Terry Allen‘s Pedal Steal + Four Corners is due out tomorrow via Paradise of Bachelors. Tonight, starting at 9pm EST, you can tune into Chapel Hill’s WXYC 89.3 to hear an airing of all five of Allen’s radio plays: Pedal Steal (1985), plus the “Four Corners” suite Torso Hell (1986), Bleeder (1990), Reunion (a return to Juarez) (1992), and Dugout (1993). In addition, Terry Allen has record release shows in Dallas on March 22nd and in Houston on March 30th.
Pedal Steal + Four Corners will be available in a deluxe gatefold edition that includes 1xLP, 3xCD, DL code, and a 28-page color booklet featuring images of Allen’s related visual art and full transcripts of the five radio pieces. Pedal Steal was originally composed and recorded as the Bessie Award-winning soundtrack to the eponymous dance piece by Margaret Jenkins Dance Co. As such, it was the first of his longform pieces to include the Panhandle Mystery Band which featured master pedal steel player and producer Lloyd Maines, Terry’s wife, the artist Jo Harvey Allen, and other collaborators including fellow Lubbockites Butch Hancock (of the Flatlanders) and Rolling Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys. Look for Pedal Steal + Four Corners to also include the radio dramas from the “Four Corners” suite which initially debuted on NPR.
Below, you can check out “Chapter 4” from Pedal Steal, detailing character Billy the Boy‘s untimely demise in a seedy hotel room. Combining storytelling, song, dramatic interlude, and found sound, Pedal Steal is a dark tale of Southwestern noir bringing to mind William Burroughs’ novel Junky, Sam Shepard’s plays like Cowboy Mouth and Tooth of the Crime, or Larry Clark‘s photography series Tulsa. For more about Terry Allen’s intriguing life and art checkout Texas Monthly‘s new interview out today. In addition, you can find a list of Terry Allen’s upcoming appearances after the YouTube embed below.
