Monthly Playlist Vol 1 - Mixed tape Nostalgia and the Soundtrack Mega-Mix

"Now, the making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts. First of all, you 're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing".  [Rob Gordon, High Fidelity (2000)]

I am admittedly obsessed with the film High Fidelity and reference it whenever and wherever I can. It is my 'Lebowski', to be sure.


High Fidelity was released during the last gasp of the 'mixed tape', just one of the many reasons I adore it so. Watching Rob Gordon pontificate on the making of a good 'mixed CD' just wouldn't be the same.


I was pretty obsessive about making mixed tapes growing up, as the cassette format posed many challenges that no longer exist. Do you add that last song at the end to avoid dead air, even though you know it will cut off in the middle? I always did. I even had special short songs that I would recycle for this purpose, usually of the Sebadoh or Cub variety. This was particularly helpful when the cassette player had the 'auto-flip' function. Does anyone else miss the sound of the 'tone' at the beggining of a cassette? The youth of today just don't know what they missed. Let's take a moment and remember.

Based on my last post 'Soundtracks: The lazy-man's mixed tape', I decided the first installment of the monthly playlist should be a soundtrack mega-mix. I still stand behind the fact that a soundtrack on it's own is the perfect no effort mixed tape. A soundtrack mega-mix on the other hand, not so much. I thought compiling soundtracks to fill my iPod for the summer would be taking the easy way out. I was mistaken. If I'd already owned most of said soundtracks digitally, this endeavor would not have been as challenging. Not only was my list incredibly long, but I asked for hidden gem recommends and got some fantastic suggestions. Of course I wanted them all on my mega-mix, so this ended up being a very lengthy process. 


I believe the soundtrack mega-mix is complete for now, but the beauty of new technology is being able to constantly add to it. Thanks for the fantastic recommends, I am loving them all. I intend to list the tracks and artists for my usual monthly playlists in future. However, this one is so massive I will simply list the name of each soundtrack included in the mix.


The Last Waltz, High Fidelity, Almost Famous, Empire Records, Purple Rain, Grease, The Doors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Velvet Goldmine, Rocky Horror Picture Show, This is Spinal Tap, Garden State, Juno, Dazed and Confused, The Big Lebowski, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Once, (500) Days of Summer, Singles, Adventureland, Reality Bites, Pulp Fiction, Judgement Night, Spawn, SLC Punk!, Grease 2, Saturday Night Fever, Rock'n'Roll High School, Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, Detroit Rock City, Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, Californication, Gossip Girl, The OC and One Tree Hill. Additions: Blue Hawaii, The Temptations, Boogie Nights, Wonderland, Death Proof, Crossroads(1986), The Crow, Across the Universe, I am Sam, Life on Mars, My So-Called Life and Veronica Mars.


Here's to inspiring some classic mixed tape making (in one format or another), for old times sake. At the very least, I hope revisiting old soundtracks (or films) brings about the beautiful nostalgia intended. Enjoy.

PeaceandLove, Jdub