THE LOWDOWN ON DANNY & DUSTY
It was just about 20 years ago that Dan Stuart and Steve Wynn took a break from their respective ..day job.. bands (Green On Red and The Dream Syndicate) and as Danny & Dusty made the hazy, beer-soaked ..The Lost Weekend". The album truly was recorded in one weekend with members of the Long Ryders (Stephen McCarthy, Sid Griffin, Tom Stevens) as well as Chris Cacavas from Green On Red and Dennis Duck from The Dream Syndicate. "The Lost Weekend.. ended up being a big influence on many pioneers of the Alt-Country movement and has only grown in stature in the years since. Go figure. Still, there hadn't been any seismic indication that the two California natives had any desire to repeat the experience until they found themselves both living in NYC. Upon hearing that Wynn had severely broken his ankle and was laid up at home, Stuart took it as a sign and wondered whether another record might be possible. Venturing uptown with guitar in hand, Danny found Dusty laying on the couch, watching baseball and chewing Vicodins. Surely not much had changed in two decades. After whiling away several afternoons picking and grinning, the duo decided that another album was in order and arrangements were made to record in Richmond, VA. Local ringers Johnny Hott (House of Freaks, Sparklehorse) and Bob Rupe (Silos, Cracker) were enlisted, along with Stephen McCarthy and Chris Cacavas from the debut album. Eclectic madman JD Foster agreed to produce. The result proves that given enough time, lightning can indeed strike twice, forging a "Cast Iron Soul" that will endure through thick and thin
MY LUNCH WITH DUSTY
Interior: New Congee Village, Bowery and Houston Streets, NYC.
Scenario: In which two crusty songwriters confront each other's entrenched as well as flippant beliefs on the who, what, where and why of a potential recording date.
Danny: How's the ankle?
Dusty: Still broke... it's got a plate in it... airport security is going to be a nightmare.
Danny: I'm on the search list...
Dusty: They must know you "hate America"...
Danny: I love America, I just hate the people...
A beautiful young lady brings them tea. They point to items on the menu and get back to it.
Dusty: So you got anything? You should have a decade of songs...
Danny: Just stuff from the last year... "the year of living stupidly".
Dusty: You've always been good at that...
Danny: I got a Waylon stomp, a Nashville Skyline thing, maybe a rock song or two... you?
Dusty: Nada.
Danny: Nada?
Dusty: The whole year's been weird...
Danny: What happened?
Dusty: I don't know... my well ran dry.
Danny: Maybe I can piss in it.
The China doll comes back with steaming bowls on congee. The two old friends let the bowls rest for a moment before digging in.
Danny: Oh sweet Jesus that's good... well last time I laid some songs out and you came back with all the good stuff. How long did we write for?
Dusty: Maybe three or four sessions.
Danny: It shows... all those throwaway lines.
Dusty: That's what was great about it... no pretense.
Danny: Being purposefully half-baked isn't pretentious?
Dusty: Oh you were fully baked all right... cooked right through.
Danny: I still haven't forgiven you for taking out the nasty bits...
Dusty: Come on... "going down on transvestites?" ... real subtle.
Danny: He was the "King of the Losers" for godsake!
Dusty: I guess there's good cringe and bad cringe.
Danny: No one would think twice if it was prose... that's why the gangstas are making all the money.
Dusty: Please don't rap, and no prog either.
Danny: Hobbit rock? Shit don't swing.
The congee soon disappears and the bowls are whisked away. Danny notices a stuffed fawn on a ledge above his head.
Danny: Hey, who killed Bambi?
Dusty: Wasn't on the menu. I think we should record in Richmond.
Danny: Yeah? As long as it ain't all the same guys... I gotta fool myself somehow.
Dusty: Into what?
Danny: Believing that the last twenty years meant something.
Dusty: What has that got to do with them?
Danny: Fuck I don't know, but it was never a band... I got a band.
Dusty: So I've heard. Don't worry, there's some great players down there... Hott, Rupe... McCarthy would love play to put up with us again.
Danny: Cacavas?
Dusty: He was the ringer last time.
Danny: Yeah, okay... what am I scared of?
Dusty: What we're all scared of.
The bill appears and they both throw in a five. Danny grabs a toothpick for second helpings.
Dusty: How come Iggy didn't live on congee? Cheaper than dogfood.
Danny: What about Foster? I won't do it without a producer.
Dusty: We don't need anyone.
Danny: Yeah? Me and you screaming at each other, that sounds like fun.
Dusty: You mean you screaming at me.
Danny: And then feeling bad and letting you take over.
Dusty: JD's cool, you think he'll do it?
Danny: Depends if the electro-shock's got enough kick in it.
Dusty: I was wondering why the lights were flickering. So we on?
Danny: You betcha, Danny and Dusty... back from oblivion... or at least Bakersfield.
