Jim Basnight claims there's a good reason that he keeps on rockin'.

"It's because I absolutely love the music," he says.

Basnight will perform at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1, at the Jefferson State Pub, 31B Water St., Ashland.

Basnight has been part of the regional, national and international music scene for more than 25 years. He's recorded a number of influential albums with his Seattle-based bands — the Moberlys in the 1980s and the Rockinghams in the 1990s — and as a solo artist in Seattle, Los Angeles and New York. His work is included on many compilation albums that have been released abroad.

"The (music) business itself can be very hard work with few rewards," Basnight says. "And for some, it stops being a big party when they get older."

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But he's not complaining. This year, Basnight has new releases out on labels in Japan, Italy and New York City.

"A vinyl album by the Moberlys called 'Pop Pleasure' was released in March on the Rave Up label in Italy, and that started some buzz in Europe," he says. "'The Moberlys Return' came out in June on the Wizzard label in Japan, and a best of Jim Basnight is scheduled for release on the same label in January 2007."

Basnight says that a New York City label, Better Than Your Records, is planning the release of "25 Years: Jim Basnight, Moberlys and Beyond" in early 2007. The album also will likely be released in the United Kingdom.

He continues to write new material with his current band, the Jim Basnight Band, and tour regularly. He's scheduled to perform at a power pop festival in Rome and another in New York City in the spring of 2007, and he's busy putting together a European tour.

There was a time after working with the Moberlys and the Rockinghams that Basnight felt compelled to prove he could support himself by other means.

"I worked for four years as a stock broker," he says. "But I realized that I didn't love it. I used the money I earned to buy lots of records and guitars.

"So I walked away from it in 1992."

Since then, he's done some booking and production work, written a rock musical and scored a television program for PBS.

"But mostly I love doing live gigs, releasing CDs on my own label (Precedent Records) and licensing my music to other labels around the world. I'm not dying to wear the right clothes to be in on the next trend, I just want to be myself."

Basnight will perform a solo concert on acoustic 12-string guitar at the Jefferson State Pub in Ashland, presenting original music and a wide range of cover songs. The show is free.

Call 482-7718.