Townes van Zandt
Studio sessions
Memphis, TN

late 1996

I downloaded this one years ago from Dime. It was offered as an unknown (partial) studio recording from unknown date.

When listening I discovered the tracks are most likely from the studio sessions Townes did with Steve Shelley' s (Sonic Youth) band Two Dollar Guitar.
In the spring of 1996 Townes was contacted by Steve Shelley, who informed Van Zandt that he was interested in recording and releasing an album
for him on the band's Ecstatic Peace label, funded by Geffen.Townes agreed, and sessions were scheduled to begin in Memphis during late December of that year.


On December 19 or 20, Townes fell down the concrete stairs outside his home, badly injuring his hip. Townes refused medical treatment.
Determined to finish the album that he had scheduled to record with Shelley and Two Dollar Guitar, Townes showed up to the Memphis studio
being pushed in a wheelchair by road manager Harold Eggers. Shelley canceled the sessions due to the songwriter's erratic behavior and drunkenness.
Townes finally agreed to hospitalization. Against medical advise Townes checked out of the hospital. The rest is history.

The songs of these sessions were never officially released. Harm's Swift Way went down in history as the last song Townes wrote.
I don't know why track 01 was omitted, perhaps it has been officially released on a compilation.
In 2010 Robert Plant and the band of Joy put it on their album.


01. Sanitorium Blues (omitted)
02-04 Old Satan
05. Sweet The Time (spoken)
06. Harm's Swift Way
07. R.M. Too
08. Townes' Blues
09. Snow Flake (spoken)


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