Turtle Down Music

Tautologic June 2026 Newsletter:
- Wheels Fall Off 5th anniversary track review: "Memo to Yourself"
- Gigs at Mackey's Hideout on August 1, Lombard Historical Society on September 5th
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I played early versions of “Memo to Yourself” with the Ethan Sellers Band that had a mellow late 90s alternative feel. When it came time to revisit the song for Tautologic, I decided to reconfigure it with a driving Caribbean groove and ska chorus. I recall telling Chris Greene - saxophonist to make up a solo that sounds like Benny Hill, and he was kind enough to oblige.

“Memo to Yourself” is a reminder to not take it all too seriously. I have to work on that last part, often.

The lyrics have multiple sources of inspiration, including post-gig drives home through Lincoln Park. I learned to drive carefully, as there would often be drunken 20-somethings heedlessly stumbling out into the street after last call.

The other inspiration that stands out to me was an evening in my college dorm bedroom in my junior year at University of Chicago, back in the early 90s. I overheard my neighbor through the wall, sobbing into the phone about how lonely she was. I found this strange since she often seemed somewhat standoffish and unreceptive to conversation. I suppose that I should’ve known at the time that Maroons were long on book smarts and short on social skills. That moment stuck with me long enough to write the song a few years later.

Memo To Yourself, by Tautologic from the album Wheels Fall Off

Tautologic’s Wheels Fall Off was released 5 years ago, this April.

We continue our look back at Wheels Fall Off with the second track, "That's What I Hear."

I began writing "That's What I Hear" by noodling around on a chord progression that used open/drone strings on an acoustic guitar. I might've started the song during a television commercial break (remember those, before streaming?). I'm pretty sure that I was sitting on the couch in the living room of a house in Hyde Park that several members of Tautologic rented from 1997-2003.

I played guitar on early versions with the Ethan Sellers Band, a folk-rock Tautologic spin-off. When I brought it to Tautologic, I switched to keyboards and the song transformed into something like a more frenetic and funk-rock take on a Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield vibe.

The lyrics always had a protest vibe, but the subject matter changed from version to version, eventually landing on themes of government corruption and declining empire that seem pretty prescient to the present moment in US/world history, if I do say so myself.

-Ethan Sellers

That's What I Hear, by Tautologic from the album Wheels Fall Off

Tautologic's on the move... mark your calendars for these gigs:

Saturday, August 1st 7-10pm
Mackey’s Hideout
2601 S River Rd McHenry IL 60051
3-hour gig. No cover. Quartet.

Saturday, September 5th 4-6pm
Lombard Historical Society
23 W Maple, Lombard, IL 60148
Food trucks, all-ages. 2-hour gig. Sextet.
Ticket info to come.

Plus anniversary looks back at West Is North, East Is South (2000) and Wheels Fall Off (2021).

See comments for links....

Tautologic’s debut album, _West Is North, East Is South_, turned 25 in June. We are working on a new album, so we’re a little short on time for retrospective projects - but I (Ethan) did want to share a few thoughts on each track. This month’s track feature is “A Year’s Journey.”

Pat Buzby composed and played piano and percussion on “A Year’s Journey.” Kensuke Arai played Pat’s lovely lyrical cello part. The percussion is actually just Pat thumping and whacking on the body of an acoustic guitar - a Gibson Hummingbird, if memory serves.

It’s a nice quiet moment that ends the album on a question mark.

https://tautologic.bandcamp.com/track/a-years-journey

Ethan

A Year's Journey, by Tautologic from the album West Is North, East Is South

Happy Earth Month, everybody!

"She" is one of the first songs I ever wrote on guitar, back around 1996 or so. Hardly sounds a day over 29, does "She?"

She, by Ethan Sellers track by Ethan Sellers

TAUTOLOGIC APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER:

- Wheels Fall Off turns five
- West Is North, East Is South track spotlight
- Upcoming gigs at Mackey’s Hideout (August 1) and Lombard Historical Society (September 5)

https://ymlp.com/z6EC2c

APRIL 2026 NEWSLETTER...:
Tautologic's _Wheels Fall Off_ turns 5
Track feature for Tautologic's _West Is North, East Is South_
Tautologic gigs at Mackey's Hideout and Lombard Historical Society
Summer Gig heads-up:
Saturday, May 16 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at Discover Oxford Indiana event
Friday, June 12 - Logical Fleadh (Celtic) at Chicago Scottish Festival and Highland Games at DuPage County Fairgrounds
Friday, June 13 - Logical Fleadh (Celtic) at Chicago Scottish Festival and Highland Games at DuPage County Fairgrounds
Sunday, June 21 - Father’s Day - Chez Butter (soul) at Scoville Park in Oak Park, IL
Thursday, June 25 - Chez Butter (soul) at River Forest Public Library
Thursday, July 2 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at the Barrington Lions Club Brat Tent
Friday, July 24 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at Werk Force Brewing in Plainfield, IL
Saturday, July 25 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at Music on Grand in Brookfield, IL
Friday, July 31 - Character Fleadh (Celtic) at Kiwanis Park in Brookfield, IL
Saturday, August 1st - Tautologic (rock) at Mackey’s Hideout in McHenry, IL
Sunday, August 2 - Chez Butter (soul) at Munster, IN town hall
Saturday, September 5th - Tautologic (rock) at Lombard Historical Society
Sunday, September 20 - Bourbon Aristocracy (bluegrass) at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Barrington, IL

Bandcamp Friday is back this Friday, February 6. For 24 hours, from midnight to midnight PT, every purchase on Bandcamp sends even more money directly to the artists.

February 2026 - Ethan Sellers Music newsletter
Short newsletter for the shortest month, featuring:
- Le Travaillant plays Cajun at Maple Tree Inn on 2/8
- Tautologic debut album memories - The Verdict
- Turtle Down Music - music and merch - Bandcamp Day 2/6
- Lesson - piano, guitar, and voice