gutter sinatra

gutter sinatra is the music you’d expect to start blaring out of an abandoned 1982 Ford Bronco. A bit dusty, nostalgic and melancholy. Like Jackson Browne meeting up with Beck for coffee.

COVID put us all on our heels. After a minute, Don Miggs started writing songs again. No agenda, no artists coming in, no labels with demands. Just the constant sounds of “yacht rock radio” that his wife was playing all day long swirling around his brain. Get an idea, walk out to the studio, play some drums, drop in a bass line and see what tomorrow brings. Suddenly there were 3 or 4 ideas taking shape but they were songs for no one. Just something to do.

On a whim Miggs asked his friend, legendary Bob Clearmountain, if he was available to mix a few things. Turns out Bob had a ten day window coming up fast. Ten days, ten songs. A song a day. Easy. All that waiting around and now he’s in a hurry. Of course. But a burst of inspiration later and the record was completed.

The world opened back up. Miggs sought out famed photographer Randall Slavin to take publicity shots, did a video for the track “I Kind Of Want To Call You” and then his other project, Whole Damn Mess started charting and he put gutter sinatra away. For 5 years.

He explains, “After a while it all just felt too personal. Like something Bob did just for me when we didn’t know if anyone would ever make records again. Maybe it was best to keep it for myself. I got busy making other people’s records and time just passed. Then the fires in LA took Bob’s house and studio and I realized that every day is precious and we won’t be here forever. We did this thing and I want to share it. My mantra is ‘conceive, create, commit, continue’ so I had to take my own advice and let this record go.”

Miggs goes on to say, “These songs were going to sit in the trash before Bob. Him saying yes gave me the courage to push through.” Now I’m ready to tour and see how they hold up live. It’s exciting and scary and I can’t wait!