Mix Tape #37 - All of These Songs Were Important at One Time or Another

If you haven't visited Zen Running Order, it's a really nice place. Lots of folks who love music putting together great mixes.

They're having a mixathon and the theme is "Autobiography." So I got my self-absorption on and coughed this up. All of these songs were, at one time or another, really important.

You know what my favorite music video of all time is? This one:



Here's the list and some notes:

Side A
1. Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City (First album I bought)
2. Squirrel Bait - Kid Dynamite (Closest thing to a theme song)
3. Big Black - Kerosene (Wayward youth/nascent Albini obsession)
4. DRI - Couch Slouch (Doin' crimes)
5. Thelonious Monster - Yes Yes No (High school ended very very badly.)
6. The Pixies - Brick Is Red ("Oh hey, I can listen to something other than hardcore...")
7. Scrawl - Remember That Day (They've gotten me through so much, really)
8. LL Cool J - Kanday (Christy)
9. Nirvana - School (I need to start writing Lara)
10. Helios Creed - I'm Your Spaceman (The Union's jukebox)
11. The Fluid - Cold Outside ("After hours at my place.")
12. Madonna - Bad Girl (Laura)
13. Pavement - Summer Babe (Katie/Eric)
14. Unknown - Sehnsucht (Thanks for all of those letters and drawings.)
15. Unknown - Some Chinese Song That Rips Off The Stooges' "Dirt" (Taiwan was the best thing that ever happened)
16. The Cynics - Erica (Erica)

Side B
1. Tricky - Ponderosa (So many trips to Cleveland)
2. Codeine - New Year's (Jolie)
3. Royal Trux - Sewers of Mars (Grad school sucked...)
4. The Palace Brothers - I Tried to Stay Healthy for You (...but the music got better)
5. Silver Jews - Dallas (Dallas is a shithole)
6. Acetone - Wonderful World (Working at UW almost killed me)
7. Stereo Total - Holiday Innn (Driving to Vancouver on 9/11)
8. Madvillain - All Caps ("Oh hey. I like this.")
9. Songs: Ohia - Farewell Transmission (I lost so many years...)
10. The Mountain Goats - No Children (Thanks for trying to make me think it was all my fault)
11. McLusky - The World Loves Us and Is Our Bitch (Ok, let's light this up...)
12. The Blue Hearts - Linda Linda (Damn you, Marsha)
13. Knock Down Ginger - Fool (Same to you, Christine, with your $500 skirts and your Silly Strawberry)
14. Ananda Shankar - Jumpin' Jack Flash (I do often miss you)
15. Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 - Wichita Lineman (RIP Mom and Dad)
16. Cal Tjader - Gimme Shelter (I stop listening to new music)
17. Quickspace - Quickspace Happy Song #1 (Sorry for the repeat...it's really where my head is at right now)

Of course, this violates time constraints. Nostalgia > rules.

Here.

Mix Tape #36 - Hannah, would you park the car? Here's the keys. Don't scratch it, please.

Well this turned out ok!

Notes:

- Caesar was a great band from the Netherlands and that song comes from a great Albini-produced album. They were named for Julius Caesar who is famous for being a Roman Emperor.

- Whenever I hear that Thee Michelle Gun Elephant song, I think they're singing "Sloe Gin, Baby." Which is stupid, because what they're actually singing is THE NAME OF THE SONG.

- "Lying" is a Martina Topley Bird cover from her [excellent] album Quixotic.

- There's a pretty shitty video for "Niño Bomba." Which I was going to put in here but i can't.

- The Titan Go Kings are so fucking adorable.



Side A
1. The Jimmy Stuarts - Transformers Theme
2. The Hombres - Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)
3. Plastilina Mosh - Niño Bomba
4. Nina Hynes - Swallow
5. DMZ - Mighty Idy
6. Rodriguez - Only Good For Conversation
7. Manu Dibango - The Panther
8. Caesar - Spain
9. Barbara and Ernie - Play With Fire
10. Jeannie C. Riley - Widow Jones
11. House of Large Sizes - Nocturnal
12. Curly Moore - Don't Pity Me
13. Hazel - Everybody's Best Friend
14. Titan Go Kings - Forever Idol

Side B
1. Toni Basil - Mickey (Spanish Version)
2. Nostalgic Progression - Just Another Crew Song
3. The Professionals - Theme From The Godfather
4. Thee Michelle Gun Elephant - Smokin´ Billy
5. The Twilight Singers - Lying
6. Eddie Bo - Check Your Bucket
7. Hugo Busoni - Controspionaggio
8. Cornelis Vreeswijk - Rio De Janeiro
9. Dana Gillespie - Taffy
10. Carolyn Mark - Edmonton
11. John Holt - Sister Big Stuff
12. Francis Cabrel - Tot Ou Tard S'En Aller

Here.

Mix Tape #35 - Joy

There's a gladness in my heart and it's tearing me apart.



List:

Side A
1. Quickspace - Quickspace Happy Song Number One
2. The Brood - Satisfyin'
3. Lulu - Love Loves To Love Love
4. Don Ho - E Lei Ka Lei Lei
5. Coffin Break -
6. Spacemen 3 - I Love You
7. Isabel Bond - Let's Find Out
8. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary
9. Barbara Manning and the Go-Luckys! - You Knock Me Out
10. Tricky - Makes Me Wanna Die
11. Sam Cooke - Cupid
12. The Dwarves - Let's Fuck
13. Leaky Chipmunk - Our Secret
14. Clawhammer - Pumping My Heart

Side B
1. Rod McKuen + The San Sebastian Strings - Gifts From The Sea
2. Sebadoh - Soulmate
3. Don Fardon - I'm Alive
4. Devo - Girl U Want
5. Big Stick - I'm Amazed
6. Isaac Hayes - Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic
7. Unrest - West Coast Love Affair
8. The Matchmakers - Thank You Baby
9. Rob Base - It Takes Two
10. The Flaming Lips - Be My Head
11. Thelonious Monster - Happy #12&35
12. Serge Gainsbourg - Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus

Here.

Mix Tape #34 - I Ain't Got No Soul Today. What It Is, Y'all. What It Is, Y'all.

I make these in advance.

And when I was making this, I think I was filing it under the vague heading: "Dating sucks."

But you know what? Dating doesn't suck. One good trial obliterates all errors.

So. When I made this, I didn't have any soul. But today I'm full to bursting with soul.

Next week's entry is likely to be a lot more joyful.

But this one's isn't bad.

Erika Wennerstrom has the most amazing voice.



Never underestimate Cincinnati, yo.

Tracks:

Side A
1. Senor Soul - I Ain't Got No Soul Today
2. Yo La Tengo - Emulsified
3. The Dandy Warhols - Minnesoter
4. The Lafayette Afro Rock Band - Congo
5. LI Xiang Lan - Plum Blossom
6. Prolapse - Killing The Bland
7. White Hinterland - Dreaming of the Plum Trees
8. Tullio De Piscopo - Medium Rock
9. Spanky And Our Gang - Like To Get To Know You
10. Simon Turner - Shoeshine Boy
11. The Count Five - Peace of Mind
12. Hall and Oates - Lady Rain
13. Heartless Bastards - Be So Happy

Side B
1. Laurie Anderson - Smoke Rings
2. Jacques Dutronc - On Nous Cache Tout, On Nous
3. Roy Harper - Male Chauvinist Pig Blues
4. Gilberto Cruz - Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants)
5. Francoise Hardy - Catch A Falling Star
6. Ruby Andrews - Tit for Tat
7. Michael Stipe & Rain Phoenix - Happiness
8. Ian Hunter - All Of The Good Ones Are Taken
9. Lesley Gore - 98.6/Lazy Day
10. The Stuarts - Just A Little Bit More
11. The Scorpions - Worrying Kind
12. The Lennon Sisters - Green Tambourine
13. Mick Farren - Son of a Millionaire
14. The Viking Moses! - Providence

Here.

Mix Tape #33 - It's Raining In Vancouver But I Don't Give A Fuck

Oh. Hey. Christine? If you ever find this? I hate you. Seriously.

That said, this mix turned out pretty well! There's actually new stuff in here. Occasioned by the latest issue of The Big Takeover, which is my favorite place to read about music. Jack Rabid's kind of a windbag [pot...kettle-ed.], but his heart's in the right place. And the reviews section is pretty much the size of the yellow pages. They uncover seriously cool stuff. Screw Pitchfork. Get that magazine.

What else to say? Well, the new Dinosaur doesn't suck which was a pleasant surprise. And I know that Magik Markers isn't a crowd pleaser, but it made me wistful for all the terrible things on Homestead in the late 80's. Like Jad Fair or something. If you bail there, though, you're going to miss Plunt. You don't want to miss Plunt. No, no.

And what's with all the Sparklemouse Dangerhorse lately? I never would picture them being friends.



I'm not complaining.

Here's the list:

Side A
1. Morphine - Scratch
2. Archie Shepp - Attica Blues
3. Japandroids - Sovereignty
4. Dana Gillespie - Like I'm A Clown
5. Tindersticks - The Hungry Saw
6. Hitch - Carbon Wheels
7. Impacto Cinco - Viver Triste
8. Seaweed - Foggy Eyes
9. Kinetic Stereokids - Free Money
10. The Lord Executor - We Mourn the Loss of Sir Murchison Fletcher
11. Dinosaur Jr - Friends
12. Joker's Daughter - Bouncing Liquorish Bears
13. Pop Five Music Incorporated - Fire
14. Otis Clay - Pouring Water On A Drowning Man

Side B
1. Parts & Labor - Wedding In A Wasteland
2. Gene Marshall - Jimmy Carter Says Yes
3. Magik Markers - The Ballad Of Harry Andstrom
4. Los Shakers - Got Any Money
5. Thee Oh Sees - Ruby Go Home
6. Split Enz - One Step Ahead
7. Consonant - Buckets of Flowers, Porno Mags
8. Fire - My Father's Name Is Dad
9. Plunt - Boner
10. Mike Proctor - Mr. Commuter
11. Pavement - The Killing Moon
12. Love Is All - Untitled
13. 101 Strings - Taps For Fallen Brave

Here.

Mix Tape #32 - I'm Tax-Exempt. My Money's Spent.

I feel like I'm getting more and more laconic on this thing. I guess I feel like writing about music is like fucking about dancing. For me. Others do it really well.

I'll just say that I didn't have high hopes for this one, but it turned around into all kinds of fun and I listened to it a lot. I hope you like it.

Highlights for me: that Randy Rice album is mindblowing...like eavesdropping on someone's therapy session set to music...and I'm going to link to it on the right hand side. And I realize Zoroaster won't be for everyone, but if it's for you? Get. That. Album. It's one of my favorite things from this year.

And, yes, that is Nancy Walker from the Bounty commercials.



Oh. Hey. I'm taking two weeks off from this thing. Partly because it's summer, and partly because I'm going to London. Please don't rob my apartment.

Here's the track list:

Side A
1. Noonday Underground - London
2. Palace Music - The Mountain Low
3. Monika Herz - Bimbo, Nimm Die Gitarre Und Sing
4. The Promise Ring - Make Me A Chevy
5. Randy Rice - Mrs. Bitch
6. Lafayette Afro-Rock Band - Darkest Light
7. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Look Around
8. Tweak Bird - Whorses
9. Midniters - I Found A Peanut
10. Dick Hyman and Mary Mayo - Desafinado
11. Mudhoney - Flat Out Fucked
12. Saxons - Things Have Been Bad
13. Daliah Lavi - Jerusalem
14. Zoroaster - Undying

Side B
1. The Chesterfield Kings - Street Fighting Man
2. Viva L'American Death Ray - Getting Better
3. Kyra Rubella And The Shanks - Orgasm Addict
4. Liberace - Teenager's Holiday
5. Chumbawamba - Tianamen Square
6. Nancy Walker - I Hate Men
7. Celibate Rifles - Bill Bonney Regrets
8. The Time And Space Machine - Amorous Ways
9. Andrea Carroll - Gee Dad
10. The Adverts - One Chord Wonders
11. Christopher Lee - The Streets Of Laredo
12. Brainiac - Flypaper
13. Can - Butterfly

Here.

See you in two weeks.

Mix Tape #31 - Someday, baby. When the river runs free.

When it gets like this outside, I just want to dive into the closest body of water.

I wish my neighbors had a pool. Instead of an 8-year-old who stands outside and screams all day.



Side A
1. The Turner Brothers - Let's Go Fishing
2. Screaming Blue Messiahs - Sweet Water Pools
3. Kristin Hersh - Cold Water Coming
4. The Standells - Dirty Water
5. The Distant Galaxy - Water Brother
6. Chemical People - Aquaman
7. Dire Straits - Water Of Love
8. David Arvedon - Buckets of Water
9. Dennis Coffey - Bridge Over Troubled Water
10. The Saints - River Deep Mountain High
11. The Ovations - Mr. River
12. Miaow - Thames at High Water
13. Low - Walk Into The Sea

Side B
1. White Hassle - Watertank
2. Serge Gainsbourg - Sea, Sex and Sun
3. Smog - The Well
4. The Weakerthans - Watermark
5. Jack McDuff - Cry Me a River
6. Takeshi Terauchi & the Bunnys - Dream In The Ocean
7. Melodians - Rivers Of Babylon
8. Yo La Tengo - Sea Cruise
9. Roscoe Holcomb - Boat's up the River
10. Tonettes - Teardrop Sea
11. Bitch Magnet - Sea of Pearls
12. Tangle Eye - Drowned

Here.