Jam Notes Podcast

BW Derge
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BW Derge (drums) and Nick Ring (Guitar) - 20 years of jamming together, few actual songs written, no band name (yet?) – but 100s of recorded jams. So we’re talking about them on the podcast. All rights reserved.

  1. Cave Dive or Sing on Stage?

    2d ago

    Cave Dive or Sing on Stage?

    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

    21 min
  2. Breaking Math and Illusions of Understanding: Jam Notes Podcast Season 1 Finale

    Mar 20

    Breaking Math and Illusions of Understanding: Jam Notes Podcast Season 1 Finale

    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 beatsThe triviality of directionsBird-watching honor systemTight ponytails and Puscifer concertsMold tests and snakes in the ceilingThe 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

    24 min
  3. Songwriting, Recording, and Raging Against Machine Covers (Jam Notes Podcast)

    Jan 14

    Songwriting, Recording, and Raging Against Machine Covers (Jam Notes Podcast)

    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

    21 min
  4. Post-Rock Jazz Punk? Brain Farts and Chromatic Notes

    11/07/2025

    Post-Rock Jazz Punk? Brain Farts and Chromatic Notes

    Reaction video for improvised music on guitar and drums. Letus know if you prefer the jams cooked or raw. Jazzy syncopation at the circus? Ben’s brain farts? Don’t want to miss this one.   The podcast is getting pretty official – they’ve got anotepad and pen. Talking about uploading jams to platforms like Amazon Music and Spotify using the app “Lander” (not a sponsored promotion) Reacting to improvised jam on guitar and drums fromOctober 2021, called “Jazzy” or something. Not really jazz, but syncopated music.·        More complaints about Spotify·        Nick and Ben don’t like 2 dollar Steve andBasement Bill anymore·        Jack Funk is a different band that Nick Ringplays guitar for·        Is playing out of key… naughty? ·        Petals = flowers. Pedals, with a D, are used forguitar FX.·        Jazzy little Jazz punk·        Genre of the Jam: Post-Rock Jazz Punk·        Start playing loud music in a church basement…and the rest will follow. ·        The circus performance gets too intense… closesthe whole show. ·        Jack Funk album in progress… taking some timedue to, you know, life. ·        Here’s the store, get a hat:

    25 min
  5. Jam Notes Podcast: Motion is Lotion? Reverb vs. Delay and Reviewing Recent Primus, Puscifer Concert

    10/05/2025

    Jam Notes Podcast: Motion is Lotion? Reverb vs. Delay and Reviewing Recent Primus, Puscifer Concert

    In this episode, BW Derge (drums) and Nick Ring (guitars)are talking about an improvised jam from January 2024.   Something about bowling? The jam’s got loops, reverb – all that jazz. “Jam”-uary, get it? Playing clue with effect pedals instead of weapons… maybe? The jams are free, unlike bowling. Also – a review of the recent Puscifer, A Perfect Circle, and Primus 2025 spring tour. Possibly going to post the little video clip as a YouTube short… we’ll see. Follow-ups from episode 7 – delay and reverb. Which is more complex? Free drum lessons for Ben? Video game playing islagging. ·        Switch 2 still too expensive. ·        Signals to aliens or each other? ·        Ads suck. HBO has commercials now?! ·        Still need to add jams to Spotify…·         Listen on iHeart – is YouTube Premium worth it?·        Episode 11: Upside Down Tree Jam is on YouTube. ·        Reverb is the space, not the echo. (Natural decay)·        Delay is more complex, according to Nick. (Multiple delays!) ·         Getting old, talking about shoulder pain and massages

    20 min
  6. Are You Turtley Enough for the Turtle Club? ( Improvised Music Reaction)

    08/16/2025

    Are You Turtley Enough for the Turtle Club? ( Improvised Music Reaction)

    It’s turtles all the way down. BW Derge, drummer, andNick Ring, guitarist, talk about a jam from May the fourth 2024. Ninja turtles, sea turtles… all about turtles. Turtle jam. We’re talking all about turtles. There’sninja turtles, Nick’s like a turtle, sea turtles, the phrase “turtles all the way down.” No follow-ups this episode, stay tuned! Bouncy turtles? Ben’s favorite animal. Are we turtleyenough for the turtle club? Listening to jam music, reacting to old improvised music. ·        Overdrive and a little reverb ·        Check out BW Derge’s upcoming novel, RememberMe, Nothing- ·        Nick’s band’s new single, Aftermath by@jackfunkmusic – ·        Possible band name or on-stage personas:two-dolla Steve and drunk basement Bill ·        Remember when the internet used to be fun? ·        Finding CD-ROM video games in cereal boxes… the1990s were a different time. ·        Animorphs! Demo game with 1 level, that was fun. ·        No politics on the podcast! (but F--- theCheeto)   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.

    17 min
  7. let’s Discuss Chaos Theory and the Mandelbrot Set… and Hot Dog Flavored Water

    07/16/2025

    let’s Discuss Chaos Theory and the Mandelbrot Set… and Hot Dog Flavored Water

    Late 90s, early 2000s jam sound like Incubus, Radiohead,or Limp Bizkit. Ben’s more experimental on the drums – very nice. The jam itself is chill, sweet, and mellow. Guitar loopsreversed and halved. ·        Do chocolate starfish eat or swim in hot dogflavored water? ·        Like sunlight and drops of water, nice intro onthe drums ·        Reversing loops, set it to halftime when you’restuck in a jam ·        On a march to catch a butterfly – setting thescene. ·        Stick toss crisscross? That could be the namefor something. ·        Check out the new single on https://jackfunkmusic.com ·        Here’s some more information about Laenif, by BWDerge - https://bwderge.com/how-was-laenif-created-world-building-and-self-publishing-journey/

    20 min
  8. New Birthday Song (Microwaved Blunts?)

    06/23/2025

    New Birthday Song (Microwaved Blunts?)

    Jams from the past, starts pretty chill. “The BirthdaySong” (not THAT birthday song) written in memory of a friend who passed away in high school. Stories from high school – tool and cigarettes. Solid drumming and great guitar and vocals. One of thebetter recordings of this song. Shout out to the old St. John’s class of 2007. Does smoking ADHD meds do anything? ·        Reminiscing on old attempts at album·        Nick sings in this one! ·        Buy The Sun Will Eat You, Too here - https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Will-Eat-You-Too/dp/B0DN5XV875·        Watch a short story about suicide prevention - https://youtu.be/cogngx-9nis ·        Does anyone have an old copy of “Braining Wheelsof the Train”?·        Communism and Rage Against the Machine… andblindness.·        Becomes more of a jam, talking about smoking. ·        Microwaved blunts? Why was that a good idea? ·        Sounding like they know what they’re doing…·        The old me is a younger me…·        Don’t be so hard on your old self… in thiseconomy? ·        June* 2025…·        Information about “Remember Me, Nothing”:https://bwderge.com/remember-me-nothing-novel-by-bw-derge·        New Jack Funk song: https://youtu.be/_GkKMxmFkEw?si=4njuzsltG-t4SIMZ·        Why it might be better to write books instead ofsongs…·        Nick is King Jack? (Full length album on thehorizon?)

    21 min
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About

BW Derge (drums) and Nick Ring (Guitar) - 20 years of jamming together, few actual songs written, no band name (yet?) – but 100s of recorded jams. So we’re talking about them on the podcast. All rights reserved.

Information

  • Creator
    BW Derge
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © BW Derge
  • Show Website
    Jam Notes Podcast