Jam Notes Podcast: Songwriting, Recording, and Raging Against Machines

Talking about a jam from April 17, 2024 (Maynard’s birthday). Talking about “funky monkeys,” “Brass Monkeys,” and Nick’s brother Trevor’s band Fermented Beats (from Pittsburgh, with clarinet).

Ben notes the energy and poetic mastery of Kendrick’s “Not Like Us,” influencing his mood during the jam, which is grungy, smooth “like ice on a lake,” with loops and unexpected turns.

• Quick banter about their unused Lander account and collaboration.
• Discussion of releasing an album by Christmas. Not a Christmas album, just timing the release… and as of January, it’s still not started.
• Joking about Christmas, Hanukkah, Tet, the Winter Solstice, and Saturnalia.
• Intended as a “quick funky jam” but stretched to 10 minutes.
• Acknowledgement that their jams often diverge from the original intent.
• Chord choices reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine (Battle of Los Angeles era).
• Discussion of Rage albums (Evil Empire, Renegades of Funk covers, Devo’s “Beautiful World”).
• Reflection on Devo’s ironic/depressing themes of “de‑evolution.”
• No loops initially; use of reverb, light overdrive.
• Tempo shifts, experimentation with half‑time reverse loops.
• Hit drum rims accidentally, sometimes turned into purposeful rim shots. “I meant to do that”
• Recording briefly cut off; hosts joke about being “electrocuted.”
• They speculate whether the U.S. government or extraterrestrials shut them down.
• Decide aliens are simply “fans of the podcast.”
• More complaints about Ben’s old drum kit…
• Reference to Jack Funk and songs like Good For Your Soul and Mad Maestro.
• Nick explains adding new sections to old songs, giving them fresh life in live shows.
• Emphasis on saving ideas for the right moment when recording an album.
• Clarification of what a “demo” is.
• Debate between recording individually vs. live “ping‑pong” style.
• Agreement that their music thrives on organic, improvised jams.