How To Make A Mixtape
is Back! Songwriter/Singer/Musician/Actress SoKo is my guest making a
mixtape for her ex. This is a remembrance mix tracking the journey of her former relationship.
Meanwhile, I will play the first mix that I have made for anyone in years, which resulted in the following text: "I'm excited to tell you what I didn't like about my mix"
If you haven't been following the "How To Make A Mixtape" theme in the past, here is the concept : 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.
Soko's Mix:
Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away
The Chiffons - Oh My Lover
Everly Brothers - Give Me A Sweetheart
Daniel Johnston - Love Forever
Kris Kristofferson - Loving Her Was Easier
Elliott Smith - Lets Get Lost
Vashti Bunyan - Don't Believe
The Ethiopians - Everything Crash
Helen Shapiro - Keep Away From Other Girls
Donovan - Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do?
The Troggs - I Can't Control Myself
Fats Domino - It's You I Love
Laura Marling - You're No God
Cat Stevens - The First Cut Is The Deepest
Arthur Russell - I Forget and I Can't Tell
Serge Gainsbourg - Ah! Melody
Caetano Veloso - Nostalgia
Electrelane - Cut and Run
Ella Fizgerald - Paper Moon
The Kinks - Shangri-la
The Zombies - Can't Nobody Love You
Emitt Rhodes - Somebody Made For Me
Franz Gall - Cet Air La
Josh's Mix
Belle & Sebastian - Dear Catastrophe Waitress (I opened the mix with this because we met at the restaurant that she worked at)
Brian Eno - Needles In The Camels Eye (no story here, just an amazing song!)
Pugh Rogefeldt - Love, Love, Love (I was hoping she wouldn't read too deeply into the love theme of these songs. I just thought after meeting her that she probably didn't know this track, but might recognize that DJ Shadow sampled it. I also thought she might be impressed by the fact that it was Swedish, clearly showing that I'm super worldly and worth knowing better)
Portishead - Threads (Again, no meaning, just trying to thread together a bunch of songs that might make it hard to leave your car.)
Sam Cooke - Cupid (oops. Never, I repeat, NEVER, put this on an egocentrist's mix. Big trouble here. It's just a perfect song and I even told her ahead of time not to read too deeply into the lyrics. When she had heard the mix she said it sounded like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her. Wow. I thought twice before putting this track on, then did it anyway. Lesson learned)
Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness (See above notes...then double them!)
Joy Division - Transmission (Trying to break up the mood here bring it back up to that place where the mix makes you want more. Just thinking like a DJ, I guess, but come on, this song is amazing)
Syd Barrett - Wined and Dined (I reiterate, she is a waitress. We met at her restaurant. This should be an adorable finish)
Comments