love Songs Etc know how much I love anniversaries. Today, my fourth full-length, Skywatching, turns 23.

The album was recorded and mixed in my home studio and released on Aimee Mann & Michael Penn’s United Musicians just a few months after The Thorns record hit the street.

I shared the following posts in 2023 to celebrate the album’s 20th anniversary.

I’ll be back in your inbox later with more reruns. Until then…

PURCHASE COMPACT DISC

LISTEN TO SKYWATCHING

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

LIVE & IN-PERSON

July 24 - Union, WA • Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival

TIX + INFO

March 20, 2027 - Vashon Island, WA • Vashon Center for the Arts
Tickets go on sale on Black Friday

My break from Substack began exactly four months ago today. I expect to resume posting new material in the next couple of months. Until then, I’ve got some reruns in the cue.

I originally posted this live version of “Mr. Jade” on January 20, 2023, during launch week of Love Songs Etc. Regular readers of this newsletter know how much I love anniversaries. Well, during my break, I let a big one slip by. My sophomore effort, Find A Door, turned thirty on June 25.

“Mr. Jade” was the lead single from the album. And while it did chart at AAA radio, it did not come close to matching the radio success my debut album, Necktie Second, enjoyed.

With its classic boom-boom-crack groove, “Mr. Jade” really shines with the Sinners at the helm. It was a staple in our live set back in the day. Here we are performing the song on VH-1:

I’ll be back in your inbox later with more reruns. Until then…

LISTEN TO FIND A DOOR

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

GIG ALERT!

Vashon Center for the Arts announced its 26/27 season. And guess who’s returning to the stunning venue? That’s right. Yours truly!

Elaine Summers and I will return to VCA on March 20, 2027. Tickets will go on sale for the general public on Friday, January 15. Premium subscribers to this newsletter will get early bird access on Wednesday, January 13.

Coming to Vashon Island for the performance? The Lodges on Vashon is located just minutes from the theater. Use discount code MUSIC20 to save on your stay.

GIG REMINDER!

Elaine and I have been rehearsing for our upcoming gig at the Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival. We co-headline with our pal, Kim Richey, on Friday, July 24. The festival takes place in Union, Washington, on the shores of Hood Canal on the Olympic Peninsula.

Yesterday we finalized our set list. In addition to a bunch of our more well-known oldies and songs from Fade Away Blue, we’re excited to share a couple of new tunes that we’re cutting for a new album.

Yep! You heard right… new album. Now that the score for the film Supermassive is in the can, work is underway for the follow-up to Fade Away Blue. I’ll have much more to say about all that later.

Until then, my break from regular Love Songs Etc programming continues.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS REMAIN PAUSED

For my fabulous premium subscribers, payments remain paused. Your next payment will be delayed for however long my break lasts. The break began on March 13, and I expect to get back to posting regularly sometime in June or early July.

My break from Substack continues as I take a breather after completing the score for the film Supermassive. I handed in the last of the final mixes Thursday night.

After some much-needed time off, I will resume regular programming here at Love Songs Etc. My sophomore album, Find a Door, turns thirty on June 25, so I’ll see what rarities I can dig up to share from that old record.

In other anniversary news, my debut album, Necktie Second, turned 32 on May 24. Music journalist Hobart Roland has produced an episode of his excellent Magnet Classics Podcast to commemorate the occasion.

The in-depth audio documentary features interviews with Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, No Depression magazine founder Peter Blackstock, engineer Russ Fowler, the amazing Elaine Summers, and yours truly.

Find it anywhere podcasts are served. Or check it out on Magnet’s website.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back in your inbox later. Until then, a reminder that I’ll be playing my only show of the year on July 24 at the Peace Love and Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival in Union, WA.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

It’s time to hit the pause button.

After several weeks of pre-production, the real work is about to begin on the score for the feature film Supermassive. I’ll be pouring every ounce of energy I have into this project, and rather than phone it in here, I’ve decided to take Love Songs Etc off my plate for a while.

I’ll be back in your inbox later. I look forward to continuing the series chronicling the Necktie Second tour. And I’ll have more posts about my latest LP, Fade Away Blue. Plus, Under the Waves turns twenty this year, so I’ll dig through my archive and see what rarities I can find from that period.

Until then, I’ll be hunkered down in my studio happily donning my composer hat.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

PS: To dig into previous posts, check out my Archive page.

MARCH 06, 2026

After several weeks of pre-production, it’s exhilarating to be slapping bits of paint on the canvas for the score of the film Supermassive.

I’m grateful for all the time I've had to let ideas germinate. I’ve enjoyed exploring the various directions I can take our main theme. Originally written on piano in 6/8 time, I’ve found the piece to be extremely malleable.

Recently, I sketched a variation of the main theme to support a dramatic scene in reel four. I played the changes on piano in the high register, in 4/4 time, with a delicate, meandering melody. Me likey! Once picture is locked, I’ll track the cue for real and flesh it out with overdubs.

And I may have cracked the code on another important cue. I’ve decided to introduce an acoustic guitar-driven cue for the moment Darla enters the story. One of my 40+ ‘seeds’ kept landing under my fingers. And each time I returned to this little ditty, I suspected it may very well be the one to win this crucial moment in the film. Thanks to the chiming DADGAD tuning and a buoyant, carefree strum, it evokes the romance of the road.

So the other night, I listened to a couple of phone sketches of the idea against picture and was sold. I armed my control-room acoustic guitar mic—the Beyer m160—and recorded a sketch into my DAW to get a sense of my natural tempo for this piece.

I determined that it feels best at around 90 bpm. The temp track we’ve been living with is 80 bpm. I was curious how my new cue would feel at that tempo. It was horrible. Never mind that!

The temp track was “Never Learned (Film Version)”. While it won’t make the cut, it served its purpose, giving me a glimpse of how well a cue driven by acoustic guitar works for this moment in the film.

“Never Learned” began its life on my 2006 album, Under the Waves. That record turns twenty this year. You do the math! I’ll be celebrating the anniversary here on Love Songs Etc later this year. I’ve got some fun bits and bobs to share from that era. Stay tuned for that.

The ‘Film Version’ used as a temp track is the version I adapted for the score to the 2011 documentary A Lot Like You. For the album’s soundtrack release, director Eli Kimaro shot a ton of photos around my studio.

A Lot Like You’s editor, Eric Frith, skillfully crafted this music video for the film’s title track using Eli’s photos.

I’ve been using some of Eli’s shots from the ALLY soundtrack shoot as the images for my Studio Diary posts. She returned the other day to capture more images around Puzzle Tree Studio, including the one at the top of this post. Here it is without those pesky words and filter overlay.

I’ll be back in your inbox later with another installment of Studio Diary. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

PS: Today is Bandcamp Friday, where they waive the fee and 100% goes to the artist.

As I compose the score for a feature film, I am documenting my progress in short, bite-sized posts. At least that’s the idea. Lord knows I can be long-winded when it comes to all things studio—and creativity in general—so brevity may not be in the cards. We’ll see how it goes.

FEBRUARY 20, 2026

Pre-production for Supermassive continues while director Steve Utaski and editor Jason McKee work on a ‘pacing pass.’ After a second work-in-progress screening, they have an eye on tightening up the cut.

Knowing scenes could change—and maybe even go away—I’m holding off on committing anything real to tape. (I still call it committing to tape. Committing to hard drive just doesn’t have the same ring to it.)

I’ve been digging deeper into the most recent cut, gathering my thoughts and making notes in preparation for our spotting session. A spotting session is a meeting where the director and composer decide exactly where music should begin and end, and what emotional tone it should serve at each moment.

And I’ve been building out sessions in my DAW1 so when the starting gun fires, I can jump right in and start tracking.

The man with magic ears, Martin Feveyear, stopped by the studio this week to help me dial in acoustic piano and drum sounds. Now, I’m a good engineer. Maybe even really good. But Martin is great.

Martin and I go way back. He ran front of house for The Sinners and me back in the mid-nineties. In addition to making us sound great, he kept us in stitches. Regular readers of Love Songs Etc may remember the photo capturing his patented ‘Geek Dance’ from this post from February 13, 2026.

I was interested to get his take on recording my Yamaha U3 upright piano and the funky little drum kit I’ve set up for this gig.

We really dorked out. After listening to the mid-side stereo mic array I’d been playing with for the piano, we had a shootout and listened to the difference it made when pulling the piano away from the wall. The difference was massive. Against the wall, it sounded bloodless and pale. With room to breathe, the piano bloomed with color.

We could hear that some bass trapping would help refine the sound, so I pulled a few of my ASC Tube Traps from the control room and strategically placed them in the corner and directly behind the piano. They helped a lot. Those suckers are spendy, so it was nice to hear them do so much to tighten up the low end.

Next, we tried Martin’s chosen piano micing technique with a pair of borrowed Kiwara KA-251E clones. Immediately, listening on headphones as I played, I was convinced that this was the way to go. My hunch was confirmed when I heard the lovely stereo imaging emanating from my ATC SCM25 studio monitors.

While this sounded fantastic, Martin had another trick up his sleeve: micing the soundboard from behind. For this job, we chose a Shure KSM-32. It’s not a fancy, expensive mic, but Martin loves it. Panned up the middle, it “really tied the room together” as The Dude would say.

Adding a high-pass filter to the back mic with Fab Filter’s Q4 plug-in helped to focus the sound. We considered using the mic's filter, but opted to record the full spectrum, giving me more control at mixdown.

In my previous post, I mentioned touching up a few snare drums. While I knew I wanted to use my little ‘Patriots’ marching bass drum, I had not given it any love yet.

I was certain it would benefit from some dampening. I decided to wait and see how Martin would tackle the task. He showed me a technique I hadn’t seen before. Watch as he uses gaff tape and paper towels to tame the ringing.

Below is a quick lesson on micing a kick drum. The mic of choice is my Wunder CM7 FET. The FET 47 is a common choice for kick drum for its fast transient response and ability to handle high SPL2. Many engineers use it in combination with a second mic, but I’m all about keeping things simple on this gig, so I’ll stick with just the one.

I was turned onto this kick drum by session cat extraordinaire, Matt Chamberlain. He played one on “Two of the Lucky Ones” during The Droge & Summers Blend sessions. Check out this post from August 23, 2023, to see a picture of Matt’s kit from that session.

I fell in love with the sound of his groovy little ‘Patriot’ drum, and as fate would have it, there was one just like it on eBay.

Finally, we addressed the overheads. Over the years, I’ve often used the X/Y micing technique. But for this project, I wanted more width than X/Y typically delivers. Last week, I set up my Neumann KM184s in ORTF stereo, a method devised by Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française in the 60s. I didn’t spend much time refining the placement. Right away, it sounded pretty darn good.

Martin futzed with the positioning by lowering the mics, narrowing their angle, and tilting them to center the snare and capture more detail from the cymbals. Just like on the piano, with headphones on while playing, I could immediately tell that his moves made a noticeable improvement.

I’m champing at the bit to start committing these sweet tones to ‘tape.’ But I’ll just have to be patient as I wait for the next cut.

I’ll be back in your inbox later with another installment of Studio Diary. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

I’ve decided to hit pause on my series of posts chronicling the touring cycle behind my 1994 debut, Necktie Second.

I’m tired of livin’ in the past, man! While I’ve enjoyed dusting off the old memory banks and sharing my recollections from the mid-nineties, I’m ready for a change of pace.

It’s time to switch gears and share what’s going on in the here and now. Today, I launch a new series of posts called Studio Diary.

As I embark on composing the score for a feature film, I will document my progress in short, bite-sized posts. At least that’s the idea. Lord knows I can be long-winded when it comes to all things studio—and creativity in general—so brevity may not be in the cards. We’ll see how it goes.

FEBRUARY 20, 2026

The ink is dry. I’ve signed on to compose the score for Supermassive. Writer and director Steve Utaski describes the film like this:

I’ve been chipping away at pre-production in fits and starts for several weeks.

Early on, I invited Steve to my studio to talk about process and play him a bunch of music. He was already familiar with my albums, but it was important for him to get a taste of my media composer work.

The meeting went swimmingly. Another ‘side by side’ session followed soon after, where we dug even deeper into my catalog and pulled selects for him to pass on to his editor, Jason McKee. He left with a hodgepodge of tracks.

The plan was to use my music as the temp score with the goal of avoiding ‘temp love,’ a common affliction where filmmakers fall in love with temporary tracks they can’t have.

The plan worked well. Jason did a wonderful job of slotting my music in as he chunked away at his first assembly cut. I was pleased to see that he has great instincts not only as a picture editor but also as a music editor.

The first two cues, in particular, felt great against picture. Both had not previously seen the light of day.

The opening cue was a sketch I created but never pitched for a project many years ago. Assuming it sticks, I will very likely dress it up with a few fresh overdubs.

I wrote the second piece for fun—and learning. I was interested in breaking out of my normal songwriter box. (You may have noticed that the majority of my songs employ pretty basic chord progressions.) I was keen to dust off some of the music theory I learned at Cornish College of the Arts and incorporate a touch of sophisticated harmony into my work as a composer.

Check out this post from January 1, 2025, to listen to an unreleased song where I make use of what my old producer, Brendan O’Brien, calls ‘talent chords.’ Others call them ‘expensive chords.’ George Harrison referred to them as ‘naughty chords.’ I call them ‘a sling blade.’ (This is a reference to a great film with a wonderful score by Daniel Lanois.)

With an eye on adding a bit of unexpected color to my writing, I found scenes without music from films I dug, brought them into Pro Tools, and composed away. One resulting cue was written for a scene from Garden State. I named it “Garden House.”

Thanks to Jason’s skillful music editing, “Garden House” married beautifully with picture. It immediately hit me, “This could be our Main Theme!”

I was happy to learn that Steve felt the same way about these pieces. The fact that these first two cues struck the right tone was huge. We were on our way!

During these weeks of pre-production, I’ve written a lot. I chose to keep things ultra-simple and only record these sketches on my phone. I’m up to #40. That sounds like a lot, but keep in mind that these are not fully fledged pieces, but rather just little seeds of ideas in various states of undress.

I’ve also been devoting a fair amount of my pre-production time to getting my studio set up and ready for the heat of battle. The idea is to have everything I might want to play dialed up and ready to go.

Last weekend, I cared for my guitars. I tuned a bunch of them up and played some of the aforementioned seeds of ideas to get a feel for which instruments might work for what. All in all, I’ve got around ten guitars ready for action. Each has its own personality and strengths.

I also spent time last weekend getting my drum kit in shape. I broke out my trusty Drum Dial, tuned up a few snare drums, and found the right dampening with various combinations of bandanas, gaff tape, Moon Gel, and wallets.

HOT TIP: Placing a wallet on your snare makes it sound like money.

Tuesday, on the New Moon, I recorded my very first track into Pro Tools. I knocked out a short cue playing the Main Theme on my old Fender Telecaster through my Grace Designs Felix 2. The original “Garden House” cue was played on piano, and while I’ve been playing the theme on guitar in a variety of ways and recording those sketches into my phone, nothing compares to hearing it back in the studio against picture.

Well, so much for brevity.

I’ll be back in your inbox soon with another Studio Diary entry. Until then…

A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA!

I had a lovely conversation with John Krajicek on his Time to Connect podcast. Check out the episode on YouTube.

Another podcast will drop soon. Stay tuned for that.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

Continuing my multi-part series on the year-and-a-half-long touring cycle behind my debut album Necktie Second. To catch up, check out these previous posts.

Tour Pt. 1 (Northeast) • Tour Pt. 2 (Midwest) • Tour Pt. 3 (West Coast)

“GOING TO CALIFORNIA WITH AN ACHIN’ IN MY HEART!”

Growing up in the Northwest, I always had a romantic notion of California. Los Angeles had the glamour of Hollywood and the allure of the big-time record business, and San Francisco had its well-documented history as the epicenter of counterculture. The latter was especially attractive to me in my young, rebellious years.

I’d first visited the city by the bay in 1989, just after the World Series Quake. I road-tripped down with a couple of pals to catch The Rolling Stones at Oakland Stadium1. The echoes of the beatnik scene of the 50s and the hippie revolution of the 60s were still reverberating in the late 80s. The Grateful Dead were going strong, having recently crossed over into the mainstream with their one and only top 40 hit “Touch of Grey,” and as we explored the city, our eyes were awash in tie-dye and paisley.

I haven’t been to San Francisco lately, but I suspect there aren’t as many freak flags flying these days thanks to all that tech money moving in. But I digress.

“BE SURE TO WEAR SOME FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR!”

Home base in San Francisco was the storied sanctuary for touring musicians, the Phoenix Hotel. I first stayed at this funky little mid-century motor lodge while touring as the opening act and guitarist for Jerry Joseph’s band Little Women. It’s also where they put me up when I was invited to open two unannounced warm-up shows for Neil Young and Booker T & the MGs. For the play-by-play of that amazing experience, check out this post from June 7, 2023.

Every room at The Phoenix had its very own VHS player. The library of free tapes in the lobby featured two types of films: rock-and-roll flicks and movies shot in San Francisco. With classics like The Last Waltz or Gimme Shelter, you could check both boxes.

The rooms were nothing special, but the pool was a good hang. Here we are yucking it up poolside.

Sadly, the Phoenix is no more. They closed their doors on January 1, 2026, after thirty-nine years. It’s sad to see another rock and roll institution disappear.

Our regular SF gig was The Paradise Lounge, a sprawling complex with three venues under one roof. During our multi-week residency, we cycled through all three rooms. Like the Phoenix, the Paradise is gone. After being shuttered in 2010, the building was demolished in 2015. The site now houses an upscale, three-story nightclub called Calle 11.

A highlight from our run at The Paradise came when my pals from the Seattle scene, Lazy Susan, opened a show. We played on a ton of bills together back home as part of a microscene of decidedly ungrungey bands. It was refreshing to see some familiar faces and hear some good old-fashioned rock and roll.

“YOU BETTER LISTEN TO THE RADIO!”

Somewhere in the middle of our residency, we played a show for the Bay Area’s late-great AAA radio station KFOG at the Great American Music Hall. Built in 1907, after the 1906 earthquake, this historic 700-capacity venue has hosted burlesque, comedy, folk, jazz, and rock and roll. In 2013, it was listed as the sixth-best rock club in America in a Rolling Stone poll of artists and managers.

We’d been on the road for months at this point. I recently snuck a peek at an old Hi-8 video of our GAMH performance, and the band was firing on all cylinders. It’s on my to-do list to go through those old tapes and get them ready for prime time.

Watching the video, I was reminded of that line-up’s great chemistry. I was blessed to have Gregg Williams behind the kit, Robert Cooper laying down the bass, Elaine Summers adding harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, and percussion to the fold, and Jeff Trott topping it all off with his electric guitar.

“I HEAR YOU KNOCKING!”

With just four stops in the regular rotation, we could slot in one-night stands on our days off. One such gig was opening for the great Dave Edmonds. It was an honor to share the stage of San Diego’s famed Belly Up Tavern with an artist I greatly admired. In addition to his solo work, I was a huge fan of his band Rockpile. In fact, when we were mixing Necktie Second’s “Two Steppin’ Monkey,” we used a track from their classic album Seconds of Pleasure as a mix reference.

I caught Dave’s eye as he chilled in his dressing room before the show. Looking back, I’m kicking myself for not taking the initiative to give a polite little knock to say hello and pay my respects. But I played it cool and let him be. He did not hear me knocking after all. And if he had, I suspect he may have answered, “I hear you knocking, but you can’t come in.”

“HAS ANYBODY SEEN THE BRIDGE?”

The most remarkable detour from the normal weekly schedule was appearing for two nights at Neil Young’s annual Bridge School Benefit. The lineup included Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pearl Jam, Indigo Girls, Mazzy Star, Ministry, and, of course, Neil himself.

I played acoustic without the band. Mike McCready joined me on a couple of songs. Below is a snapshot of us rehearsing in his hotel room. Look closely, and you’ll see Mr. Potato Head on the table. Mike carried Mr. Potato Head with him everywhere, along with his ever-present Polaroid camera. He even published a book, Of Potato Heads and Polaroids. My mug appears in the book a couple of times.

“DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE?”

After rubbing shoulders with my heroes in Los Angeles, San Fracisco and San Diego, San Jose was a bit anticlimactic. I don’t recall anything special about our gigs at Ajax Lounge. I can vaguely picture the room in my mind’s eye. But that’s it.

“THE HIPPIES OUT IN BERKLEY, TELL ME I SHOULD STOP!”

Berkley was as forgettable as San Jose. What sticks in the mind about the Starry Plough is just how shitty the club was. The P.A. was so inadequate that Martin Feveyear, our trusty front-of-house engineer, had to turn one of the stage monitors towards the crowd to get the vocals above the band. On top of that, I’m pretty sure the house soundman was on crack. We still refer to this crummy joint from time to time. We call it the Starry Pluff.

“THERE’S PLENTY OF ROOM AT THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA!”

Somewhere in the middle of the run, we switched venues in Los Angeles. I can’t recall why, but we finished up our final residency tour at Jack’s Sugar Shack.

One moment I recall from Jack’s is being informed that “If You Don’t Love Me” was to be included in an upcoming film called Dumb and Dumber. I was told it starred Jim Carey. I’d never heard of him. I was assured he was destined to be a huge star and that the film would be a hit. They were right. The film was a bona fide smash, grossing just under a quarter of a billion dollars.

Stephen Stills turned up to see us at Jack’s one night. After our set, we shot the breeze a bit. Years later, I’d get to perform a couple of songs for Crosby, Stills & Nash when they were awarded the Founders Award at EMP/MoPop in Seattle. But that’s a story for another time.

And while I’m dropping names, I guess I’ll mention a fun night of drinking at the Four Seasons Hotel bar with Nancy Wilson, Cameron Crowe, and my manager at the time, Kelly Curtis. I’d met Nancy before, but it was nice to spend some quality time with her. I’m pretty sure this was the first time I’d met Cameron. We’d all gather again on the Oregon Coast for the Fourth of July. More on that later.

Several drinks in, I spotted George Thorogood across the way and, fueled by liquid courage, I approached and introduced myself. He was with his mom and could not have been sweeter.

I’ll be back in your inbox later. In part five, I’ll finally enjoy a short break in the action before heading back East to join my first arena tour and make my national television debut. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

PS: Necktie Second (Deluxe) 2xLP is available now. Find it in stores or online in my Bandcamp store. And while you’re there, be sure to check out my latest release, Fade Away Blue.

BANDCAMP STORE

It’s Bandcamp Friday, where they waive their fee and 100% goes to the artist.

We got shirts! We got posters! We got a coffee mug! We got the 2xLP deluxe reissue of my 1994 debut, Necktie Second! We got my latest album, Fade Away Blue!

BANDCAMP

Premium subscribers always enjoy a discount in the Bandcamp store.

Through the end of the weekend, I’ve increased the discount from the usual 15% to 30%.
Visit my ‘rarities’ page to grab the discount code.

“TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE!”

Tickets are on sale now for the Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival.

Elaine Summers and I are excited to make the trip just up the road to the shores of Hood Canal on the Olympic Peninsula to join a fine collection of songwriters, including Gretchen Peters, Mary Gauthier & Jaimee Harris, Dan Navarro, David Wilcox, Charlie Mars, and Kaylee Rose.

The official festival takes place in Union, Washington, from Thursday, 7/23 to Saturday, 7/25. (My set will take place on either Friday or Saturday.)

The festivities begin Tuesday, 7/21, with an epic music pub crawl. Wednesday’s “Spirit of 76” concert at The Pointe, overlooking the Hood Canal with spectacular views of the Olympics, features various artists performing the hits of 1976! The official festival begins Thursday afternoon and runs through Saturday night, and the festival concludes with Sunday’s brunch concert at The Pointe.

TICKETS + LODGING + INFO

This will likely be it for gigging this year. It’s possible that other festivals may pop up, or the odd opening slot, but I definitely won’t be hitting the road as a headliner.

They have a limited number of rooms on-site, so it's best to act now if you want to be close to the action.

Summer in the Northwest is simply divine, and the Olympic Peninsula is a slice of heaven. Come for the music, stay for scenic splendor.

“I’M JUST A TWO STEPPIN’ MONKEY TOO!”

Here’s a little promo clip for the Necktie Second (Deluxe) reissue featuring wonderfully crummy old Hi-8 video footage we shot while making the record.

I’ll be back in your inbox soon to continue the series on the Necktie Second touring cycle. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

GIG ALERT!
I had vowed not to play live in 2026, but this was an offer I could not refuse.

The lineup for the Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival was announced this morning. Elaine Summers and I are excited to make the trip up the road to the shores of Hood Canal on the Olympic Peninsula to join a superb collection of songwriters, including four mentioned in this post below.

MORE INFO

Tickets will be on sale soon. Stay tuned to this space.

In my last post, I recounted the first half of my 30A Songwriters Festival experience.

“ONE MORE SATURDAY NIGHT!”

After finishing our set at The Old Florida Fish House, Elaine Summers and I packed up and chatted with audience members for a bit. Then we ordered dinner and listened to Amy Helm and her band play in the other room around the corner on the main stage. I guess if Levon Helm is your father, you’re not going to settle for any old drummer. I nearly fell off my chair when I heard her introduce Charlie Drayton.

I’m not alone in loving his drumming—and his bass playing. Keith Richards named Charlie one of his favorite all-time drummers and enlisted him as bassist in his band The X-Pensive Winos. He’s played with Dylan, Paul Simon, Neil Young, and many others. I was thrilled to see him play.

We loaded out and dropped our gear off at home base just in time to head up the road to Caliza to catch an in-the-round set with another stellar lineup: Gretchen Peters with Barry Walsh, Jamiee Harris, Mary Gauthier, and Will Kimbrough.

I was stoked to catch Gretchen and Barry again. They’re great on every level. On top of the masterful writing, Barry’s piano and accordion complement Gretchen’s guitar work beautifully, and his harmonies are the icing on the cake.

I’ve admired Mary’s songwriting for years and was turned onto her partner Jaimee through their collaboration, so it was a thrill to see them live for the first time. (We’ll see Gretchen, Barry, and Mary in July at the aforementioned Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival.)

The last time I’d seen Will was over twenty years ago when we performed in the round at the Nashville institution, The Bluebird Cafe. He’s a triple threat with bulletproof songs, a great voice, and guitar chops for days. We had a brief chat after the show and vowed to be in touch.

Back at the pad, Elaine and I reflected on our show, talked about all the great music we’d seen, and hit the hay.

“THERE’S SOMETHING IN A SUNDAY!”

Elaine and I spent the morning preparing for the upcoming in-the-round set at Caliza. Shawn Mullins and I had talked about playing a couple of Thorns songs, and possibly his #1 AAA radio hit, “Beautiful Wreck,” which we co-wrote with Glen Phillips and Marshall Altman.

I worked on adapting “Runaway Feeling” to drop D tuning. Plus, Elaine and I shaped up harmonies on a new song I thought might be fun to include.

We lost track of time and got out the door later than we’d planned. Our breakfast on the go was not as quick as we had hoped for, and it took us forever to find parking near Central Square. All this added up to the only bummer of our entire 30A experience: we missed David Lowery’s set at Central Square Records.

I’ve long been a fan of David and his work in Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker. His recent solo album, Fathers, Sons & Brothers, is an ambitious, autobiographical 3LP collection. In addition to being a world-class songwriter, David writes wonderful prose. Check out his excellent Substack.

We bumped into David on his way out and enjoyed a nice, long chat. We’d met in 1998 when my band and I opened for Cracker in Vancouver, BC.

At one point, he asked if he could snap a photo of me for his ‘yearbook.’ I obliged. Then, I snapped a photo of him snapping a photo of me while Elaine snapped a photo of us snapping photos. More snaps than a beatnik poetry reading.

Next to take the stage at the record store was Jeff Black. The place was packed, and he sounded fantastic. As his set ended, I was the first to jump to the sales counter to purchase a groovy Jodi Head guitar strap. The store owner, Tom King, informed me that her straps are used by some of the biggest names in the biz. My new strap pairs well with my old Telecaster.

Next on the agenda, a party at Gretchen Peters and Barry Walsh’s place. Just as we arrived, another car pulled into the cul-de-sac. As he stepped out of the vehicle, I saw that it was Darrell Scott with whom I’d soon be sharing the stage. Then, inside the beautiful home, I spied the other talented fellow I’d soon be swapping songs with at Caliza, my old Thorns bandmate, Shawn Mullins.

It was a lovely party. It was nice to see an old friend and spend more quality time with some of the folks I’d met the day before at the Hair of the Dog gig. Plus, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of some other fine singer-songwriters including Dan Navarro, who will also be performing at the Peace Love & Union Festival in July.

Here is a sweet shot of Elaine with her new fast friend, Gretchen. And Barry shows off his rejection letter from The Grateful Dead.

It was tough tearing ourselves away from the party, but we needed to get some rest before our Sunday night gig. After a short stretch of R&R, we grabbed an early dinner and popped over to The Pearl Hotel to catch James McMurtry. Unfortunately, the room was at capacity. Missing out on James’ gig was probably a blessing in disguise, as it gave us more downtime to recharge our batteries for the show.

As we rolled up to the venue and began humping gear, a girl with a guitar over her shoulder warned us that it was very cold on stage. Our green room was just behind the stage, separated by a huge curtain. The space was well-appointed with tables, chairs, a few couches, and most importantly, heat lamps.

While I was busy with my pre-show routine and setting up, Charlie Mars was turning in a fine set. While I did not get a chance to pay close attention, he sounded great and I could tell that he was killing. Charlie will also be at the Peace Love & Union festival.

Just after he finished, we jumped into action, tossing our gear on stage for a quick line check. My sexy pedal board gave me a bit of trouble. One of the buttons on the back of my Grace Designs Felix 2 had inadvertently been engaged, so I had to chase that down. Then, one of the channels sounded wonky, so Jake, the kindly sound engineer, and I decided it would be best to run both of my guitars through the channel that was working rather than waste time chasing down the problem.

I was positioned stage right, so Elaine’s station would be to my right and she could come and go easily. This had the added advantage of my going first. Before I introduced my first song, I said, “I’m happy to go first as this is the only time tonight I don’t have to follow these bad-ass motherfuckers.”

The place was completely packed, and my opening number, “You Called Me Kid,” went over well. My voice was not quite 100%. Partly because of the cold, partly because of nerves. I was not too worried about not being at my absolute best vocally, though, I had my secret weapon, Elaine, at my side. Plus, it’s not a vocal competition—30A is all about the songs.

Shawn was next. I had the best seat in the house. In all our time playing together in The Thorns, I had a job to do, so I could never just kick back and enjoy listening to this amazing artist. It was a real treat to watch him enlist every ounce of vocal power at his disposal to light up the room.

When I first heard we’d be sharing a bill, I wasn’t familiar with Darrell’s music, but with a little online sleuthing, I discovered he’s had an incredible career as a songwriter, session player, and performer. As a player, he was enlisted by Robert Plant to join his Band of Joy. On the writing front, he’s penned monster hits for the likes of The Chicks and Travis Tritt. He even co-wrote one of my favorite Guy Clark songs, “Out in the Parking Lot.” And on top of all that, he’s a fine artist in his own right.

His artistry was on full display at Caliza. When he wasn’t singing his beautifully crafted songs, he was falling in and lending his guitar chops to support Shawn and me.

I followed “Kid” with “Song for Barbara Ann,” which I performed solo.

Regular readers of Love Songs Etc know that Elaine and I spend an inordinate amount of time crafting our setlists. With an in-the-round set, it seemed better to just have a bunch of songs in mind and go with the flow.

In his song that preceded my kicking off the third round, Darrell talked about the importance of being vulnerable when collaborating on songs. This was the perfect segue to welcome Elaine back to the stage and let the audience know the crucial role she plays in the writing process. I informed them that she co-wrote “Song for Barbara Ann” and explained that it wouldn’t be what it is without her. Then I introduced another of our co-writes, “Skeleton Crew.”

For my fourth song, I followed suit from Darrell. He had just played a new song with the word ‘song’ in the title. I thought, “I have a new song about writing songs! Let’s keep with that theme.”

In my intro, I explained that the tune is so new I had not yet settled on a title. The obvious title is “The Devil I Know.” I explained how I’m considering adding a parenthetical bit. The contenders: “The Devil I Know (Quit Spotify)” or “The Devil I Know (Streaming Don’t Pay).” This got a chuckle.

I invited the audience to join in on the line, “Steaming don’t pay” at the end of the verses. I told the songwriters in attendance to tap into their inner angst about the paltry royalties Spotify pays.

For the non-songwriters, I said this is an opportunity for method acting. I asked them to imagine they had labored over a song endlessly and finally achieved what no songwriter before them had been able to achieve: they found a rhyme for orange. And after they released their tour de force and it racked up some streams, they got paid dickall. This was met with more chuckles.

It felt great performing this song for the first time. The audience nailed their vocal moment in true hooligan choir style. I passed the ball to Darrell to take a solo, and he nailed it. I said, “You’re hired!” and got another chuckle.

After the song was done, Shawn leaned over to check on the time, wondering if this would be the last round. Time had flown by, so we were near the end of the line. Sadly, we did not get a chance to take any old Thorns songs for a spin. Maybe next time.

Shawn threw his guitar into a unique open G tuning and kicked into his chart-topping smash, “Lullaby.” Of course, the audience sang along when that brilliant chorus came around.

To cap things off, Darrell launched into his song “It’s a Great Day to be Alive,” which Travis Tritt made into a massive crossover hit. Again, the audience was not shy about getting into the act. It was a wonderful finale.

I mingled and spoke with audience members before packing up and heading backstage. Todd Nichols from Toad the Wet Sprocket was hanging around, and we tripped down memory lane, recalling a wild night in my Las Vegas hotel room with Rick Nielsen and the Hootie and the Blowfish guys. In a death-defying stunt, I was hanging off the balcony. But that’s a story for another time. Remembering an episode like this is a nice reminder of why I don’t drink and drug anymore.

“IT’S JUST ANOTHER MANIC MONDAY!”

Upon waking on Monday morning, it dawned on me that we had not yet set foot on the beach. After packing, we took a stroll to the Ocean’s edge. The Gulf of Mexico was shimmering under vivid blue skies. Other than the occasional passerby—including a couple who caught our Sunday night set—we had the beach to ourselves.

I didn’t want to leave. Next time—and I hope there is a next time—we’ll pad in some vacation time on the back end of the festival.

If you’re reading Love Songs Etc I suspect you may be a lover of songs. And for a lover of songs, the 30A Songwriters Festival is heaven on Earth. Keep an eye out for next year, and do yourself a favor and make a trip of it.

In the meantime, maybe I’ll see you on Hood Canal in July for the Peace Love & Union Saltwater Songwriters Festival?

I’ll be back in your inbox later to resume the series on the tour supporting my 1994 debut, Necktie Second. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

Elaine and I spent the weekend before last in chilly Florida playing the 30A Songwriters Festival. You heard right… chilly. It was 31 degrees when we stepped out onto the sidewalk at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach airport. Who knew the Florida panhandle would be so cold?

We spent Thursday night at a hotel near the airport. Our first gig was not scheduled until Saturday, so Friday was wide open. We dragged out feet, arranged a late checkout and grabbed lunch at a nice local joint before embarking on the hour-long drive to the festival.

After picking up our laminates and gift bag, we settled into our digs, a cozy little carriage house a block from the beach. After a bit of chilling, it was time to take in some music.

“FRIDAY I’M QUITE DEAD”

First up, Jim White. I’d met Jim—albeit virtually—on social media. We had a funny exchange where he commented on a post saying that he remembered a time when I punched out a monitor engineer at a festival under the Brooklyn Bridge.

I assured him—and you dear reader—that was not me. He was obviously mixing me up with someone else. I never played a festival under a bridge in New York, and I most certainly never punched out a monitor engineer.

Once we got that straightened out, we had a pleasant exchange about our love for Jay Bellrose’s drumming. And he mailed me a copy of his record that Jay played on. It was nice to be reacquainted with his music. I dug it back in the day when he made his initial splash, being discovered and signed by David Byrne. But his work had fallen off my radar.

After being reminded of how great he is, I knew I had to make a point of catching his set. I reached out to Jim to let him know I’d be there, and before he played we had a short visit.

Accompanied by producer John Keane (REM, Widespread Panic) and Steve “Bishop” Maples, Jim did not disappoint.

As an added bonus, attending this show gave me the opportunity to scope out the venue I’d play on Sunday night. More on that later.

After grabbing dinner, Elaine and I made our way to Havana Beach Bar & Grill at the very fancy Pearl Hotel to catch my pal, Kim Richey.

Kim and I met in 2001 when we were guest teachers at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Denmark. We were fast friends, and shortly thereafter, I made the trek to Nashville to write with her. The resulting “Electric Green” appeared on two of her records, Rise and The Collection, and on my 2006 release Under the Waves.

I am a certified Kim Richey fan. Regular readers of Love Songs Etc may remember me singing Kim’s praises in this Stuff I Dig post from September 20, 2024. It was a joy to see her perform again. Here we are after her set.

Kim shared the stage with Dan Bern. He is one of those artists whose name I’d seen around for years but never had a chance to see perform. He was brilliant. A classic troubadour. His song “French Jail” was a hilarious high point. Check it out on his Substack.

“DO YOU REMEMBER THE SATURDAY GIGS?”

Kim invited me to perform our song, “Electric Green,” with her at Jeff Black’s Hair of the Dog, a Saturday morning tradition at 30A. In addition to Kim and Jeff, this year’s ‘in the round’ line-up included Kevin Gordon and Gretchen Peters with Barry Walsh.

Before the set began, I shot the breeze with songwriter, musician, and producer Don Dixon (REM, James McMurtry) and paced around warming up my voice in what very well may have been the best green room ever.

Everyone on that stage was great. The writing was top-notch. And they were all seasoned performers.

I’d met Jeff around the time of his 1998 Arista debut, Birmingham Road, when we shared a bill at South by Southwest. But again, I was a fairweather fan and lost track of him. I’m looking forward to diving into his catalog.

Both Kevin Gordon and Gretchen Peters were names I was familiar with, but I had not heard their music. There were a lot of folks like that at 30A—lifers who have enjoyed various degrees of success without ever breaking huge in the mainstream.

Kevin had a super cool vibe. He played an old Gibson with f-holes—and ES 125, I think—through delay and tremolo pedals. The rough-hewn tone suited his voice and songs perfectly. The title track for his latest album, The In Between, was a highlight of the morning.

Then came Gretchen Peters and her sidekick, Barry Walsh. Elaine and I were knocked out by their performances. Gretchen’s songs touched us deeply. The level of skill and craft behind them blew our minds and left us inspired. It’s no wonder she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and was honored with the Poet’s Award by the Academy of Country Music.

After the set, I enjoyed my favorite part of playing festivals: getting to know my fellow travellers in song. Kim had to dash off to get back on the road, but the rest of us hung out, visited, and grabbed lunch together.

Elaine and I spent the rest of the afternoon recharging in our little carriage house. I meditated and grabbed a little shut-eye.

We rolled into the Lakeside Room at The Old Florida Fish House nice and early to find Nick, the house sound engineer, eager and ready to get down to business. Soundcheck took a while, so dinner before our set was out of the question.

Our green room was a couple of tables cramped behind a pair of dividers covered in fake vines. Webb Wilder and his band were rocking out on the mainstage. It was loud and frantic, so we decided to take a stroll around the grounds.

As showtime neared, we made our way back to the green room to touch up tuning—a difficult task with Webb and the gang blasting nearby. Thankfully, the tuning gods smiled on me, and both of my trusty Gibsons were happy and in tune.

As we rounded the corner to our venue, I was pleasantly surprised to find a great turnout. Nearly every seat was filled. After a nice intro from our stage manager, Matt, liftoff.

While the monitor mix was not ideal, I felt comfortable enough to sink into the music and connect with the songs. I could feel the love coming from the audience. A man in the front row, swaying gently with his eyes closed, exuding bliss, was a constant source of encouragement.

We closed with a Tom Petty medley capped off with Steve Miller’s “The Joker.” Check out this post from October 21, 2025, to see which Petty songs made the cut and to learn why “The Joker” was included.

This medley was the highlight of the night for me, thanks to the crowd joining in and singing along with great gusto.

I’ll be back in your inbox soon with part two of my gig recap. Until then, below is a video clip shot by our carriage house hosts, Dolly and Vinnie.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

GIG REMINDER

I’ll be in Walton County, Florida, this weekend playing two sets at the 30A Songwriter Festival.

This Saturday, January 17, I’ll play a regular show, and on Sunday the 18th, I will perform ‘in the round’ with premier Nashville session musician and hitmaker, Darrell Scott and my old Thorns bandmate Shawn Mullins.

TICKETS + INFO

Other than a festival near home this Summer, that should be it for gigs this year. It’s possible that other festivals may pop up, or the odd opening slot, but I definitely won’t be hitting the road as a headliner.

“THEY MADE A RECORD & IT WENT IN THE CHARTS!”

By the time we wrapped up our run of dates in the Midwest and the Northeast and landed on the West Coast, my debut album, Necktie Second,1 was picking up steam.

The first single, “Straylin Street,” had run its course. I don’t remember the specifics, but it performed fairly well at AAA radio. I’ll never forget the thrill of thumbing through the trades and seeing my name on the charts for the first time.

Every Tuesday, I’d check in with management back home from a truckstop payphone to find out how many adds we landed that week. As we slugged it out on the road, the record was growing slowly and steadily.

On the heels of “Straylin Street’s” modest success came the next single, the album’s lead-off track, “If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself)”. I’ve said it many times over the years, the song is three and a half minutes long and took all of three minutes to write. It just fell out of the sky. Or more accurately, it fell out of The New Comprehensive American Rhyming Dictionary.

I certainly would not write a lighthearted romp about suicide today. While the song is obviously meant to be tongue-in-cheek, I’m more sensitive to the topic now than I was back then. So much so that I’ve adapted the lyrics for the newly recorded bonus track on the deluxe reissue LP. It’s now “If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Love Myself).” I updated the words in a couple of other places as well. Have a listen.

I’ve been performing the song with these changes as of late. In my intro banter, I give the audience a heads up that I’ve updated the lyrics, and when that chorus hits, I’ve been met with enthusiastic approval in the form of spontaneous applause. But I digress.

“DOWN INTO LOS ANGELES WITH DIRTY HANDS AND WORN-OUT KNEES!”

As we began our West Coast residency tour, “If You Don’t Love Me…” was out and gaining spins at radio. And while we hadn’t landed any big fish like Rolling Stone just yet, the press the record did receive was overwhelmingly positive.

So as the old Econoline rolled into Los Angeles, my label, Rick Rubin’s American Recordings, was doing everything in its power to amplify the buzz that was building, including working with my agent Shelly Shaw and ICM to secure dates at the epicenter of 90s hipness, Johnny Depp’s Viper Room. The West Hollywood hot spot gained national attention in October 1993 when actor River Phoenix collapsed and died of a speedball overdose on the sidewalk out front.

“WALLFLOWER, WALLFLOWER, WON’T YOU DANCE WITH ME?”

One night, I invited Jakob Dylan to come sit in. I’d become friendly with Jake and his bandmates in The Wallflowers when I opened for them at The Roseland Theater in Portland about a year and a half earlier.

They were still pretty obscure at the time. Their 1992 self-titled debut on Virgin went mostly unnoticed. I dug the album and listened to “Ashes to Ashes” on repeat. At the time he came down to join us at the Viper Room, Jake was probably better known as Bob Dylan’s kid. That would all change with the blockbuster sophomore effort, 1996’s Bringing Down the Horse. Again, I digress.

Tom Petty was in the audience that night. Thankfully, I did not know this until afterward, or I’d have been nervous as hell. I’ve often wondered if this was an audition of sorts, as not long after I was invited to join Tom and the Heartbreakers on their Dogs With Wings Tour. More on all that later.

I’d recently met Tom backstage at The Bridge School Benefit, Neil Young’s annual charity concert. I recount how Pearl Jam guitarist, Mike McCready, introduced me to Tom in this post from June 14, 2023.

The Bridge School was one of the few diversions from the regular schedule, which, in addition to L.A., included San Jose, San Francisco, and Berkeley. More on those other cities next time. For now, back to the Viper Room.

“FIVE COPIES FOR MY MOTHER!”

Jake sat in on the Curtis Mayfield classic, “People Get Ready,” and “Sway” by The Rolling Stones. McCready was there that night, too, and I’m guessing he probably jumped up to join us on “Sway” as that was a tune he used to play with us in those days, and he always sat in whenever he was around.

But honestly, I can’t recall for sure. The only reason I know which songs we played is that Rolling Stone ran a blurb in Random Notes, along with a picture of Tom, Jake, and me. The caption quoted me saying, “Ironically, during sound check, we tried to do a Petty tune, ‘I Won’t Back Down.’ We butchered it. I’m glad we didn’t pursue that further -- it would’ve been horribly embarrassing because Tom was actually there.”

This was the first time I made the pages of Rolling Stone. It’s hard to overstate how much weight that rag carried in those days. I had long been an avid reader, so to see my picture and name gracing Random Notes was a huge milestone.

“SPENT SOME TIME IN THE MUDVILLE NINE!”

Guitarist Jeff Trott was cropped out of the picture that ran in Rolling Stone. (See below.) Fast forward a bit, and Jeff and Jake would be getting their picture taken together again.

After Jeff left my band, he joined the Wallflowers just long enough to shoot publicity photos. But when Sheryl Crow called to ask him to come to New Orleans to help write and record the follow-up to her multi-platinum smash debut, he made the difficult decision to leave The Wallflowers. Jeff has gone on to co-write and co-produce many of Sheryl’s hits, so I imagine he has no regrets.

Drummer Gregg Williams, who played on Necktie Second and toured behind it for the first six months, auditioned for the Wallflowers after he left my band. He also joined Sheryl and Jeff in the studio. His replacement, Dan McCarroll, also did a short stint with Sheryl, contributing to her third album, The Globe Sessions. And Peter Stroud, who replaced Jeff Trott, later joined Sheryl’s band and has enjoyed a long-running career as her guitarist and music director.

It’s. All. So. Incestuous.

I told all this to John Doe when we toured together, and he said, “You’re like Sheryl’s farm team!” I sure know how to pick ‘em. Yet again, I digress.

“MEET YOU ALL THE WAY!”

When Rosanne Barr turned up one night, the folks from my label sprang into action to make a photo happen. Her sitcom, Rosanne, was a massive hit at the time, and she was a bona fide superstar, so the shot landed in the trades.

Rosanne was a good sport about it. Her former bodyguard and boyfriend, Ben Thomas, not so much. He was noticeably cranky. I did not have much to say to Rosanne, and I was mindful of not wearing out my welcome, so after a brief bit of small talk, I let her be.

I’ll be back in your inbox later with my recollections from the rest of the West Coast residency. Until then, below are a couple more photos from The Viper Room.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

Here is the Rolling Stone photo before they cropped Jeff out of the shot.

And here’s another snapshot from the night Petty and McCready came down.

Fade Away Blue made SPIN Magazine’s favorite albums of the year list and was one of Magnet Magazine’s best singer-songwriter albums of 2025.

So I got that going for me, which is nice.

Before we get to part two of my series of posts chronicling the touring cycle behind Necktie Second, an update on future touring.

Despite having a wonderful time taking the music to the people last year, I have decided to stay off the road in 2026.

I will travel to Walton County, Florida, for the 30A Songwriters Festival, where I’ll play two sets over President’s Day weekend.

Saturday, January 17, I’ll play a regular show, and on Sunday the 18th, I will perform ‘in the round’ with my old Thorns bandmate Shawn Mullins and premier Nashville session musician and hitmaker, Darrell Scott.

TICKETS + INFO

Then, other than a festival near home this Summer, that should be it for gigs this year. It’s possible that other festivals or the odd opening slot may pop up, but I definitely won’t be hitting the road as a headliner.

After a year heavily weighted with business, promo, marketing and the like, I’m ready to shift the balance over to creative work. I’ve been getting my studio updated, dialed in, and ready for action.

First on the docket, I’ve signed on to compose the score for a feature film. More on that later. For now, without further ado, Necktie Second Tour Pt. 2.

In part one, we embarked on a residency tour of the Northeast after failing to secure an opening spot on a bigger tour. The strategy proved successful, so the next move seemed obvious: a residency tour of the Midwest.

IT’S A LONG WAY—THE WRONG WAY—TO MADISON!

This leg turned out to be much more challenging due to the longer distances between cities. Over several weeks, we played Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, and St. Louis. Madison may have been a one-off and not part of the regular rotation—I can’t recall for sure.

What I can recall is arriving at the club in Madison very late after accidentally driving the wrong way on the interstate. We loaded in frantically and got right to playing. Our set ended a bit later than planned, so as we wound up our set, we entertained a bunch of deadheads as they turned up for Grateful Dead night.

“TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY!”

The drive to and from St. Louis was brutal, so after a couple of weeks, we took it off the itinerary. Before we nixed it, we made memories at Cisero’s, a charmingly funky venue housed in the basement of a pizza joint.

One week, we shared the bill with power pop purveyors Velvet Crush. After the gig, we were all hanging out in the parking lot by our vans, lamenting all the extraneous activities involved in promoting and marketing records, when one of the Velvet Crush guys made a statement we still quote to this day.

Then there was the week when our label, American Recordings, sent Kenny DiDia out to cheer up the troops. On top of the long drives, a flu was making the rounds, and we hadn’t had a proper break since the tour began. We could use some cheering up. Kenny is a jovial guy, and what better to raise morale than a night of partying on the label’s dime?

THE TWIN CITIES!

In Minneapolis, we played the 7th Street Entry, the smaller room connected to First Avenue, the club made famous by Prince in the 1984 film Purple Rain.

I was in a particularly sour mood after soundcheck and was pouting in the cramped dressing room when drummer Gregg Williams sauntered in and said, “You may be bummed now, but you’re about to get cheered up.”

Moments later, my pal Mike McCready entered, carrying a funky old guitar case. “Here, Pete, this is for you.” I opened the case to reveal a 1919 Gibson L-1, a model made famous several years later by blues legend, Robert Johnson.

To this day, this gift is a prized piece in my guitar collection. It recently returned from the shop with new tuners, a fresh set of silk-and-steel strings, and a lousy setup. (It’s plinky above the seventh fret.) But I digress.

“DETROIT ROCK CITY!”

In Detroit, we played a new venue called AFB, otherwise known as Another Fucking Bar. It had a great dressing room, a rare luxury at this level of touring. We had full run of a complete apartment above the club.

While settling in to our comfortable digs, the owner went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. “If you need anything… and I mean anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” I imagine he was letting me know that he could score me whatever drugs I might fancy, but I also had a sneaking suspicion that if I wanted to have someone knocked off, he just might be able to make that happen. (Not really, but the band, crew and I had a good laugh about this later.)

“SPENT THE NIGHT IN CHI-TOWN”

We also enjoyed a lovely, spacious green room above Shubas in Chicago. A highlight at this classic venue—still in operation today—was when my producer and A&R man, Brendan O’Brien, joined us on lead guitar. I can’t recall if he was just sitting in or if this was the time he flew out to fill in while Jeff Trott attended a family wedding. In any event, Brendan is a killer guitarist, so it was a treat to have his flavor added to our rock-and-roll stew.

You can check out Brendan’s lead work on Necktie Second’s “So I Am Over You.” He also famously played the hot licks on The Black Crowes’ remake of “Hard to Handle.” But I digress.

“HELLO, CLEVELAND!”

I have a vague picture in my mind of the Cleveland venue, Peabody’s Cafe. On the lower level sat the stage and room for maybe a couple of hundred patrons. There were additional sightlines along railings from the upper floor.

The aforementioned flu caught up with me in Cleveland. The only clear memory from Peabody’s I can muster is lying on a wooden bench backstage, wishing I could cancel the gig. But as the old trope goes, the show must go on.

We survived this leg, in the words of Jagger/Richards, “a little bleary, worse for wear and tear.”

Thrilling times lay on the horizon. Next, I’ll recall our West Coast residency. Necktie Second began to pick up steam, and I rubbed shoulders with celebs at The Viper Room and joined Neil Young at The Bridge School Benefit. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

In all that time, I haven’t had a drop—except for that night in Denmark when my ice cream dessert was drowned in liqueur. One spoonful and my body said, “Oh, hell no!” I immediately ran outside and puked my guts out.

Before I decided to give up the sauce once and for all, I tried moderation. Many times. That would typically last for three or four nights at the most.

At one point, I tried switching from hard liquor and beer to wine. I never had a taste for wine, so I thought it might slow me down. No such luck.

A pivotal moment came when my friend Shannon Hoon died. The Blind Melon singer was found unresponsive on his tour bus the morning after an all-night drug binge. I had recently acquired a taste for pills, and losing yet another fellow traveller to an overdose was just the wake-up call I needed. Elaine and I flushed my stash immediately upon hearing the news. And it was just in the nick of time, as I was right on the brink of developing a serious habit.

A little over a month later, I opened for Joe Ely at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon. After the gig, when I arrived at the hotel, they didn’t have my reservation, and they were sold out.

I’d been planning to hit the minibar in my room for a nightcap, and here it was, almost 2:00 am. I panicked and raced to the nearest convenience store, arriving just in time to buy some beer.

After settling into my new hotel and knocking back a few cold ones, I caught my reflection in the mirror. I looked a mess.

As I gazed into my bloodshot eyes, I reflected on the panic that hit me at the hotel desk at the thought of no more alcohol for the night. That was the final straw. I was sick and tired of being a slave to the stuff, and in that moment, I decided to quit for good.

And when I say for good, I mean for good. I know the ‘one day at a time’ thing works for countless others, but for me, I had all the evidence I needed to take the bold step of saying “never again.”

Here I am speaking to this approach on the Sober Curator podcast.

The next day, before heading back home to Vashon Island, I purchased a stuffed monkey to symbolize getting the monkey off my back. He’s resting on top of an amp in the corner of my studio as a constant reminder of the freedom I enjoy as a teetotaler.

I’m grateful for the inspiration and support I found in my friends who’d taken the leap before me. They showed me the party didn’t have to end, setting an example of how you could exist in the rock-and-roll world, stay sober, and still have a great time.

Here’s another clip from the Sober Curator pod.

Finally, to anyone considering giving up the sauce, I say, “Come on in, the sparkling water’s fine.”

I’m pretty sure this will be my final dispatch of 2025. Thank you for being here. Have a lovely holiday season.

I’ll be back in your inbox next year. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

It’s Bandcamp Friday, where they waive their fee and 100% goes to the artist.

It’s a great time to pick up the 2xLP deluxe reissue of my 1994 debut, Necktie Second, and my new album, Fade Away Blue.

We’ve also got t-shirts, posters, and a coffee mug, so you can find the perfect gift bundle for the DrogeHead in your life.

BANDCAMP

Here’s some BTS footage of me tracking vocals for “Northern Bound Train” at Southern Tracks Recording (RIP) in Atlanta.

You can see from this ‘Director’s Cut’ that we enjoyed ourselves and had a lot of laughs while making the record.

GEAR DORKING

I don’t recall what that mic was. Interesting to see that I’m riding bareback. No pop filter.

I can’t be 100% certain, but I think the vocal chain consisted of a Tube Tech mic pre and compressor. I have a hunch there may have been a vintage Neve EQ in there as well.

I’ll be back in your inbox soon with a very significant anniversary. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

FESTIVAL REMINDER
January 16-19 - Walton County, FL • 30A Songwriters Festival

TICKETS + INFO

I think it’s a good time to slow down the pace of posting here as we glide into the holidays.

I’ve slid into your inboxes a lot this year. I hope you’ve enjoyed what I’ve been putting down.

I expect I’ll be back in your inbox with a little somethin’ somethin’ before the new year. But if not, have a wonderful holiday season, and I’ll see you on the other side.

Once we turn the corner into 2026, I’ll finally get around to finishing up the Necktie Second touring cycle series. I posted part one way back in February.

As I was writing this post about slowing down, I remembered my song “Slow Down.” This little ditty dates back to the early days of the pandemic. Hence, the lockdown beard.

I recorded this video while experimenting with different ways to record audio while filming live performances. I employed a mid-side stereo mic technique, placed just out of the frame. This is the same setup I used for the “Skeleton Crew” video I posted on January 17, 2023, when Love Songs Etc was brand new.

The song still needs work. At the very least, I need to refine the arrangement. It’s weird how I went to the B section twice in a row.

No hurry to figure any of that out, though, as “Slow Down” won’t make the cut for the next record anyway. I’ll keep it in my back pocket for my Poor Man’s JJ Cale album. Someday, I want to make a record that leans heavily on my love for laid-back, swampy, blues-infused groove music. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

FESTIVAL REMINDER
January 16-19 - Walton County, FL • 30A Songwriters Festival

TICKETS + INFO

Happy birthday, Elaine Summers. I am an incredibly lucky lad to share my life with this lovely and talented gem of a human being.

She’s been a part of every record I’ve made, going back to my 1994 debut, Necktie Second. (Did I mention that that old record was recently released on vinyl for the first time?)

Here is a video from a post last year of us working on “Hardest Thing To Do” during the Necktie sessions. Elaine really shines on that track. And as you’ll hear in this BTS clip, she also brought her sunny disposition to the sessions.

ON EVERY RIDE TO EVERY SHOW

A while back, I wrote a song in Elaine’s honor called “On Every Ride to Every Show.” (Lyrics below.)

It’s one of eight songs that have made the cut for the follow-up to Fade Away Blue. There are at least four contenders vying for the two remaining spots. Soon, I’ll create a spreadsheet to get my eyes on all the songs in one place. I’ll create columns for things like key, tempo, time, vibe & feel to give me a better sense of which songs will complement the choices we’ve already made.

Today I’m sharing a pre-production voice memo work tape from my phone. Listen in as we try out our new harmonies, warts and all. We’ve employed a harmony technique we used on “Northern Bound Train” and “Sunspot Stopwatch” at our recent live dates where Elaine takes over the melody, and I drop down to a low harmony.

You’ll also hear us shoot out an optional guitar strum. The full take features a technique I’ve been using a lot lately—it’s my take on the Maybelle Scratch. Otherwise known as The Carter Scratch, it’s a technique popularized by Maybelle Carter, where she plays bass notes with her thumb while simultaneously strumming the high strings with her finger.

The other strum is played with a plectrum in a half-time feel. The scratch won handily.

I love being in pre-production mode. It’s a time when all things are possible. It’s fun imagining how a song might turn out, knowing full well it will take on a life of its own and surprise you as it reveals itself once the record button is pushed.

CAMERON CROWE: THE UNCOOL

On Monday night, Elaine and I had the pleasure of attending Cameron Crowe’s book event at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. What a thrill it was to hear “Pete Droge and Elaine Summers” reverberate through that beautiful hall as he namechecked members of Seattle’s music ‘family’ in attendance.

This was icing on the cake on top of the thrill of learning that Elaine and I are mentioned in his new memoir, The Uncool.

Cameron read a riveting excerpt chronicling how he landed his first cover story with Rolling Stone magazine after a harrowing experience with Greg Allman. His masterful prose needed no help in painting a vivid picture; nonetheless, Neil Preston’s photos from the tour projected on the big screen only enhanced the incredible story.

After the reading, Cameron welcomed Eddie Vedder to the stage. The pair sat in big, comfy chairs and embarked on a wide-ranging conversation that included belly laughs and deeply emotional, touching moments.

The highlight of the Q&A that followed was Mike McCready asking if Cameron preferred interviewing lead singers or lead guitarists.

The event flew by. If you are in Los Angeles (11/20 & 21) or San Francisco 11/22), this is not to be missed.

As the crowd filed out, Elaine and I slapped on our backstage wristbands and found our way to the aftershow hang. It was lovely bumping into old friends from the Pearl Jam world that we hadn’t seen in forever.

I knew Cameron would have his hands full as the man of the hour, so I was pleased we had a chance to visit for a bit. Before letting him go to mingle with his adoring fans and friends, I was determined not to make the mistake I made last time I was in the presence of a legendary Rolling Stone writer. I asked for a photo. Here we are.

I’ll be back in your inbox later.

Until then… check out the lyrics to “On Every Ride To Every Show” below. And look for me on the socials.

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete

“On Every Ride To Every Show”

i trusted you with every secret
i had ever held
and the weight that lifted from me
was more than any words can tell
i want you to know that i
don’t know what i’d do without you

drummers and guitar pickers
come as easy as they go
but you’re always here beside me
on every ride to every show

side by side we’ve seen the world
thru the windows of buses, planes & vans
from the rocky mountains of canada
to the white west terschelling sands
there ain’t no price that anyone can pay
for all the memories that we made along the way

CHORUS

music’s filling up this bar
i turn and look and there you are
chang-a-lang-a-lang stage right
strumming that little parlor guitar
long as i’ve got you at my side
sweet harmonies right in time

CHORUS

you loved me just as much when i
was going places and reaching higher
as you did when i was finding out
i had already arrived
you always see the real me
not the cat that i pretended to be

CHORUS

on every ride to every show (repeat)

Words and Music by Pete Droge

At long last, my 1994 debut, Neckie Second, has been released on vinyl. The double-vinyl deluxe reissue is now available in stores and online.

The vinyl-only reissue is distributed by Alliance Entertainment as part of their Vinyl Voice Editions program, making it available in over 35,000 retail locations around the globe. If your local record store doesn’t have it in stock, you can ask them to order a copy.

Or you can purchase a copy from my online store. Bandcamp orders have been arriving on listeners' turntables this week.

ORDER NOW ON BANDCAMP

Necktie Second was originally released on Rick Rubin’s American Recordings label on May 24, 1994. On the day the album was released, a local Portland news crew tagged along as I rehearsed in my basement and visited Music Millennium to pick up a copy. Here is that segment featuring a very earnest young Pete.

Necktie Second (Deluxe) has been expanded to include two studio outtakes and five newly recorded stripped-down renditions of fan favorites, all on translucent vinyl in a gatefold jacket.

For more on the bonus tracks, check out this post from October 27.

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this album.

CREDITS

SIDES 1-3:
Produced & mixed by Brendan “Bud” O’Brien / Engineered by Russ Fowler / Recorded and mixed at Southern Tracks except “Hampton Inn Room 306” written and recorded in room 306 North Druid Hills Hampton Inn / Assistant engineering by Karl Heilbron and Caram Costanzo / Mastered for vinyl by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering

Robert Cooper: Bass / Pete Droge: Lead vocal, guitars, piano, Hammond B-3, pump organ & E-bow / Terry McMillan: Percussion / Brendan O’Brien: Guitars, backing vocals, harmonium, wurlitzer, Hammond B-3, E-bow, bass on “Sunspot Stopwatch” / Elaine Summers: Backing vocals & cowbell & tamborine / Gregg Williams: Drums, percussion & backing vocals

• • •

SIDE 4:
Produced by Pete Droge / Mixed by Pete Droge & Martin Feveyear / Engineered by Pete Droge & Peter Stroud / Recorded & mixed at Puzzle Tree Studio / Additional recording at Fuzzy Hip Studio / Mastered for vinyl by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering

Pete Droge: Lead vocal & guitars / Peter Stroud: Slide guitars / Elaine Summers: Backing vocals

• • •

All songs written by Pete Droge / Published by Puzzle Tree Music (ASCAP), admin by Downtown Music Publishing

 • • •

Layout & design by Belhum / Original cover design by Barry Ament / Front cover & inside photography by Lance Mercer / Back cover photography by Karen Moskowitz / Center label photography by David E. Perry / Thanks to Erik Freeman, Jason Hughes, Dino Paredes & Gene Zacharewicz / Thanks to Jim Anderson for appearing on the cover.

I’ll be back in your inbox later. Until then…

Peace & Love Songs,

Pete