Liner Notes by Audie Willert

 I wrote this song over 40 years ago and can’t believe what was relevant then is relevant now. People in New York having to work 2 jobs, sometimes three, to make ends meet. I don’t know how young musicians and artists can afford to live in this great city anymore. The high cost of living would just zap whatever energy you have left to hone your craft. We were playing in CB’s one night and Patti Smith jumped onstage and starting singing along on the chorus. She even had us open up for her at the Calderon Theater, came into the dressing room to make sure we were taken care of and put our name on the marquee. A very nice person.

 A new song I’ve written for the band and a taste of the direction we’re heading. Punky funky groove with a filthy sax solo by our friend Gene Grimes with a political message at the end. Hope you like it.

 A song written by John our 2nd guitarist. John said in part a tribute to childhood memories growing up in Astoria. Junk man chant was a real person  bringing haunting joy to a waking 6 year old on a Saturday morning.

 A rocking ode to our hometown. I missed out mentioning the New York Knicks, please forgive me Spike Lee, I’ll make amends sometime later, as real New Yorkers know how important they are to our city. DEFENSE!

 Another song written by John. He said “I thought what I had was a pretty good riff and came up with the lyrics while meditating on the twin stars of arrogance and insecurity resolving to feet more solid on the ground.”

This was supposed to be our second single for Virgin. A great version from another good friend Andrea Harbison who sings it wonderfully. She was in a band with Jimmy and John called Baby Drowsy. At the time our manager Eddie and Virgin put together a 14 city tour of the UK for us supporting Captain Sensible of the Damned. Half the band didn’t want to return to England, so we didn’t go and that was the end of our relationship with Virgin. I was disappointed, but it didn’t seem like such a bad idea at the time as both Arista and Atlantic records were interested in signing us, but decided against it, liked the songs, but didn’t think we were commercial enough. Bands that jumped on the bandwagon like the Cars, the Knack, Joe Jackson were safer bets. We also turned down Miles Copeland and Step Forward who at the time had the Police, who hadn’t made it yet, and a band called Chelsea. He later signed the Go-Go’s and Fine Young Cannibals. The bad decisions you make when you’re young and stupid!

 The idea of the 2Timers happened when Joe Strummer in 1977 told Audie to get a band together because the record companies were signing punk bands left right and center. With his visa expiring, Audie returned to NYC and got his childhood friend Jimmy Morrison, who just left Tuff Darts, to play drums. Another High School friend George Salorio to play bass, and a friend from 8th grade John Marmora to play 2nd guitar. The goal was clear, to get the band together and go to London and get a record deal. Audie wrote about a half dozen songs and the band rehearsed them in a rehearsal studio near Chinatown. They then auditioned Lead singers and chose John Warnick from Long Island who had the look and knew what the London Punk Rock scene was all about. The owner of London’s Speakeasy club Jim Carter- Fea loved   the band and gave the 2Timers steady gigs which helped them get signed to Virgin and get much needed music press. The core four of Audie, Jimmy, George and John are the only original members of a band from that period aside from U2 that are still active and making new music.