2:41 p.m. - March 10, 2007
Paying It Forward!
As you know, if you are a long-time reader, that I love to make mix CDs. Just love to. Right now, I�m kind of just making themed mixes instead of individual mixes (except for special circumstances) but I just love making mix CDs.
What�s just as good, if not better, than MAKING mix CDs. When you get mix CDs in return!!!
Right now, in my office, I have about forty or so mixes from people, and that doesn�t include mixes from two people that had mixes in the planning stages before they had computer kerfuffles.
But I�ve had great results with mixes, and the best part about mixes, is to �pay it forward� and put songs you�ve received from others onto other mix CDs.
With that in mind, here are 25 songs that I either have paid forward, or definitely will pay forward at some point, with a link to the kind soul (if they are not locked) who sent them to me. These are all random, so if you�ve sent me a great tune and you�re name wasn�t called, well, don�t blame me, blame the machine.
Let�s rock and roll:
1. Chains Of Love � The Dirtbombs. From Detroit, Rock City, USA, the Dirtbombs are definitely old-school revivalists in a garage band motif, with a big ol� touch of soul. Ultraglide In Black is mostly soul covers, and this is the first cut on it, and it�s just white HOT! I really thought it was an old Motown song at first, but the incessant fuzz guitar in the background gave away its garage influences. This comes from Patriside, who organizes MixMania! Woot!
2. Steady As She Goes � The Raconteurs. I was a bit afraid of buying into the Raconteurs hype, until I heard this gem of a song given to me by Judith and I was immediately enthralled. The album is great and it�s an actual band, not just a Jack White novelty.
3. Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly � H. I. M. Sometimes, mix CDs pose a problem. I know that I sent mix CDs to Freshhell and they didn�t work in her car. Sometimes, there�s just something wrong with a track, and this was one of those issues. I had to have Moonfaeryy email me the song so I could get it onto my iPod, and it�s worth it, I think. It�s pretty tuneful darkish semi-Goth Finnish pop metal, if that�s a genre at all.
4. Am I Sexy? � The Lords Of Acid. One great thing about mixes is that sometimes you get songs that you�d never think to look for, or look up, and they�re great fun when you hear them. This is one that Janet sent along as a Christmas present, and I really owe her some mixes. I suppose that�ll happen when I get up to doing more mixes again. This is nice and cheesy and fun all the way around.
5. Smells Like Teen Spirit � Tori Amos. I must give thanks to Willowfox for giving me this one. It�s only on an old Tori Amos EP. I was kind of chased away from Tori Amos by an old girlfriend who was a bit, shall we say, obsessive about Ms. Amos (amongst other things) but her solemn reading of this classic tune is enrapturing.
6. Medusa � Anthrax. I�m so glad that a song has come up from when my face was rocked. This, of course, is from the wonderful Empress Eve who really needs no introduction.
7. Feelin� Good � Nina Simone. The great Lando gave me this on a �mystery mix� game, and he was shocked that I didn�t have it, and couldn�t name it. Well, I KNEW it, of course, but I drew a blank. I choked under pressure. BTW, tell Lando and Loopy that since they have new toys to play with, they need to update more, OK?
8. They�re Looting The Town � The Radiators. Not to be confuzzled with the New Orleans variety, this bunch of Radiators sprung up during the first punk rock epoch over across the pond. Hailing from Dublin, they released two albums, a few singles, and then one of the members became part of the Pogues. Bonypony, who hasn�t updated in like, forever, sent this my way, and I�m grateful.
9. You Can Leave Your Hat On � Tom Jones. One of my newer reads, not even from Diaryland, ~d sent me this on a couple of very odd, yet compelling mixes. I mean odd, as in there seems to be no rhyme or reason for one song to flow into the other, and you know what, that�s just as good as having a total flow control, like I do. Whatever works, do it! Tom Jones could sing a non-Euclidian Geometry textbook and it�d be damn sexxxxy.
10. Half Jack � The Dresden Dolls. My great bud Designerchica gave this one to me for my birfday, woot! She�s a woman of taste, if not wealth. Well, not wealth. She�s a graphic designer working in BFE land. But one day, the world will be hers. As for the tune, it�s very dramatic, and theatrical and just neat.
11. Loli La Letta � Myracle Brah. Oh, I knew this would happen. This is a quite tuneful bit of power pop and I can�t for the life of me remember who sent this to me. Anyone? Anyone? Oh, I found it, it was Bony Pony. I need to remember this one and mix it. It�s great!
12. Lonely By Your Side � Azzido de Bass. You know, I haven�t been keeping up on my German electronica DJs, but thanks to Moonfaeryy, I have this one now. Looks like this was a free iTunes single, but it�s well worth the buck to buy this thing. Johnny Blake from Zoot Woman is on vocals here. A great tune to chill to or move to.
13. Metal Storm / Face The Slayer � Slayer. Another great one from Eve. My face is still rocked off after this. And you know what, kids. Slayer ain�t that scary, really. You�re not going to burn in hell, or commit mass murder listening to Slayer. Just look at me. Really!
14. Everything�s Ruined � Faith No More. Now, who gave me this one? You know, I had this album, Angel Dust and sold it back a while ago. What�s funny, that all of the tracks I liked have come back to me on mixes and I really wonder why I sold it back after all! Well, I did like the $2 I got, though! Well spent! Ah, it was the Angry Dance comp by Kat, that�s where, though others have graced me with FNM as well.
15. Powerhouse � Drivin� And Cryin�. Ah, this band, I thought, could have been a contender, and they did have some fine rockin� moments and some nice gentle moments as well. But they always seemed to shy away from being a total hard-rock band, which was fine, until Fly Me Courageous, which smoked. But the follow up didn�t do so well, either commercially or artistically, and they soon went down the tubes. Oh, I know, they�re still at it, but isn�t EVERY band in the world still touring, somehow?
16. Wooden Ships � Crosby, Stills And Nash. From the Woodstock soundtrack, and something that Sarie sent me. (She sent me a copy of her Mixmania CDs. This is from the Woodstock soundtrack�duuuuude! Can you smell the love in the air?? It includes the intro from a very stoned David Crosby (I think it�s Crosby, yeah, it has to be him). Actually, I think this should be CSN&Y, since Neil Young is playing guitar. Man, they�re not singing in tune. But�.duuuude!
17. So Weird � Veruca Salt. When Nina Gordon left the band, I kind of wrote them off, but this track shows that Louise Post is still rockin� hard. Why I doubted them, when Post wrote my two favorite Veruca Salt songs (�All Hail Me� and �Shutterbug�) I have no idea. This definitely harkens back to the 90s loud / soft thing deal bit all of the hip bands did, but it still sounds great. Thanks Moonfaeryy.
18. Watching Cars Go By � Felix Da Housecat. My first mix CD from the outside was given to me by Heelandlass, a bonnie lass from Scotland who gave me all kinds of goodies that were new to me. This is just a very odd electronic club thing deal about a robot that is in the sex trade. No, really, it is! It has a great beat and groove, though.
19. Whatever (I Had A Dream) � The Butthole Surfers. When I got this from Rachel (locked), it inspired me to go on iTunes and find as much of the Surfers as my iPod could hold. So thanks, Rachel! This is one of their most mainstream tunes. I mean, you wouldn�t put �Lady Sniff� on a soundtrack, would you? Oh, yeah, these are MY readers, I�m sure I have someone twisted enough to do it!
20. Fata Morgana � Fates Warning. Another one from Eve, and yes, I�m still rockin� out. Actually, this is more proggy than most of the things on her CD, so it�s safe for almost everyone who likes complicated guitars and such things.
21. I Can�t Get Next To You � Al Green. Oh, man, it�s Al Green. That says it all. Thanks Willowfox!
22. I Turn My Camera On � Spoon. I have to give double props to Judith and Moonfaeryy, as they both slipped this song to me. I love the basswork on this, and the strong and solid drum work. It�s getting neo-funky in here!
23. War Weary World � The Call. They had some moderate hits in the 80�s, but one thing even I didn�t know is that they had some tunes out before �The Walls Came Down�. You learn something every day, especially when Kat sends you mixes.
24. Copperhead Road � Steve Earle. Ah, Judith. How did you know I didn�t have this great piece of Americana rock-and-roll? Man, this was ALL over the radio in Indiana back in the day, but I never got sick of it.
25. These Arms Of Mine � Otis Redding. OTIS, my man! He loves us! Oh, wait, wrong Otis. But again, you can�t go wrong, and Willowfox just kept hitting me with these great tunes.
Well, there you go. I�m paying forward 25 great tunes, and of course, many more, since there are 325 in my �Five Star From Others� playlist. Happy mixing!
