Cam7Song

On a winter's night in 2000, while walking down a quiet street, a whirlwind blew towards me. As it approached, it seemed to me that God told me music was coming back into my life. I'll let you reach your own conclusions, but 45 albums worth of music later and I know that it was a genuine word from the Lord.

Oddly enough, I suppose, (given that incident and that I'm a Christian) few of these tracks are 'worship' tunes in the usual sense of that word. What they represent is the outpouring of a life that is offered to God in worship. The songs on this page reflect every different frame of mind and mood of heart through which I've passed since that night. Some of them are just silly, fun songs because I love music; I love people and I love life. Many are more serious; some are quite dark. They are reflections about life, death, love, God, humanity, inhumanity, faith, weakness, joy, hope, frustration, vision, confusion, depression and even desperation. In fact, just about every frame; of heart and mind a person can feel is expressed somewhere on this page, I think. For, no doubt, music is part of life and all of life has a place in music.

Let me ask you a question.

How does one explain creativity? The answer to that question, believe it or not, was instrumental in bringing me to faith in God. Through rigorous self-examination, I discovered that 'inspiration', the Spirit breathing in to the heart, was real. That powerful realization blew apart my materialistic assumptions and was a fissure large enough for God's Spirit to whisk His way into my heart.

It's been quite a journey, my life with Christ. For years the Lord led me in paths that didn't involve much writing of music, although it has always involved singing and music. I'm thankful that the journey has led me, in these last 25 years, to create music once again!

So...I Love the Lord Jesus and sing for him...

...but you are welcome to listen in as well.

The ... Artist of the Year brings [an] ethos and attitude to this little world of ours and proveably makes a difference Please note the italics. It should come as no surprise whatsoever that my Artist Of The Year 2006 is...

Cam's Even Song (Cam Bastedo)

Believe me when I say that I have struggled and struggled against Cam getting this award because we are close, and I would hate for this to be seen somehow as a reward for being a friend. The devil of it is, Cam has made it quite impossible for me NOT to grant him this singular (but slightly used) honour and again the facts bear me out. With no less than SEVEN tracks on my hard drive the music machine that powers Cam's Even Song, Cam Bastedo, Retrograde Pop and Sonic Salad should have won the award on that basis alone. Not just good tracks, mind. KILLER. The two I picked as Tracks Of The Year are but two of a veritable flood of great tracks from this artist this year. IMHO Cam has picked up some considerable speed and recognition factor this year, all so richly deserved, and I expect that his increasing lyrical maturity will only get more powerful and more imaginative. Which is quite a bold statement to make considering the deluge of Cam quality we have experienced this year in every respect. I believe the man is just getting started, as it happens, and I look forward to the coming year with intense interest on behalf of all Cam watchers everywhere. A singular artist, a pillar of the Soundclick community since the year dot and a concise and instructive reviewer into the bargain. Cam does it all with infinite charm and grace and is a worthy AOTY for all those qualities.

-- Steve Gilmore

One of the things I respect most about you is that you're so real and honest and open about your beliefs and intertwine them with your creation so fluidly. There's not a cheese factor, [something] which I'm usually very in tune with. Your music is just plain beautiful; your lyrics are clever.... It is crystal clear that you're making music because you love to make music.... I could drift for hours listening to music like this.

(Here commenting on 'Seeing Darkness')

Where to start when you love something?...It's superb, and instantly accessible. The cyclical guitar riff is just super, and I love the relationship that's built between that and keys - makes this an instant favorite for me... Production sounds fantastic as well, but that's to be expected from you these days. However, this IS something special...I would buy this! The lyrics...hmmm...how to best relate this.....it's actually so cool it reminds me of Kublai Khan without the opiate derived nonsense.

-Jon Partelow (Kulimafi)

I find myself clicking on his songs trying to peel away the onion skins to get at the heart. Then I find the onion is gone and the table is piled with onion skins. No, I am not saying there is no heart to Cam. It is just the opposite. Each one of these skins is the stuff of heart and soul. It is deceptive ... the songs are light and dark ... they are snippets of daily life. Maybe you are used to reading the journals of writers, but maybe you did not recognize that here you have a true musical journal.

-Larry Ludwick

The acoustic guitar sounds ...timeless... to me.... a thing that seems more important than style. I'm always on the lookout for notes that can stand stable through the passage of time. So many tunes will erode in just a few years, and never be played or thought of again.... but I'd wager that if you put your songs on CD in a time capsule (with a CD-player and instructions :-) ) ...for future peoples to find.... They'll be just as important then as now! Just being honest.

-Powerful vivid lyricism.

-Love your work.

--Thielus Grenon

"Face the Music" is a song based on a Biblical story ...He's always been - in my eyes - a talented and prolific songwriter but when he marries a style like this with a truly great lyric, it's nothing short of breathtaking.

...

His blend of superior songwriting skills with look-how-easy-this-sounds music has singled him out as one of the very best (ie well rounded) musicians on Soundclick, and by far one of the most respected.

---Steve Gilmore

"Coming Home"...the music - breezy, timeless, it emits a strong aura of nostalgia. If I didn't know who this was, I probably would have thought it was a classic from the late 60's / early 70's that I somehow missed hearing. Cam's voice is full of character, modesty, and wisdom. It's real; there's no pizzazz, no fluff. This is your ideal voice for folk music. The voice is perfect for the music.

--Chad Yochum

Cam Bastedo takes a subject that is loaded with stigma in music, and makes it accessible to anyone with ears. And most will like it even if they don't care for the lyrics, just because of how real it sounds.

- Jonathan Saunders

I have actually, many times. The first time was in my teens and it was broadcast on local table TV. A couple of times I played live when acting in plays. I have played in jails working with the Gideons. By far the most common environment has been in leading worship in school chapels and in church services. I have done that dozens and dozens of times. A few times I have also performed special music as part of a church service. I've played at weddings. I've done background music for events. Having said all of that; I am a songwriter, not a performer.

Since 2019 I've been using Cakewalk by Bandlab. I play guitar, bass, and (very poorly) keyboard.

Worship songs I have written with my good friend Vito Cuddemi are on 'AbsolutElevation'

https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=1473048

Songs I wrote in my teens are on 'Retrograde Pop'

https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=547897

My instrumental tracks with all electronic are on 'Sonic Salad'

https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=248222

A page of beats is found on 'Beatz Me'

https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=559276

A few cover songs I've recorded are on 'Cam Covers'

https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=1504858

And, finally, my experimental music is on 'Myth Bunnies'

https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=256604