One Year Ago: my FOCCM debut appearance

The Friends Of Creative Commons Music held their Constitutional Convention online yesterday over a period of ten hours.  There were a lot of topics on the agenda, including but not limited to community building, fundraising, live shows, branded electronic shows, bylaws, tax status, and more.  The sessions have been archived and are available for viewing on their YouTube channel.

I was barely visible for these sessions as I felt like I had little to give and not much of substance to suggest, but I've been feeling uninspired about a lot of things for a while now.  This is in stark contrast to the person that appeared in this FOCCM episode a year ago.  Last January, Doug Whitfield invited me on to talk about netlabels, my podcast, and my time at Bondfire Radio.  (Back in 2023, I had Doug on my show for a two-part episode just before Netlabel Day.)  In revisiting this appearance, I'm surprised at how upbeat and positive I am.  The thing that I have to remember is that it took place before the post-Bondfire depression set in, and I let it have its way with me for a good nine months of 2024.

(One of these days, I might get over my aversion to webcams, but don't ask me when that will be.  Seems like there will always be a part of me that wonders why seeing my face is so important and simply hearing my voice isn't enough.  I didn't even have an external webcam for this appearance, but I made it work with the laptop cam even though it didn't dawn on me to turn on a light as the sun started to set.)

Other topics briefly mentioned include black metal, potential Bandcamp alternatives, and how we really shouldn't beat ourselves up for not experiencing all the music that we want to hear within a year's time.  The fact of the matter is that you'll get to what you're meant to get to...and that's okay.  Stick around for videos by The Warhorse and Sole and DJ Pain 1 shared within this episode.

Sometimes you need to hear your former self share some perspectives that your present self has forgotten about.  For me, this is one of those times.  Gotta keep it moving.

(In thinking about some CC music that I would have been listening to around the time of this livestream, Moki McFly's Tabernacle Sanctuary Alligator Soufflé definitely comes to mind.  If anyone's in the mood for some drum and bass with touches of hip-hop here and there, check the blocSonic website to hear the album in full.)

187 - Testing The Waters

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Happy Birthday ccMixter by J.Lang featuring Snowflake [ccMixter] (CC-BY) (2024)

2.  Thanks For The Memories (Featuring Belle McNulty) by CM aka Creative [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2024)

3.  drain the sun by niteffect [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2022)

4.  Over by Suhov [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2008)

5.  Whenever You Wanna Call Me by Comfort Fit [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2005)

6.  Out for a Shrink Pink Drink by Apes On Tapes [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC) (2010)

7.  Configurate by Proviant Audio [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2009)

8.  1000 Miles by Bluntspeakers [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2010)

9.  Soul Groove! (Patience) by !Mc'Lain! [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2022)

10. The Holowaka Hides in the Shadow of the Sun by Fields Ohio [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-SA) (2024)

BSOTS BONUS TRACK:

11. Train Rides - In Praise of Black Men by Nikki Giovanni [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0) (2009)

If you're reading this, it means that you made it out of 2024.  Happy New Year and welcome to Camp Lo-Fi.  I hope and pray that you will be able to experience peaceful moments and great music throughout this year.  I pulled this episode together as 2024 was coming to a close, making this the first sonic statement for Radio BSOTS in 2025.  To kick off a new year of the podcast, this episode and the next episode will focus on my participation in the Netlabel Day Radio live stream marathon that took place in July of last year.  I initially recorded a 30-minute test run for the stream and figured that I should share that with the listeners.  

I gathered together some Creative Commons tunes from indie labels that ended up releasing later works under full copyright as time went on, but they're still imprints that I hold in high regard (namely Tokyo Dawn, Budabeats, and Error Broadcast).  All cuts played during the test run can still be found online via Jamendo, Bandcamp, and the Free Music Archive.  This set of music leans heavy on the sounds of international beat culture, particularly that first decade of the early 2000s where the lines between electronic music and hip-hop production got blurry (and for the better, in my opinion).  Featured selections from Comfort Fit, Suhov, Bluntspeakers, and Apes On Tapes are probably the best examples of this.

Outside of the test run, the show opens with a selection in honor of ccMixter turning 20 years old (featuring the voice of Madam Snowflake - check out the video below for a snapshot of her artistic journey) and closes with an addictive, head-nodding joint from Fields Ohio.  I also get to share some listener feedback this time around.  As a bonus, I couldn't let the episode end without the words and voice of the late, great Nikki Giovanni.  As always, I welcome your interaction and hope that there are some selections within this installment of the podcast that grab your attention and increase your curiosity about other gems that can be found within the world of Creative Commons licensed music. 

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  Background music by Techniken Defunkus.  ID drops from Morganics and Jonny Sonic.

Other key info:
BSOTS show #178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni
BSOTS show #181 - Creative Commons Sightings Of Kool Keith And DJ Harrison
BSOTS show #186 - Download While You Can
Netlabel Archive
Funkwhale
Castopod
Tha Bloc Report

Background music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

186 - Download While You Can

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Outer Dark by Wizard Of Loneliness [Business Casual] (CC-BY-SA) (2024)

2.  Unfolding by A. Billi Free & Uncle_EL [Eye Mija Productions] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2020)

3.  Evil by Coldreavers [Trippin' The Rift] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2011)

4.  Invade Your Soul by Lavoura [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2011)

5.  spring by king britt presents scuba [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2008)

Most of my waking moments are spent thinking about music appreciation, sonic curation, and media preservation:  not only as separate concepts, but also regarding how they intersect.  I recently came to the realization that it's awfully strange that I don't talk about these things more often on the show.  And then some strange occurrences in the world of music, podcasting, and online archiving took place over the past month.  Suddenly, I had the perfect excuse to express some observations and concerns about it all while sharing some Creative Commons selections with the listeners.

Spotify removing over 500 podcast episodes from their platform because of music isn't surprising, but the fact that the podsafe episodes weren't spared is what's annoying me to no end (particularly considering that this is happening while they continually devalue music and the artists that create it via payout pittances for single and album streams).  There was also a story about hundreds of thousands of online hip-hop mixtapes disappearing almost overnight without explanation.  If that weren't enough, a recent cyberattack knocked the Internet Archive offline in October, but staff have been providing weekly updates via their blog as services are restored slowly but surely.  (For those that need the Cliff Notes version of what's been going on with the Internet Archive, check out the four-minute clip below from Fireship's YouTube channel.)

Seeing as how the Internet Archive is one of my go-to sources for Creative Commons licensed music, I had to incorporate a handful of CC cuts into the show to help move things along.  "Evil" by Coldreavers is a hidden gem found while digging through the Archive, a brooding piece of downtempo that features a first-hand account from a jilted lover.  Released through the Trippin' The Rift netlabel about 13 years ago, it sounds like it hasn't aged a day (and I really need to find out who's responsible for the vocals on this one).  Meanwhile, "Invade Your Soul" is jazz-infused electronica from São Paulo, Brazil's Lavoura.  The stuttered patterns of the programmed drums have a broken beat feel and I fell hard for this cut right away.  Then there's the infectious pop of "Outer Dark" by Wizard Of Loneliness.  Between the bright organ sounds, the punch of the snare pads, and the hazy vocals, it's a winner right out the gate.  It's just one of many ridiculously catchy tunes being released by the Business Casual label this year and a great example of why I keep coming back to that label to hear more.

The combined forces of producer Uncle El and vocalist A. Billi Free are responsible for "Unfolding," one of those cuts that feels grounded and airborne at the same time.  It's left-leaning hip-hop with a lyrical bend towards peeling back personal layers and allowing for growth and vulnerability.  The show closes out with some ocean floor deep techno courtesy of master curator, producer and professor King Britt.  "Spring" is a song that he recorded under his Scuba moniker for the Philly Time! compilation released on the Unfoundsound netlabel back in 2008.  

This episode represents a slight departure from the usual order of things around these parts, but I feel really good about this one.  It could be the start of a new structure for future episodes.  By all means, please let me know your thoughts on this one and thank you so much for listening.

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops from EJ Flavors and Thad Reid.

Other key info:
BSOTS show #175 - Does Music Belong In Podcasting?
BSOTS show #182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The First Nine Years
BSOTS on Bondfire Radio broadcast archives
Libsyn's The Feed podcast episode no. 277
Hip-Hop Can Save America - Exclusive: Datpiff Hip-Hop Mixtape Archive Disappears Overnight
2024 Black Podcasting Awards Ceremony
Netwaves

Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

185 - BUCKWILD: The Changing Same

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Kill Sound by Five Fingers Of Funk [Kill Rock Stars] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2023)

2.  Covfefe's Groove by Tha Silent Partner [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2019)

3.  Squishing Sniffy, Artists Busted! by The Bran Flakes [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC) (2010)

4.  I AM BLACK HISTORY by Mega Ran [Bandcamp] (2024)

5.  Alien Abduction by DJ Ilya Monosov and the Hedonic Islands [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2009)

6.  Pro Black Crack Dealers by Columbo Black [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2022)

7.  G.O.P. by Mikal Amin & Mista Mayday [Bandcamp] (2024)

8.  Classy by 85 [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2012)

9.  too much house by leumas [Lost Frog Prod.] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2024)

10. Ebony Stoned by EllaMaeFlossie [iTunes] (2018)



August of 2024 marks 19 years of Both Sides Of The Surface.  Under the circumstances, it seems appropriate for the podcast to take some time to get "buckwild."  The essential nature of the "buckwild" experience hasn't changed since it was first introduced to Camp Lo-Fi on the show's third anniversary back in 2008.  It's a primal scream for the BSOTS feed whenever it's deemed necessary.  There are occasional outbursts from me, but I tend to let the music do the talking for me on these shows, which is often a mix of cuts for the party people and the politicially minded as well.

For those wondering about the title, The Changing Same is a term that's borrowed directly from the brilliant mind and pen of Amiri Baraka.  He wrote an essay in the late 1960s examining the ways that Black music changed as Black people changed, how we referenced and reinterpreted the old to make it new again:  "the changing same."  My use of that phrase for an episode title is far more simplistic and merely as a reminder that the more things change, the more they remain the same.  Personally speaking, the phrase brings to mind recent developments within the American political landscape over the last few months.

This episode was recorded between mid-June and late July.  Way too much happened within a stateside election year during that period.  While Tha Silent Partner's "Covfefe's Groove" references a nonsensical moment during Trump's term as President, Mikal Amin and Mista Mayday fire lyrical shots at the present day "G.O.P."  In the midst of half of America's hysteria over the very idea of 45 becoming 47, some humor is desperately needed and the "buckwild" experience has some light-hearted tunes on deck, from 85's slick yet silly "Classy" to Columbo's Black one-verse interrogation of "Pro Black Crack Dealers" to some sound collage silliness from The Bran Flakes.  DJ Ilya Monosov takes the experimental hip-hop route with "Alien Abduction," bringing along Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow along for the ride.  Five Fingers Of Funk deliver the live hip-hop vibes to the show on "Kill Sound" while Mega Ran delivers a memorable boom bap ode to Black pro wrestlers with "I AM BLACK HISTORY."  For the bright-colored, hands-in-the-air raver contribution to this episode, look no further than "too much house" by leumas.  And EllaMaeFlossie concludes the "buckwild" experience in grand style with the hard-as-nails womanifesto that is "Ebony Stoned."

Humanity is taxing.  Music is divine.  I simply hope that this episode can bring a smile to your face and maybe even a moment of laughter, no matter how brief.

Other BSOTS episodes referenced include:
Show #176 - BUCKWILD: learn from it...

Theme music by Cy Tru featuring Jonny Sonic.  ID drops from Anji Bee, Mega Ran, Mikal Amin, and Mr. Ivory Snow.

Background music:  "Small Town USA (Instrumental)" by Foul Mouth Jerk and "Plastic Rumblings" by Ezekiel Honig.

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

184 - Jazzy Jeff Among The Copyleft

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

 This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Classic (Co-produced by Jazzy Jeff) by Shad + Skratch Bastid [Bandcamp] (CC-BY) (2013)

2.  My Dreams by Ultimate Fantastic [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2017)

3.  Hide by Ohad Slavin [Digital Diamonds] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2023)

4.  You Are Enough by Niki J Crawford [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2024)

5.  Ghost Of An Instant by DJ Enki [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC) (2023)

6.  Sake Bomb (feat. Jade Gritty & AURC) by Tab [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2023)

7.  Regal Bounce by Moki McFly [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2023)

Continuing with the theme of Seven To Consider for any episodes featuring all Creative Commons music just feels right.  Seven songs isn't an overwhelming number of tunes that are likely to be unfamiliar to most listeners.  Hopefully, it's just enough to leave people wanting more.  And as often as possible, I like to include selections that feature recognizable names.  The Shad & Skratch Bastid cut that kicks off the show features a co-production credit from DJ Jazzy Jeff.  Other hip-hop cuts within this episode include the uptempo electronic-enhanced "My Dreams" from Ultimate Fantastic (one could argue that it's slightly hip-house in its approach) and DJ Enki's  "Ghost Of An Instant," which could be a favorite with fans of early work from DJ Shadow and RJD2.

Ohad Slavin's "Hide" is a midtempo hypnotic cut from the Digital Diamonds netlabel that straddles the line betweeen techno and house.  "You Are Enough" by Niki J Crawford is uplifting motivational soul that the world can use right now.  Tab's "Sake Bomb" is one of the highlights of this episode:  a sultry and trippy downtempo song that calls for constant rewinds.  And then there's the drum and bass banger "Regal Bounce" by Moki McFly.  It comes from last year's blocSonic netlabel release Tabernacle Sanctuary Alligator Soufflé, which won the 2024 Creative Commons Community Music Award for Album Of The Year.  If any of these tunes pique your interest about the artists or labels featured within this episode, then my work here is done.

Theme music by Cy Tru (edited by Macedonia).  ID drops from Kahlief Adams and Herb Brooks.

Other BSOTS episodes referenced include:
Show #175:  Does Music Belong In Podcasting?
Show #178 - Creative Commons Gems From Public Enemy And Nikki Giovanni
Show #183 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The Last Nine Years
FLASHBACK:  Both Sides On Bondfire

Other key info:
Bloc Discovery Sessions
Culture War Radio
Netlabel Day
Queue Points

Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

FLASHBACK: Both Sides On Bondfire

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list:

1.  The Hot 8 Brass Band - "Homies" (2012) [Bandcamp]
2.  DJ EFN - "Paradise (feat. Talib Kweli, Wrekonize & Redman)" (2015) [Bandcamp]
3.  DJ Vadim And Sena - "Work Hard" (2015) [Bandcamp]
4.  Markis Precise - "Back To Life (feat. Eligh)" (2015) [Bandcamp]
5.  Blitz The Ambassador - "JuJu Girl" (2015) [Bandcamp]
6.  Core Rhythm And Zajazza - "Grown Folk Biz (feat. Homeboy Sandman And Eagle Nebula)" (2015)  [Bandcamp]
7.  Romare - "Nina's Charm" (2015) [Bandcamp]
8.  Semi Hendrix - "Jesus Pressed Mute" (2015) [Bandcamp]
9.  Sebastian Paul - "Birth" (2015)
10.  Public Enemy - "Corplantationopoly" (2015) [iTunes]
11.  Benjamin - "Those Memories (Sneak Up On Me)" (2015) [Bandcamp]
12.  NxWorries - "Link Up" (2015) [Bandcamp]
13.  The Greg Foat Group - "The Hunt" (2015) [Bandcamp]
14.  Mbongwana Star - "Malukayi (feat. Konono No. 1)" (2015) [iTunes]

 

(Please note that this is a revisit of an episode that originally premiered on the BSOTS feed in May of 2016.)

For over eight years, Bondfire Radio was my home away from home, a place where I built community with a number of immensely talented people.  It was the place where I learned how to celebrate the successes of others and how to truly be a team player while championing music from unsigned, independent and major label artists as both a broadcaster and a music director.  Being a part of #teamBondfire was everything to me and I was gutted when it was announced that the station's end was unavoidable.  Our last broadcast day was on Saturday, December 30, 2023, and I truly believe that we went out on top.  That entire day was absolutely magical and I'm sure that a number of us involved are still trying to process what it all meant to us as individuals and as a collective.

With my Bondfire broadcast days behind me, I wanted to revisit an earlier episode from 2016.  In an attempt to bring the BSOTS on Bondfire broadcast experience to the podcast feed, I thought it would be wise to share some of the indie cuts that I was playing on the station during my first year.  It's a fun mix of tunes with some special guests along the way that offers an accurate overview of what my early broadcasts were like.  This one's for my Bondfire family and for anyone that never got the chance to hear my broadcasts live while the station was still around.  Best believe that I am #teamBondfire for life!

Black Pioneers In Radio promo produced by Bondfire Radio co-founder Coole High.  ID drops courtesy of Fave, Kahlee, EJ Flavors, Core Rhythm, and Jonny Sonic.

Background music selections include the following:
"Pond" by Lavender Worm
"Vanity (Instrumental)" by BADLUCK.

Other key info:

The Weeksville Project
Both Sides On Bondfire (pt. 2)
BSOTS on Bondfire archives
Macedonia on Mixcloud

Life At Camp Lo-Fi: The Last Nine Years

 

All comments, questions, and general feedback can be sent to radiobsots@gmail.com.  Record a voice message and send it my way or leave one at the Speakpipe page!

Visit the BSOTS Linktree for all the podcast and social media platforms.

This episode's track list (title / artist / source / license):

1.  Minor Event by Nangdo [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2010)

2.  Where The Love Is (ft. Dale Novella) by Mikal Amin [Bandcamp] (2019)

3.  Stroll by Exmiranda [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC) (2018)

4.  Home Is Free by Soul Inscribed [Bandcamp] (2020)

5.  Guaranteed (feat. Ace Hashimoto) by Devin Morrison [Bandcamp] (CC-BY-NC-ND) (2019)

6.  It's Not Fair (Feat. Illspokinn) by Core Rhythm & Zajazza [Bandcamp] (2020)

7.  Socks by Shlohmo [Free Music Archive] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2009)

8.  INSTANT CLASSIC (Intro) / Tip Jar by CM & Tha Silent Partner [blocSonic] (CC-BY-NC-SA) (2021)

9.  Alright Anyway Ft. Taelor Gray by SHON THA PHENOM [Jamendo] (CC-BY-NC) (2022)

This episode is the second of a two-part series looking back on 18 years of Radio BSOTS.  Truth be told, the second half of the BSOTS life span is largely defined by inconsistency on the podcast feed and finding a regular groove on the broadcast side of the equation due to joining Bondfire Radio in 2015.  Being a part of that radio family felt bigger than BSOTS and I wanted to be a team player.  One might say that I ghosted my own podcast, but I came back to the feed when I felt like I had something to say.  And when I couldn't find the right words, I let the music speak.

The selections included in this episode are all from artists that I've played in the past.  Nangdo and Shlohmo both provide some stellar beat business found on the Free Music Archive.  The moodiness of Shlohmo's "Socks" feels murky and disoriented while "Minor Event" by Nangdo plays around with brighter tones and vocal harmonies.  Over on Jamendo, Canadian artist Exmiranda offers up a hynotic, hip-shaking cut in "Stroll" and Shon Tha Phenom turns the power of positive thinking into the anthmemic "Alright Anyway."  Meanwhile, I used to play Devin Morrison's music on my Bondfire broadcasts years before I found out that his work is released under a Creative Commons license.  "Guaranteed" is warm and soulful and feels like the nervous energy one gets when trying to play it cool around someone that they're attracted to.

It was important for me to represent for the music of Mikal Amin, Mtume Gant, and Baba Israel on this episode.  All three of them spoke to me separately about being a part of Bondfire Radio, but long before that, they were all good friends of mine and artists that I had in mind when starting this podcast.  Their recorded output and live performances rekindled my love for hip-hop at a time when I thought that I was done with it.  CM & Tha Silent Partner represent another shining example of hip-hop that can reaffirm or reestablish one's faith in the genre.  Their blocSonics E.P. remains one of the sonic highlights of the blocSonic netlabel's back catalog.  I still can't get over the fact that a clip from one of my early podcast episodes kicks off their follow-up release, blocSonics 2!

The last nine years have been full of highs and lows for this podcast, but I'm just thankful that it's still here.  Although I take some time to tell my story, the music is still the star of the show and I hope that you find a new favorite artist or song as you listen.

Previous BSOTS episodes mentioned include:
Show #144 - Project: Mooncircle
Show #164 - Cupid Hunt's 2017:  grass ain't greener...
Show #175 - Does Music Belong In Podcasting?
Show #179 - In Conversation With Douglas Whitfield (pt. one)
Show #182 - Life At Camp Lo-Fi:  The First Nine Years

Other key info:
Macedonia on Mixcloud
Black Men Win episode with Jason Smith
Friends Of CC Music episode with Jason Smith
In The Mix With Leah B.
The Bloc Report
The Bugcast
Afros & Audio
Black Podcasters Association

Theme music produced by Cy Tru and edited by Macedonia.  ID drops courtesy of Chyll Will, DarrenKeith, and Morganics.  Background music includes "Infinity 2" by Techniken Defunkus.

Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay

This work is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International