Do you look forward to The Weekend Mix? Is it something you automatically download and listen to, going for the experience of the playlist, or do you look at the track list and decide, "Yeah, I don't need this."
I ask because The Weekend Mix posts seem to get the least amount of commentary and feedback, good or bad. I'm happy to put them together, but I wonder if it's gone stale.
Today's playlist, once again, has no connecting theme other than me wanting you to hear all these tunes, either again or for the first time.
I opened with something out of New Orleans featuring the great rhythm section of Matt Perrine and Jason Marsalis. It's title couldn't be more appropriate, as its groove should make you do just that.
Two tracks are new to me, the Bobby McClure track with the Hi Rhythm Section and the Mutantes. Both surprised me at random and both immediately got thrown into the mix.
A friend had suggested, upon hearing the tragic news about the death of Nick Cave's son, that I pay tribute and I use a song of Nick's in a mix. Today's the day.
Some of you might recognize the title of the Todd Rundgren track as part of the "Runt" medley. This version is an unreleased version re-recorded in the 80's, I believe. I've never gotten the story straight. It might have been recorded around the "Nearly Human" sessions in 1989, or possibly earlier. If the Rundgren fan reading knows for sure, please let me know.
For a year or two in the 80s, I went apeshit over Donnie Iris and his first two solo records. Iris had a hit in the 70s with "The Rapper" and his band The Jaggerz. He reappeared in the 80's with his hits "Ah! Leah," and "Love Is Like A Rock." The song here suffers a bit from dated production, but I do love everything about it. Lots of layers, hooky as all hell. See what you think.
That's all I've got.
Enjoy, maybe.
TRACKLIST
All Up In The Aisles- John Ellis & Double-Wide
EZY Ryder- Jimi Hendrix
I Ain't Gonna Turn You Loose- Bobby McClure
Daddy Rollin' (In Your Arms)- Dion
Ando Meio Desigado- Mutantes
Epistle To Dippy- The Dickies
Best Place I've Ever Been- World Party
Let The Bells Ring- Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Waiting Man- King Crimson
It's Not Too Late- Dennis Wilson
You're Only Dreaming- Donnie Iris
Don't Tie My Hands- Todd Rundgren
Red-Eyed & Blue- Wilco
Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone- Leon Redbone
Grow Too Old- Bobby Charles
zip
22 comments:
Sal-
I am a big fan of the Weekend Mix. It's amazing how many songs I had never heard before are now among my favorites.
Count me among the huge fans of this mix--nuggets of wonderment every time...
As a long time lurker, dare I ask (dare, dare) whether you have the supposedly epic--as in it went on a for a long time--live cut of Rudngren doing "Slut"...
And seriously, your mixes are the best; never a dull one.
Yeah Sal, the mixes are wonderful and greatly appreciated! Keep 'em coming! Isn't that Dion track the flip of Abraham, Martin & John? Thanks again, Randy
I nearly always take the weekend mix, and I always look forward to it. Not sure why I've gone silent lately, and for that I apologize. I'm sure the lack of feedback is frustrating.
I look forward to the mix but honestly don't download it a lot. Why? Because I'm already overwhelmed with music to sort through. Usually 200 or so tracks in my Emusic bin any given month. Random albums I download from sites (like pub-rock collections, bluegrass tributes to rock albums, etc.), and massive projects like hundreds of classical tracks I pulled cheap from Amazon that need to be listened to. Never mind complete album collections for Sinatra, Presley and Keith Jarrett that I can't bring myself to wade through!
But I always enjoy seeing what you're putting together, and I'd imagine doing this weekly is a good mental/musical exercise to make those sort of connections, or at least I know I always enjoy assembling mixes.
I'd say if you really wanted to generate commentary, assemble mixes that comment on weekly news events ... killer shoots 9 in theater ... Ticking ... I Don't Like Mondays ... Family Snapshot ... Or the Caitlyn Jenner situation ... Lola ... Out of the Wardrobe ... Madame George. Just a thought!
The Weekend Mixes can make or break a weekend (OK, get a life - ed) and I speak as an avid collector of these little polished gems of musical munificence. Many's the time after sampling a mix, I've gone on to find more from a band or artist new to me or revisit one long forgotten. Plus you throw in the occasional humorous (or biting) backstory which adds to the fun. I don't suppose the Dickies' track is related to "Deeply Dippy" by Right Said Fred and which had me singing along in the car last night much to the annoyance of my passengers (No, it's not - ed). Anyway, love the mixes & long may they continue.
I automatically download the Weekend Mix without fail. Always interesting, provocative, entertaining, ...
Maybe I don't comment as often -- beyond a "thank you" or "I like XXX" -- because I look at a mix as a complete work with a specific method to the choice of songs and order. You put your creative heart into a mix and we listen. But rest assured that even without a comment the mixes are much appreciated.
Have a great weekend. And -- as always -- Thank you!
Do I download it every week? No.But there is this really odd dynamic: I am motivated to download it because I recognize artists of music that I recognize (e.g. Neil Finn, King Crimson). But inevitably, the mix provides an introduction to stuff I have never heard and really like ( Lovin' Spoonfuls "Never Going Back", Chuck Mangione "High Heel Sneakers", Galaxies "Ocean Between Us")
So yeah, your curating the download is something I respect as a conduit to some quality music. I don't get that in a lot of places. So please, keep it up.
I was just thinking about how my daughter, who is 12 and loves music and plays music, doesn't listen to radio or watch music videos. My wife and I are pretty much the sole curator of her tastes because of what we play in the car. Up to now, I guess that was OK, but she really needs to find stuff that feeds her teenage rebellion. I don't want my music being the soundtrack for that...
Both -- I both look forwared to THE WEEKEND MIX and scan it to see if the tunes are in my particular wheelhouse. Often they are! Keep it up. Thanks for your work!
I dnload both the mix and songs of the week every week though since i have simliar tastes to you there are usually songs I already have but there are always songs I never have heard making it always interesting. Sal, you are the only blogger that I know about that does this. Missed you terribly when you do take some time away but understand when you need to recharge your batteries. Wish I could have visited you/your store back in the day.
A vote for both from me. I look forward to the Weekend Mix every Friday. I do scan the list before downloading. Sometimes, the playlist of a McCartney or Costello only I'll pass on. In reality, my hand basket full of tunes now has a Weekend Mix title under albums. I also have a playlist called, "Sal's Loads" that I have on my mobile tunes and listen to all week in between the shuffle of the Mother Ship.
I know how tough it is for you to do these mixes, much less come up with a theme. I appreciate it and I hope all your readers do.
Let me add my thank you for both the Weekend Mix and Songs of the Week. Look forward to and enjoy both. Appreciate all that you do.
I look forward to both daily and weekend mixes. That said, I don't always like everything on them, but there are always things I like, things that surprise me, things that make me wonder, "do I like that or not?" I can't imagine why the weekend mixes aren't as popular, but I hope you'll continue for us devoted followers. Thanks for keeping my ears tuned up.
I tend to enjoy the weekend mixes when it is more focused on a particular artist or geography (New Orleans comes to mind). I always check it out though and maybe grab a song or two as you find some great songs.
I take it for granted, sure enough. For me - the thought is - "Check this out as a whole, thematic or not, and then check back in with some comment" But I rarely get that far. I also want to listen to it in toto, which can be a scheduling thang. But that's just me!
Hi Sal
We are all music enthusiasts and appreciate the effort and work that you put in to bring us the some time eclectic some time odd but non the less thought provoking track selections
Keep up the fine work
Regards
Rhod
Thanks William Repsher for writing my comment for me:
"I look forward to the mix but honestly don't download it a lot. Why? Because I'm already overwhelmed with music to sort through. Usually 200 or so tracks in my Emusic bin any given month. Random albums I download from sites (like pub-rock collections, bluegrass tributes to rock albums, etc.), and massive projects like hundreds of classical tracks I pulled cheap from Amazon that need to be listened to. Never mind complete album collections for Sinatra, Presley and Keith Jarrett that I can't bring myself to wade through!
But I always enjoy seeing what you're putting together, and I'd imagine doing this weekly is a good mental/musical exercise to make those sort of connections, or at least I know I always enjoy assembling mixes."
I usually try to download it without paying too much to what is on the set list. That way it allows me to listen without any prejudice I may have against a particular artist. I have been often surprised to find tracks that I return to from artists that i thought I thought weren't of my tastes.
I download both lists regularly, I just tend to lurk. Maybe I need to change that. I usually end up downloading more than I can listen to at any given time, so a song will come up that I'm not familiar with and, more often than not, it'll be courtesy of Burning Wood. I may not always like the song, but if I don't like it I'll be able to see why someone might. I think you have great taste in music. Thanks for uploading and keep up the good work.
Regarding "Don't Tie My Hands"; Boy, that sure sounds like Utopia backing him up. That said, I have no idea as to the chronology or provenance of the song. It is, however, nice to hear the whole song at last. I'm a long-time (40+ years) TR fan and appreciate the love you give him on BW.
I always respect the musical mixes and read the track lists and feel guilty for NOT downloading them and listening. But then, you don't listen to my rambling weekly podcast on the entertainment biz, do you? (That's okay, neither do I.) Like others, I always feels overwhelmed with albums to hear and precious little time to hear them in -- usually lengthy car rides up and down the coast. And I have a lifelong aversion to other people telling me what to listen to. Thats the real nitty gritty here. I never was around good radio as a kid (South Florida) and so always resented commercials and the same songs and especially someone else dictating to me what I should hear right now. I was always the one running the cassette deck or CD player and it was 99.9 percent of the time albums. If it was a mixtape it was MY mixtape. I wanna be the deejay, I guess. It's selfish and stupid since with a good deejay with lots of knowledge of stuff I don't know (like you), I'm sure to enjoy and hear stuff I'll love. I'm downloading! I'm downloading!
FYI, I found some out some info about "Don't Tie My Hands". Apparently, it was recorded with Utopia around the time of "Adventures In..." This version appears on a Japanese TR rarities album called "Somewhere/Anywhere". That said, I'm afraid I like the partial version on "Runt" better. For some reason, it doesn't hold up as an entire song for me. So it goes.
Keep up the good work.
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