Meet the Navigators... Again

Once upon a time in New York, about 15 years ago, there was a band called The Navigators.  That was me, Andrew Emer, and Phelim White (in that order above).  Sure there was a band called The Navigators that I played with in Louisville, but this was the band that really made some noise.  If you witnessed some of the magic at the Knitting Room (where you likely died of thirst while you sweated through your clothes), or the Mercury Lounge (where the show was always over just when it felt like it was getting started), or the Bowery Ballroom (hundreds of people singing along to "Sooner or Later"), or that one special night at Irving Plaza, then you are one of the lucky few.  Actually, there was not that few of you. 

For those of my friends who don't know, the Navigators were a band that was signed to Velour Records, and toured around the country.  The very first album we recorded was cheakily called, Meet the Navigators. We recorded at Graham Hawthorne's studio with Charlie Martinez.  It was a great intro to our sound.  We ultimately sold all the CD's, and in the age of streaming, it seemed a shame that there was no record of this moment.  So I decided to re-master the songs.  As I was listening to the album (and getting nostalgic), I began to listen to other tracks that were lost through the cracks.  

We recorded (and re-recorded) some songs at Threshold Studios with James Walsh.  They were kind of like our second album, but they were never officially released owing to some bad mojo between management and producer.  Finally, I found some songs that didn't make the cut of Glory, Glory. We recorded these at Cowboy Technical.  What could have been a crowning achievement was the beginning of the end. Some bands are designed to go on and on, but The Navigators was not one of those bands.  Does that diminish what we created together?  I wouldn't say so. 

It's hard to believe that only a short while after recording Glory, Glory, there was a new version of The Navigators.  You'll hear more from them later.  In the mean-time, do yourself a favor, and download a copy of Meet the Navigators... Again. You'll be glad you did.