By Mike Wahmann

So in a past post about booking guests, I wrote about time being the most precious commodity there is in this world.  It truly is…I will stand by this until the day that I die.  I am a father, I am a husband, I am a son, I am a brother, I’m an employee, I am a band-mate and I am a podcaster.  That’s a lot of hats and that’s only an overview!  Because within each of those hats that I wear, there are a number of very important hats/responsibilities you need to fulfill.  All of those take time to accomplish, you need to invest time wisely and make sure you’re putting enough in and you’re not missing things.  There’s a lot that goes into being any one of those things, let alone all of them.  So I’m always seeking a way to “maximize my minutes” in this life. 

Now, I’m not saying this to you to get sympathy.  I choose to be those things and I love being those things.  I wouldn’t change any of it!  But everything takes work and time to maintain.  So, when a potential guest or PR Agent pitching a guest comes to us…We don’t take that lightly.  They’re investing their time into reaching out to us, they’re reaching out to invest more of their or their client’s time into the show and that’s so awesome that anyone would give enough of a shit about us to do that.  That being said, maybe it’s to a fault. 

While I see things that way and value time in such a manner, some people just don’t.  Some people see Jimmy and I as a couple of knuckleheads who just have a fun little podcast that’s named after bacon and for shits and giggles.  While yes, we have a lot of fun on this podcast, I assure you that we take it quite seriously.  The time invested in the actual recording of the show pales in comparison to everything else doing this show entails… Booking the guests, researching them leading up to an episode recording, keeping up with the social medias, post production of all the episodes, additional patreon content, maintaining relationships with PR agents, guests, advertising sponsors and much more.  Lots of time consuming tasks. 

Again, I cannot stress this enough…We’re not looking for your sympathy or to complain about any of this work.  We do it all because we love it and that’s what it takes to put out a quality product.  We take great pride in the work we do and that will never change.  But on the other end of things, there are the people we book.  Now, full disclosure…We have been extremely lucky.  We very VERY rarely get a dud interview and we very rarely get people who no-show or cancel last minute.  But as you can imagine, when it does happen…I am going to say something about it.  This wound is fresh, we’ve got a blog now…So here we go!  I’m going to vent. 

To the people who “think who they are.”  My time, Jim’s time is not worth any less or any more than yours.  When you agree to do our show, you’ve given your word, your bond that you will be there at a specified time that you’ve agreed to for 90-120 minutes.  You value this show enough as a press platform enough to come on and try and reach a new audience to shill the new “thing” you’re putting out into the world.  If there’s a scheduling conflict, I can absolutely understand.  You tell us a few weeks, hell even a few days out.  We’ll be able to pivot.    I know that things happen, I do.  But unless there are extenuating circumstances, if you agreed to do this show, there’s no reason why you should be no-showing or backing out a couple hours prior?   

The time has been spent on the research already.  Why does it seem like we know what we’re talking about in our interviews for the most part?  It’s because we care about learning about the guests.  We also care about NOT asking the same questions a guest will face out there in the press on a regular basis.  It’s what this show is all about!  So you’ve wasted our time there…Valuable time we could be spending with our families, doing something else creative, being productive to the world, to our causes.  You have now made it clear that you don’t value our time that we spent educating ourselves on their craft, art and story.  We could have researched someone who ACTUALLY wanted to be on the show…Invested that time in a guest who wanted to actually be there! 

Unfortunately due to the mere lack of time Jimmy and I have in general and our weekly release format we have a limited amount of spots and times that we can book guests.  We’re certainly not the biggest and best podcast out there.  But you know what?  There are people who take this media outlet seriously. We’re fortunate enough to now be in a position that we are turning down guest submissions.  People who REALLY want to be on the show.  We now have a recording time blocked out that is now unusable because we cannot book a new guest in a few hours notice. 

So now that you’ve effectively taken someone else’s spot, paying no mind to what that opportunity could be to them.  You’ve taken time away from us for investing it in learning about you…What other damage could you have done?  Well, those guests that we turn down…Do you think they like being turned down?  Do you think that helps create a fruitful relationship?  It doesn’t.  Rejection, regardless of how nice you are or what other options you put out there to make good on it is still, at the end of the day…Rejection.  It sucks and even the most understanding of people doesn’t like getting turned down.  So now, you’ve tarnished a potential working relationship.  Something we work VERY VERY hard for. 

Now, the past few paragraphs certainly seem like sour grapes.  And maybe it is…But I don’t take the loss of my time and my energy lightly.  Time you take from my family especially.  “Just because you don’t want to” doesn’t make up for precious moments I could spend with my children, my wife, my family, my friends…Who do you think you are?  We’ve had some big guests on.  You’re basically telling me that your time isn’t worth spending on this show…Your time is worth more than Eric Bischoff’s?  Your time is worth more than any of the members of Silverstein that we’ve had on?  What makes your time more important than Nick Aldis or Throw the Fight?  Established and respected professionals in their respective fields!  I’ll wait… 

I guess that’s show biz, I guess that’s rock and roll, I guess that’s life.  I know that things happen, but agreeing to do something then backing out at the last minute because it’s “not worth your time” or “you just don’t want to” isn’t good enough.  Tell us up front.  I have no desire to get to know you or your work better if you don’t have the time for me, and I’m totally fine with that.  Honesty is paramount, so don’t book with us, cancel weeks or days in advance so we can put someone else in the spot.  The last minute, rockstar bullshit (barring extenuating circumstances) is completely not pro and completely unacceptable.  You’re not better than anyone and you need to get the fuck over yourself.

By Mike Wahmann

I’ve been asked many times before what my process is for writing music?  It has certainly varied and changed over the years, especially depending on who I’m working with in a particular project or band.  Now, when I tell you what I do or my experience with it is…I’m not sitting here saying I’m this amazing prolific writer of music.  I’m telling you what I’ve done through the years and what makes me happy to write music.  When I first started playing music, just as anyone does…I wanted to “be like someone.”  I’d learn songs from different bands and that’s how I learned guitar.  Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam…I’d sit in front of a stereo and pluck out songs until my fingers couldn’t take it anymore. 

I eventually found a group of dudes that wanted to play in a band.  I was in 10th grade and we learned songs from Rage Against the Machine, Tool, the bands I mentioned before…And that’s what made us “a band” in our eyes.  Shortly after our first show, which was our high school battle of the bands, we decided to venture into the world of songwriting.  My first real experience was 4 other dudes and myself in a basement trying to “play something that wasn’t someone else's.”  Everyone gave a little bit of their input and we finally created “a song.”  A coherent series of sounds and lyrics that was not someone else’s…It was OURS!  And that was the coolest thing to me.  I began to realize that I could take all these songs I learned, take these chords and create my own progressions, or “order in which they are played.” 

It was my first taste and not to say that I didn’t play a lot of cover songs thereafter, but I knew at that point that THIS is what I wanted to do.  At the time, I was strictly a guitar player.  So my next band, we continued on the path of creating our own original music.  That band saw a little bit of success.  “Success” is relative.  It was more “success” than I had seen in my band prior, we were drawing people at shows on a consistent basis.  So that to me, was success.  Anyway, drawing people consistently meant that people knew the music we wrote.  So much so that they were singing along to the songs!  At that point, I knew even more that THIS is what I wanted to do.   

I eventually landed in my next band which was an unexpected opportunity, I was asked to be the vocalist.  Now, I‘m not a singer…But shout out to AJ Vekas, who’s still drumming and writing music with me to this day…He convinced me that I was.  What started out as a fill-in situation turned into what would change my musical direction forever.  I had become “a frontman.”  I joined the band with a few songs lyrically written already.  Which was great but the first time we finished an instrumental arrangement and everyone looked at me for where this song was headed was daunting.  I was scared.  What if the melody sucks?  What do I write about?  What am I even doing? 

I quickly realized that I was finally able to say what I needed to say.  It wasn’t going to be spoken about via guitar riff or chord progression.  It was going to be my message and my words.  I then got excited!  But I learned quickling while writing that first song, that it wasn’t going to be easy.  I didn’t know what kind of mental repercussions that would have.  Taking everything that hurts and putting it to paper hurt but by the time I was done and it was formatted and organized properly, it was the most cathartic experience in my life.  I loved it.  I can share a story with everyone and maybe, just maybe…They would get a little bit of comfort from it.  I knew that I needed this in my life from then on out. 

I’ve tried to write superficially before.  It showed.  If I’m not passionate about something, or can relate to or can’t put myself in their shoes, I don’t think it comes out right.  The next phase of my journey pushed me in many ways.  I started writing with people who wanted more input in things.  I enjoyed a lot of it, but I also became disheartened by some situations.  I found myself pulling back more and more.  I found band practice to be 4 people standing in a circle, looking at each other and waiting for the next big hit or unique sound to come from them.  My “style” or approach was no longer “their thing” and the process became difficult.  It was then that I started hearing songs.  Not existing songs…new unwritten and unreleased songs. 

This time contained a lot of hurt but it also was a time that I felt liberated.  It was then that I knew I needed to figure out how to write but not have to rely on anyone else to “finish the parts.”  I worked hard but finally found a way that I was able to write and record new songs, from beginning to end.  It started as a demo capacity.  Which was fine.  Because the vision is what I wanted to hear.  I eventually worked on mastering the mixing and recording process to be able to put out my own material.  Regardless of if I had a drummer or bassist or keyboard player.  I found freedom! 

With that freedom, I knew I didn’t want to get stuck in my own way as it pertains to song approach, structure, melodies, progressions, etc.  So I started writing with my buddies Gary Greterson and Rich Albergo but other genres outside of rock.  Pop music, rap music, acoustic singer songwriter, ballads…I pushed.  I pushed myself in every which way I could as a songwriter.  I also found myself writing female top-40 pop but also listening to heavier and heavier music.  It was a true musical renaissance in my personal life.  Despite that, my love for writing and performing rock music was not lost.  And I knew I needed to get back to my love of being in a band. 

Now, when I get into a different band or project I truly try to make it different or unique from the last thing I did.  As a “front person,” I didn’t want this project to just be an extension of my last project.  I decided to get a bit more aggressive and I decided to bring another voice in.  This is probably where you’ve all joined my musical journey.  This is where I started Last Turn Off Broadway with Artie Aldorando.  My goal with LTOB was to bring aggressive but upbeat music but include two distinct voices up front.  Full disclosure, it was absolutely a move done out of spite…I was accused of not letting people get a chance to step up and sing in the past, so in true me fashion I said “fine, I’m adding another lead singer to this project!” 

Writing as two lead singers was something even harder than writing a song for someone else.  Most of the time when you’re writing for someone, they’re very happy to take the song, make minor adjustments and just move forward.  But two people singing one song, it had to make sense.  Things needed to sync up.  It was something that I was actually able to do with Artie pretty quickly.  We both opened up.  We both were able to discuss these tough times and able to write about them.  And we would do that either as someone who’s their backup or as a devil’s advocate opposition.  Now, did things ALWAYS sync up?  I’d be lying if I said yes.  But, the percentage was quite good.  It was a vibe, it worked real well for us and I’ll never take that for granted.  Those few years were truly letting someone else live in your brain and you living in theirs for a little while. 

There really is no wrong way to write a song besides not being genuine.  If you’re not drawing from experience or passion or being able to relate to a situation, it’s going to come out wrong.  Sometimes it starts with a riff, sometimes a chorus melody with no lyrics, maybe it’s just a single line…I still hear complete songs.  I still hear things in the middle of the day, middle of the night, especially in completely inconvenient times.  Which is why my voice notes app on my phone is my best friend.  Ask any writer and they’ll say the same thing.  But at the end of the day, no matter how you approach it, do it with honesty and authenticity.  Because when it’s not, it’s obvious and won’t make for great material.

By Mike Wahmann

When we started Bacon is My Podcast, we did not expect it to become a guest-interview type show.  It was just Jimmy and I bullshitting over a couple whiskeys.  And yeah, we’d bring a friend in every once in a while.  We had in-studio Annie Stoic from Jackknife Stiletto early on.  That was actually just a byproduct of her coming to the studio to record some vocals on her feature on my cover of “Teenage Dirtbag” (Available on StrangerhoodTV.com under Will it Sound Good Heavy?).  But that was a real fun episode and because we were friends already, we didn’t necessarily just go into “What is your band?  Where did you get the name?  How did you start playing together?”  You know, the standard questions that every interviewer asks a band.   

Not to say that we didn’t let her promote what she’s getting into.  But it wasn’t our focus.  We talked about her love of doing acrylic-pouring art, her journey into superhero movies and comics and so much more!  That being said, it is still one of our most listened to episodes to date.  Why’s that?  We’ll, sure…Annie is awesome.  But also, she was able to talk about the things that make her the person she is.  And that’s not just the singer and guitarist of a punk band.  That may be what you see when you see her, but she’s got more depth than that, right? I can’t speak for Jim, but I can definitely say that it got me thinking. 

The weeks that followed we brainstormed…We wondered what we could do to expand the podcast’s reach.  We read articles, we emailed media outlets, companies for possible sponsorships and just tried uncovering every stone to try and figure out how to make an impact.  The more I read, the more I knew we were on the right track.  But more than one article mentioned that having guests on your show can help grow it.  So we would ask our friends, we would have our sandbox of buddies on.  Which proved to be real fun.  But I didn’t necessarily want to stop there. 

The question I get asked the most about this podcast is: How did you book THEM as a guest?  The answer is simple.  I asked.  Sometimes the information you’re looking for is right there.  We’re in the social media age…All the links, all the contacts, are all at your fingertips.  And if it’s not a direct connection, it will certainly point you in the right direction.  But more people than you realize have their emails listed on their social media pages!   

As a long time musician and the person who often books the shows, asks the radio stations for rotations, asks the record labels for a shot I know first hand that most people don’t even acknowledge you.  A lot of the music game is “throw shit against the wall and see what sticks.”  So I figured that this would be no different.  I started to create a database of emails of various bands, wrestling personalities and other celebrities.  Of course, I researched a bit on how to hook a guest and I ended up creating a template for a guest request with the email subject:  

You + Bacon is My Podcast = Awesome! 

Maybe it was the pandemic causing people to seek the interaction they lost months earlier.  People looking for an outlet to connect with an audience that hadn’t been able to.  But we started getting responses immediately!  People started responding via their social media as well.  And before I knew it, we were booked out for shows over two months! 

The one that always trips me out is when I got a response from one of our first guests, Marc Mero.  He messaged me back shortly after the email went back and asked for my phone number.  No more than 10 minutes later, A former WWE Intercontinental Champion, a guy I watched wrestle on TBS at 6:05 Eastern for WCW as a young boy, was calling me.  CALLING ME!?  What is this life?  I assure you, I maintained my cool…Until he texted me a follow up to thank me.  At which time I nerded out to Jimmy. 

Now, I assure you that not all guests are that easy to book.  Some guests are closely guarded by management, some use a public relations agent as their buffer.  There are some people who DO NOT want to book their clients on a lowly podcast.  Or a podcast with “bacon” in the title?  How could that be a good fit for their client who wants to be taken seriously?  While it certainly is an adjustment, those waters are relatively easy to navigate.  Some management/PR companies are a harder nut to crack than others.  But you just need to keep at it, keep emailing, chip away at that shell (professionally, of course).  Professional persistence pays off.   

Another small tip…It's truly amazing how far being nice will get you.  Why do we continue to get a steady stream of guests?  Why do guests come back repeatedly?  Quite simple, be nice.  Be respectful.  ESPECIALLY with PR agents and managers.  Those people do not make their living by fielding press opportunities for one single client.  They take on many clients!  It has led us to some great partnerships with PR companies like WTF Publicity, Big Picture Media and Adrenaline PR.  They got to know us and know that we can provide good, entertaining content for their clients. 

The most important thing about booking guests is making them feel comfortable and treating every interview more like a couple friends hanging out and talking shop for a little while.  At the end of the day, the most notable guest is still a person.  They’re a person just like you or me.  Most of the time, they’re going into a podcast recording like a chore, just make it not a chore by having them talk about things they want to talk about.  What’s “the thing” you want to talk about but you can’t during interviews because you’ve gotta promote?  What’s their “bacon?”  You’ll usually catch a vibe and end up going overtime…We do it constantly.   

Lastly, ALWAYS follow up!  Thank the guest or PR agent for their time and for setting up and/or participating.  Their time is valuable and they just gave it to you.  Be grateful!  At the end of the day, it’s all about elevating each other.  You’re trying to expose a guest to a new audience and them being on your show is going to bring eyes to you as well.  So make the best of it, let the audience watch the start of a new friendship and in the process…Elevate each other! 

I get that there’s a lot to unpack there…And I also get that I’ve only just begun on this journey of booking and interviewing.  So if you’re looking to do the same thing, here are the main takeaways: 

Ask!  No matter how popular the guest.  You may think that they’re just not in your league…But what’s the worst that can happen?  They say “no?”  But what if they don’t?  Doesn’t cost anything to take a chance. 
BE NICE!  That’s apparently not common sense nowadays and shouldn’t be an unwritten rule.  It should be THE rule.  You never know what opportunities will be presented as a result of that. 
Talk to your guest like you talk to a friend, talk to them about what they WANT to talk about.  Some people are very down to business but some are happy to talk about the things they do to get their minds off things. 
Be #professional, always follow up and thank them for their time.  Time is the most valuable commodity in the world.  They spent theirs with you.  Be appreciative.

By Mike Wahmann

I recently had a conversation with a friend about what a band is.  The Merriam-Webster definition of a musical band is “a group of persons, animals, or things especially: a group of musicians organized for ensemble playing”  Is that all a band is?  And if so, what are all the other things that go into a “band” classified as?  Is that something more than a band?  And a group of persons?  So there’s no limit to how many, right?  Like two people can be “a band” and release music together and be considered a band…But what about a single person declaring it a band.  I supposed releasing music online it’s just a “recording artist” but once you perform live with other people…THEN and only THEN it’s a band…Right?  Maybe it’s different things for different people and this dictionary definition isn’t the be all, end all.  Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we? 

So we’re going to specifically hone in on an original “rock” band because that’s what my conversation was about and it’s what I have personal experience in.  Traditionally you look on a stage at a show and see 3 to 6 musicians up on stage with instruments and/or singing and that is a “band.”  But what goes into that?  First off, there’s writing.  There’s nothing to perform if there is no song written.  Then, there’s learning the song.  Even for the primary songwriter because they may have written it but have they played it with other people yet?  And of course there’s rehearsal.  Life is not a musical, it doesn’t just happen.  There’s practice and stumbling and things sounding awful at first until they don’t and you feel confident in performing it out in the real world.  There’s booking!  A band can’t just show up and play somewhere.  There are a lot of logistics involved.  And this is just the tip of the iceberg! 

Recording, advertising for the show, releasing material, videos, content, social media presence…Those are all things a “band” needs to worry about.  Or maybe they don’t?  I mean, by the very textbook definition it’s just being in a “group of persons” put together for ensemble playing.  Can’t that just be good enough?  Well, no.  Without any of those things, your band doesn’t get booked for that show.  They don’t get to play shows and be “a band.”  When the work is split between that ensemble it should be easy to maintain, right?  Well, the fact of the matter is…When it comes to the business side of things, that’s when that definition absolutely changes for me and many of my friends. 

“Being” in a band right now, especially on the other side of COVID lockdowns, the business side is more important than ever before.  While showing up and playing an instrument is VERY important, someone’s contributions to the cause, contributions to the music are far more important…Right?  I mean, just here in our local area of Long Island, NY…You can’t throw a rock in any direction and NOT hit a guitar player.  And when live music wasn’t a thing for us, who was actually needed in the process?  I think contributors belong to the band.  The people looking to forward the direction of the whole regardless of if a live show is in the cards.  The ones who belong to the process.  Things are very different now.  A band can be a band without being a bunch of people banging out power-chords in a room. 

I think that's often misunderstood with my projects.  I hear people consider Something Heavy “a project” because only AJ Vekas and myself are listed as “members.”  Well, who’s to say a single contributor can’t be a “band” if they bring people in to play that material?  I think that’s something that’s often overlooked.  Prime examples… Nine Inch Nails!  Trent Reznor IS NIN.  Beartooth!  Caleb Shomo writes all the songs, sometimes with contributors and records all of the instruments.  The first Foo Fighters record was ALL Dave Grohl…  I mean, that doesn’t make them NOT a band.  Right?  I’ve started to approach my “bands” this way as well.  Why?  Well, I don’t need someone who’s going to show up and play.  Which brings me to my next point: 

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “PLAYING” IN A BAND AND “BEING” IN A BAND! 

This is something I’ve told to many friends over the years.  Many friends dealing with the people who want to show up and play their instrument then feel as if that’s enough of a contribution to the band.  To me personally, it’s not.  Why?  Because I can do that.  And I know plenty of people that can do that.  I don’t necessarily need you there to just do that.  And if you’re not able to help in other aspects of the business of “being” in a band, I don’t need you there to give an opinion on what the right move is.  I mean, when you’re trying to succeed as a band then a band is a business.  What does your place of work do to a person who doesn’t contribute?  Doesn’t produce?  They cut them loose. 

Man, that sounds pretty cold…That sounds pretty mean…But you know what?  When you’re in bands for the better part of your life, you experience things.  And I know various people with varying degrees of success but based on my personal experience…I can tell you this.  I’ve messed up enough in my past to know what I want for my future.  I want to preface this by saying that I have ABSOLUTELY been in bands with major contributors…Some of them a bigger contributor than myself…But right now, being in a band of two, I know that I receive money in my bank every month.  Is it enough to live off of?  Not even close…Is it enough for a bottle of Jameson every month?  Sure is!  And that’s just not something I’ve experienced before in bands with 5-6 people. 

So what changed?  Conflicting opinions of what “being in a band” is no longer there.  People who think contributing is their mere presence in the room.  Less egos.  Let’s face it, there are good workers and shit workers out there.  By and large, shit workers overpopulate the workforce.  Well, that’s no different in music.  Only a few people understand what work goes into a profession like this.  Few people are willing to get down to brass tacks and able to get RIGHT to work.  And unfortunately most of those people are saddled with deadweight.  People who don’t understand the sacrifice and selflessness that goes into a band.  Most people want to get with a group of people and immediately “get their shit in” and book a show to stroke their ego.  And that’s not going to spell success.  Not even a little bit. 

I “tried” pursuing music as my career for a long, long time and the whole time hadn't been as “successful” as when I had a group or even just one single person who got “it.”  On the surface that certainly seems pompous, especially throwing the word “success” around.  So let me clear that up real quick.  Success is relative and different for everyone.  I find my time spent on music right now to be more productive and therefore more satisfying.  That alone is “success” for me.  Anything else like regular streaming plays, social media hits and people showing up to see the band perform is truly just extra gravy to me.  My success may not be what other people consider their success.  That seems a bit off the beaten path, but I do think it’s important to mention because perspective is important. 

Perspective is what this is all about, isn’t it?  Is a band consisting of two people really a “band?”  Well, if they’re contributing, they’re presenting themselves and treating themselves as a band…Sure!  Why wouldn’t they be considered a band?  Sometimes there are one or two members because they don’t want to deal with the additional opinions from someone who’s looking to inflate their ego by telling people they're in a band and getting their shit in at a show.  Go “play” with a band.  I’ve got enough of my own baggage, I don’t need that type of person’s baggage as well!  That’s not “being in a band.” 

I hope some of what I said opens some minds.  I hope it helps someone else in a rut or in a lul in their band journey.  I know that some will argue what I’ve said here.  There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, I suppose.  I’m aware that’s not everyone’s approach, but it’s certainly mine.  And that way has paid dividends certainly with creating an income stream with music but more so my mental health.  And you just cannot put a price on that.

By Jimmy G

Ok what does that even mean? Well, I think that we as people are capable of being a mirror of how we’re treated. If we are doubted we can doubt ourselves, if we are praised we can show confidence or even arrogance. If we are abused we can become abusers, if we are loved we can become lovers.  

However, I also think that we can become something that creates a reflection. We can choose to show people who are negative the positives, we can choose to show people who hate how to love, we can choose to show strength to people who are feeling weak.  

It’s not easy and it breaks a cycle of behavior that is taught to us over the early years of our lives.  

I feel like I get caught up in the “reflection” roll too much. I don’t know about you but I feel like I’m constantly surrounded by negatives. Negative situations because of my choices or circumstance, negative people of whom some are that way because they’re just beaten down by life (I totally get it) but also some that seem to thrive and get energy from negativity.  

I can get caught up in it too. Man it’s so easy to just complain, or find fault, or nitpick life. It can even make you feel like you’re gaining power over it sometimes to rant or complain because you’re “getting it out” or even getting attention from it. Sometimes it’s just so funny or such a good outlet that it almost becomes addicting.  

Some people are pretty great ranters. Some make a living at it. But what are you adding to the lives of the people you’re ranting to? Even if I make you laugh or you agree with me about how bad something sucks, am I actually fixing or helping you fix anything? Sure we’re not alone but if we’re both drowning and all I do is let you know you’re not drowning alone, we both still drown.  

Maybe that’s what some people need, just to know you’re not drowning alone. I don’t know but I think I want one of us to know how to swim and share the good news. Maybe that’s a bad example but it’s the one I thought of and it’s 4 am so that’s what you’re gonna get.  

I guess my point is, if you’re looking for what sucks then you’re gonna find what sucks. If instead you look for what you like then you start seeing what you like and life becomes more about the cool journey. Yes your commute sucks but maybe your job is cool, or you have someone at work you enjoy seeing, or the job sucks but because of it you can do something that you love or take care of someone that you love. Maybe it’s just the day of the week that you get to go out, or stay in, or see a concert, or play video games for hours or whatever. Everything you do helps you get to the cool parts. And there’s always cool parts.  

Tonight was St Pattys day and I work in a bar. If I focus on every difficult person, problem with the working environment, or negative aspect of the night then my night was trash. If I look for the moments of cool then I spent the night talking to friends, meeting new people, some of whom were very fun and entertaining. Working with people I genuinely like and enjoy, listening to good musicians perform what they work very hard on, having a few drinks and making money so I can pay my rent in the place that I live with the most awesome girl and our dog who is just literally the best and have the money and time to work on my passions like music and this podcast.  

I was told tonight by some friends (who I really appreciate) that I was like a comet or force of nature that came into their lives and made them see what they were capable of and gave them confidence.  

They said I saw inside their brain and helped them organize their thoughts.  

That is the most amazing compliment I could ever receive. I honestly don’t know that I did any of that but I think that if I did, then it was because I was choosing to reflect the good and thoughtful and best parts of them that they were showing me back to them instead of dwelling in their “or my” hurt or pain or insecurities.  

I don’t want to be a reflection of your pain. And I don’t want you to reflect mine. I want us to see each other and take whatever fear is being put out and reflect the confidence that pushes past it. I want us to take the pain and insecurities that we’re showing each other and reflect back the will, creativity and determination to overcome them.  

I want to try to show and be the best of us so that you can see that you already are the best of us.  

Silly rantings of a drunken empath at 4am? Maybe.  

I’m not always positive, I’m really good at ranting, I love being funny and entertaining and sometimes that leads me to point out the negatives or make fun of a situation. I love shit talk, practical jokes, and sarcasm.  

I’m not even close to approaching perfect, nor would I want to be. 

I think there’s a difference and I think there’s a line. I know I cross it all the time but I want to do better. I want to see better, I want people to see that the negatives don’t go away but they’re way less heavy when you start to pay attention to all the cool shit that's also there. I want to be a reflector of that. Ok it’s 5 am and I’m still in my car sitting in front of my place. My dog is gonna be psyched when I walk in and my bed vibrates. I’m gonna go take in those positives.

A Review by Mike Wahmann

Long Island based alt-rock band Qu!et started up back in 2016 by vocalist/guitarist/writer Michael Scarabino (check out his appearance on Bacon is My Podcast in the archives from April 2022) under the name Scarabino but since then, have rebranded due to the vast contributions of bassist/vocalist Whiskey Moonshine and drummer/vocalist Juliana Pitto.  Since that rebrand in 2019 the band has released a number of singles but April 28th, 2022 they released their first 6-song EP called “Normal?” 

As compared to their past releases, “Normal?” feels like the trio truly coming into their own as a band.  Finding that sweet spot and creating a really great and cohesive record while also delivering songs unique enough from each other to keep an audience’s attention, which nowadays is a rarity.  It’s amazing how a three-piece outfit can create such a huge sound.  A super difficult thing to do on record is capture a live energy but they accomplish that right from the start of the opening track, “Setbacks.”  From the very first snare hit of the intro to the unbelievable multi-harmony chorus, you know you’re in for an exciting ride. 

One thing that stands out to me about Qu!et is how all three members of the band contribute vocally.  We’re not talking just backing vocals, we’re talking about splitting lead vocal duties, as heard on the track “Just Go Alone” and others throughout the record.  It truly feels like each member knows their lane, adds their voice and it creates such an awesome dynamic from song to song.  As I said earlier, this three-piece band makes everything sound so big which is another standout quality to me.  Their use of space and ability to create a complete soundscape gives the songs such depth and something new and interesting to listen for each time you replay the record.  I highly recommend listening to this in earbuds or headphones. 

Crafting and recording these songs for the better part of the “pandemic era” was obviously time well spent for these uber talented musicians.  This is an EP that is musically inspiring to me personally because I love their use of textures and layers in each song.  If you’re looking for music with movement, with soaring layered hooks and an endless supply ambient ear candy then I would highly recommend this piece by a super talented band with a bright future ahead of them! 

And now to the moment you’ve all been waiting for…   

The BIMP BLOG official rating: 

Three Gnomes with plates of bacon, one with a glass of Irish Whiskey (That’s good)

Why a podcast?  By Mike Wahmann 

I’ve often been asked…why a podcast?  How did I get here?  Why do I do it?  Well, there’s a lot to unpack there. In March of 2020, everyone’s life changed.  We went from this life that we knew of freedom to interact, congregate and connect to a life of complete lockdown and seclusion.  Total uncertainty.  Jimmy and I are musicians, musicians with plans.  Plans to play shows, plans to tour, plans that require human interaction and in the blink of an eye it was all taken away.  The world needed connection and quickly adopted the new “Zoom lifestyle.”  Connecting through your computer via video chats. 

Although Jim and I weren’t in the same band, we’ve been down the road together for many many years.  We’ve written together and played shows in our respective projects together but we also happened to be very close friends.  So I was fortunate enough to know where his business approach to a band was headed before all this.  He was the first in our little “sandbox” of bands to adopt this new direction that bands should be taking…Becoming “content creators.”  This is why he created “Strangerhood TV.”  By Jim’s lead, we started doing acoustic live streams with our friend DJ from Revel 9 which then evolved into specials under the NUTUYU banner, where we brought in and highlighted a new band each time and eventually released that live stream as a podcast. 

Eventually, people knew a little more about COVID and people began creating their own little “socal pods.”  Bands began to rehearse, write and record again and Jim approached me with a unique opportunity.  Polestar Productions was shooting a vampire movie called “Evergreen is the Blood” and they needed an original song for a scene.  Jimmy wanted to write and record that song with me.  I knew needed to do it!  When he came to my newly built home studio, we immediately got to work and in one evening wrote the song “Death Be a Woman” (available on all streaming platforms under Bacon is My Passion).  The song needed to be written, recorded and mastered in two weeks.  And we did just that…Despite the movie still not being out yet. 

The vibe was there again, we knew we needed to get back into our writing groove that we had years prior.  This was our time.  There was no live music so creating was what we needed to do.  Bacon is My Passion had an extensive catalog to pull from, so we were determined to start recording and releasing this music for everyone to hear.  Unfortunately two eager friends finally hanging out again, without a strong deadline for a project wasn’t conducive to a productive work environment.  It proved to be more cathartic…We found ourselves catching up with the happenings in our lives, hashing out our feelings on the world around us and discussing our ways forward with our respective bands over a few Jamesons (of course) and then eventually getting to writing or recording eventually. 

With the “content creator” mindset, one night Jimmy asked me “what if we just put a camera on for our first hour of BSing?”  He further explained that people are curious as to what we do and would want to be a fly on the wall.  I loved the idea.  One night, we shot a few “things” (that are available on the Bacon is My Podcast Patreon) that would eventually become “Bacon is My Podcast.”  It worked…We knew that we could be entertaining.  Now…when I say “format,” all that means was we knew it was going to be a podcast.  We went on to talk for three hours and progressively got more inebriated.  It ended up becoming our first two episodes. 

It was interesting but felt good to us.  We just knew that our chemistry and our ability to not take ourselves too seriously was something special and something that people could relate to. 

The initial response was great.  So we went all in.  We quickly gained an affiliate sponsorship with Pod Decks (Promo Code BACON at checkout for 10% off) and I started reaching out to potential guests.  We didn’t necessarily want it to be that kind of show…But it just sort of evolved and took us that way…And I couldn’t be happier.  It helped me fill creative voids, Jim as well.  It has created awesome opportunities that you’ll get to see in the coming months.  It has not only created a place where I get to meet all sorts of cool people but also create something fun and entertaining with one of my best friends in the world, Jim.  It created an excuse to add each other to our already crazy busy lives and I’m so grateful for that. 

So…why a podcast?  I think the real question is “why not a podcast?”  When the world changed, it seemed like everyone adopted the podcast.  It’s a way to express yourself, a way to connect and a way to be creative and create a connected community that we were missing for what felt like an eternity.  So I guess you can say podcasting, creating, connecting and entertaining is my “bacon.”  Ask yourself…What’s your bacon?