Deuteronomy, Where's My Music?

"Due to a mix-up at the CD factory," says Shoestring Strap guitarist Dave Lowenstein, "some copies of our new CD Mudgrass have two tracks of Mormon sermons instead of our 14 songs."

Lowenstein didn't know about the erroneous recordings until he was told by a friend.

"I didn't believe it, so I threw an unopened CD into my Mac, hit play, and was serenaded by some midi-programmed piano.... The music stopped, and the sermon began, 'Deuteronomy is the definitive statement of the law by which Israel is supposed to live....' Then there's stuff about Brigham Young and the prophet Joseph Smith....

"Apparently, the CD plant moved from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City, and the new plant is run by the Mormon church," explains Lowenstein. "The plant is going to give us 1000 new copies and let us keep all the ones we have, but it's up to us to open all of them to check the contents."

It's unknown how many of the CDs are in circulation. "We went on the road right when it came out, so anybody that got CDs in L.A. or at the Bobolink Music Festival [in Belden, CA] could have the Mormon edition.... Maybe this is a sign that all our songs about drinking and doing drugs aren't sending the right message."

Shoestring Strap appears tomorrow, July 6, at Rosie O'Grady's, and Saturday, July 7, at Portugalia.