• Digital Album

  Streaming + Download

  Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
  
  Already Home (2000) was written on spec for a movie starring Jon Bon Jovi called Little City. They didn’t end up using it, but Mike plays a great guitar solo here.
  Big Old Sky (2000) From the same session — our last, as it turned out. One of the joys of revisiting older recordings is being reminded of the contributions of certain musicians — in this case, what a musical drummer Nat Seeley is.
  Worn Once (1998) One of our oldest tunes, and a staple of our live set for years. I wrote it on the plane in 1985. This late ’90s version has a great vibe.
  Likewise Twos on Parade, which I also wrote in 1985 but had slipped through the cracks by the time Blue On Blonde came out. Big Marshall Crenshaw influence here. He once wrote me a really nice page-long handwritten rejection letter after i had answered his ad looking for a second guitarist in the Village Voice.
  Who Why was probably recorded in 1997 or ’98. We had a friendly connection with Mary Chapin Carpenter and sent her this tune as a possible duet. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that offer was rejected. The only version of this I could find was missing the guitar solo, so I had to oblige with a brand-new one — proof of life!
  She Said Please (1997) Some Beggar’s Banquet-style attitude with guitar a la skank. JG takes a ride first and Mike cleans up with some gritty fills.
  If You Loved Me* (1988) I remember being inspired by my friends the Cucumbers’ tune “I’ll Do Anything,” which is still the better song. Nice guitar from John Andrews.
  (I’m Gonna) Tear Your Doghouse Down is from the same session as She Said Please; great backup vocal arrangement by Mike and Chris. JG doubled-tracked on the solo. XTC had a big effect on me, whether or not it's noticeable here.
  Second Story Man From the same one-off 1985 session as “Sure Been Scared” on Blue on Blonde. I was playing with Lonesome Val at the time, and for this session I used her rhythm section of Steve Cohen on bass and Stanley John Mitchell on drums, along with my fellow ex-Mundanes John Andrews on guitar and Jim Gillson on keys.
  (Now We’re Getting) A Little Somewhere** (1988) I wrote this about being in a band while on the subway on the way to a gig, and recorded it on my brand-new Guild Songbird, an electric-feeling acoustic on which I ended up writing a lot of songs. Musically I remember thinking of my friend Richard X Heyman and REM.
  Saturday Nightfall* From the same 1990 session as “Empty Rooms,” “Heartache 109” and “White Picket Fence Life” on Blue on Blonde. Produced by William Garrett.
  Will She Show** (1988) Tasty solo from John Andrews; I wrap it up at the end.
  
  BONUS TRACKS
  
  Atlantic Seaboard Blues (JG demo, 1982) This was recorded when Dubway was just a table with a 4-track reel-to-reel and an Echoplex. I think I played bass, but it might have been Al. This was about taking the train to visit Marsha in Rhode Island right after the rest of us had moved to New York.
  Wish I still had that Gretsch Country Gentleman.
  *****
  Lonesome Debonaires, 1984
  Can’t Be Sure A remake of a song I wrote back in Providence for Marsha to sing with the Mundanes. John Linnell’s accordion adds a wonderfully wistful quality.
  Famous Last Girl I started this one when crashing at David Gernert’s apartment on 19th St. on one of my first nights in New York in September 1981.
  Staying On Catherine My first really good song after the Mundanes. I was having difficulty coming up with decent stuff, and John Andrews suggested I just get in a room and displace some air with my voice — probably the best songwriting advice I ever got.
  *****
  King Coil
  Only in Pictures (1985) Bill Greenberg and Jeff Sanders had a project called King Coil; Bill and I were old friends from the Providence days, and we shared a practice space at 262 Mott Street. One day I joined them for a jam and it sounded good, so we booked some time at Dubway and recorded three songs. This is still my favorite guitar solo I ever recorded.
  Unfortunately, Bill was playing with another Providence band that had moved to New York, the Egyptians, who were managed by Hilly Krystal, and when Bill blew off a showcase Hilly had booked in favor of going to Iceland for one of his own projects, Hilly was so mad at him he refused to give King Coil a gig, and the band never played live.
  Love Supreme (1985) No, not *that* one. I just play a little guitar arpeggio on this, but it’s a lovely song. We lost Bill back in the late ’90s, and I’m happy to include this in his memory. He wrote it, sings and plays the solo.
  She’s Leaving Home (1985) Yeah, that one. We never discussed arrangements, but everyone found their place. Jeff Sanders made his career in advertising, but he’s still one of the best bassists I ever played with.
  *****
  Credits, unless specified otherwise above:
  Jonathan Gregg & the Lonesome Debonaires
  JG, Lead guitar, vocals
  Michael McMahon, Guitars, slide guitar, backup vocals
  Chris Smylie, Bass, backup vocals
  Nat Seeley, Drums, percussion
  
  On songs indicated with *, same as above, except Ken Meyer on drums
  On songs indicated with **, John Andrews, guitar and backup vocals; Ken Meyer, drums; and Judd Fuller, bass and backups
  
  Lonesome Debonaires, 1984
  JG, Guitar, vocals
  John Linnell, Accordion, electric piano, backup vocals
  Al Houghton, Bass, backup vocals
  Rosie Rex, Drums
  
  King Coil
  Bill Greenberg, Guitar, vocals
  Jeff Sanders, Bass, vocals
  Evan Burr, Drums
  JG, Guitar
  
  Recorded, mixed and mastered at Dubway Studios, NYC, by Al Houghton
  
  Produced by Jonathan Gregg & the Lonesome Debonaires, with assistance from Al Houghton
  “Saturday Nightfall” produced by William Garrett
  King Coil tracks produced by Bill Greenberg and Jeff Sanders
  
  Cover art by Doug Allen; thanks to Stanley John Mitchell for the drum head
  Cover photo and design by JG
  Band photos by Paolo Vescia, Marsha Armitage and Mallory Hattie
  
  All songs © by Jonathan Gregg, Obliterati Publishing (ASCAP)
  except “She’s Leaving Home,” Lennon/McCartney;
  “Only in Pictures” and “Love Supreme,” Greenberg, Sanders, Gregg, Obliterati Publishing, (ASCAP)
  
  
  
  ***** ... more
  Purchasable with gift card

  Buy Digital Album   $10 USD  or more

  Send as Gift  

• Share / Embed

about

credits

license