Greetings From Bunezuela! is a rocking and eclectic set of tunes drawn deep from a serious record

collection, mixing the reasonably familiar (“Tell Me” by the Rolling Stones,” “I Can Only Give You

Everything” by Them, “Him or Me” by Paul Revere and the Raiders and Dylan’s “It Takes a Lot to Laugh,

It Takes a Train to Cry”) with lesser-known classics (“Armenia City in the City,” the cover that opens The

Who Sell Out; “Idea,” a 1968 Bee Gees album track) and expert-stumping selections (“I Love You No

More” by the Blackstones, “Le Cactus” by Jacques Dutronc, and “Count on Me” by the Norwegian new

wavers Fra Lippo Lippi).

What you won’t hear is a drum solo or Carlos vocals. The goal for Greetings From Bunezuela! was not to

put the star up on a throne. “I just went in to do what Bun E. Carlos does. I had no drummer statement I

insisted on making. This record we served the songs.”

Now that it’s done and he’s had a chance to reflect, Bun says, “I could have done the whole album with

any one of the singers. Every singer on the record, when I heard the tracks, it was even better than I

expected. I'm really proud of it. And I'm proud that these guys said they'd do it. They could have just

gone ‘I'm busy," but that didn't happen.”

Once the record is out, Bun may do some showcase gigs with some of the singers and players who are

available. And he can’t wait to make a follow-up to try more of the songs and vocalists on the wish list.

Since he no longer tours with Cheap Trick (while remaining an official member of the band), Bun plays

when and where he wants with whomever he wants. His Monday Night Band gigs regularly in Rockford,

and he’s played out with a version of his high school band, The Paegans. Candy Golde might pop up

again, and you never know what else he might get up to.

Meanwhile, he’s “thinning the herd” on his drum collection – he reckons he’s down to 50 kits and 150

snares. While you’re chewing over that concept, add this surprise: “In Rockford, IL, that bustling

metropolis, I only have about the third biggest drum collection. Drummers are goofier than guitar

players.”