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?