Tucked inside the “Steve Miller Band – Book Of Dreams” album I recently got I found an insert to order merchandise.

Sorry, had to fold it to scan it, so you can’t see the whole thing, but the main part is there.

T-Shirts for 5 bucks?! The fan club kit is only $4.75, now that’s a deal.

I can only assume that the small black card under the round sticker of the “Book Of Dreams” Pegasus is the fan club card. A wallet sized proclamation of fandom.

Are there any card carrying Steve Miller Fan Club members out there?

In my day, I didn’t have enough money to entertain the thought of joining a fan club. Even if it was only a 50 cent handling charge. I never wore tour t-shirts, or inked the band logo on my denim jacket. I did on occasion buy posters for my room, or used the record covers as decorations.

The Beatles often released special recordings for their fan club base. I have come across a lot of these. Interesting stuff. They also had special Christmas releases. Check out this link to Aquarium Drunkard (check out this awesome site!) and his entry about Beatle Christmas releases.

http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2011/11/29/the-beatles-christmas-singles-club-1963-1969-2/

Pearl Jam did this a lot too. They have always tried to have a connection to their fans in an old school way. I have always loved that about them.

Interesting how the connection to a band has changed over the years.

When Couch Flambeau came to Madison and Dalton and I went to see them, I made a copy of one of their Milwaukee shows that I had recorded when I was going to school at UW Milwaukee. We went early to the show and when Jay Tiller and Neil Socol came in for a beer before the show I came up to them and introduced myself like a dork and offered them the tape, which they cautiously took with a thank you. I wonder if it ever made it to a tape deck.

What I should have done was asked them to sign my vinyl copy of Mammal Insect Marriage.

They were scared enough as it was I think.

I would love to see Couch Flambeau again. Jay Tiller if you are reading this…

Madison man, Madison!