Hazy Streams

WMRT Interim Report: Stream or Download "Haze"; Lyrics; Extensions and Supplementary Materials Related to Episode VIII; I Want Some Results

Streamin’

It’s that time again. Time for dreamin’. Time for schemin’. Time for streamin’. My name is Willie…Beaman, I keep my fans…screamin’. We’ll end there so as to not infringe on any Miami Sharks intellectual property.

Photos and Composition by Miter and Robin Louise Schaefer

Here’s a Spotify playlist with all WMRT tracks, including “Haze” which is now available wherever downloads are loaded and streamers are strummed, including Bandcamp. And how about that cover art! All of the photos where taken in a moving vehicle by Robin Louise Schaefer. After some simple manipulation they all came together and layered well.

For your information, whether you are accustomed to the cadence of Washed Memoir in Real Time—or perhaps just getting your footing—this interim report takes place between full episodes. Full episodes are comprised of new, original, exclusive, premium, classic, legendary, versatile, delectable, new, songs. The songs have all been written, produced and sometimes performed all within the scope of this creative journey: a memoir in real time.

Ostensibly, this is a hero’s journey to save the world one song at a time, but that may be a bit grandiose. Overall, I am grateful to have extended and received the spirit of cooperation and solidarity during this project. I value the ability to connect with the many talented people (renowned and yet-to-be-renowned) publishing their work on Substack. I’ll hope to keep meeting more of them on Notes while growing conversations and collaborations. Also, I encourage you to join in and discover, collaborate and create—if you have yet to do so.

Recent WMRT interim reports have “gone hard” on various points related to support of the arts, creators, people, etc. I don’t feel the need to do so in this particular report. Instead, I’ll take it easy on ya and offer a few brief extensions and supplementary materials related to Episode VIII.

Extensions and Supplementary Materials Related to Episode VIII

In error, I omitted lyrics in the previous post—a mistake I soon realized, but was okay leaving alone. The lyrics to “Haze” are somewhat clear on the recordings. However, I always plan on posting lyrics. Lyrics are the most tactile way to take meaning from song. The fluid connection between song, poetry and art is one reason for releasing songs as a subscription¹. The descriptions of concepts juxtaposed with musical content make for compelling newsletters and there are more and more doing it well. I may still be finding my balance between consistency of content and discordance.

Additionally, I am a genuine fan of instrumental music from electronic to jazz to classical to ambient to everything bed, bath and beyond. Even new age! I have a brief catalog of instrumental or primarily instrumental material and I hope to expand on these compositions in the future. I do feel internal pressure to publish songs with lyrics and to churn out the hits. The LaBelaBel executives are VERY demanding. Who knows what the musical future holds. I only have vague notions about the direction for next month’s song.

Will the next song be an instrumental? Or not? Perhaps acapella? Why not?

Haze

I'll take one light lobotomy.
Said the doctor to the patient, 
"No, not in this economy"

Oh well, 
I guess I'll see you again.
One month of Advil 
and a life of amends. 
All life will hail me
when I hear you again. 
But I can't tell you where I've been. 

Because there's haze over Denver. 
Haze over New York City and L.A. 
I can't tell if it's a wildfire burning 
or a dope cloud descending 
on the light of day.

You get off stalking a satellite.
Lines that reach through 
every minor embattlement.
How can I believe that I'm closer this time? 
How can I believe that I'm closer this time? 

I don't see the analogy. 
I've got seven soldiers
with really great attitudes.

Knock.
Knock on the table again. 
Talk talk talking like we were friends 
but I can't tell you where I've been.

Because there's haze over Denver.
Haze over New York City and L.A. 
I can't tell if it's a wildfire burning 
or a dope cloud descending 
on the light of day. 

Oh to remember, 
the words you discovered on 
the sounds and bays. 

I can't tell how fast I should be running
from the wild flies descending 
on the light of day. 

Some of the more abstract phrases in the above lyrics such as “you get off stalking a satellite” or “I’ve got seven soldiers with really great attitudes” were partially chosen for the convenience of lyrical rhythm. I’m not overly concerned with intention in this piece. That may be part of the fun with songs; it’s easier to get away with free association or whimsy—basically, stuff that doesn’t make any sense.

I am curious to get feedback on lyrics and music as I continue this work. I’ll except criticism from writers on this platform such as Margaret Atwood and Patty Smith. If you are going to say something, make sure you hit me with your subscriber totals, paid growth year-over-year rates and averages, open rates, close rates, reopen rates, Bayesian probability indexes, and your 5-year growth plan; or, be someone extremely famous.

I Want Some Results

As a research professional I must insist that we throw out the results due to a low sample size. I cannot in good conscience endorse the findings given the parameters of this experiment, the low response rate, and the manipulative influences of the primary author.

When responding to version preferences, respondents preferred the fully produced version over the less produced acoustic version.

I may have influenced the results by stating my preference for the produced version. Again, these results will be expunged for the sake of science, but I think the majority got it right. Still, I’m encouraged to see some preference for the acoustic version. Maybe more acoustic performances are in my future. Watch out coffee houses of America!²

Next, after being presented with two versions of the song, all respondents believed the song was created by a human or a cyborg. with no respondents selecting, “an artificial intelligence”. All I can say is that I assume people are insulting my intelligence as being all too “human”. Now I understand what you think. Just another average to below-average cyborg. What if I told you that you were wrong? I am an entity created by another entity. Many would agree.

Overall, I must admit that there are no conclusions to be taken from this farce of an experiment. I can’t tell you, definitively, that I am a human. Perhaps we’ll have to retake the Turing test in the upcoming feature length LaBelaBel productions film: TT2: BOTSorNOTz.

All for now, my faithful friends and colleagues. More soon from LaBelaBel and the Miterverse. Always feel free to catch up with me in the comments, notes, email or whatevah.

Much love and humanity!

RS

1. SaaS

2. Actually, that would be a fun tour. Drive from city to city and play a coffee house set in the morning and off to the next town. No clubs. If you could do the coffee house in the morning and the club at night, you might be on to something. Something exhausting. I would like to travel Europe in this fashion one day, play some shows and be a tourist. The café circuit has to be out there.