Mass Production

Stream Isaac Brock and Naheed Simjee Episode of Mass Production

A Modest Mouse fan (who shares a name with a member of Bauhaus) was kind enough to upload a copy of last night's show.  You can listen to it by clicking below:

How To Make A Mixtape #3: Isaac Brock and Naheed Simjee

Keep checking back here.  Pictures from the night will be coming.

How To Make A Mixtape 3: Isaac Brock and Naheed Simjee

(more photos to come)

At the risk of embarrassing myself and my guests, tonight's guest plays such an enormous role in the development of the way that I seek out, listen to and enjoy music and has been for more years than I care to relate.  Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock and his long term girlfriend Naheed are in the studio tonight expressing the roller coaster that is a 6 year long distance relationship through other people's art by way of mix tapes.  I hope you enjoy the show!

Here are the mixes:

Naheed's Mix For Isaac
Silver Jews - How To Rent A Room
Murder City Devils - Rum To Whiskey
Pete Doherty and Carlos Barat - Stix and Stones
Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place
Built To Spill - Else
Rolling Stones - Heaven
Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
Eagles of Death Metal - I Only Want You
The Walkmen - The Rat
Mason Jennings - Crown
Kings of Leon - Milk

Isaac's Mix For Naheed
Bonnie Prince Billy - A King At Night
Man Man - Van Helsing Boombox
Love as Laughter - Miss Direction
The Damned - Smash It Up Pt. II
Mason Jennings - Nothing
The Shady Hands - Gonna Hold You Tonight
GD - Friend Of The Devil
White Hassle - Life Is Still Sweet
Mimicking Birds - Cabin Fever
Hank Williams Sr. - Ramblin' Man
Songs: Ohia - Soul 2

Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) and Naheed Simjee on Sunday

Sunday Night/Monday Morning - January 25, 2010: 12 - 2:00 am.

Special Guests: Isaac Brock and Naheed Simjee

Mass Production is bringing another episode in the ongoing theme, "How To Make A Mixtape".  This episode's guests are Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse, Ugly Casanova, Glacial Pace Recordings) and Naheed Simjee (General Manager of Glacial Pace Recordings).

If you haven't been following, here is the concept behind "How To Make A Mixtape":  I have grown tired of interviews; I don't quite feel comfortable asking artists the same questions that they have been asked a thousand times, thereby forcing them to rehash the same story for the thousandth time all while pretending that the conversation is completely natural and spontaneous.  Instead, I have found that a lot more can be revealed about a person by the way in which they construct a mixtape for someone.   So, rather than interviewing guests, I have them make a mixtape for someone specific who they can reveal or keep secret.  We discuss progression, listening vs. saying something, lyrics vs. melody, dynamics and how an artist uses other people's music to communicate something extraordinarily personal...yet broadcasted.  Isaac and Naheed have been together, worked together and influenced each other for years and will be making mixes for each other on this coming episode.

Previous guests
Dileep Rao (Avatar, Drag Me To Hell) - Made mixtape for real girl he is not yet dating who will remain nameless
Marissa Nadler and Myself - Made mixtapes for each other

How To Make A Mixtape #2: Marissa Nadler

This one is very personal and I am extremely nervous. This one is real. If you did not know, Marissa Nadler and I have been dating while she has been living in LA. She is leaving back for Boston next week, and we have made each other mixtapes. It is going to be uncomfortably real...but could make good radio.

If you have forgotten the premise of "How To Make A Mixtape", here is what I wrote on last week's show blog:

I'm tired of interviews. I think there is much more to be learned about a person from how they create a mix tape for someone. What are you listening to? Why do you follow one song with another? Do you pick songs based on narrative theme, melodic beauty, what you like, what you think the other person would like?

Bearing that in mind, I am now inviting special guests to come on this show and make mix tapes for specific people.  Perhaps they have someone in mind, if not I send them to Craigslist missed connections to pick the most compelling entry.  Artwork and presentation can be just as important as song selection.  This becomes part of the task.  The result is far more telling than, "so what was it like working with Steve Albini?"

Marissa's Mixtape For Me
Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You In The End
Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
Headless Heroes - Blues Run The Game
Liz Phair - Exile In Guyville
Bob Dylan - Most Likely You Go Your Way I'll Go Mine
Cher - Bang Bang My Baby Shot Me Down
Liz Phair - F*#k and Run
Nick Cave - Nobody's Baby Now
Joni Mitchell - The Last Time I Saw Richard
Camera Obscura - James
The Byrds - You Don't Miss Your Water
Sammy Smith - Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
Nico - I'll Keep It With Mine

My Mixtape For Marissa
Iggy Pop - Dum Dum Boys
The Modern Lovers - Girlfriend
Lou Reed - Sad Song
David Bowie - Warszawa
Neutral Milk Hotel - King Of Carrot Flowers Pts 2&3
Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New York
The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
Jacques Brel - Ces Gens-La

How To Make A Mix Tape: With Dileep Rao

I'm tired of interviews. I think there is much more to be learned about a person from how they create a mix tape for someone. What are you listening to? Why do you follow one song with another? Do you pick songs based on narrative theme, melodic beauty, what you like, what you think the other person would like?

Bearing that in mind, I am now inviting special guests to come on this show and make mix tapes for specific people.  Perhaps they have someone in mind, if not I send them to Craigslist missed connections to pick the most compelling entry.  Artwork and presentation can be just as important as song selection.  This becomes part of the task.  The result is far more telling than, "so what was it like working with Steve Albini?"

Today's guest is Dileep Rao from the films Avatar and Drag Me To Hell.  Here is the playlist for Dileep's mix tape.  Artwork will be posted tomorrow (sorry)

Dileep's Mix for ???
1. Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
2. The Ink Spots - If I Didn't Care
3. Beirut - Postcards From Italy
4. Chicone Youth (fake name for Sonic Youth) - In To The Groove(y)
5. Reckoner - Radiohead
6. Bob Dylan - Mama, You Been On My Mind
7. Pixies - Alec Eiffel
8. TV On The Radio - Mr. Grieves
9. Television - Marquee Moon
10. M83 - You Appearing
11. Stones - WH
12. Smokey Robinson - Tracks of My Tears
13. The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Josh's Mix

I made my mix based on the following Craigslist Missed Connection.  Help this guy out if you know the girl:

Blonde at Spaceland, New Year's Eve Concert - m4w - 29 (Silver Lake)

---

I first noticed you when I walked in and headed towards the back room and I didn't see you again until after midnight. You were with three friends and I can be a little shy (the loud music didn't help either). I liked your calm demeanor and, obviously, there was attraction to you and possibly from you to me as we kept looking at each other (Me: five-foot-ten, glasses, brown hair, black jacket, jeans).

You're about five-foot-three-or-four with blonde hair, maybe a little past your shoulders. You were wearing a black dress, possibly with black tights and soft (I think) red boots. You left before the band stopped (only had one song left) after 1 a.m.. I was hoping to talk to you once I could hear what people were saying again, so maybe you or one of your friends will see this.

Happy New Year!

Here's the playlist:

1. Henry Clay People - Something In The Water
2. Band Of Horses - No One Is Ever Gonna You (Like I Do)
3. The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Got My Eye On You
4. Blur - On The Way To The Club
5. The Velvet Underground - Femme Fatale
6. Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number Two
7. The Ronettes - You Came, You Saw, You Conquered
8. The Buzzcocks - Why Can't I Touch It
9. The Walkmen - In The New Year (Now Playing)