j. bell & the Lazy Susan Band

We had a killer show at the Driftwood on September 5th! Man we had fun. We can’t wait to get back again in November and we just may have a new tune or two to debut there! In the meantime, don’t forget to support Doc’s Kids as they release their first album in 7 years. It comes out Oct 18th with a big release show at Lee’s Liquor Lounge in MPLS! Doc’s Kids is j. bell & BPZMAG from the LSB and the show on Oct 18 will feature $2 Bill as well. Definitely a not miss event!

Man that $80 Whiskey CD release show was fun. But it was so long ago. Let’s do it again! Join us at Whiskey Junction Friday June 20th while we bust out some tunes from $80 Whiskey and share some $80 Whiskey cocktails. Who doesn’t love Whiskey Junction? Special Guest Sarah VanValkenburg will even kick things off again! What’s not to like?

It’s been an exciting last few months and the roll out of $80 Whiskey is almost complete! We have one show left this year and it’s a Toys for Tots Fundraiser featuring 6 local acts at the Acadia Cafe in MPLS. The Lazy Susan Band is on at 8pm sharp so get there early and stay late. With your admissi0n of one new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots – you will also get a FREE Holiday CD featuring the very local acts you’ll be seeing that evening. We will see you on Dec 7th at the Acadia!

j. bell & BPZMAG have worked up some moody acoustic versions of tunes from $80 Whiskey for an acoustic duo show at Lee’s Liquor Lounge on Tuesday Nov 19th. Opening up for Practical Goods and Oly – the LSD (for duo, remember) hits the stage at 9:30pm. Join us won’t you?

2 days away Winona! Big show at the Bar in Goodview – music starts at 7 – Adam Strelow/j. bell acoustic set – j. bell & the Lazy Susan Band – Manfort – Sucker Punch Sally – all for the low low price of…FREE!! Plus drink specials on the $80 Whiskey cocktail all night long! Come on down – grab your copy of the new album $80 Whiskey and have a blast with all this great music right there in Goodview!

After the big Minneapolis release on Oct 5th for the new album – $80 Whiskey – j. bell and the boys have decided to visit his hometown of winona for a release show and share the stage with Sucker Punch Sally at “The Bar” in Goodview! Come check out the new tunes and try one of our signature $80 Whiskey cocktails for only $3! No cover – music at 7pm – for more info check out www.jbellmusic.com

Due to a small communication issue, our set with Martin Zellar and the Hardaways this weekend will be on Friday night instead of Saturday night. It’s in Madelia MN for the Governor’s Pheasant Opener Event.

“Win You Over Yet” was spun on 89.3 the Current this morning!! Use this link to request more of j. bell & the Lazy Susan Band
http://www.thecurrent.org/listen/request/

You can request “Win You Over Yet”, “Mae, I” or “Minneapolis Bound”

 

Check out the music page for the entire album streaming and behind the song video blogs for each song. The whole record will be available streaming until Oct 5th – when it officially “drops” as the urban youth are prone to say. Enjoy!

Since there are no liner notes in the CD this time around I wanted to make just a few thank you’s to the people who made $80 Whiskey possible…

There are many thank yous owed for this record. I can’t possible make them all, but there are a few people that without whom, it simply wouldn’t have happened and I’d like to briefly thank them here…

My bandmates, my musical compadres, the Lazy Susan Band:

Ben Young – Ben you and I have been playing together for over 15 years in 3 different bands (at least). I have a hard time imagining sharing new songs with another drummer. You know how to accent my playing and singing and you know where I need to be covered up with an inappropriately loud fill or repeated strikes with a splash cymbal. It was scary recording this album without you, I haven’t made a rock record without you since I was a teenager. I was sure you would hate my drum parts and was worried that you wouldn’t want anything to do with the final product…but I was wrong. I’m honored that you embraced this record and want to help me bring it to life…or live, whatever you’re supporting these days. Thank you.

Tom Adams – T, I feel it is my responsibility to keep your unique brand of musical genius flowing somewhere. You have saved the LSB more than once, be it filling in as a go-to guitar or bass or percussion sub, or joining up full time for our last official run. I thoroughly love playing with you and am so excited that you are on board for this new musical frontier with us. Thank you.

$2 Bill Turner – Honestly $2, playing with you over that last year is the biggest thing that got me excited to play again. Your honest joy and excitement to learn new music and try new things reminds me of perspectives I forgot about a long time ago. If you hadn’t agreed to start playing a few shows with me last year, I’m not sure that I would have made this record or wanted to try and put the band back together. I smile every time I realize I get to play with you at a gig or rehearsal. I think you are the future of the Lazy Susan Band.  Thank you.

BPZMAG – my musical partner since 1996, the other half of Doc’s Kids, my first wife… Of course I’m glad you joined the LSB officially for this tour of duty after years of being on the fringes of the band. I needed you all-in full time to make this work. You listened to the early mixes of all of these songs, coached me through tough studio nights and listened more critically to these songs than anyone else ever will. I truly value your input and feedback as much as I value your friendship. Your support, promotion, enthusiasm and faith in this project inspires me to do more and think outside of the box every day. Your commitment and investment in this album re-motivates me every time I start to question it. I’m not sure I’m capable of doing anything musical without you anymore. So, thank you.

 

Sarah VanValkenberg – Sarah, producing your records is how I learned how to use my studio. I enjoyed helping to design your songs so much that my creative fires, that I thought were snuffed out, started to glow again. That first CD was quite the experiment with a steep learning curve but we both learned quite a bit. “Guitar Picks & Bottle Caps” is truly fantastic and I think my writing started again simply because of how jealous I was that your record was turning out so well. Thank you for letting me help shape those records and songs. I know for a fact that if we wouldn’t have made “Guitar Picks & Bottle Caps” together, there would be no $80 Whiskey. Now I will have to figure out a way to keep you from outgrowing me, so I get to produce your 3^rd album too. Thank You.

 

Jason Narverud – you took all  of our pictures, designed our album and promotion, built our website, produced and directed our new video…and who knows what else you’ve done that I just don’t understand yet. I certainly don’t deserve the effort you’ve put into this project, but it either wouldn’t have gotten off the ground without your work or it would have been much, much lamer. I owe you so many $80 Whiskeys, I can’t even calculate the tab. Thank you.

 

And finally, my Wife & Daughter – Yes. I promised I was done putting out and promoting records. And yes, I spent an inordinate amount of time building a studio in our house, learning how to use it, producing other people’s work and eventually making another rock & roll record…that I now have to promote. All in the abundant free time that we all have. An apology for all of that would be insincere because I think you both knew before I did that I wasn’t ever done. You both know me better than I know myself and still put up with me. I hope that I always allow and support the two of you being yourselves and being fulfilled the same way you have allowed and supported me. Making this record has made me happy in a way that I forgot about and it is 100% dedicated to my unwavering love for both of you. You two are my world and my life…and although I know it hasn’t always been, right now…life is very good. Thank you.

j. bell