Jack Nimersheim: Six Decades of Music
It is, concurrently, a humbling, yet strangely exhilarating, realization: My love of music, which
began when I first picked up a guitar and started performing on-stage in 1964, has now
spanned six decades. During this time I've alternated between actually making my
living playing music and using it primarily as a creative diversion, while
concentrating on other professional pursuits.
Still, the music has always been there. And I'm more fortunate than most; my music always will
be there. Access to decent recording equipment -- initially, tape; more recently, in digital
format -- has allowed me to create an audio "legacy" of my musical accomplishments.
This Web site may be the ultimate ego trip, but it's also my attempt to share with others some
of the joy music has brought me, through the years. If nothing else, it will provide my son,
Jason, an opportunity to roll his eyes and snicker, as he's forced to endure a permanent
record (pun intended) of his "old man's" creative endeavors. Once something is
launched into cyberspace, it tends to drift out there forever...and ever...and...
"Take that, World!!!" he exclaimed, accompanied by maniacal laughter.
(Click on an album cover, below, to access the associated songs.)
"Nightmares & Fantasies"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2013)
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Another day, another album. Sometimes, it actually feels like this...given how prolific Kev and I seem to be, whenever we shift into collaborative mode and start work on a new Gypsies' project.
Track the progress of our next album, "Nightmares & Fantasies", here. We hope to have this one ready for release sometime in mid-2013.
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"Greatest Misses"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2010-2013)
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Huh? Greatest "misses"? What's up with that? What can we say? Da Gypsies have never had a "hit" -- whatever that means, in this modern age of niche markets and Spotify playlists. What we have done, however, is record some pretty damn good music, over the past three years.
How good? In the end, that's your call. Here are sixteen tracks, culled from our five earlier albums, to help you decide.
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"Middle of Nowhere"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2013)
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For our fifth album, da Gypsies took a musical journey to the "Middle of Nowhere".
Several friends contributed their talents to various tracks, on this album. Jason Nimersheim, Jim Gaines, Ron Sachs, Rick Marksberry, and Ron Baumgartner...thanks, all. We couldn't have done it without you. |
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"Transoceanic Railway"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2012)
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Gypsies in Cyberspace recently completed "Transoceanic Railway", our fourth album. My favorite Scot, Kevin Sweeney, and I continue to make some amazing music together...despite the fact that that pesky Atlantic Ocean still separates us. Ain't modern technology wonderful?
As in the past, several incredibly talented friends helped us flesh out the twelve songs on this one. Special thanks to Ron Baumgartner, Cliff Stanton, Rick Marksberry, and Ron Sachs for keeping this one...um...on-track, musically. We owe ya, guys! |
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"Someone Else's Window"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2012)
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Another Gypsies' collection is "in the can". "Someone Else's Window", our third album, is available for digital download on our Bandcamp page.
Kev and I headed down some new musical paths on this one, with a bit of help from some talented friends. So, head on over to Bandcamp, get your download mojo working, give our latest musical efforts a listen...and let us know what you think. |
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"Too Old to Rock & Roll"
Jack Nimersheim (2011)
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The title track on this album really was inspired by my son's comment, one day, that "Dad, you're never too old to rock & roll." (He also played lead guitar on one of these songs, which is doubly kewl!) Thanks for the inspiration, pal.
This album gave me a chance to reunite musically with my long-time friends and ex-bandmates from Heather. (See below.) It was great, singing and playing with Jim, De, Ronnie B. and Ron Sachs, once again, after so many years. Friendship and music, it appears, endure forever! |
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"Mad Bad World"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2011)
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Here's the Gypsies' second album, "Mad Bad World". Click on the nifty cover art to the left and give it a listen.
We're proud of these twelve songs. We tried to stretch our creative muscles on this one, experimenting with new musical styles and studio techniques...pursuing a unique Gypsies' "sound". As the old saying goes, however, the proof is in the pudding. So, let us know if we succeeded. |
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"Keep Love In Your Heart"
Gypsies in Cyberspace (2010)
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How's this for a fascinating concept? Six musicians from three continents, coming together to create a "virtual" band we call "Gypsies in Cyberspace". None of us has ever met, in person...but we have managed to form a musical bond that transcends distance and time zones.
Throughout 2010, the "Gypsies" collaborated on a dozen songs...each created, discussed, arranged, recorded, refined, mixed, and mastered exclusively over the Internet. More will be forthcoming, I'm sure. |
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"Chronography"
(Heather, 1971-2012)
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I spent the majority of the 1970s in a country-rock band called Heather. That's us, to the left, in a promotional picture taken in 1975, when we all had a lot more hair...and a lot more hair was a lot more fashionable.
I recently used my digital "toys" to restore as best I could...from singles, albums, acetates, and demo tapes...fifteen Heather recordings dating back to those early days. Given the age and condition of the source material, these restorations sound surprisingly good...and the music still holds up pretty damn well, four decades later.
"Chronography" also includes two new songs, recorded in 2012, when the band's musical paths once again converged. As I stated, above, friendship and music endure forever. |
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"Journey's End"
(Heather, live, 1993)
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In 1993, sixteen years after we'd last played together, Heather reunited for a live concert to benefit the historic Hoosier Theater, in Vevay, Indiana. By dumb luck, I managed to make a pretty decent recording of our final ride into the musical sunset.
As was the case with the "Chronography" tracks, above, I recently spent some time restoring and "tweaking" 12 songs from this performance into an audio archive of Heather, live...just a few more musical memories I thought I'd share. |
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