The Mix Tape Challenge!

Growing up did you have your records, cassettes and CDs stored, stacked and listed in an ever so slightly OCD fashion? Did you take time to ensure that whenever removed they were safely returned to their EXACT allocated spot on the shelf? Yeah? .... I didn't.

My music collection, my pride and joy was organised and reorganised on a weekly basis by subject matter and the feelings each album evoked. Mix tapes were my specialty, my hobby and my love! This has never changed although I now tend to embrace itunes or spotify for making my 'mix tape' madness.

The ever so lovely Melanie over at Feminine Wiles & Urban Survival 101 is also an avid mix tape maker and lover of projects, which gave me the idea that we could have fun with a mix tape project.

The rules:

• We take it in turns to choose a subject
• We give ourselves a deadline
• We upload 10 tracks to an online playlist and have a listening session

Sharing and comparing our lists is both great fun and a great way to discover new music.

Sadness was our first theme. Simple and close to dull but we both had our own take on it. Mine was "The Mean Reds at Midnight" and can be found here.

Melanie had a truly gorgeous play list based on 'The Sad and the Beautiful". Have a listen!

Next Theme - The First Song You Want to Hear in the Morning

Pop Music - "Cool can wear sunglasses and leather"

 

Today I put out a request on twitter (sharonmatheson) asking for some good pop tune recommendations and was pleasantly surprised with an incredible amount of responses containing amazing yet credible pop! The responses came from 2 label execs, 1 Drum & Bass DJ and 3 avid Musos! Very impressed! Pop is once again cool and I'm not going to lie, I love it!

While an explanation as to why pop is just so damn cool is probably not required, I highly recommend this article by Joel Selvin and James Sullivan: POP MUSIC / Quintessential cool.

Reading this article along with the great responses to my tweet inspired me to make yet another play list – this time with all my favourite (and of course newly discovered) pop songs! Here is a wee sample:

 Lacrosse – You Can’t Say No Forever

 Superheroes – You Love Her Coz She’s Dead

 M.I.A – Paper Planes

 Punch and Judys – You Fell in Love with a DJ

 The Go Team – Ladyflash

 MGMT – Time to Pretend

 Apparently a term new was invented to describe the above music. That term is "Wonky Pop" I hate it!!! There was no need! As the Joel Selvin and James Sullivan article linked to above states:

"Cool knows its own ability, and it doesn't need to advertise. Cool keeps its verve in reserve. Cool hints at mystery, eccentricity, a bit of contempt. Cool doesn't break a sweat." 

The Pleasure is All Mine

Seeing as this is a new blog, it is only right that I give a formal welcome and introduce this humble little 'chatter' space.

I’ll mainly be blogging about the music industry and my somewhat naïve personal experience of it.

I have worked in ‘the’ industry for around 18 months, but worked with music for about five years and I think I may love it more than anything else in my little world.

This will not be a ‘hot new music’ style blog, but instead a place I can natter away about my experiences, preconceptions vs realities and the ever exciting happenings in what I consider (with only a little hint of bias ;) the most exciting industry of all. I will also from time to time get very over excited about certain record labels, festivals and artists and feel obliged to tell you all about it.

I welcome comments, opinions and questions with open arms. It is lovely to hear what other people think of this industry that I love so much.