Roots Return:
RR Party 25th Anniversary Year • K$ 50th

It’s RR’s 25th anniversary year and Friday the 13th strikes one more time in 2023 on October 13th, which is 13 weeks away to the day. This time, we’re leaving Nashville and taking the RR Party on the road to celebrate K$’s 50th birthday in our home state of Georgia, where all this every-Friday-the-13th shenanigans started. For this roots return (see what I did there?), we’ll be at Currahee Brewing Company in Clayton, GA joined by Las Vegas’ newest resident Crawford and North Georgia’s own Drunk on the Wind. Near Clayton on Lake Burton, K$ grew up going to Camp Cherokee for Girls, which makes Rabun County a special corner of the South for her. Come congratulate K$ on her 50th trip around the sun, pick up a copy of the RR zine, enjoy a couple pints of Currahee’s finest, and rock out with us.

RR Party / K$ 50th
D. Striker
Drunk On The Wind
Crawford
6p CT
Currahee Brewing Company
93 W Savannah St, Clayton, GA 30525

2023 is the 25th anniversary year of RR

And Friday the 13th strikes for the first time on January 13, 2023. The RR Party will be at venerable, old Nashville dive Springwater Supper Club and Lounge with a righteous roster including Altered Statesman, Chris Crofton and Tom House. I’m so thankful for this enduring every-Friday-the-13th tradition that brings friends together, and especially grateful for the ones who will be on stage with me. Join us to celebrate a new issue of the RR zine, which is issue #44. And while the traditional 25th anniversary theme is silver—this one is solid country yellow.

RR Party

D. Striker

Altered Statesman

Chris Crofton

Tom House

Springwater Supper Club and Lounge

115 27th Ave N Nashville, TN 37203

8:00 p.m.

Nashville Scene Critic’s Pick prior to the show:

In Nashville, the mythology of country music routinely butts up against both the reality of the music business and the city’s struggle to find the balance between big city and small town. What better place, then, for D. Striker to thrive? Every Friday the 13th — and only on Fridays the 13th — the perpetual rising country star with a fetish for the color yellow plays a show to celebrate the new issue of his country fanzine RR, which revels in true country fandom while poking fun at the genre’s tendency for self-aggrandizement. Striker’s self-deprecating shenanigans continually ring true because they paint a picture of an ordinary guy who wants to be larger than life. By now, you probably know that he’s the alter ego of music-biz pro Jeff Meltesen. While Meltesen is not a career songwriter, the songs in Striker’s catalog are well-crafted, whether they’re of the heartfelt variety or tend toward the silly or absurd, and they always feature the support of an excellent band. The very first RR party took place in 1998, and to mark the 25th anniversary of the tradition, Meltesen & Co. head down to Springwater on Friday, joined by three outstanding acts who have deep roots in the city and its arts scenes: superbly soulful and thoughtful rock group Altered Statesman; standup comic, songwriter and the Scene’s own Advice King, Chris Crofton; and Tom House, a prolific poet turned writer of phenomenally intense songs. 9 p.m. at Springwater, 115 27th Ave. N. STEPHEN TRAGESER

D. Striker Releases Hullabaloo on Friday the 13th in May

Available Everywhere Music Is Streamed

RR Party on May 13th at Bobby’s Idle Hour on Nashville’s Music Row to Celebrate New Zine, New Album

On Friday the 13th in May, country music storytelling reveler D. Striker will independently release his 4th studio album, Hullabaloo. Known for publishing his offbeat, country music zine, RR, every Friday the 13th since 1998, and for throwing an RR Party in Nashville on that day to celebrate each new issue, Hullabaloo captures a new collection of D. Striker songs that until now could only be heard in person.

“We had 27 songs to pick from when we started this. Most of the lyrics have appeared in past issues of RR, and we’ve performed the majority of them live over the years,” says D. Striker about the 10 songs culled for Hullabaloo from a logjam of unrecorded compositions. “What’s here are the greatest hits from the last 8 years since the last album came out.”

On Hullabaloo, D. Striker comes clean with the story about a neighbor who ruined his day by observing he looked “pregnant like a woman” [Official Music Video], offers up a helpful homage to the long tradition of country music spelling songs with “R-H-Y-T-H-M,” laments how Nashville’s gentrification has squeezed out longtime residents in “The Plan Be Damned,” makes an anything-goes appeal to a new acquaintance in “Do You Wanna Go Slow (Or Take It Faster)?”, tells the story of his own obscure, yet rewarding, music career in “Washed Up, Never Was,” and more.

Hullabaloo track listing:

1) Pregnant Like A Woman
2) Free Time
3) R-H-Y-T-H-M
4) The Plan Be Damned
5) I Never Learn
6) Put Your Mind On Me
7) Do You Wanna Go Slow (Or Take It Faster)?
8) What’s The Worst Thing I Ever Did To You?
9) Washed Up, Never Was
10) August in Augusta

Hullabaloo was produced, recorded and mixed by Mason Vickery, D. Striker’s long-time collaborator, in Madison, TN with band members Vickery (guitars, lap steel, keys, background vocals), Paul Thacker (keys, sax), Jared Shade Reynolds (bass) and Matt Martin (drums). Mastered by Alex McCollough at True East Mastering.

Michael Weintrob shot the cover photo for Hullabaloo. “The feathers that fill the shot are a nod to my first backing band from the late 90s, The Feather Explosion,” says D. Striker about the album cover.

D. Striker’s Hullabaloo will be the first of his albums on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever else people stream music. For links to all major streaming services, visit: http://dstriker.hearnow.com.

Per tradition, with the 13th of the month falling on a Friday in May, D. Striker will host the RR Party—the only one in 2022—and new issues of his hand-numbered RR zine will be on hand for guests to take home. The occasion doubles as an album release party and will include a performance of Hullabaloo from start to finish, plus some additional fan favorites. Straight from San Francisco, California, Crawford opens the show.

What else can RR Party revelers expect? “I’ve got the preggers suit from the ‘Pregnant Like A Woman’ video and all those feathers from the photo shoot, so I’m going to work all that into the show,” hints D. Striker.

RR PARTY
Friday the 13th, May 2022
D. Striker
Crawford
Bobby’s Idle Hour
9 Music Square S, Nashville, TN 37212
8:00 p.m.

D. Striker Gives Birth to “Pregnant Like A Woman” (Official Video)

New album Hullabaloo Coming Friday the 13th, May 2022

Brought into this world a new video for “Pregnant Like A Woman” from the upcoming new album Hullabaloo to be released on Friday the 13th, May 2022. On that date, we’ll be at Bobby’s Idle Hour on Music Row to celebrate another issue of the RR zine, published every Friday the 13th since 1998, and the release of the new album.

The song is based on a couple true stories: An encounter with my neighbor (who ruined my day) and a question I regret asking a woman.

After an Amazon purchase of a cheap “pregnant bodysuit,” my son Niles worked his iPhone and Doug Lehmann worked his magic editing the footage into a music video for the song that clocks in less than a minute and a half.

The album Hullabaloo was produced, recorded and mixed by Mason Vickery in Madison, Tennessee who played guitars, along with Paul Thacker on sax and keys, Jared Reynolds on bass, and Matt Martin on drums.

On Friday the 13th in May, Crawford (aka Sweetman) is coming in from San Francisco to open the show at Bobby’s Idle Hour. Our history predates the 1st issue of RR. Come on down!

RR PARTY
Friday the 13th, May 2022
D. Striker
Crawford
Bobby’s Idle Hour
9 Music Square S, Nashville, TN 37212
8:00 p.m.

RR PARTY
Friday the 13th, August 2021
The 5 Spot
1006 Forrest Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
9:00 p.m.

In 2020, D. Striker could only be seen on a screen. There was Nashville’s first livestream at the start of the pandemic on Friday the 13th, March 2020 and a 2nd stream from The 5 Spot to count down Nashville’s COVID-19 honky tonk hot spots on Friday the 13th, November 2020. Well Friday the 13th appears one time on the 2021 calendar, and that means it’s time for another edition of D. Striker’s zine, RR, and an RR Party to celebrate its release with a D. Striker performance. Thankfully, this will be an in-person celebration, the first one since December 13, 2019, and it will take place at The 5 Spot.

Sweet Baby Richie and Justin and The Cosmics will be there to join the revelry as well as special guests The Joiners, who Jack Silverman for the Nashville Scene once compared to “Bob Dylan visiting the Big Pink basement in 1971.”

Speaking of accolades, when reviewing Richie, the Scene’s live music column, The Spin, observed, “Kirkpatrick doesn’t rest until he’s won the room.” It’s true.

Anthem slingers Justin and The Cosmics are favorites of the likes of Caitlin Rose and Robyn Hitchcock, and they’re sure to leave it all on The 5 Spot stage as well with their rock ‘n’ roll Velvet Underground vibes.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or recent negative COVID-19 test required for entry. $10 at the door.

Nashville Scene’s Critics’ Pick

In spite of the pandemic, forever-aspiring country star D. Striker hasn’t let a Friday the 13th go by without an RR Party. After all, the alter ego of Jeff Meltesen — a music-biz pro with a deep love of country who fronts a superb rockin’ roots band — has hosted a release show for his golden-hued country fanzine pretty much every Friday the 13th since 1998. The first one of the COVID era was a livestream from the practice space, assembled the week that live entertainment began to shut down across the U.S.; the second was a Casey Kasem-style countdown of bars that were contributing the most to the spread of the coronavirus according to a Metro report. Friday’s show will be the first RR party you’ll be able to see in person since 2019, and it’s what some folks might call “a humdinger.” Altered Statesman, a superlative ensemble led by Steve Poulton, opens up the show — check out their recent EP Four Easy Pieces, which adds some dubby and trip-hoppy elements to their always-cool avant-soul sound. Justin and the Cosmics, as raucous a rootsy rock band as ever there was, and The Joiners — rockers now based in Birmingham, Ala., whose “Glorious Glorious” we crowned Best Song About Nashville in our Best of Nashville issue way back in 2010 — round out the bill. As of last week, The 5 Spot began requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry, so be sure to either have your vax card or a photo of it at the ready. 9 p.m. at The 5 Spot, 1006 Forrest Ave. STEPHEN TRAGESER

Please note: Altered Statesman cannot make this show, but you should totally check out their EP Four Easy Pieces

RR [WATCH] PARTY - 11/13/20 - Live from The 5 Spot

Tune in for the RR [WATCH] Party from The 5 Spot in East Nashville, TN on 11/13 at 8p CT. Plug your computer into your biggest TV and enjoy the show from the comfort of your own home.

Every Friday the 13th since 1998, D. Striker has published RR, a zine that frequently covers Striker’s own country star life through stories, song lyrics, and cartoons while tackling Nashville’s past and present in reverent and satirical ways. Given the freakish publication schedule, the late great Jim Ridley for the Nashville Scene called the zine, “A beast as elusive as the centaur or free beer night.” Country music historian Robert K. Oermann describes D.Striker this way: “He can’t sing, but you can’t help listening.”

Each new issue of RR is traditionally commemorated with a party in a Nashville bar with performances by D. Striker and other local bands. In light of the pandemic, for this Friday the 13th, enjoy a special primetime broadcast from The 5 Spot stage.

During the broadcast you’ll have an opportunity to tip to get your copy of RR delivered by U.S. mail. Top supporters will also receive a copy of D. Striker’s album Come Over Here on compact disc, or if you already own it, you’ll receive some other fun prize from the RR archive.

Tune in and turn it up!

#RR111320

Related Reading

“D. Striker’s Virtual RR Party Is a COVID Countdown” by P.J. Kinzer for Nashville Scene, November 16, 2020.

We’re keeping the streak alive!

Watch on D. Striker Facebook Page.

For 22 years I’ve published a country music zine called RR every Friday the 13th. For almost as many years, new issues of RR have been celebrated with an event called the RR Party. The 03/13/2020 issue of RR has been printed, numbered and it’s ready for distribution. However, the RR Party scheduled for The 5 Spot will not proceed as planned. The venue is doing the community a service by closing its doors until the COVID-19 virus is under control. This tough decision was made in the wake of the venue reopening following the destructive Super Tuesday tornado that tore through East Nashville on March 3. The 5 Spot holds a special place in our hearts. That’s where we’ve had countless good times and the venue has hosted the RR Party several times, too. We encourage everyone to donate to a GoFundMe that’s been set-up with funds going to keep the The 5 Spot afloat, its staff who rely on the money they make at the club to pay their bills and ~150 bands with canceled shows. We look forward to returning to The 5 Spot stage when the venue opens its doors again. In the meantime, the show must go on! We’re keeping the streak alive—playing a show every Friday the 13th. So at 8p CT on 3/13, there will be an RR Party live stream beamed across the Internet featuring a D. Striker performance backed by long-time collaborators Ole Mossy Face. Keep an eye on the D. Striker Facebook page and this website. I’m grateful for the generous help of some friends (Ole Mossy Face, Thomas Petillo, Doug Lehmann, Brandes Holcomb) to keep this every-Friday-the-13th tradition alive. Stay home, stay safe, tune in and turn it up! Next time we see each other in person, I’ll have a copy of RR to give you then.

Related Reading

• Nashville Scene Critics’ Pick. “seemingly ageless.”
• We Own This Town coverage. “always a little bit serious and a little bit silly.”

RR PARTY - 3/13/20 - The 5 Spot

Friday the 13th // March 2020 //

D. Striker ~ “country-star-on-the-rise” ~ Stephen Trageser, Nashville Scene

Jasmin Kaset Band ~ Jasmin Kaset is a Nashville songwriter, daughter of acclaimed Nashville songwriter, Angela Kaset. The artist has spent 50% of the last 5 years on the road as ½ of the satirical punk band, Birdcloud. Kaset has two solo records predating the satire project and a 2018 synthwave release under the moniker You Drive.

Justin and The Cosmics ~ “Collins has a golden throat coated in nicotine and whiskey, a dark croon that feels like it escaped from the tape deck on an ancient alien’s spaceship and perfectly complements his off-kilter take on classic pop composition.” ~ Sean L. Maloney, Nashville Scene

The 5 Spot
1006 Forrest Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
9:00 p.m.

#RR031320

RR PARTY - 12/13/19 - Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge

Friday the 13th // December 2019 //
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
102 E Palestine Ave, Madison, TN 37115
8:00 p.m.

Friday the 13th will appear on your calendars in December, and that means it’s time for another RR Party with D. Striker to celebrate the release of a new RR zine. Published every Friday the 13th since 1998, the zine takes a comedic and often satirical plunge in to country music. With a party line-up that includes world travelers VOLK and Stephen Simmons, December’s RR Party also presents a rare appearance by Ole Moss Face, D. Striker’s long-time collaborators and backing band.

VOLK ~ “Nashville duo Volk could get the gig of house band for a honky-tonk in hell with its gnarly blues riffs, deep grooves, ripping distortion and Patsy-Cline-on-steroids brand of country-western meets glam-rock.” ~Courtney Devores, Charlotte Observer.

Ole Mossy Face ~ “Songs of shambling soul, ragged swagger and boozily beautiful harmonies perfect for last call, or any other situation where the prospect of going home alone is too much to bear.” ~Jim Ridley, Nashville Scene

Stephen Simmons ~ “…he’s a Bible Belt barstool philosopher singing of sin and redemption. Intelligent, intense, and easy to like.” ~Sylvie Simmons, MOJO Music Magazine (UK)

Set times
8:30p - Stephen Simmons
9:30p - Ole Mossy Face
10:30p - D. Striker
11:30p - VOLK

#RR121319

Photos by Amos Perrine for No Depression

THROUGH THE LENS: Butterflies, Backyards, and a Busy AmericanaFest 2019 ~ Amos Perinne, No Depression

Dee’s — On Friday the 13ths for some time now, D. Striker — in full ’70s country persona — has fronted a ragtag group of crack musicians and regaled audiences with a sardonic look at country music. As he opined, “Getting older ain’t easy. Right before I turned 44, I lost a tooth, lost a job, and wrecked my car. So I wrote a song about it called ’44.’ I’m 45 now. I’m not sure I can really go around singing about being ’44’ anymore, although I’m sure I will, at least for a little while.”

Closing out the night were two West Virginians: Annie Neeley, who when she lived there was known as the East Nashville Emmylou Harris, and Hello June, a duo featuring Sarah Rudy, who played the most intriguing guitar I heard all week — and that’s saying something for a town full of great guitarists. Backing each other up during their sets, it was worth staying up till 2 a.m. to see both Neeley and Hello June. However, I passed on the trip to Two Boots Pizza.

Getting older ain’t easy. Right before I turned 44, I lost a tooth, lost a job, and wrecked my car. So I wrote a song about it called “44.” I’m 45 now. I’m not sure I can really go around singing about being “44” anymore, although I’m sure I will, at least for a little while. Here’s a story from the Nashville Scene about “44.”

In 2019, Friday the 13th strikes twice and, of course, that means RR Party x2. It’s been awhile since the last one. Over a year.

On September 13, we’ll return to Dee’s Lounge with Annie Neeley & Hello June.

RR Party
Friday the 13th // September 13, 2019
D. Striker
Annie Neeley & Hello June
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
102 E Palestine Ave, Madison, TN 37115
10 p.m.

If you’re wondering what would prompt me to say, “It’s been far too long since we had a Friday the 13th,” then you don’t know D. Striker, the golden-hued self-proclaimed country star who claimed it as his holiday in 1998. Striker is the alter ego of music-biz pro and country fan Jeff Meltesen, who has created a modest but delightful catalog of country-rock tunes, performed and recorded with help from stalwart local Band-esque band Ole Mossy Face. One of the latest entries is “44,” a rollicking tune about Meltesen getting through a tough year in his life, which includes this astute observation: “The years keep getting faster / And I’m finally figuring out why / You see, each one is a smaller part of your life.” Per tradition, Striker & Co. will play on Friday to celebrate a new issue of RR, Striker’s zine about country fandom. They’ll be joined by two special guests from West Virginia: country-soul-blues singer Annie Neeley and indie rockers Hello June. 10 p.m. at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge, 102 E. Palestine Ave., Madison
~ STEPHEN TRAGESER, Nashville Scene

RR Party // 20th Anniversary Year //

Friday the 13th // July 2018 //
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
102 E Palestine Ave, Madison, TN 37115
7:30 p.m. Sharp!

D. Striker
Quinn DeVeaux
The Prudish Few
Allen Thompson Band
Nancy Dwight Seiters

Here’s a Critics’ Pick from the Nashville Scene:

Once again, the 13th of the month is here on a Friday, but if you’re hip to D. Striker (the alter ego of Jeff Meltesen), you’re not worried in the least about bad luck. This show is your last opportunity to help Striker celebrate his 20th year of publishing his country music fanzine RR each Friday the 13th (the issue available at the show is No. 37) with a performance of his thoughtfully crafted and often funny country and country-rock tunes. He’s got a heap of guests to set the mood, including songsmiths Nancy Seiters and Quinn DeVeaux, the post-power-pop stylings of The Prudish Few (led by Todd Kemp of The Carter Administration with Jay Leo Phillips and Mike Shepherd of Apollo Up!) and the amped-up Band-esque sounds of the Allen Thompson Band. There’s no cover, but don’t skip that tip jar. STEPHEN TRAGESER

RR Party // 20th Anniversary Year //

Friday the 13th // April 2018 //
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
102 E Palestine Ave, Madison, TN 37115
7:30 p.m. Sharp!

D. Striker
Emily Nenni
Wade Sapp
Lew Card

“Friday the 13th will always be bitchin’!” ~D. Striker

Friday the 13th strikes twice in 2018. As such, this RR is the 1st of two during RR’s 20th Anniversary Year. The first RR zine was published in 1998 in Athens, Ga. Bill Clinton was president. That’s the year Google was founded. Dixie Chicks’ Wide Open Spaces won the Grammy for Best Country Album.

A whole lot has changed since then. But what hasn’t is this: Every Friday the 13th, if you find me, there’s a good chance you’ll take home one of 50 RR zines photocopied to yellow paper and filled with observations and tales of country star life, including my own.

D. Striker Reflects on 20 Years of RR by Stephen Trageser, Nashville Scene.

RR Party // D at Dee’s! //

Friday the 13th // October 2017 //
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
102 E Palestine Ave, Madison, TN 37115
9 p.m. Showtime!

D. Striker
Tommy & The Ohs
The Criminal Kind - All Tom Petty songs from members of The Carter Administration and Doghound

Country music history lurks around every curve in Madison, TN. Mother Maybelle Carter lived in the Nashville suburb at 1020 Gibson Drive. In the early ‘60s, Loretta Lynn and her husband Doolittle rented a ranch on 712 Barbara Drive. Hank Snow’s Rainbow Ranch can be found at 312 Marthona Road. Jim Reeves (400 Westchester Dr), Earl Scruggs (201 Donna Dr) and Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright (1302 Saunders Ave) all lived in Madison, TN too. And of course, Col. Tom Parker’s home office, which has been demolished for a car wash, was at 1215 Gallatin Pike. Head north up Gallatin, behind Jenna’s Toy Box, you’ll find Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge. On Friday the 13th in October that’s the spot for the next RR Party. We’ll celebrate another issue of the RR zine published by D. Striker every Friday the 13th. Let’s make a little country music history of our own. Join us in Madison for the RR Party: D. at Dee’s!