The trials of making mix cds.

In our youth, we often come across people who have some profound influence on us. I, at the ripe old age of eleven, met one such person in my life. She is my distant cousin, who came to stay with us one Summer.
I have so much to owe to her. I remember being in awe of how cool she was. She was so much older than me. A vegetarian who seemed to know all there was to know about music. She flung recommendations to me and my brothers, introducing us to Pearl Jam and Velvet Underground. Informing us of the beat generation. Upon leaving she gave us a book of beat poetry and an audio tape of a reading.

A few years ago, after a few years of no contact, we got in touch and she posted me a mix. Much I recognised and loved well; The Jam, Jeff Buckley, My Bloody Valentine, Belle and Sebastian, The Smiths, Lou Reed. But many of which were new and exciting discoveries for me; such as Broadcast, Stereolab, Transam and Tahiti 80.

I always meant to send her a mix back, but I guess my nerves of competing with that threw me for a while. However, I recently did a portrait for her, of her baby girl, and I decided to make two mixes, one for each of them, to send along with it.

I've been fretting over it for a while, but here is the final drafts ( I think):

For Erin:

Catch - Throwing Muses
The Hill - The House of Love
St. Louis Blues - Django Reinhardt [note: jazz guitarist, who died a hundred years ago today. Also a new and incredible discovery for me]
My Place - Yellow Yesterday
It Ain't You - Squirrel Nut Zippers
Coffee Shop Devil - Soho Riots
Love in a Trashcan - The Raveonettes
If You Kisses Can't Hold The Man You Love - Rasputina
Lust - The Raveonettes
Fine Artiste - R. Crumb and his Cheap Suit Seranaders
Sorted for E's and Whizz - Pulp
Je m'ennuie - Marlene Dietrich
Le Rendez-Vous - Manu Chao
La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong
Cosmic Green - Joiejoiejoie
Mushroom - Jesus and Mary Chain
Who Do You Love? - Jesus and Mary Chain
Eternal Life (Live at L'Olympia) - Jeff Buckley
A Saint-Germain-des-pres - Henri Salvador
Naa Hone Denghe - Gumnaam Soundtrack
That's Not Really Funny - Eels
Come Over To Our Side, Softly, Softly - Death in Vegas
Huffer - The Breeders
I Want To Be With You - Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
Dark Night Blues - Blind Willie Mc Tell
Dance This Mess Around - The B52's

Now, to elaborate a little: I didn't want too many things on this to be too obvious. See, I know she has wonderful taste, and that she's well clued up on those influential and important artists, so if I was including something familiar I tried to add a twist; because I want to be introducing her to something new.

A lot of the stuff I added she wouldn't be likely to have heard. (Particularly as I've included a few artists from the wonderful net label Poni Republic, which I wholeheartedly recommend you check out.) Also a song from the fantastic Bollywood Film "Gumnaam"

Also, I have a few covers, such as Jesus and Mary Chain's cover of CAN's 'Mushroom', Louis Armstrong's English version of Edith Piaf's iconic 'La Vie En Rose', and Marlene Dietrich's version of 'Je m'ennuie', later sang more famously by Piaf. Also; Jeff Buckley's wildly superior live version of 'Eternal Life'.
I also included a song by Underground Comix artist R. Crumb, who designed an album cover for her father. This being it:

I didn't know if she'd be familiar with the music Crumb actually played, so I figured she'd be interested in hearing it.


*COMING SOON*: Making a mix for a child!


-Kweev