As David Bazan was recording “Bands With Managers” for his session, Will Johnson was in the control room trying to think of all the bands he personally knows that had been victims of van accidents. He came up with two. Johnson, who has been on tour with the man formerly known as Pedro The Lion many times over, has his own ideas about the meanings of and the background behind many of Bazan’s songs. He likes to keep it that way, never really asking for confirmation or a tightening up of the details. The two have done a couple solo tours together as well as playing together in the Undertow Orchestra, with Mark Eitzel and Vic Chesnutt rounding out the foursome, and they seem like very compatible travel companions. Originally, this session – which happened in the middle of April and was visited by the official Daytrotter documentarian Adam Burke and his wife, with cameras – we were optimistic that the two gifted songwriters would join their impressive forces and interpret a batch of songs together. But because the tour was still in its infant stages – just a few dates in – Johnson didn’t think it would be a wise move to desecrate Bazan’s songs. He said it would take a few more nights before there was confidence to even attempt something like that. Modesty. Bazan enjoyed meeting and holding my baby daughter, who slept through the session, but I’m afraid it may have just gone to make him homesick. – Sean Moeller

Second song
Bands With Managers (David Bazan) [2.99MB] [5137 downloads]


– original version appears on Achilles Heel

Third song
Cold Beer and Cigarettes (David Bazan) [3.66MB] [5172 downloads]


– original version appears on Fewer Moving Parts