Love this such great memories of my teens and early 20s. It reminded me not just of mix tapes I made for my self but those I created to give to the various loves of my life at the time and those I also received. Listening to the tape with its hand written listen of tracks and trying to figure out why he had included that song and what it meant about him, me or our growing relationship. A love letter of a different kind.
I remember my first red personal stereo for cassettes with graphic equaliser bought super cheap from an electric shop in Belfast in a bomb sale - it was hit or miss if the electrical items still worked or not. Oh I loved that thing so much! I can remember the black, white and green cassette tapes that were my mix-tapes too. I think that we were more limited as what we could put on them helped too - constraints often help with art-making!
Thank you for sharing. A trip down memory lane when cassettes were piled high and the worst thing that happened was the tape stretching and snapping. And a lovely reminder that we can all be artists and live an artistic life.
When I moved house in 2007, two years married and feeling like my nostalgic days were over, I threw out my big box of dozens of mixed tapes. Our only cassette player was in my car at the time, and I convinced myself that the poor sound quality of those overplayed mixed tapes meant they weren’t worth keeping. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve regretted that purge since! As you said, mixed tapes really are glimpses into specific moments of your life. The mixed tape was more than just a playlist; its tangibility and unique character of the person who put it together made it special.
Thank you for the gifts of Alvar Aalto, Johannes Radebe, and Stuart Semple -- you dropped some extra-tasty breadcrumbs that I've had a marvelous time following this morning. And YES! to playlists - nothing better than climbing onto/into one and riding it through an hour or two of studio time!
Oh, the magic of the mixtape! I wonder if any of the ones my teenaged romances made are still lurking around, perhaps in an old shoebox at the bottom of the closet. What a trip it would be to listen to those again! I remember poring over every song, looking for the hidden meanings nestled between the lines of 80s rock ballads and Top 40 hits ... and the handwritten covers, listing each song and the band or musician. Those cassettes were like little time capsules ... and if I had one now, it would be a time machine, zipping me back to my younger days. Thank you for triggering such fond memories!
I had a similar "mad moment," in which I dramatically tossed my entire collection of teenage love letters to impress the young man I was dating at the time. I did end up marrying him, but I also divorced him years later. I should have kept the damn letters.
As an artist who hates the gate keeping, I really appreciate what you said about what art really is. Also, I hadn’t heard of Semple’s book, and I’m excited to read it!
I love this - thanks so much K! I’m so nostalgic for the mix tape. Spotify lists are just too long!
They do tend to spiral into marathons!
Love this such great memories of my teens and early 20s. It reminded me not just of mix tapes I made for my self but those I created to give to the various loves of my life at the time and those I also received. Listening to the tape with its hand written listen of tracks and trying to figure out why he had included that song and what it meant about him, me or our growing relationship. A love letter of a different kind.
Yes! X
Yes! They were love letters too. Exactly that!
I remember getting one from someone I cared about who didn’t feel about me the same way and scouring his song choices for clues!
Lovely! Spotify often feels like a musical “unravel.” I have a box of mix tapes from 1988-1998. No clue how to play them.
What a lovely mystery to solve though! x
Indeed! If I want to listen to Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, The Smiths, Tears for Fears, and Human League, I’m all set. I just need a tape player!
I remember my first red personal stereo for cassettes with graphic equaliser bought super cheap from an electric shop in Belfast in a bomb sale - it was hit or miss if the electrical items still worked or not. Oh I loved that thing so much! I can remember the black, white and green cassette tapes that were my mix-tapes too. I think that we were more limited as what we could put on them helped too - constraints often help with art-making!
So true. They forced a much more considered edit x
Thank you for sharing. A trip down memory lane when cassettes were piled high and the worst thing that happened was the tape stretching and snapping. And a lovely reminder that we can all be artists and live an artistic life.
Xx
This is great- so much to love here. This gave me a real blast from the past- not least your mention of Woolworths- god I miss that shop!
It was such a treasure trove!
When I moved house in 2007, two years married and feeling like my nostalgic days were over, I threw out my big box of dozens of mixed tapes. Our only cassette player was in my car at the time, and I convinced myself that the poor sound quality of those overplayed mixed tapes meant they weren’t worth keeping. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve regretted that purge since! As you said, mixed tapes really are glimpses into specific moments of your life. The mixed tape was more than just a playlist; its tangibility and unique character of the person who put it together made it special.
I got rid of all mine, too. I rue the day. xx
What a glorious piece of writing - nostalgic, insightful and a delight to read. Thank you ❤️
Thanks x
Thank you for the gifts of Alvar Aalto, Johannes Radebe, and Stuart Semple -- you dropped some extra-tasty breadcrumbs that I've had a marvelous time following this morning. And YES! to playlists - nothing better than climbing onto/into one and riding it through an hour or two of studio time!
Xx
Oh the excitement of receiving a gift of a mix tape and the anticipation of listening to it!
Yes!!
Oh, the magic of the mixtape! I wonder if any of the ones my teenaged romances made are still lurking around, perhaps in an old shoebox at the bottom of the closet. What a trip it would be to listen to those again! I remember poring over every song, looking for the hidden meanings nestled between the lines of 80s rock ballads and Top 40 hits ... and the handwritten covers, listing each song and the band or musician. Those cassettes were like little time capsules ... and if I had one now, it would be a time machine, zipping me back to my younger days. Thank you for triggering such fond memories!
I would love all mine back. I wish I hadn't chucked them away in a mad moment!
I had a similar "mad moment," in which I dramatically tossed my entire collection of teenage love letters to impress the young man I was dating at the time. I did end up marrying him, but I also divorced him years later. I should have kept the damn letters.
As an artist who hates the gate keeping, I really appreciate what you said about what art really is. Also, I hadn’t heard of Semple’s book, and I’m excited to read it!
Ah! I would be super interested to hear what you think of it x