The Presence of Her Absence

lingers on

I'm sorry to see that musician Michael Towers has died but fondly recall seeing him as part of the duo Vance Or Towers in Santa Barbara ...they were playing a big promotion upstairs in an old brick building on lower State St, circa 1970s

Vance Or Towers..Glen and Michael were one of the first bands in Santa Barbara to get a big record company to produce their first album. There was quite a buzz in SB back in the day...Glen and Michael's "the Presence of Her Absence" remains a fine and moving song from an excellent album

I tried to team up with Glen after Towers left, he expressed some interest, but nothing ever happened...damn..I think I was intimidated by their talent! 

"Vance Or Towers were a truly odd West Coast duo with a line in Sparks-style pop eccentricity and 10cc-esque satire. Though absolutely forgotten, the concept behind these two well-groomed cuties was that teenage girls could choose which one they liked best: Vance OR Towers. Pretty lame as concepts go, the band’s 1975 album on A&M is a different story, boasting both keyboard and guitar-driven rockers that anticipate much of the style and sound of the Quick as well as slick McCartney-style ballads. Far too good to be so unknown, the Vance Or Towers LP is prime fodder for a timely Revola/RPM reissue. Interesting trivia: this song, "Education Blues" is performed in the prom sequence of ‘Carrie.’ Yes, THAT ‘Carrie;’ look close and you’ll even see Vance Or Towers.

it was a wonderful time in Santa Barbara! 

RIP Michael Towers