Category Archives: Music

Playing Your Own Music

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I write my own songs. Not everyone does. I’d wager that it’s fair to say that many solo performers and bands that you’ll see at Maine’s various live entertainment venues this summer play mainly covers.

Don’t get me wrong, covers are fine. In order to fill a three-hour setlist, I play covers. Lots of people like to hear songs they’re familiar with. In fact, there’s a reason grounded in psychology for this and why covers are popular and often, necessary for gigging musicians to perform.

Petr Janata who is an associate professor of psychology at UC Davis’ Center for Mind and Brain indicates that the popularity of cover tunes is that when humans hear a familiar piece of music, it serves as “a soundtrack for a mental movie that starts playing in our head.” Janata states that songs can summon up “memories of a particular person or place, and you might all of a sudden see that person’s face in your mind’s eye.”

Is there a place for original music—certainly. Should I be playing all my own songs all night long? Probably not, at least not this year.

But, I do like coming up with my own songs.

Two weeks ago, I played the Kennebunk Farmers’ Market. My understanding was that it might lead to something semi-regular. Now, I’m not so sure.

I do know this. I got lots of $1 and $5 dollar tips. That tells me that people who heard me appreciated my music and they made a tangible show of their appreciation. I also wrote a new song just for that morning, about farmers’ markets in general.

I played it last week during a short video segment I call “Breakfast with Baumer.”

Here is “The Farmers’ Market Song.”

Rock and Roll Church-Easter Sunday Edition

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I find that most people seem fixated on performers they’ll never meet or know. But they are “famous” and I am not.

Not going to make any comparisons between JimBaumerMe–who has only been working with any diligence at his lo-fi rock and roll craft for slightly less than three years–and let’s say Bruce Springsteen (faux populist), Bob Dylan (always been a fraud) and John Prine (who seems to be everyone’s favorite these days). But sometimes, to read all the hagiographic bullshit posted about artists that you probably don’t even own a fucking record by is really maddening (and hypocritical, too). Playing live music, live or even streaming, is much harder than most of you who can’t even form one cowboy chord, realize. But I’m sounding angry and bitter (my perpetual state).

Anyways, I’ve got another Sunday Morning Rock and Roll Church episode (the Easter 2021 edition) up on the platforms. I have an MP4 also, if anyone tries to de-platform me for my “mealy-mouthed millennial blasts” and railing against TPTB (like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and the other tech elites that are trying to shut down any reasoned dialogue).

And, oh, btw: this isn’t scripted. The emotions you see—the anger, and then, the very real tears from a father with a broken heart who lost his only son—those are real. And for those who walked away when things got too hard, there’s a song for you, too.

Lastly—where are all of Mark Baumer’s friends/fans these days? Just curious. His commitment is still worth considering in an age where everyone’s a bumper-sticker/front-lawn sign activist. Jesus certainly wasn’t.

For those who prefer to stream music on your phone or other device (in your car??) rather than watch video, I uploaded the audio track to SoundCloud. “Bumped” the mix a bit, too and took out the gaps and pauses.

Unplugged and Praying-Maundy Thursday Edition

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Last week, streaming was a little too weird, with six screens staring back at me. So this week, I’m just going to pre-record and post.

This Maundy Thursday Unplugged Prayer Meeting was done in one take (no edits) down at the First Congregational Bunker Rock Church of Lo-Fi Salvation. Had fun making it and I tried not to go off the rails. Oh well….

It’s Thursday Night Unplugged Prayer Meeting/Maundy Thursday version

Thought the sound mix with guitar (acoustic) and vocals was a solid one. Played my Epiphone through the Vox and mic’d it directly into the DAW along with the vocals.

Setlist:

Broken Little Bird (JimBMe)
Main Man (T Rex/Marc Bolan)
Tulsa Time (Don Williams/Eric Clapton)
Wonderwall (Oasis)
Self-help bromide
Living in This World (JimBMe)
Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young)
Icarus (Gold Connections)

Riffing on Bowie and Blistering the Walls

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Music, like everything else, wasn’t intended to be programmed by algorithm. But, people seem to have succumbed: anything that isn’t easy, or pleasant, or makes them feel good about their pathetic lives is just deleted, or tuned out. Like populist rock and roll.

Try doing a Google search for “populist rock and roll” or “populist rocker.” Notice how Bruce Springsteen pops up? One of the articles is an older Spin magazine piece (from 1985) and another one on “The Boss” is from the New York Times and 1997. I guess if he’s the standard-bearer for populist rock and roll, no wonder it sets people off so easily. No one really remembers, apparently what music that pushed back against the establishment’s supposed to sound like. Oh, and see what I mean about algorithms? They fucking distort reality. And just so you know, Springsteen’s populist pose is just that: a pose. Remember the pathetic “unity in the middle” Super Bowl ad for Jeep?

But go ahead, keep looking for that populist thread running through what’s left of rock and roll. I won’t hold my breath waiting.

I ran through another Rock and Roll Church service Sunday morning. Got the stream to work, too. Weirdly, I had this odd, cascading thing going on during the Facebook Live stream. But, at least people showed up and could see and hear something. We’ll keep working to get all the speed bumps smoothed-out.

I’ve been playing “Stuck in a Nightmare,” my COVID song about lockdown and Janet Mills for a year. I wrote it in March, 2020. I’ve never played it live until today. There was this riff in the verses that sounded Bowie-esque. I couldn’t put my finger on the song. Ironically, it’s “Queen Bitch,” which seems fitting since Governor Mills plays so prominently in the sentiment of my song. I really like the electric version. This track was on Bowie’s 1971 record, Hunky Dory.

After a brief respite where Mary and I walked part of the beach at OOB, I was back down in the Bunker, working on recording a four-pack of songs I played during the morning R & R service.

Let me warn you. Don’t listen to it near flammable liquids. They may ignite.

I’ll post my video and then, Bowie playing, “Queen Bitch.”

There’s the screed about Jeff Bezos, and how his wealth has gone from $106 billion to $186 billion during COVID. So much for pandemics being tough on TPTB. I also reference Jimmy Dore, someone you might want to check-out if populism doesn’t offend you.

Unplugged Prayers for Rock and Roll Salvation

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I am doing a combination of recorded videos and live streams as part of the work of the First Congregational Bunker Rock Church of Lo-Fi Salvation. As the church’s music minister, here is my contribution: a setlist of songs played Thursday afternoon.

Later that night, a live stream went out on the interwebz. I thought this was a more energetic (and slightly different) set. By the time we went live Thursday night, I’d played three sets, so my fourth set that night was a bit underwhelming, in my opinion. You be the judge, though. Oh, and there’s even a brief self-help segment about midway through the set. Bromides by Baumer, or something like that.

Song Fodder/Broken Little Bird

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When I was teaching writing, I worked at cultivating the habit of writing in my students. I’d say to them, “writers write—so start writing.” Not necessarily profound, but really: you want to write, so in order to start the flow of words, you need to prime the pump.

Countless people who have dreamed of playing guitar often never start with something as basic at what I wrote above. Rather than writing, you need to begin playing—every single day! How do I know this? Because I’ve taken that advice and parlayed it into guitar skills that while they aren’t steeped in virtuosity—they serve their purpose and allow me to write songs and then, play them. How much more do you need?

I’m a fan of The Hold Steady and the songwriting of Craig Finn. For my money, he’s as good as anyone writing in the rock medium. His songs flesh out stories about characters like hoodrats (“Your Little Hoodrat Friend”) and women with migraines that bet successfully on horses (“Chips Ahoy”).

Finn is a proponent of the daily writing habit. That’s what he lives by as a songwriter. If it’s good enough for Finn, it’s good enough for me and anyone else who wants to write songs.

While I’m no Craig Finn, I have written more than 20 songs over the past 16 months, or so. I just wrote another one last night.

Songwriters such as Finn, mine the experiences from his life for fodder that become the lyrics of his songs. I used an incident that happened last week to craft the lyrics and then the progression that became “Broken Little Bird.”

Tuesday morning, prior to jumping on the phones—my source of shekels and keeping ahead of the bills—listening to Finn and his band. I had ideas of where I wanted to go with “Broken Bird,” but knew I was still short of it. Lunch was spent fiddling with lyrics and moving verses around, wolfing down some Annie Chung KungPao. By the end of the day, I had the song framework I wanted.  Thanks, Craig!

After writing it on my acoustic, I thought I’d fiddle around playing it on my Danelectro last night in the basement. Danny is my “Fender” and his tone is what I was aiming for.  I located a drum track that was perfect and I started the sound recorder on my phone. My rough mix prior to breakfast, and here you have it. Song-making in 48 hours from JimBaumerMe.

Oh, and that person who after 15 years walked away with two sentences in an email: you’re simply song fodder.

Rock and Roll Church-Sunday, March 7/Do You Want to Get Well?

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Rock and Roll Church this week was pre-recorded earlier in the week. It makes for a “less bumpy ride” than dealing with stream issues. Plus, it gives people some flexibility in being able to watch/listen if Sunday morning don’t work for them.

Time: March 7, 2021

Location: First Congregational Bunker Rock Church of Low-Fi Salvation

Host: JimBaumerMe (music)     Rev. Jimi (sermon and edification)

Set 1:

Sermon:

Set 2:

Note: I mentioned “Burkean Conservatism and John Michael Greer” in my sermon and a link. Here it is.

Can I Get an Amen? Rock and Roll Church Update

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My time in the pool during my twice-weekly swims are very productive. Not only are they good for me, physically—they are also where I work through ideas—like how to make the most of the idea for what I’ve been referring to as “Rock and Roll Church” each Sunday.

Sunday morning at the First Congregational Bunker Rock Church of Lo-Fi Salvation

I admit, week one was one bumpy ride. My live stream went down, and there were a host of other issues. My main beta testers were patient. One so-called friend I asked basically walked away from our friendship with a two-line email. Oh well. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass. It’s too bad you can’t read, or have an ounce of patience and compassion. But looking back on whatever we had—friendship would be too generous for me—you’ve always missed basic queues (and not just with me).

But hey, it’s another week and another chance to come to the alter of rock and roll and party like it’s 1999, or so sang the purple one, Prince.

I’ve got it figured out. Live streaming isn’t necessary. No! We can all gather on Sunday morning and at least for the Sunday services from the First Congregational Bunker Rock Church of Lo-Fi Salvation, I can pre-record them and that way, no streaming messes to clean up or fix. Better than that for you, dear worship participant: you are not locked-in to Sunday mornings. I know you’re busy cleaning the tiles in your shower and with other important things like organizing your sock drawer.

I’ll embargo the videos until 8:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Then, they’ll be there for you to watch at your leisure, when you aren’t so strapped for time. I think I’ll split the service into three videos. Music pre-sermon, then the sermon from Rev. Jimi, and then, post-sermon, more music from JimBaumerMe. That seems to make sense to me.

Then, there are the logistics of weekly services and the prep that goes into making them mildly entertaining (or irritating, depending on your perspective). I think I’m going to do the Sunday services twice a month. Then, on the weeks when there is no Sunday morning Rock and Roll Church, let’s gather together on Thursday nights at 7:00 for an Unplugged Prayer Service. That one will be live-streamed, with JimBaumerMe strumming along on his acoustic.

Here is the schedule I’ve mapped out for March and April. We’ll see how things go. I know in May, open mics are opening up. Perhaps by then, I’ll be gigging so much, we won’t need to gather on Sundays, or maybe we do these once a month instead.

But for now, plan for the following over the next seven week:

Sunday Morning Rock and Roll Church

March 7

March 21

April 4

April 18

Unplugged Prayer Service (Thursday nights)

March 18

April 1

April 16

April 30

To the Bunker, Earthlings!

 

Not To Be Deterred

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Since I began streaming at the beginning of COVID, I’ve been chasing improvement in the audio of each subsequent stream. I did okay when I played everything on the acoustic, save for the first disastrous foray with YouTube’s live streaming option. What they do is “squeeze” bandwidth if you are using the free version of their live service.

To be fair, YouTube’s strong suit is that it allows you to store your videos and not chew up bandwidth on your own website. For that, they are awesome.

Of course, everyone uses Facebook for everything—including streaming. I get it. You can roll out of bed, push the hair out of your face, grab a guitar and warble out a few tunes.

But what if you are like me, trying to capture a live sound that’s more than you plinking out three chords on your ukulele? Rock and roll (the lo-fi variety) with an electric guitar pushed through an amp and—oh my God!! Distortion!! Then, if you top it with some drums—what the fuck?

Anyways, I decided that OBS might be the way to go. Then, when I began ironing out my mix, then tested it last Thursday on Facebook—major problems. That was it for me and Facebook. I don’t like Zuckerberg for reasons I won’t bother with here. But the major reason is I can’t do what I want to do with Facebook.

Then I had a great idea. I’ve had my JBE WordPress site—this one—since 2013. I’ve been kind of neglecting it the past year, or maybe, a better way of framing it is this way. Rather than recognizing WordPress is a site for my writing, it’s actually quite capable of supporting my music endeavors. With a plug-in or two, I should be able to stream on this site, right? Well, not necessarily.

For those of you who consider technological nirvana, turning your smartphone on and off and setting up your voicemail, this isn’t for you. Hell, I’m not going to elaborate any further than to say, there were more speed bumps than I anticipated. Due to that, I couldn’t capture the actual live stream via video, so I took some time Monday after work to create a facsimile. It comes pretty damn close in capturing the music from Sunday’s first service of the First Bunker Rock Church of Lo-Fi Salvation.

JimBaumerMe delivers, per usual, even if it’s his Plan B, or Plan M.

Stay tuned for the next advisement about our next service—it will be here, not on Facebook.