Remember when ... Taylor Swift loved Fresno?

Plus an 'old man hardcore punk project' from ex-members of Circus Bogus, Barnaby Clones.

Taylor Swift was already an arena-headlining super star when she played the Save Mart Center back in 2010.

A decade plus later she is arguable one of the largest pop stars on the planet, one who just bested the Beatles, landed the Top 10 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 (all of them) and announced (then added dates to) a massive tour … that doesn’t include Fresno, obviously.

As one-time Fresno Bee music writer Mike Oz put it on Twitter: “She’s doing major stadiums. Fresno never had a shot.”

Of course, there was a time when Swift had a soft spot for Fresno.

“There are a few cities that stand out as cities that helped grow me in certain regions,” Swift told Oz in an interview in 2008, when she was still mostly a country singer and an opening act.

“I look at Fresno as a really huge, huge help to growing me and my music and spreading the word in California.”

Much of that was due to Kiss Country, who brought Swift out on an radio tour and had her on in the station. “They put me on the air and treated me like family and treated me like I belonged there. So automatically Fresno became of my favorite places.”

A couple of pieces of Swift trivia for the Fresno fans: She played a one-off headlining show at Warnors Theater in 2007, while on tour with Brad Paisley. Apparently, she signed just kept autographs after the show.

Also, she played an impromptu set at Caliche’s, a frozen custard place on Blackstone Avenue. She retold the story to Oz in 2007:

“I had just finished up a show, and the band and I went to get some ice cream. When we went up to the register, the girl working there freaked out and started telling me about how much she loved my music. It was so touching because I was brand new and didn’t even have an album out yet. I couldn’t believe this girl was so excited about my music. So we brought our guitars into the ice cream shop and played a few songs for the people in there,” she said.

“When people tell me they like my music, they have no idea how good that makes me feel. I take every opportunity I can to make it up to them.”

Trash N Privilege, gives us ‘Friends Who Won’t Leave’

Last we heard from Charles McClelland, he was working a solo project under the name Twerpentine, while simultaneously releasing music from his past bands, most notably Circus Bogus (but also Buzzbomb Phase 4).

More recently, he’s joined in on an “old man hardcore punk project” (his words) called Trash N Privilege, which released a new EP last week.

It’s on streaming platforms, including Spotify. You can hear a track 8 p.m. tonight on Newrock 104.1’s Homegrown show.

The band is McClelland on lead guitar (and also bass) alongside Fresnans Steve Shepard (yells and guitars) and Jim Chaffin (drums).

“I had worked with Steve in Barnaby Clones in the 90’s,” McClelland says.

“We got in touch again during the height of Covid pandemic depression and he recruited me.”

The six song EP has its fast and thrashing moments (the opening track has some Voodoo Glow skulls vibes) but also plenty of more straight up groove heavy punk rock (emphasis on the rock).

“King Fuzz” feels like some kinda cross over.

Of note: the album was mixed by Stone Sour guitarist Christian Martucci.

That’s it for this week. Remember you can now hear me on the Homegrown Show Sundays at 8 p.m. on New Rock 104.1 FM and follow my other writing at The Fresno Bee. If you have anything you think I need to be looking at or listening to, feel free to let me know: jtehee@gmail.com