Excuses, excuses.

I know it's been a while. I've been busy, Christmas was the usual mess, blah blah blah. However, there are a couple key reasons why I've been held back from producing some new mix projects.

1. I haven't been listening to much new music. In fact, all I want to listen to is Joe Pug and Chris Bathgate. No one wants a mix of two artists.
2. I started my first group mix and not only can I not find the tracks I want, but the prototype I designed for the art was a massive failure. Frick.

So, here we are, blog void of new entries, me eating my way through a wheel of brie compiling my list of mixes owed.

A jolt in the arm was given to me a few days ago however, when my friend and letter writing partner Stephanie sent me a surprise mix which is comprised primarily of music from movie soundtracks. It totally hit the spot and I'm already starting a track list of a mix to hit her back with. One of the tracks, "Ooh La La" by Faces got me thinking about how out of all the mixes I have received, only twice have tracks repeated themselves. The aforementioned track was first delivered to me by my buddy Paul who made a mix of calming songs for me to listen to while giving birth to my third son. The lyrics, "I wish that I knew what I know now" struck me as both hilarious and awful when read in light of the anticipated events. As it turned out, there was no labor, only surgery, and the CD received multiple plays, along with a bunch of unreleased Meteah Strike tracks, during my recovery. Side note: I actually heard Paul playing this song just for fun at a bar with a couple of slightly inebriated patrons crooning along. Some songs just stay with us, I suppose. The other incidence of mix track doubling happened a few years ago when I received a mix from a friend with the track "Never Meant" by American Football, which first appeared on a post-breakup mix from my ex alongside other tracks such as "Radio" by Alkaline Trio. (The late nineties are unparalleled in their catalog of vicious breakup songs.)

As for me, I'm a track recycler. I will unabashedly take my favorite tracks from a mix received and include them on mixes I make to give away. I like the idea that I'm part of creating a web of all the people in my life who love music and share it with one another, connected by their most beloved songs. I love watching the journey of a song - hearing the story of where someone first heard it, listening to it on a mix, putting it on my own mixes and then seeing others share that same one song... there's something magical about that. Certain tracks are like precious heirlooms - you pass them on hoping they're treasured by their recipients as you have treasured them, and when you see your songs passed on, you know the connection was made and the real beauty and purpose of the mix is realized.

Anyway. All that to say, more is coming. I just have to get working on it.

I'm curious: What tracks do you find yourself putting on mixes repeatedly?