Breaking news: This Friday’s Crusin’ performance at Ardon Creek Vineyard & Winery has been canceled due to the heat wave. –Nate

My CSI collaborator, Matt Clemens and I, have a story in the current issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. It’s a pirate yarn. Check out this excerpt (and more info) here.

Last time I announced my impending retirement – after a few gigs this year – from rock ‘n’ roll. A sad reminder of the passage of time had one of our most valued members passing away. Jim Van Winkle was with Crusin’ for almost ten years and was a cheerful on- (and off-) stage presence as well as one of the best lead guitarists in the history of the band.

M.A.C., the late Chuck Bunn, Steve Kundel, the late Jim Van Winkle.

We lost Jim’s brother Brian three years ago. He came aboard when our longtime bassist Chuck Bunn (who went back to the original Daybreakers) passed away in 2011. Brian was an excellent musician, very dedicated, and one of the sunniest, funniest members of our band ever.

The musical contribution of the Van Winkle brothers to Crusin’ in recent years is enormous.

When you run any organization for fifty years – and you can add another five for the 1966 – 1971 run of the Daybreakers – it’s a study in great friendships and a certain amount of inevitable losses. Our Daybreakers bassist and singer Terry Becky was murdered in a motel room. Our legendary guitarist Bruce Peters died far too young possibly due to over-medication for his mental illness. My great friend and musical collaborator Paul Thomas passed of sleep apnea at the tragically young age of 52. Chuck Bunn, when he returned to Crusin’ after a long absence after the Daybreakers were inducted in 2008 into the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame, was battling cancer during his entire last run as the bass player whose veteran pop combo experience had put us on the local map. Co-founder of the Daybreakers, Jim Hoffmann, is gone too, and so is that handsome, drolly funny Lenny Sloat – the original Crusin’ guitarist.

Not all is grim. When the Daybreakers performed at the Iowa Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, the entire original line-up was there – Chuck included (and drummer Buddy Busch and guitarists Dennis Maxwell and Mike Bridges). Denny Maxwell, also a Crusin’ veteran, joined with me, drummer Steve Kundel, bassist Brian Van Winkle and guitarist Bill Anson for the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame induction concert when we were honored in 2018. (Bill’s son Scott is our bassist now and he’s first-rate, the talent apple not falling far from the tree.) The funny, gifted Andy Landers – singer and rhythm guitarist – continues to play music very successfully in Washington State. Last I heard from Crusin’ guitarist Rob Gal he was still a successful record producer in Atlanta. And both father and son drummers, Dewayne and Jamie Hopkins – were our drummers back in the ‘80s, and are alive and well.

Here are the lyrics of my song “The Party,” written in memory of Bruce Peters and other fallen band members; it was featured in my movie Mommy and on the Crusin’/Daybreakers CD, Thirty Year Plan.

The Depression era styles (and guns) of the film version of Road to Perdition are looked at in depth in this wonderful article.

At the great DVD Beaver (not a porn site!) is a terrific write up of the film version of Mickey Spillane’s The Long Wait with quite a bit about my commentary track thereof. Well worth checking out.

Tags: Crusin', Mickey Spillane, Music, Passings