Love Letter To A Record: Twin Peaks’ Cadien Lake James On Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Townes Van Zandt’

Many of us can link a certain album to pivotal moments in our lives. Whether it’s the first record you bought with your own money, the chord you first learnt to play on guitar, the song that soundtracked your first kiss, the album that got you those awkward and painful pubescent years or the one that set off light bulbs in your brain and inspired you to take a big leap of faith into the unknown – music is often the catalyst for change in our lives and can even help shape who we become.

In this series, Music Feeds asks artists to reflect on their relationship with music and share with us stories about the effect music has had on their lives.


Cadien Lake James, Twin Peaks – Townes Van Zandt’s Townes Van Zandt

Dear Townes Van Zandt,

I suppose I’m meant to address this to “you” as “you”… so anyways, thanks for the soundtrack to drives across the vast of countries countless, through mountains and valleys, along lakes and oceans. First time I got hip to ya was barrelling down the highway through Colorado of all places, waking from a nap, horizontal on the third of the four rows in the van, to the sounds of Townes singing “it’s been a long time mama, since I heard you call my name”. As ‘Colorado Girl’ came to a close, I sprang my head up and called to the front “who was that man?!” and upon being told immediately asking you to run it back.

Thanks for the comfort all over the world, whether it be bright eyed fresh Sunday mornings spent reflecting, 7am mornings headed “home” after the trip of night, glaring out that window… car house mental or plane.. you’ve been a record to hold close, alone alone or alone together.

After diving into your cycle time after time, you really opened my heart and mind to the magic of folk and country music, the reasons why it speaks to so many people who spend their lives drifting and removed from the sense of home. You’ve taught me a lot about the value of the song, stripped of accompaniment and bare. Stay cowboy.

Cadien Lake James, Twin Peaks

Chicago rock n’ roll scallywags Twin Peaks are currently in Australia for a run of dates supporting their m8s Skegss! Catch all the details below.

Twin Peaks 2018 Australian Tour Dates

Thursday, 25th October

The Brightside, Brisbane (HEADLINE SHOW)

Tickets: Facebook

Friday, 26th October

The Tivoli, Brisbane (SUPPORTING SKEGSS)

Tickets: Facebook

Saturday, 27th October

The Zoo, Brisbane (SUPPORTING SKEGSS)

Tickets: Facebook

Sunday, 28th October

The Zoo, Brisbane (Matinee – SUPPORTING SKEGSS)

Tickets: Facebook

Friday, 2nd November

HQ, Adelaide (SUPPORTING SKEGSS)

Tickets: Facebook

Saturday, 3rd November

Metropolis, Fremantle (Matinee – HEADLINE SHOW)

Tickets: Facebook

Sunday, 4th November

Amplifier Capitol, Perth (SUPPORTING SKEGSS)

Tickets: Facebook

Must Read