tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55807625416747825162024-03-13T14:46:01.091-07:00Alternative And Indie Music CornerJim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-68418576093812197512024-03-11T13:52:00.000-07:002024-03-11T13:52:47.688-07:00Indie Lemonade Mix Playlist on Spotify<p> </p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2uEeRmVfam7sEkhGZ1np9O?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>It's the one thing I love to listen to. New bands and popular bands. Every once in a while, I find something from a completely independent artist and my eyes become aglow, and because these days, artists at all levels now have the ability to create their music and share it with us, even if it can be hard to find, it often times is, and I add what I can find.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my current playlist which I update often. If you like it give it a like and I will make sure to keep finding interesting music to add to it.</div>Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-53211940544663621022017-05-28T15:01:00.000-07:002017-05-28T15:01:06.152-07:00You Are Me, I Am You<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." — Albert Schweitzer</i></blockquote>
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There are those who are born into great talent, and who excel and achieve making it to the "big time" with nary an effort. They're just made to be musicians and to share what they do with a world full of eager, listening ears. And through the ages there have been a great many brilliant musical minds who have graced us with their notes and vibes and riffs—beautiful melodies and driving rhythms. The soulful Janis Joplin comes to mind. The genius of Jimi Hendrix is certainly among them. And there are countless others; Michael Jackson, Prince, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Chris Cornell, and Kurt Cobain.<br />
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There really is not enough room to include everyone.<br />
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To that end what I always have said about music in general, whether the music comes from greats or just a guy who decided to start a small band in his garage—to a guy like me who just does it for fun—it does not really matter in the end what the style is. People gravitate to all kinds of sounds, to all kinds of rhythms, to all kinds of melodies. <br />
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I do not put myself in any league with any of these greats to be sure. I only illustrate that even among some of the greats there are those who might argue against the talent. No matter.<br />
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Musicians, and people in general, do what they do, listen to what they like, and really the brilliance and greatness of the world we live in today is that we get to hear it all. The good, the bad, the great, and the phenomenal.<br />
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And we get to share it as well. All of it. The best of it and the worst of it.<br />
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Interestingly enough to me is that a site like Bandcamp and Jango tend to be great places for one to share and "try things out." My best received songs have actually been songs I thought would never get any attention at all. <br />
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Here is my latest attempt. I hope you like it. It's not great. It's not intended to be. It's just me, the hobby I do, and as I said, I get to share it and let you decide whether it is a thumbs up or a thumbs down.<br />
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<a href="https://jimbauer.bandcamp.com/track/you-are-me-i-am-you"><b>You Are Me, I Am You by Jim Bauer</b></a><br />
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YOU ARE ME, I AM YOU<br />by Jim Bauer<br />Released May 26, 2017<br />https://jimbauer.bandcamp.com/track/you-are-me-i-am-you<br />
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Verse1:<br />
Am Dm Am<br />Sittin' on the front porch, and I'm talking to the old man<br /> F G Am<br />He hands me the torch, says walk in my shoes and you'll be all right<br /> Dm Am<br />Said he'd had dark days, and you're gonna have them too<br /> F G Am<br />Take the bull by the horns, says just be a man, do what you gotta do<br /> Dm Am<br />He was a wise man, I could see was true<br /> F G Am<br />He said I'm you're dad, you are me, and I am you<br />
<br />Bridge:<br />
F G Dm Am F G Dm Am F<br />Feeling now that I re — gret, the days we lost what we might have said<br />
<br />Chorus:<br />
C G Dm Am C C/B G<br />But there's on — ly now, we can make it up<br />C G Dm Am C C/B G<br />There's still time to fill, to fill this emp — ty cup<br />C G Dm Am C C/B G<br />Yesterday is gone, no sense in looking back<br />C G Dm Am C C/B G<br />Oh, the time is now, to get it back on track<br />
<br />Verse2:<br />
Am Dm Am<br />Sittin' on the front porch, and I'm talking to the old man<br /> F G Am<br />Says what I've done, no I ain't proud, but it's who I am<br /> F Am<br />Said dad it's okay, got me some demons too<br /> F G Am<br />Said I'm your son, you are me, and I am you<br /> F G Am<br />You're my dad, I'm you're son, and we are one<br />
<br />BRIDGE AND CHORUSES REPEAT <br />
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Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-64316925161315033782017-03-25T08:29:00.001-07:002017-03-25T08:29:55.199-07:00A Little Bit of Wakin On A Pretty Day—Kurt VileOne of the fun things about music is that it is such a provider of joy and adulation, that to be able to take a song that you love from an artist you admire and somehow make it your own is perhaps one of the most rewarding things about it. <br />
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Many of us will find ourselves with a song stuck in our head. We may hum the tune, whistle it while we work, sing along as we drive along the road to wherever we may be headed, and perhaps in the back of our mind the song<i> is</i> ours. We <i>are</i> the rock star.<br />
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Of course, I dabble in a little bit of my own original stuff. Certainly my album <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080526628?ls=1&app=itunes"><i>Pink Flamingoes</i></a> is an example of that. Just me doing my own thing musically, not caring if there is any real structure to it, and certainly not trying to get rich <i>or </i>famous from it.<br />
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Not that that would be a possibility mind you. But there are enough people who enjoy what I do that it makes it all worth it in the end.<br />
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But back to songs we love from artists we admire. I have talked much on here about one artist in particular who strikes my fancy, and is always a pleasure to make new discoveries with. That artist would be Kurt Vile, and if you've never had a chance to listen to what he does, you are surely missing out. <br />
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One song in particular that I like from him is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659pppwniXA"><i>Pretty Pimpin</i></a>, and it happens to be...well, <i>pretty pimping.</i><br />
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But there's another song that also made quite an impression on me, enough so that I wanted to try to do that song my own justice. Did I accomplish it? Probably not. But that's not the point. The point is that his song <i>Wakin on a Pretty Day </i>just happened to strike a chord with me, and so I wanted to do a little something with it.</div>
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It's fun to sing and it's fun to strum, and so I just had to put my own touch onto it. </div>
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Again, did I do it any justice? Probably not. I'm no Kurt Vile, and to an extent I am no musician either. But even more fun is that we live in a time when we can share with the masses whatever we want, and again as well...</div>
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There are actually some folks out there who appreciate that. Especially the fans. Often times my own handful of fans will ask me to share some or another cover, and this just happens to be one of them.</div>
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<br />Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-77703073116012813702016-10-23T10:56:00.000-07:002016-10-23T10:56:40.075-07:00Acoustic Version of Baio's Sister of Pearl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have stated many times in the past that it is the rawness of a lot of music which makes it good. Certainly it is part of the reason I have always preferred acoustic versions of songs—most of the time I find them to be better than the original.<br />
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You can absolutely say that about the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jskyqPEIiG4">acoustic version of Imagine Dragon's Radioactive, </a>or even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDScdPrf4N8">Foster the People's Pumped Up Kicks.</a> These are versions that show the real layers of the song that make them great before the studio effects and syth instruments and other things that make them more <i>pop </i>versions fit for the mainstream are tossed in.<br />
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There is another special treat in seeing these acoustic variations, and that is that it also offers the fan—not just of the bands, but of the <i>music </i>itself—an insight into the chemistry of the song writers, and of the song writing and playing process above all else. There is a distinct personal nature to the performances, and one thing I have also said many times in the past is that because music is such a personal thing for many listeners in and of itself, even for the studio versions, acoustic versions of great songs make the entire experience much more personalized. When a song is special to you personally, the song really becomes <i>yours </i>in a way. Certainly any musician can appreciate such a personal connection with what to them is <i>truly </i>personally connected to them.<br />
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In the past I wrote about Baio who happens to be the bassist for the alternative rock band <i>Vampire Weekend, </i>and one of his songs which captured my attention. <i>Sister of Pearl. </i>I do like the song, and of course that's why I wrote about it. But every time I have heard it I have always felt something was amiss about it. Perhaps I don't like the extra synthy feel of it, thinking there could have been much more done with it. After all, listening to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzMmep2KFYE">studio version of Sister of Pearl</a> you can definitely find a simple song that is also letting you know right off the bat there is more to it than what you hear. <br />
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I know that sounds like a silly thing to say when I am about to tell you that the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9N2Yd1IRz8">acoustic version</a> is a much better version since it is essentially, while multi-layered, stripped down to its true raw form. But in this version, to my mind, ironically there is quite a bit more depth to the entire song. And for me, this version took a song I like, that I found very pleasant to listen to, and turned it into an <i>amazing </i>song. All of the synthesized parts taken out and replaced by pure acoustic fill gives a glimpse into the real music behind the song that even gave the studio version a chance to be good.<br />
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I really wish that the acoustic version of this song was the one that Baio put out first. But then, just like sometimes reading a book makes a great movie even better, spinning an acoustic version of a great song makes it stellar. And in my opinion this is exactly what Baio achieved with this version of Sister of Pearl. <br />
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Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-29116477172571770102016-09-08T05:25:00.000-07:002016-09-08T05:25:42.350-07:00Blue Bedroom Sessions MGMT Electric Feel Acoustic Cover<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jtiukth6bbg/V9FYUJ0CiWI/AAAAAAAABD0/8VRDBLq3UvErdm4pdX-H0ZFru1vLWZ5CgCLcB/s1600/katievanamerom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jtiukth6bbg/V9FYUJ0CiWI/AAAAAAAABD0/8VRDBLq3UvErdm4pdX-H0ZFru1vLWZ5CgCLcB/s320/katievanamerom.jpg" width="320" /></a>In following along with my theme here, sometimes when it comes to finding great music and great artists—and let's face it, great <i>cover </i>music—you simply have to turn off the radio. Today is the age of the Internet, self publishing, and the opportunity to share with such a larger number of people what you've got.<br />
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Let's take the song, <i>Electric Feel. </i>On its own, this is a great song by the brilliant masterminds of music who call themselves MGMT. The song itself sort of sounds like a combination of an old disco sound coupled with a poppy undertone and something from the 1980's, but with a bit more pizzazz and gusto.<br />
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It really is a cool song with a great vibe, great melody, and of course as one would expect, lead singer Andrew VanWyngarden delivers the lyrics masterfully. His voice always seems to manage to take you to another place, which in many ways is what music should do for any listener when the music is good.<br />
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But there is another version of this song out there, and if you ask me it is just as good, and dare I say, perhaps even better than the original. Maybe it is because I just like the stripped down versions of music—in other words, turn off all the synths, and break down all the sound effects in the backdrop, and just yank out wood and strings and just play.<br />
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Take a song like Foster The People's <i>Pumped Up Kicks </i><a href="https://youtu.be/UDScdPrf4N8">acoustic version</a> and you immediately get what I mean. I love the song, but when I listen to it these days, it's the acoustic version I go after most often. It's just better stripped down.<br />
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And that's exactly what you get when you go over to Katie van Amerom's YouTube page and find a "Blue Bedroom Session" performance of MGMT's <i>Electric Feel.</i> And it is an amazing performance to say the least. Like I said, in some ways it may actually be better than the original version of this song.<br />
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Besides the song being done marvelously, you have to admit that Katie's kind of cute as well, and so even if there is not much going on in the video other than her and her cohorts jamming together in a blue walled bedroom sitting on a rather large bed, it is still a fun video to keep an eye—<i>or both—</i>trained on.<br />
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And by the way, Katie's voice is as crystal clear, melodic, and <i>take you to another place</i> as is VanWyngarden's. It's just a marvelous performance through and through.<br />
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Since hearing this version of the song I have not had a chance to take a look at some of the other "Blue Bedroom Sessions" or Katie van Amerom for that matter (by the way, it is just a coincidence that both her and VanWyngarden have "van" in their names?), but you can bet it is on my radar and I certainly will eventually.<br />
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This video deserves a watch, and certainly Katie and the rest of the crew who accompanied her on this song deserve a huge pat on the back for a job well done, and for masterfully making what is already a great song their own without changing much of the basic structure of the song to get it done.<br />
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This is art, folks, plain and simple.<br />
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<b><i>While you're at it, why not check out Jim Bauer's cover video of Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer," which is also an acoustic version. Not nearly as masterful in any way as the Blue Bedroom Sessions or Katie van Amerom for that matter, but a fun listen in any event—according to a very small group of people. But growing? Who knows. All I can say, and all I know, is that regardless of any "accomplishment" on the song, I had fun doing it. Although I was sitting in a chair rather than lying on my bed.</i></b></div>
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<br />Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-22731550519185284842016-09-05T08:10:00.002-07:002016-09-05T08:19:45.658-07:00Kurt Vile: Performer or Artist?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Of course, I have written about Kurt Vile's song, <a href="http://altandindiemusic.blogspot.com/2015/12/kurt-viles-pretty-pimpin.html"><i>Pretty Pimpin'</i></a> before. I did so because I like the vibe of it, and of course there's that very catchy finger picking pattern which embodies the entire song. <br />
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<i>And it </i>is <i>difficult to play. Or it can be.</i><br />
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From time to time I do a cover here and there outside of playing around with my own music. And this song has given me a bit of trouble—although I haven't spent a lot of time trying to practice it. In any event, most of the time when I do a cover I try to put my own slant on it anyway. I think that's the creative side of me. Or at least that's what I like to try to tell myself.</div>
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Perhaps it's just a guise for the fact that I am not all that great of a guitar player. Or if I like to tease myself I can always just simply say I'm like Jimi Hendrix who was known as an improvisational guitar player. That is, Jimi Hendrix never played his own music the same way twice. When he performed one of his songs he improvised. Of course he was still in keeping with the basic structure and nature of whatever song he was playing. But if you listened to three performances of say, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLV4_xaYynY"><i>All Along The Watchtower</i></a> back to back against the studio recording, to the trained ear (and perhaps even to the untrained ear) you'd notice very subtle but notable differences in how each of the signature riffs and basis melodies are played.</div>
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When I think of Kurt Vile, who is an amazing songwriter by the way, I am always reminded of the pure essence of what makes indie music so great. It is always about the trueness of the music, and the raw, low-fi nature of it all. If you want perfection, which is really just computer generated perfection these days by the way, all you have to do is turn on your radio and you'll find plenty of that to go around. Indie music strives for something else, and quite frankly what the result of that is may not be perfection as it is commonly defined. But it is perfection nonetheless in and of itself.</div>
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The reason I bring this up is because of that very song which so captured my attention and made me a fan of the music of Kurt Vile, and a YouTube video of a live performance of this song which did not seem to go all too well for him. I've seen other "live" videos of performances of this song, but few of which appear to be, well, let's just go ahead and say it.</div>
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<i>Live.</i></div>
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There is one that stands out for me which he did for a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdJ1WTsv1YQ"><i>KEXP Live Event</i></a> which is clearly played live with his backing band. Perhaps by the time he did this performance he had been more practiced on the song. It's a great performance by the way, and of this song probably one of the best live performances of it that I have seen.</div>
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Flawless?</div>
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Nope. There are noticeable misses and pauses when it comes to Kurt's parts. <i>But</i> as I said before, perfection is something achieved in the studio. It's not necessarily the heart of indie music, and when it comes to performances I much prefer to hear subtle differences in the live version of a song than total perfection. It makes that performance unique and special in its own right. And it also does something else for me and for the avid listener of indie music.</div>
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It makes the <i>performer</i> real. </div>
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Kurt Vile has said in interviews that he wants his music to sound like a guy who is sitting at home on his couch just playing around on his guitar. And when you think of great performances that is exactly what you get from it.</div>
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Remember that amazing performance by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC6_WgraOBA">Aaron Lewis</a> doing the Pearl Jam song, <i>Black</i>? It's as raw as can be, certainly perfection, but not <i>perfect.</i> What Aaron Lewis did with this song was to make it his own, and seems most of the time I hear this song played on the radio it happens to be <i>his </i>version which gets played the most.</div>
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There's a reason for this.</div>
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So, the Kurt Vile performance of <i>Pretty Pimpin'</i> on YouTube he did for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCg95TuteAo&index=6&list=LL-IDx8HS7Z-oUa7cQ_v5gpw">909 Studio</a> is tough for some to swallow if you read through some of the comments. The timing is off, the singing is off, and of course he more than misses a couple of changes throughout the song. The word <i>struggling </i>certainly comes to mind of this performance.</div>
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<i>But</i>, does that matter when all is said and done? I don't think so because of exactly what I said earlier about perfection, and when you consider that Kurt Vile is an <i>artist </i>before he is a performer, and when it comes to indie music I think that's all you really need to worry about being.</div>
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Let's be real in talking about music in general, shall we? You can think back to great songwriters like Neil Young or Bob Dylan for example. Neil could barely sing if I am being real here, but he wrote great songs that not only were easy to listen to even if Young was often times singing off key, but that one could identify with on a level entirely separate from what was heard on the radio.</div>
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You felt like Neil was sitting right in your own living room, perhaps on your couch, just doing his thing, playing his music...</div>
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<i>For you. Just for you.</i></div>
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A live performance by Neil Young to this day captures scores of fans to rush to buy tickets, and he can still fill an auditorium despite his lack of perfection in a performance. Because when you go to see Neil Young perform what you get from it is the distinct feeling that no one else is around you in the concert hall. It's just you, perhaps a couple of friends, and Neil Young. You feel like the performance is a personal one, tailor made just for you. And that's what music should be. That's what performing live should be. Raw. Imperfect. But yet, perfect.</div>
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And when it comes to anything creative, it is easy to be a critic. It is easy to find fault in whatever you can find. And people do. People <i>often </i>do. I don't take away the same thoughts on any performance, and I spend a lot of time listening to other indie bands, and as well, some of the very real and raw talent that exists in the <i>underground </i>music world that largely exists these days on places like YouTube.</div>
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<i>There are covers galore, and most of them while not perfect, are absolutely amazing things to listen to despite any lack of perfection in the performance.</i></div>
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Regarding the performance of Kurt Vile's <i>Pretty Pimpin' </i>I also wonder when he did this performance, how many times had be actually played it live before? </div>
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I said before that I also write my own music. But I have <i>never </i>played any of them live. And even after I write them and record them, I almost never play them again with some exception. I have played <i>Pink Flamingoes </i>many times. I have played <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfO0hnYH0Ew"><i>102 Idle Stones</i></a> a few times, but not necessarily ever in their entirety. <i>Could </i>I play <i>any </i>of my songs live? Sure. If I practiced them for the intent to play live I could. </div>
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But again when it comes to any indie music, when it comes to any indie artist, let's keep that word in mind as we listen and enjoy the art. <i>Artist.</i> Great songs are created not out of entirely their <i>performance, </i>but in their <i>creation.</i> And when it comes to music in general, there is also that thought that making music and songs is simply good fun. In the case of indie music in general, the music is for the artist who wants to create and share, but it's not necessarily for the love of fame or money. It's not <i>pop music</i> which is frankly generic and churned out to act like an ATM machine for the writers, singers, and music executives that put it out. Taylor Swift is nice. So is Maroon 5. But when you listen to songs from these artists it's not as special or as unique as what you get from indie artists like Kurt Vile. Like Belle and Sebastian. Like MGMT. It's not the same kind of vibe in any live performance as you got when you went to a Neil Young concert, or went to sit down and listen to Aaron Lewis play <i>Black</i>. And it's not the same vibe as those who sat down to listen to Kurt Vile struggle through his own song <i>Pretty Pimpin' </i>during the 909 Studio event.</div>
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Did he have fun? I think he did. Is Kurt Vile having fun in his career as a musician? I think he is. Just like I had fun putting together my own <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080526628"><i>Pink Flamingoes</i></a> album or releasing my current single, <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1149209667"><i>All You Are</i></a>. Or the fun I had recording my own version of a Peter Gabriel song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G-swBD2-48"><i>Sledgehammer</i></a> which I also did a little video for.</div>
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Personally I am happy that we have anything from Kurt Vile out there for us to enjoy. And again, while I have never performed live, nor have I ever jammed with a backing band, if I could do it, Kurt Vile would be an interesting guy to sit down with and talk music, and maybe even do a collaboration with. </div>
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At the end of the day I don't care whether or not Kurt Vile is a perfect performer. He's as real as anyone can be. He's true to himself and his music. He's got the guts to go out there and play it, and I frankly don't think he cares if it <i>is </i>perfect. It's his. It's genuine. It's not spoon fed computer generated garbage. It's raw. It is, without getting overly redundant here, <i>the real deal pure and simple.</i> It's music the way it was intended to be. <br />
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Kurt Vile may not be a perfect performer. But there is no denying he is an artist.Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-4212519296013436112016-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:002016-09-05T14:20:22.834-07:00Lyrics of All You Are by Jim Bauer<div>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gWl5oY2GIoM/V81mQnBNdwI/AAAAAAAABDA/_DCKkkKu1SstYZxxzgEu5QJKmM0120VdwCEw/s1600/2016-08-20%2B16.08.44_resized%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gWl5oY2GIoM/V81mQnBNdwI/AAAAAAAABDA/_DCKkkKu1SstYZxxzgEu5QJKmM0120VdwCEw/s200/2016-08-20%2B16.08.44_resized%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="112" /></a><b><i>All You Are</i></b></div>
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<b>Words and music by: Jim Bauer</b></div>
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<b>Recorded: August 2016</b></div>
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<b>Released: August 2016</b></div>
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<b>Album: Released as a single</b></div>
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<b>Lyrics:</b></div>
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<b> </b><i>All that you are</i></div>
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<i> All that you fear inside</i></div>
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<i> Lurks in a place you can't hide</i></div>
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<i> All that you bare</i></div>
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<i> Burdens of sorrow you yield</i></div>
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<i> There's nothing to touch that is real</i></div>
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<i> Hold onto your life</i></div>
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<i> And there'll be tears to fall</i></div>
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<i> Like you've lost an old friend</i></div>
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<i> Wait for the pain to fade away</i></div>
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<i> If you fall, this won't be the end</i></div>
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<i> All you are is what you are</i></div>
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<i> There is nothing I'm to fear</i></div>
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<i> If I don't run, if I stand</i></div>
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<i> I won't fade away</i></div>
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<i> All that you are</i></div>
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<i> All that you wanted to be</i></div>
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<i> Lurks in a place you can't see</i></div>
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<i> All that you are</i></div>
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<i> The burdens of sorrow you yield</i></div>
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<i> Nothing to touch that is real</i></div>
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<i> Hold onto your life</i></div>
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<i> And there'll be tears to fall</i><br />
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<i> Like you've lost an old friend</i></div>
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<i> Wait for the pain to fade away</i></div>
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<i> If you fall, this won't be the end</i></div>
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<i> All you are is what you are</i></div>
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<i> There is nothing I'm to fear</i></div>
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<i> If I don't run, if I stand</i></div>
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<i> I won't fade away (x2 to fade out)</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.jango.com/music/Jim+Bauer">Jim Bauer on Jango Music</a></div>
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1149209667?ls=1&app=itunes">Buy "All You Are" on iTunes</a></div>
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1149209667">Stream "All You Are" on Apple iTunes Music</a></div>
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080526628?ls=1&app=itunes">Buy the album "Pink Flamingoes" by Jim Bauer (iTunes)</a></div>
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080526628">Stream the album "Pink Flamingoes" by Jim Bauer (Apple iTunes Music)</a><br />
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<b><i>Official Music Video, "All You Are" on YouTube:</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Jim Bauer does a cover of the 1980's hit song by Peter Gabriel, "Sledgehammer." Recorded August 2016. </i></b></div>
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<b><i>"All You Are" by Jim Bauer available at the following music outlets: iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Play, Deezer, Groove, Rhapsody, eMusic, Simfy Africa, iHeartRadio, MediaNet, VerveLife, Tidal, Gracenote, Shazam, 7Digital, Juke, Slacker, Guvera, KKBox, Akazoo, Anghami, Spinlet, Neurotic Media, Yandex, Target Music, ClaroMusica, Zvooq, Saavn, 8tracks, NMusic, Q.Sic, Cur, Musicload, and Kuack</i></b></div>
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Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-81688271244801946042016-01-29T16:16:00.003-08:002016-09-05T06:46:37.379-07:00Lyrics of 102 Idle Stones by Jim Bauer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xkOn2mqfPWA/Vqv6-uTK43I/AAAAAAAAA_0/cUyT9rU9RNk/s1600/102idlestones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xkOn2mqfPWA/Vqv6-uTK43I/AAAAAAAAA_0/cUyT9rU9RNk/s200/102idlestones.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<strong><em>102 Idle Stones</em></strong><br />
<strong>Words and music by: Jim Bauer</strong><br />
<strong>Recorded: January 2005</strong><br />
<strong>Released: March 2014</strong><br />
<b>Album: Pink Flamingoes</b><br />
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<strong>Lyrics:</strong><br />
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<em>I feel the cold dirt beneath my feet<br />I feel cold bony hands reach for me<br />Will someone release me from their reap<br />Untether me, cut me from this sea</em> </blockquote>
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<em>Crooked, cracked these idle stones<br />The seal is worn from restless bones<br />Something has opened up the gate<br />The ground is breaking and it's too late</em> </blockquote>
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<em>A sea of darkness come over me<br />The silence penetrates, and I can't scream<br />Menacing madness in the fray<br />Watch me break as I slip away</em> </blockquote>
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<em>Save me from this unending pain </em></blockquote>
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<em>Crooked, cracked these idle stones<br />Crooked, cracked these idle stones<br />Crooked, cracked these idle stones</em></blockquote>
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<em>Drowning in a sea of blood and bone<br />Crawling, there is no one to save my soul</em></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.jango.com/music/Jim+Bauer">Jim Bauer Music on Jango Radio</a><br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/porwest/jim-bauer-102-idle-stones">102 Idle Stones by Jim Bauer (Soundcloud)</a><br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080526628?ls=1&app=itunes">Buy "Pink Flamingoes" by Jim Bauer on iTunes</a><br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1080526628">Stream "Pink Flamingoes" by Jim Bauer (Apple iTunes Music)</a><br />
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<strong><em>Available at the following music outlets: iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Google Play, Deezer, Groove, Rhapsody, eMusic, Simfy Africa, iHeartRadio, MediaNet, VerveLife, Tidal, Gracenote, Shazam, 7Digital, Juke, Slacker, Guvera, KKBox, Akazoo, Anghami, Spinlet, Neurotic Media, Yandex, Target Music, ClaroMusica, Zvooq, Saavn, NMusic, 8tracks, Q.Sic, and Amazon on Demand</em></strong><br />
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<strong></strong>Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-21450779117563518862015-12-27T07:50:00.001-08:002015-12-27T07:50:47.980-08:00Baby Wants To Leave?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1tLOoSCbjE/VoAIx8TRxwI/AAAAAAAAA9E/wcNxf4BqIaY/s1600/stonedbunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1tLOoSCbjE/VoAIx8TRxwI/AAAAAAAAA9E/wcNxf4BqIaY/s200/stonedbunny.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
When it comes to music, heedless of the form or the style, or even the format or intent, I think having fun should always be a large part of the "process." In fact, there are many musicians who will tell you that some great music has been written through the ages with just the <em>fun factor</em> in mind. Whether it be an artist just sitting down and striking a few notes or a few chords in a progression that grabs the imagination, or a group of artists sitting together with a few cocktails and having a jam session.<br />
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Baio said he actually wrote <em>Sister of Pearl </em>while in an office, saw a guitar, and just started playing. Not that his song is stellar, and certainly I won't put that label on any of my work either, but certainly a song was written purely out of fun.<br />
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Sometimes it's just fun to pass the time as well.<br />
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After my wife joked about leaving for a couple of days, it inspired me to write this short ditty about the potential consequences of her making that choice. It's all in fun. My wife are very much in love, and neither of us are going anywhere.<br />
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But writing and putting this short little ditty <em>was </em>fun, and for that reason thought I'd share it with my readers to have fun with it also. It won't be hitting any Billboard charts any time soon, and I have no intention of picking out my next Bentley (I don't even have a <em>first </em>Bentley by the way) from any "royalties" from it. But even if all that comes from it is that I indeed had fun doing it, that is quite enough to satisfy me.<br />
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1056746094?ls=1&app=itunes">VOICES by JIM BAUER on iTunes</a><br />
<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/album/id848375552?ls=1&app=itunes">102 IDLE STONES by JIM BAUER on iTunes</a><br />
<a href="http://www.jango.com/music/Jim+Bauer">JIM BAUER on JANGO RADIO</a><br />
<a href="http://baiobaio.com/">BAIO OFFICIAL SITE</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jimbauerindie/?ref=hl">JIM BAUER OFFICIAL FACEBOOK FAN PAGE</a><br />
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Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-64256521677830705352015-12-06T14:25:00.002-08:002015-12-06T14:25:51.735-08:00Kurt Vile's Pretty Pimpin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kurt Vile is someone entirely new to me in the music world, and until I heard his song <em>Life Like This</em>, I had never heard of him before. After a few listens that song began to grow on me a bit, and then I became curious.<br />
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<em>What else has he got?</em><br />
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And then I found one of the other songs from his latest album, <em>b'lieve i'm goin down</em>, this one called <em>Pretty Pimpin</em>, that I simply thought was a great example of indie sound, uniqueness, and a groove I can definitely get into.<br />
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Without sounding corny, the song is <em>pretty pimpin.</em><br />
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It is played with a very simple, but groovy and hooky fingerstyle pattern, and I think this song, unlike <em>Life Like This </em>is a much better example of his musical talent and genius. I like <em>Life Like This </em>for its sheer simplicity of form and arrangement, but <em>Pretty Pimpin</em>, to my mind, is better, and I am not sure why this one didn't make it to the airwaves before the other one did.<br />
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<em>Or perhaps it did and I just wasn't paying attention. After all, like I said, I had never heard of Kurt Vile before.</em><br />
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Having dabbled a bit in the indie scene myself, writing <a href="http://www.jango.com/music/Jim+Bauer">my own music,</a> I like music that is <em>not </em>overly mainstream, <em>not </em>overly structured, and that is more like a piece of abstract art that one must see the message of with a discerning, yet keen eye to the underlying message. Kurt Vile manages to keep the song moving along nicely, and you never miss that the verses are really the chorus, it lacks a real bridge, and disobeys the "laws" of what defines great music. <em>Pretty Pimpin </em>stands well on its own as a solid track, and one that can be listened to over and over again, each time finding something new you did not hear before, and always appreciating every subsequent listen more than the former.<br />
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It may not be a <em>masterpiece</em>, but the song still fucking rocks!<br />
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Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-41648006464218024912015-11-30T05:04:00.000-08:002015-11-30T05:04:46.766-08:00Things In Herds, Always Disappear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One band that caught my attention very early on in the indie scene was <em>Things In Herds</em> comprised of Pete Lush and Miss Ping. Their song <em>Always Disappear</em> just had, what I felt, was a very whimsical and fun sound to it, and of course it was very different than a lot of other songs I had heard at the time. In many ways I thought that Things In Herds had an almost Coldplay like feel to it—although on a different level. Perhaps it was the pure rawness in the way that the song was presented, something I have always enjoyed when it comes to music of any style. Unpolished, pure, and of course fun and interesting.<br />
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Songs like these, and recording them in this way, is always reminiscent of old garage bands or those new groups you stumble upon in bars and nightclubs. <br />
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I enjoyed the song <em>Always Disappear </em>enough that I decided I wanted to tab it out for myself and give it a go. Back then I was new to recording and if I remember correctly, used N-Tracks to put together all of the parts. Most of the time when it comes to drums, I write those out using Fruity Loops—a little time consuming, but worth it in the end since I do not play drums and do not own a drum set, but of course want some percussion to accompany anything I happen to be playing. <br />
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While <a href="https://soundcloud.com/porwest/jim-bauer-always-disappear">my cover</a> doesn't nearly capture the true fun and whimsical nature of this song, I think it still accomplished what I wanted it to do when I recorded it.<br />
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Incidentally <em>Things In Herds </em>is one of those groups that have been fairly quiet on the scene for some time. I think they still play live, but I have not heard of anything new hitting the streets from them recently. Nonetheless, besides <em>Always Disappear, </em>there's plenty of other great songs from this band to enjoy. If I am to be on anything, it's that Pete Lush and Miss Ping do have something in the works, and hopefully we'll be hearing some new stuff from them soon. <br />
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Jim Bauerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01006512813543822031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5580762541674782516.post-87035583389659967802015-11-29T13:01:00.001-08:002015-11-29T13:01:40.370-08:00Introduction To The Alternative And Indie Music Corner Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Perhaps it is that I was a child of the 80's that my taste in music has forever been a bit eclectic. Even when writing my own music, my style definitely defies the norm, and is more than a bit outside of the mainstream. The 80's at the time could have easily been defined as "mainstream," but certainly for its time it was a style of music that had its own place in time, and of course had its own distinct sounds. Like mullets and multi-colored outfits, the 80's are unmistakably obvious—you know it when you see it, and you know it when you hear it.<br />
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From very early on in my childhood I was interested in creating something all my own. Some of my friends probably thought I was a bit of an oddball, spending hours at a time in my own fantasy world of bright lights and adoring fans. I was always singing something, and 90% of the time it was something I made up. Knitting needles and hairbrushes were given new purpose as microphones, and my band was made up of vocalized percussion sets with lyrics of course mixed in.<br />
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One of my favorite bands at the time was The Talking Heads. There was something about that sound and certainly their style of music that just drew me in. I was hooked. And of course there was that first video I saw of them, with David Byrne dancing in a typical unusual style against a blue backdrop to <em>Once In A Lifetime.</em> To this day I still enjoy throwing in some Talking Heads music.<br />
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The thing is that there is so much great music out there if only you take the time to find it. I like my music interesting and different, rather than simply being spoon fed what is popular or who some radio marketing guy decides should be. And of course nowadays with the Internet, YouTube, Jango, and satellite radio, it's easier than ever to find those bands, signed or not, and hear some very interesting musical talent. Back in its day MySpace was actually a good place to seek out some really interesting and eclectic stuff you'd probably never have otherwise have ever had the opportunity to find. And many bands today actually get their start simply by getting noticed through channels that for artists in the past would have been impossible. Even Justin Bieber, regardless of what you think of him, would never have been discovered had it not been for things he posted on YouTube. If it <em>would </em>have happened anyway, and considering his undeniable talent I think it would have, it would not have been until much later on, and the work to get noticed would have been much harder.<br />
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How many great musicians, do you wonder, did we never get to hear from simply because the path to being heard had only one course? How many simply gave up and got jobs in factories or office buildings? <br />
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This page is devoted to my view of music. Here I wish to share what I find to be interesting and fresh, both from signed and unsigned bands alike. Here it is about sharing covers, great original new stuff, my own covers and originals, and anything else I think is worth sharing here. I hope you will enjoy whatever journey we wind up on, and if you have any suggestions for me for bands to check out do feel free to comment any time. Or if you would like me to check out your own stuff, I'd be more than happy to see what you've got.<br />
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The most important take away here should be that music is about sharing. It is about fun. It is about being different and embracing that. It is about tossing aside the mainstream and making way for enjoying what makes each artist unique and different. It is about letting the fans and the listeners decide who and what ultimately makes the airwaves, and what defines our own "mainstream."<br />
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