Jem's Bakken Overture
Lost a Friend
Faux Friends,
It is with great sadness that I report the loss of friend and former band-mate Steve Bakken.
A kind & gentle soul was he.
Oscar Wilde once said “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” Steve took this quote to heart too heartily, perhaps.
He was an interesting and striking creature to behold, as you can see above.
We lived together for a time in Minneapolis and he played in the Faux Jean band under the pseudonym “Rockin’ Gene Bakken.”1
He joined the band during the making of the album “Light it Up / Burn it Down” and made some really beautiful noise on that recording.
Steve had a windowless room in the back of the warehouse where the Faux Jean band lived (quasi-legally) and rehearsed.
I remember he had posted on his wall a list of great songs with the BPM (beats per minute) notated for each song, as if he was going to crack the code of each song and make a string of hits for himself.
We’d always stay up way too late and play chess or make demos or listen to old demos we’d made.2
Generally, we'd imbibe more than is advisable.
I was looking around for one of those late-night demos Steve and I made together on cassette and realized I’d put it up on Youtube 12 years ago as “Jem’s Bakken Overtureb!” Here it is below. Turn your volume knob down a hair before hitting play!
And this week, I am adding this track to the FTMUFOMMTS Vol 3 record over at bandcamp, in honor of Steve. One can listen in the players below.
Steve called me on Christmas eve (24 days ago) while I was at work and I couldn’t answer. I really wish I had.
I remain your humble servant,
OX&C,
Faux Jean
Everyone in the band had a fake name. Bassist Michael Lopez went by “Faux Suede” and was the connection that brought Steve Bakken into the Warehouse. Songs and Stories.
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Sending hugs and love to all who knew Steve. Holding you all in my heart.