#jeff beam

I view these problems as the consequences of a past dynasty: a time when the west believed that all things were created for the benefit and use of ‘man’, who God had chosen to have dominion over the entire earth. Of course this is a very ignorant worldview, and it creates a hierarchical structure of domination that is extremely oppressive. It creates a world where women are abused, where nature is violently exploited, and where the diversity of human culture is narrowly singularized. As a result of this white male, egocentric domination we are experiencing all of this psychological, cultural, and spiritual sickness at a collective level. Individual hopelessness and alienation are just some of the symptoms.

Everything Will Be Fine by Earth Person

I hear people say all the time that “nothing can be done because the system is too powerful. It is unsusceptible change”, and also that “human beings are parasitic and killing the Earth”. Indeed there is some truth to these thoughts. However the situation is more complex than this, and should be given more thought. I don’t agree that “nothing can be done” because the “system is too powerful, and unsusceptible to change”. The system is actually very malleable, penetrable, and collapsible. If you think of this all-powerful system as a giant organic machine, and your own life as one cell in this bio-machine body, it starts to become clear how your life can affect the genetic makeup of the larger machine organism. Every decision you make to change the way you live in turn affects the way the machine operates. This is because everyone you know is also a cell in the body of the capitalist machine. How you live inevitably has an affect on how your friends and family live, and this in turn influences the people who are closest to them. These ripples of influence continue traveling throughout the whole machine body until every cell of it has been slightly changed. The system is afraid of us realizing the power we have to change it, because it draws its own subsistence from this power or life energy. That is why it oppresses, and tries to control our freedom. That is why it attempts to suffocate creative thought, and human expression.

These human capacities we all posses threaten the livelihood of the machine. When we see beyond the boundaries of conformity, control, rigid linearity, and segmentation, and tap into deeper visions of reality that transcend the illusions of concrete un-changeability, we discover our true human potential, and the possibility of a world of balance and equality without fear, hate, violence, war, exploitation, oppression, suffering, or environmental destruction. There is no king, only one Earth. All substance and matter are interconnected. Your mind is like a conduit through which thought and light flows, and this is what gives shape to reality. Love is the deepest expression of being.   

3) Do you have a scientific background? Or are you following ideas from elsewhere? I don’t intend this question as any sort of challenge or put-down - the origin of different visions for the world and ways to look after it are incredibly interesting and I’m not naive enough to ignore any – but rather just a query into what influences you. Are your views (and therefore your art) formed by scientific, philosophical or spiritual means? Or maybe a mix of the three? My main focus of study has been philosophy, and this has influenced my thinking about reality significantly. I have always found existence to be a very mysterious phenomenon. There are all of these seemingly unanswerable questions that human beings are faced with. I find it nearly impossible to ignore these questions. That’s why I was drawn to philosophy. However, I wouldn’t say that philosophy defines me. All of the dimensions of life are interconnected and equally influential. Philosophy has helped to shape my perception, but so have the seasons of Earth, my neighbors, my family, and friends, the internet, technology, food, drugs, the stars, birds, insects . . . everything! Music is so important to me because it is my spiritual connection to reality. It allows me to channel my influences, share stories, and give something back to the Universe. There is nothing logical or reasonable about it, and that’s part of the beauty. The ancient traditions of drumming, singing, and chanting are our tools for mystical awakening. 

Being & Light by Earth Person

  4) It’s funny, I can imagine a lot of people would write off a musician who wants to spread a hopeful message as some New-Age dreamer or a hippy or whatever, using those terms as an insult, no matter how much sense that person is talking and irrespective of the fact that that person is actually defending mankind, proclaiming honesty and human connection and so on. Would you be happy being pegged into such groups? Do you feel part of that sort of scene? If someone were to attempt to insult me by calling me a hippy or a New-Age dreamer they would be unsuccessful. I love hippies and New-Age Dreamers! However I don’t claim to be any of those things myself. People are free to make their own interpretations, whether they are accurate ones or not. I have no particular desire to be a part of any scene: I only to wish to spread messages of peace and love, and to give respect to the earth. Music is my method. I chose the name Earth Person because I want to convey the truth that I am simply a person from earth. Isn’t this what all human beings have in common? Even the top CEO of the most powerful corporation is an earth person, born of a woman, breathing and living on the same planet as the rest of us. If we’re going to create a more peaceful and ecologically harmonious society we need to start acknowledging the deeply interconnected nature of reality. I guess the best response to your question is: I am an earth person, a part of the human-beings-living-on-the-planet scene. Call it future-folk, or social-transmutation.  

5) I know that what we have discussed thus far is quite enough inspiration, but is there anything else which influences your writing progress? Maybe other bands or some forms of literature? One book that was very influential on me was ‘The Great Work’ by Thomas Berry. This is a good place to start exploring ecological consciousness. Also worth exploring is the book ‘A Thousand Plateaus: capitalism and schizophrenia’ by Felix Guattari, and Gilles Deleuze. If you are interested in dissolving boundaries, or learning how to create new pathways that deviate from the strict linear routes of capitalist control then check it out. I also suggest studying Marx, Gandhi, and existentialism. Oh, and lastly try to find the essay ‘Ancient Futures’ by Helena Norberg-Hodge. All of these writings were very helpful to me!

a world you can buy by Earth Person

  6) Finally, can you name a few artists you are listening to at the moment? They can be global superstars or your next-door neighbour, any four or five acts you are currently enjoying.  I have been really enjoying this folk artist named Ty Maxon recently. His album Calling of the Crows is wonderful! I also completely fell in love with that album Permanence by Paul Stewart which you posted on your ‘best free music of 2012’ listing. Three fellow Maine musicians who deserve some attention are Jeff Beam, who is producing excellent psych-rock in Portland Maine, Laughing Animal, who makes some seriously groovy electronic music, and also The Powerful Bee Counters, who have completely opened my mind to what is possible in terms of style and creating lo-fi beauty. I highly suggest checking them out!

Hospital Patience by Jeff Beam

glass skull by paul stewart

st. peter's cemetery by Ty Maxon