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PROMO video
SHOW DATES
Not too many gigs posted right now, as we're enjoying time with our fams for the holiday season.
But we'll be posting our 2024 schedule soon on Songkick.com.
See you soon!!
about
HI, FRIENDS!
We are Of Conscious Mind (OCM) and we'd like to extend a warm welcome to you and a BIG THANKS for checking out our website. The idea of OCM was formed on or about Fall of 2020, birthed from the eclectic, alternative-leaning minds of Mathe & Beth Svahn who contacted a local Vermont recording studio in hopes of recording a few songs they had written...
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THE BEGINNING
When they first met in the Spring of 2017, Mathe was living in low-income housing in New Hampshire trying to get back on his feet from what you could call a devastating break-up coupled with profound burn-out (over a decade working in the fast-food industry, and raising his son as full-time single dad). Beth was a single mom, a year separated from her daughter’s father, and struggling to make ends meet.
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Beth would often bring a guitar into the local community college where she worked as a recruiter, and play for tips on the town green during her lunch breaks when the weather was nice enough, she kept it by her desk.
Mathe walked into the college one day in May, feeling pretty downtrodden, and explained to Beth that he was seeking an education that could help better life for him and his son. Beth helped him get the process started and Mathe began classes a month later in the June semester.
After class one day, Mathe asked Beth about the guitar laying against the wall by her desk. Conversation ensued that culminated in the two chatting over lunch on a bench just outside, and discovering a mutual love of music. They passed the guitar back and forth, sharing songs they had each written over the years.
Mathe reflects upon that moment as the first time he had picked up a guitar in years, and that he glimpsed a memory of what it felt like to be himself again.
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A year later after having moved in together and forming their little unique meshed family unit, Mathe & Beth finished writing their first song, ‘Rise Above,’ which ended up on a demo they released at the end of 2021 (recorded live at The Underground Recording Studio in Randolph, VT).
​THE BAND
Mathe & Beth contacted Vincent Freeman at The Underground Recording studio in late December 2020 and described (probably rather eccentrically) their dreams of recording and releasing their music. They connected with Vincent instantly and decided to record at The Underground. However, due to newly issued COVID-19 travel restrictions, they were unable to get into the studio to start recording until Fall of 2021.
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They didn't want to record an acoustic album, so they knew they needed to connect with other musicians to make their dream a reality. Bassist and aspiring sound engineer, Sean Dollar, was quick to oblige. Not only is Dollar an excellent bassist with an ear for sound, he is also the couple's long time friend. Dollar agreed to lay down the bass for the live recording and later introduced Mathe & Beth to Kenny Bailey (a.k.a. ‘Silent K’) who actually came down to the studio when demo recording was wrapping up.
Silent K's high-energy basslines have proven to be just the unique edge that helped make the OCM "groove" really start coming to life.
Don't let his generally stoic demeanor fool you - this cat can jam.
They also needed a drummer...
Vincent recommended a studio musician he had worked with extensively on multiple projects, Titien Tolbert (Peg Tassey and the Loudflowers, Coquette, The Nailers, and others). Titien rehearsed with the band only three times before recording the demo live in the studio. He probably could have done it with less, but the rest of the band needed the extra practice...
Think Neo in The Matrix learning new skills via upload...that's basically how Titien learns and recalls songs.
Not to mention, his technical skill is phenomenal.
"I know kung-fu."
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Anyway, The demo was finished and released on New Year's Eve 2021. You can find it on most streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Pandora, Deezer, and many others.
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Something was still missing...
Mathe & Beth met Scotty at an open mic in South Royalton, VT. He and Silent K also play in the band Wool, based in Vermont. Scotty would step up and jam at various open mics with anyone and everyone.
Scotty gleans so much joy out of playing music
and his free-spirit vibe takes Of Conscious Mind's sound to another level of grooviness that cannot be denied.
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They have grown so much over the years they have been together, writing and performing music and finding their place. The name implies that we are all of one consciousness... every one of us. There is an undeniable connection between what we consider our 'self,' and everything we often perceive as being outside of our 'self."
Perhaps in the end, we're just one big ol' blob of dynamic consciousness full of potential, able to create anything we dream up!
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Love to All,
OCM
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band photos
Photography by Gusto Photos
Photography by Gusto Photos
Photography by Gusto Photos
Photography by Gusto Photos
