Would you rather cave dive or sing in public? The Jam Notes podcast is back for season 2! With StarCraft talk! Trying something a little different this go around. Switching up the formats each episode - adding things, streamlining stuff. Jamming begins around 10 minute mark.

This episode we’re talking about our creative endeavors next to a drum kit in a shoebox. Nick’s doing solo work, original songs and covers, and playing with his band JACK FUNK! New album coming soon! Same with Ben’s book… hopefully. 2027 for sure. Tandem release party?

Cave diving, the Wild Kratts, and singing in public. Shout out to Gus and Woody at Dive Talk!

To follow up on later episode: are there caves in every single mountain? Are mountains hollow?

And then there’s a live jam… after a beer is spilt.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT UPCOMING SCIENCE FICTION FANTASY NOVEL

Nine Inch Nails, Sublime, Mars Volta… these bands arementioned in the seasonal finale of the Jam Notes podcast. There’s also discussions about math, ghosts, bigfoot, and more!

Closing season one out with some follow-ups on bandnames, drumhead logos, and back pain. Ben explains why math is inherently incomplete and then there’s tangents about bigfoot and ghosts.

Musically, we’ve got references to Nine Inch Nails, Sublime,and Mars Volta. And finally, a little reflection to close out the first season of the podcast.

Also featuring:

• Jungle beats
• The triviality of directions
• Bird-watching honor system
• Tight ponytails and Puscifer concerts
• Mold tests and snakes in the ceiling

• The Smattering!
• Are we really a top podcast in Norway?
• More music on the way!
• Ben and Nick will return in Avengers: Doomsday

20 years of jamming together, few actual songs written, noband name (yet?) – but 100s of recorded jams. So we’re talking about them on the podcast. All rights reserved.

Jam Notes (ep. 19): The Incompleteness Theorem and Bigfoot Conspiracies

Nick talks about writing songs, debates with Ben aboutthe importance of recording quality, and both discuss Rage Against the Machine’salbum of cover songs (Renegades of Funk)

Talking about a jam from April17, 2024 (Maynard’s birthday). Talking about “funky monkeys,” “Brass Monkeys,”and Nick’s brother Trevor’s band FermentedBeats (from Pittsburgh, with clarinet).

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

· Quick banter about their unused Lander accountand collaboration.

· Discussion of releasing an album by Christmas. Nota Christmas album, just timing the release… and as of January, it’s still notstarted.

· Joking about Christmas, Hanukkah, Tet, theWinter Solstice, and Saturnalia.

· Intended as a “quick funky jam” but stretched to10 minutes.

· Acknowledgement that their jams often divergefrom the original intent.

· Chord choices reminiscent of Rage Against theMachine (Battle of Los Angeles era).

· Discussion of Rage albums (Evil Empire, Renegadesof Funk covers, Devo’s “Beautiful World”).

· Reflection on Devo’s ironic/depressing themes of“de‑evolution.”

· No loops initially; use of reverb, lightoverdrive.

· Tempo shifts, experimentation with half‑timereverse loops.

· Hit drum rims accidentally, sometimes turnedinto purposeful rim shots. “I meant to do that”

· Recording briefly cut off; hosts joke aboutbeing “electrocuted.”

· They speculate whether the U.S. government orextraterrestrials 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 ForYour 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 momentwhen 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.

(C) 2026

20 years of jamming together, few actual songs written, noband name (yet?) – but 100s of recorded jams. So we’re talking about them onthe podcast. All rights reserved.

Jam Notes (ep. XVIII): Aliens are Fans of the Podcast