Mixed up
Heading into a couple nights ago, it had been a long while since I had made a mix for anyone. (I made one for M on Monday while she was out having a drink with friends. See below...) I don't know why that is, as I used to be quite the mix-master. My first girlfriend out of high school was the beneficiary of several. Off and on over the first few years of our five-year relationship, we were a long-distance couple. So, making mix tapes for her seemed to be a soothing and mutually gratifying way to communicate. I do believe I made her at least 80 tapes over that time span, complete with cover art and what not. I used to consider myself to be quite good at putting one together, using found sound samples as intros and mining the depths of my collection for interesting songs.
But, for some reason, I've lost enthusiasm for making mixes. Part of the problem is the fact that I'm such a self-doubter that I don't think that any of the mixes I make are any good. (And yes, I do review every mix before passing it on.) So, frustration sets in. In reality, I'm quite good at it; after all, you don't get to be a DJ in a bar full of people if you can't spin the tunes. But my own standards are just too high, I suppose. And unlike in a bar setting, where I can gauge the success of my selection by the audience's reaction, there's no one in my living room to reassure me that the last cut was awesome.
Last year I kicked around the idea of starting a club full of nerds like myself who wanted to share their music with others. The thinking was simple: I make a mix once a month and send it to ONE other person in the club. That person does the same thing for someone else. You listen to the mix you receive, and on next month's creation you must choose a few songs from the mix you received to share with others. Eventually, everyone is sharing new music with each other and your mixes turn out to be more about these great new songs that were passed on to you than they are a reflection of your own collection.
Well, that idea never reached lift off.
Lately, though, I've been yearning to make a few mixes, probably because I've forced myself via New Year's resolution to pay more attention to my record collection and it's lonely members. I've been toying with the idea of making a mix for some of my old friends that I don't keep in touch with as much as I should, and filling each with music that reminds me of that person. Sort of a "sorry we've lost touch, but I still think about ya" mix. So, head's up...if you haven't heard from me in a while, you just might very soon.
N/P—M's Mix...
Beating a Dead Horse
01 Quasi, "When I'm Dead"
02 The Association, "Never My Love"
03 Claudine, "I Love How You Love Me"
04 The Animals, "We Gotta Get Outta This Place"
05 Belle & Sebastian, "Your Secrets"
06 Jandek, "Babe I Love You"
07 Woody Guthrie, "It Takes a Married Man to Sing a Worried Song"
08 The 6ths, "You You You You You"
09 Donovan, "Josie"
10 Ivor Cutler, "I'm Fixed"
But, for some reason, I've lost enthusiasm for making mixes. Part of the problem is the fact that I'm such a self-doubter that I don't think that any of the mixes I make are any good. (And yes, I do review every mix before passing it on.) So, frustration sets in. In reality, I'm quite good at it; after all, you don't get to be a DJ in a bar full of people if you can't spin the tunes. But my own standards are just too high, I suppose. And unlike in a bar setting, where I can gauge the success of my selection by the audience's reaction, there's no one in my living room to reassure me that the last cut was awesome.
Last year I kicked around the idea of starting a club full of nerds like myself who wanted to share their music with others. The thinking was simple: I make a mix once a month and send it to ONE other person in the club. That person does the same thing for someone else. You listen to the mix you receive, and on next month's creation you must choose a few songs from the mix you received to share with others. Eventually, everyone is sharing new music with each other and your mixes turn out to be more about these great new songs that were passed on to you than they are a reflection of your own collection.
Well, that idea never reached lift off.
Lately, though, I've been yearning to make a few mixes, probably because I've forced myself via New Year's resolution to pay more attention to my record collection and it's lonely members. I've been toying with the idea of making a mix for some of my old friends that I don't keep in touch with as much as I should, and filling each with music that reminds me of that person. Sort of a "sorry we've lost touch, but I still think about ya" mix. So, head's up...if you haven't heard from me in a while, you just might very soon.
N/P—M's Mix...
Beating a Dead Horse
01 Quasi, "When I'm Dead"
02 The Association, "Never My Love"
03 Claudine, "I Love How You Love Me"
04 The Animals, "We Gotta Get Outta This Place"
05 Belle & Sebastian, "Your Secrets"
06 Jandek, "Babe I Love You"
07 Woody Guthrie, "It Takes a Married Man to Sing a Worried Song"
08 The 6ths, "You You You You You"
09 Donovan, "Josie"
10 Ivor Cutler, "I'm Fixed"