Mixtape-o-rama « Read Less
I've always had way too much time on my hands.
Mixtape Countdown Nostalgia Blast
Where to begin?
Back in 1991, when I was still in highschool, my favourite radio station (CFNY 102.1) took on the epic task of counting down the "1002 Best Songs of All Time - As Chosen By YOU!" over the sweltering Labour Day weekend. Having no life at the time, I decided to spend that entire long weekend sitting on the carpet beside my boombox, popping tape after tape into it's greedy maw, in the hopes of learning new things about classic music. Predictably, I got bored just sitting there waiting for the tapedeck to snap, and so I began custom decorating each and every one of the cassettes as they were filled up with music. In the end, there were almost 30 of them.
In 1991, The Spirit of Radio was beginning to fade from the airwaves in Toronto; I barely caught the tail end of it. CFNY had been the sourse for alternative music from the late 70s and throughout the 80s, but one short year after this fine countdown, it was forcibly remolded into another top 40 pop vehicle. The change was sudden and traumatic. The Earth rebelled. Really! While my family and I waited out Hurricane Andrew in a Fort Lauderdale shelter in August 1992, my favourite DJ was reading her resignation on the air and bidding farewell to alternative radio in Toronto. I haven't heard her voice since.
But now, I have learned to make digital files of my mixtapes! So, the project I propose is that I digitize all 29 tapes of the 1002 Best Songs of All Time Countdown, photograph the cassettes and cases, and make up a track listing. It will not be a comprehensive one - I know I missed about 400 of the 1002 songs played (I had to sleep and eat). But from what I understand, it will be the only such tracklisting available.
And I know you'll like it :)
Below: the track listing for tape #1.
988. Edie - Ciao Baby - The Cult
987. Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds
986. Reunion - Breeding Ground
985. Change Your Mind - Gary Numan (video!)
984. Still On Fire - Aztec Camera
983. Cherish - The Association
? Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Mozart - Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields
980. Home For A Rest - Spirit of the West (video!)
979. Skaface - Skaface
978. Friggin in the Riggin - Sex Pistols
977. Raise a Ship - Scott Marrott (sp?)
976. Dance Away - Roxy Music
975. Mother's Little Helper - Rolling Stones
? The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
? Rubber Girl - Pukka Orchestra
967. You Really Got Me - Kinks
Back in 1991, when I was still in highschool, my favourite radio station (CFNY 102.1) took on the epic task of counting down the "1002 Best Songs of All Time - As Chosen By YOU!" over the sweltering Labour Day weekend. Having no life at the time, I decided to spend that entire long weekend sitting on the carpet beside my boombox, popping tape after tape into it's greedy maw, in the hopes of learning new things about classic music. Predictably, I got bored just sitting there waiting for the tapedeck to snap, and so I began custom decorating each and every one of the cassettes as they were filled up with music. In the end, there were almost 30 of them.
In 1991, The Spirit of Radio was beginning to fade from the airwaves in Toronto; I barely caught the tail end of it. CFNY had been the sourse for alternative music from the late 70s and throughout the 80s, but one short year after this fine countdown, it was forcibly remolded into another top 40 pop vehicle. The change was sudden and traumatic. The Earth rebelled. Really! While my family and I waited out Hurricane Andrew in a Fort Lauderdale shelter in August 1992, my favourite DJ was reading her resignation on the air and bidding farewell to alternative radio in Toronto. I haven't heard her voice since.
But now, I have learned to make digital files of my mixtapes! So, the project I propose is that I digitize all 29 tapes of the 1002 Best Songs of All Time Countdown, photograph the cassettes and cases, and make up a track listing. It will not be a comprehensive one - I know I missed about 400 of the 1002 songs played (I had to sleep and eat). But from what I understand, it will be the only such tracklisting available.
And I know you'll like it :)
Below: the track listing for tape #1.
988. Edie - Ciao Baby - The Cult
987. Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds
986. Reunion - Breeding Ground
985. Change Your Mind - Gary Numan (video!)
984. Still On Fire - Aztec Camera
983. Cherish - The Association
? Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Mozart - Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields
980. Home For A Rest - Spirit of the West (video!)
979. Skaface - Skaface
978. Friggin in the Riggin - Sex Pistols
977. Raise a Ship - Scott Marrott (sp?)
976. Dance Away - Roxy Music
975. Mother's Little Helper - Rolling Stones
? The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
? Rubber Girl - Pukka Orchestra
967. You Really Got Me - Kinks
More from counterculture from the underground
 |
Flower pickers are everywhereUpdated 11/06/2009 11:47 PM
|
 |
DTESUpdated 11/05/2009 6:23 PM
"The people who live here, they call it the Downtown Eastside."
|
 |
Salt Water CityUpdated 10/23/2009 12:12 PM
Scenes from Chinatown.
|
 |
VictoriaUpdated 08/09/2009 9:54 AM
I was in beautiful Victoria BC for 4 days in May, attending a conference. I didn't take any pictures of...More»
|
 |
At Home With LeonaUpdated 08/01/2009 8:03 PM
My immediate surroundings. My frame of reference. My hermitage.
|
I was in Florida for Andrew, too, Naples.
I dont even think I know half the songs on this. I love the Cults Edie Ciao baby , and the kinks.