I've become addicted to Flickr Favorites again. I just go to Flickr, type in any random word, sort by 'most interesting' and find a plethora of gorgeous and inspiring imagery. It's also fun to type in really abstract concepts and see what pops up. Example? I typed in the word 'divine' and got photographs of a cathedral, a sandwich, a hotel, a Blythe doll and a scrap of paper with an Arthur C. Clarke quote scribbled on it.
Anyway, while Flickring around, I discovered this image
and it got me thinking about the perfect mixtape.
Since I missed the mixtape revolution by a hair, I kick it new-school with mix CDs. I love them, constantly make them and am a firm believer that like love, a good mix CD can make a poet out of a mute man.
That being said, here is my perfect mixtape -- a compilation of songs I love fiercely. Songs that whisk me back to a specific time and place in the first three notes. I have all of these tracks on my hard drive, so if you take a fancy to any of them -- let me know and I'll hook you up.
The Perfect Mixtape
Local God by Everclear: Featured on the William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet soundtrack, this was my first introduction to what became my favorite band during my teenage years. It's noisy, raucous, rebellious and they use the F word. In short, a perfect teenage track.
Dressed To Kill by New Found Glory: Another track reminiscent of my adolescence. I remember unrequited serious "like" being a big theme of my teenage years and the lyrics really hit home for me -- "I can't stop pretending/That you're forever mine/And I can't dream anymore since you left/I miss you singing me to sleep." (Although, I should clarify that no-one ever sang me to sleep. None of the boys I liked in high school were ever that romantic)
My Hero by the Foo Fighters: It's like drummer Taylor Hawkins is riding a stampede of elephants through your central nervous system. And I love the lyric, "There goes my hero/He's ordinary." I really like that idea -- just a regular guy...who happens to be someone's hero.
Stars by Hum*: It starts off as quiet and pretty as a lullaby...and then, the stompbox kicks in and the bonecrushing guitars and drums take off. When I was learning to play guitar (a disaster that reminds me of a line from The Simpsons wherein one of the Flanders children asks their father if Reverend Lovejoy is "killing that guitar"), I actually learned to play the opening of this song. There's something pretty amazing about recreating notes that you love...even if they don't sound nearly as good on your crappy little Squire.
The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and The News: Impossible to hear this song without thinking about Marty McFly. Maybe it's not the hippest song on the list, but you can't deny that hearing it makes you smile. Just a little.
Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan*: I first learned about Stevie Ray Vaughan freshman year of college. His music was recommended to me, I downloaded a bunch of it, I fell head-over-heels in love and then, I discovered that Vaughan had tragically died in a helicopter crash eleven years prior. My heart was broken. I know I'll always have the music, but the fact that Guitar Hurricane will never come to play in my town? It hurts.
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin: The apex. The alpha and the omega, baby. Just like a snake charmer entrances cobras, this song hypnotizes the hips. Revving them up like a '67 Cherry Red Mustang. This isn't making love. This isn't even sex. It's the best, longest, dirtiest, most-eye-rolling, heavy-breathing, back-scratching, moaning-screaming-panting-Oh-God fuck you've ever had in your life. And the extended version is 23 minutes long (tell me that's not the best endorsement for a song you've ever heard).
Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen: Despite the fact that Bruce doesn't really get a lot of love down south, I'm a fan. I love the idea of the man as much as his music. There's a real honesty and dignity about him. You really don't find that too much anymore. Check out It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive: The Promise of Bruce Springsteen by Eric Alterman. You'll see what I mean.
Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd: You can take the girl out of the south...And besides, it's Freebird. Come on.
Hotel California by The Eagles: We had the Hotel California album on vinyl when I was a little kid and my dad used to play it all the time. I think it was the first record my sister and I ever listened to all the way through. I also remember having this moment of satori when I realized that Lyin' Eyes was a story within a song.
Cherish by Madonna: Old-school Madonna is one of the greater pleasures in my life. The Immaculate Collection is one of those great albums I can put on at any given time and feel completely sunny and cheery two tracks in.
Juicy by Notorious B.I.G.: I'm not a hip hop head by any stretch of the imagination, but I do love and respect the form. While I'm not so much a fan of the 'booty booty booty booties rockin' everywhere', the 'knob slobbin' and the 'chicken wangs and bottles of Dom,' I do appreciate the deft intelligence, searing wit and urban Algerian folklore that comes with really good hip hop. This track contains all those things and a sick sample of Mtume's Juicy Fruit.
Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones: The world's most perfect song. Honey-dipped guitar chords, Jagger's plaintive cry and incredibly beautiful visceral imagery.
* Can we take a second to talk about how car companies have been pimping out my favorite songs to schill automobiles? I realize someone connected to the musicians sold you the rights, but when I think of Pride and Joy or Stars, I don't want to think about a crappy Altima or Caddy.
Anyway, while Flickring around, I discovered this image
and it got me thinking about the perfect mixtape.
Since I missed the mixtape revolution by a hair, I kick it new-school with mix CDs. I love them, constantly make them and am a firm believer that like love, a good mix CD can make a poet out of a mute man.
That being said, here is my perfect mixtape -- a compilation of songs I love fiercely. Songs that whisk me back to a specific time and place in the first three notes. I have all of these tracks on my hard drive, so if you take a fancy to any of them -- let me know and I'll hook you up.
The Perfect Mixtape
Local God by Everclear: Featured on the William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet soundtrack, this was my first introduction to what became my favorite band during my teenage years. It's noisy, raucous, rebellious and they use the F word. In short, a perfect teenage track.
Dressed To Kill by New Found Glory: Another track reminiscent of my adolescence. I remember unrequited serious "like" being a big theme of my teenage years and the lyrics really hit home for me -- "I can't stop pretending/That you're forever mine/And I can't dream anymore since you left/I miss you singing me to sleep." (Although, I should clarify that no-one ever sang me to sleep. None of the boys I liked in high school were ever that romantic)
My Hero by the Foo Fighters: It's like drummer Taylor Hawkins is riding a stampede of elephants through your central nervous system. And I love the lyric, "There goes my hero/He's ordinary." I really like that idea -- just a regular guy...who happens to be someone's hero.
Stars by Hum*: It starts off as quiet and pretty as a lullaby...and then, the stompbox kicks in and the bonecrushing guitars and drums take off. When I was learning to play guitar (a disaster that reminds me of a line from The Simpsons wherein one of the Flanders children asks their father if Reverend Lovejoy is "killing that guitar"), I actually learned to play the opening of this song. There's something pretty amazing about recreating notes that you love...even if they don't sound nearly as good on your crappy little Squire.
The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and The News: Impossible to hear this song without thinking about Marty McFly. Maybe it's not the hippest song on the list, but you can't deny that hearing it makes you smile. Just a little.
Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan*: I first learned about Stevie Ray Vaughan freshman year of college. His music was recommended to me, I downloaded a bunch of it, I fell head-over-heels in love and then, I discovered that Vaughan had tragically died in a helicopter crash eleven years prior. My heart was broken. I know I'll always have the music, but the fact that Guitar Hurricane will never come to play in my town? It hurts.
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin: The apex. The alpha and the omega, baby. Just like a snake charmer entrances cobras, this song hypnotizes the hips. Revving them up like a '67 Cherry Red Mustang. This isn't making love. This isn't even sex. It's the best, longest, dirtiest, most-eye-rolling, heavy-breathing, back-scratching, moaning-screaming-panting-Oh-God fuck you've ever had in your life. And the extended version is 23 minutes long (tell me that's not the best endorsement for a song you've ever heard).
Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen: Despite the fact that Bruce doesn't really get a lot of love down south, I'm a fan. I love the idea of the man as much as his music. There's a real honesty and dignity about him. You really don't find that too much anymore. Check out It Ain't No Sin To Be Glad You're Alive: The Promise of Bruce Springsteen by Eric Alterman. You'll see what I mean.
Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd: You can take the girl out of the south...And besides, it's Freebird. Come on.
Hotel California by The Eagles: We had the Hotel California album on vinyl when I was a little kid and my dad used to play it all the time. I think it was the first record my sister and I ever listened to all the way through. I also remember having this moment of satori when I realized that Lyin' Eyes was a story within a song.
Cherish by Madonna: Old-school Madonna is one of the greater pleasures in my life. The Immaculate Collection is one of those great albums I can put on at any given time and feel completely sunny and cheery two tracks in.
Juicy by Notorious B.I.G.: I'm not a hip hop head by any stretch of the imagination, but I do love and respect the form. While I'm not so much a fan of the 'booty booty booty booties rockin' everywhere', the 'knob slobbin' and the 'chicken wangs and bottles of Dom,' I do appreciate the deft intelligence, searing wit and urban Algerian folklore that comes with really good hip hop. This track contains all those things and a sick sample of Mtume's Juicy Fruit.
Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones: The world's most perfect song. Honey-dipped guitar chords, Jagger's plaintive cry and incredibly beautiful visceral imagery.
* Can we take a second to talk about how car companies have been pimping out my favorite songs to schill automobiles? I realize someone connected to the musicians sold you the rights, but when I think of Pride and Joy or Stars, I don't want to think about a crappy Altima or Caddy.
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