I was thinking the other day about creative output and how it relates to my own production. During the time I was focused on writing, I put out four books from 2005 to 2014, which also included my repurposed Moxie book in 2012, sold to Down East Books (now Rowman & Littlefield). Remarkably, this book continues to sell and I’m sure it’s one of the better-selling regional releases for New England from that period.

Those years also included a host of articles for publications; alt weeklies, trade journals, and newspapers, both local and regional. I launched this blog in 2012, as a platform for content and became a practitioner of “shipping” (as Seth Godin frequently talks about). It was routine for me to create and post three to five blog entries each week.

Since 2018, I’ve been focused like a laser on music, another side of the creative process.  First, playing guitar daily in order to advance my playing. But just as important—writing my own songs. Over the course of that time, I’ve written 30+ songs. I have two Eps and two full-length releases available for purchase on Bandcamp.

In 2021 and 2022, I played more than 100 times across New England. A guy who prior to 2018, knew maybe three or four songs, now able to carry three-hour sets of covers and originals.

Forgive me for saying this—some of the musicians I knew in Maine, and some of the same types in Virginia really aren’t very impressive. They don’t write their own songs, and they’re really not that committed to their craft, even though most have been playing a hell of a lot longer than I have. And I’m not even going to get into the “community” aspect (or lack thereof) there is around music in both places. Unless you want to play three songs at some lame open mic. I don’t.

Since moving to the Commonwealth of Virginia, I haven’t been playing with the same frequency as in the past. Part of this is by choice. I’m also tired of dealing with bar owners who can’t seem to keep a basic calendar and eliminate double-booking performers, or grinding through a three-hour performance for people who don’t seem to care and can’t be bothered expanding their knowledge of music beyond their limited scope. I’ll continue to play occasionally, but in places that are more suitable to listening and appreciate original music.

JimBaumerME live at the Topsfield Fair in 2022.

Playing live is just one element of creating and performing music. I’m very focused on writing new material, including a single about Oliver Anthony that’s been getting some regular streaming live on Amazing Radio. This is the second song that’s been streamed regularly on their platform. Unlike many of the artists being streamed alongside me, I have no PR firm or marketing firm promoting my music. It’s just me, writing, recording, and then sending my songs along. It’s gratifying being played alongside indie royalty like Mitski, longtime indie stalwarts Blonde Redhead, and newer bands/artists like MammaBear (from Atlanta) and amazing young talents like Gigi Perez and Jordan Levy.

I somewhat understand that most people who listen to music have a very different frame of reference than my indie-informed tastes. Many seem to think all music needs to sound like over-produced garbage like Taylor Swift’s; more about technology and recording tricks. But we’ll just say she’s so “talented,” and I’m not. Okay?

But if you have any sense of what I’m trying to do, and you “get” that my influences are less likely to be household names, but certainly artists with talent—artists like Elliott Smith, Big Star, Guided by Voices, Neil Young, Dinosaur Jr., Car Seat Headrest, Mark Linkous/Sparklehourse, T Rex, and Lou Reed—then you’ll understand that I’ve travelled eons from when I picked up my old Yamaha acoustic that fateful afternoon in August of 2018, despondent after Mark’s death. My songwriting process (as well as my recording prowess) continues to evolve. I’m actually continually amazed at how far I’ve come.

There are people who appreciate what I’m doing. A friend of my sister’s said he “loves” the new single and said I sounded like Iggy Pop. That’s a high compliment, and perhaps Iggy Pop circa “Passenger.”

Having said that, I often wonder—where are all my so-called friends? Do they not see me out there, trying to move my music up a mountain? There are many places to get music “plugged-in” and streamed, but the competition is epic. There are so many talented singer-songwriters, and many of them are so young. Could some of my peeps back in Maine stream the new song a few times? I mean, it will take three minutes of your life. Okay—that’s off my chest.

I spent Tuesday and part of Wednesday re-recording a song that’s very different than my other stuff. Not so much musically, but lyrically. Rather than trying to make a statement or having something to say, I just took random rhyming couplets and strung together a three-minute banger of a song. I hope to release it over the next week. Stay tuned.

Earlier this week, someone solicited me to play a private party. She apparently didn’t read my profile page on GigSalad, a site where I’ve picked up a few private gig opportunities from. Instead, she requested I learn a bunch of songs I have no interest in playing—like Taylor Swift and Lizzo, along with some Southern rock. If I’m going to play covers, I’m going to play people I like and respect. Swift and Lizzo aren’t in that category.

Lynchburg feels like a graveyard in terms of options for original music. There are a shit ton of mediocre performers vacuuming up all the local gigs. I’m working on making some contacts in Charlottesville, Richmond, and maybe Raleigh-Durham. My stuff’s a better fit in those locales.

In the meantime, I’m having a blast writing and recording new material.