We did it. We survived another year as a band, as human beings, as denizens of Earth. No small feat, these days - keeping a band together, OR being human. The Earthling bit’s a piece of cake by comparison - somewhat embarrassing at times, but hey, “You can’t pick your family.”, right?
Existential achievements, and/or shortcomings aside, it was a pretty decent 365 (so far, at least).
Our schedule was light, due in part to my recovery from wrist surgery in the first quarter, and the retirement of our beloved Jean-Claude Damme Van not long after, but we eventually managed to squeeze in a handful of higher profile engagements that made up for the overall low mileage.
Dates with Styx, Everclear, and The Verve Pipe gave us a chance to do our thing for some bigger audiences, and reminded me once again that foregoing a lucrative career in elbow modeling was the right decision to make. Sure, I sacrificed money & fame, but those joints get to age discretely, under cover of denim, for as long as we can dream the dream.
On that note, 2026 is nigh, and we’re gonna kick it off with a Nashville date, at The ’58 in Eastside Bowl on Thursday, January 15th, with Salmon In The Current (featuring TGA/fORMER alumnus Henry Go). Doors are at 7PM, and we’re first up, taking the stage at 8 sharp. If all of your favorites happen to be the same as all of OUR favorites, then you can expect to hear all of your favorites.
Lately, I've contemplated making a new solo record…not because I have the songs, because I don’t, but because it’s the only way I can think of to pressure Kenny into finishing his own long-gestating album, and actually RELEASING it, so I can hear the damn thing in its entirety.
If he had done so already, it might’ve made this list:
Denny Smith’s Top 10 (give or take a couple) Favorite Albums of 2025 (and thereabouts)…in no specific order
———
James McMurtry - The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy
Pete Droge - Fade Away Blue
Marcus King Band - Darling Blue
Stereophonics - Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘en Wait
Inhaler = Open Wide
My Morning Jacket - is
Ruston Kelly - Pale, Through The Window
Craig Finn - Always Been
Zoe Dominguez - Out The House
The Virginmarys - The House Beyond The Fires
Sam Fender - People Watching
Billy Idol - Dream Into It
Sloan - Based On The Best Seller
………not to mention a slew of Deluxe & Expanded Editions, Remasters, etc. We’d be here all day if I had to start culling that mess.
I’m sure I missed a bunch of stuff. It’s really tough to keep up with these things in the streaming age, where I don’t have physical copies of everything I’ve purchased throughout the year to flip through, and consider more thoroughly. I do know this much though, I have straight worn out the Sam Fender and The Virginmarys records.
I’m sure the guys have their own lists, and I’ll get those posted to our Facebook page, if they find their way to me, along with any other “news” that may present itself between now and our next communiqué.
Until then…
Be good to one another, (an early) Ho! Ho! Ho!, and (an even earlier) Happy New Year!
D.
p.s.
