Year: 2004
Original Format: CD
I feel like this flows pretty well, given that it goes from the 70s to the 50s to the 60s to the 90s and back to the 50s.
Continue reading “Gangsters & Pranksters II, Part 2”Year: 2004
Original Format: CD
As usually happens, as soon as I finished the original Gangsters & Pranksters, I started coming across more songs that fit the theme. A sequel was inevitable, and finally materialized in 2004 in the form of two jam-packed CDs.
When I switched from cassettes to CDs I continued my policy of using every bit of available bandwidth — which makes sound economic sense. But it is obvious now that 80 minutes of music at a time is just too much. So I am dividing the two discs of G&PII into four installments of ~40 minutes each, which is a little more reasonable.
Having decided that the first edition was light on hip-hop, I leaned into the gangsta rap on this one. Maybe a little too much; the n-word appears on it much more than on anything else I’ve ever made, and the b-word too, for that matter. But that’s what can happen when you keep it real.
Continue reading “Gangsters & Pranksters II, Part 1”Year: 1996
Original Format: cassette
This one has some trace of a narrative arc: Our hero tries to go straight, but is betrayed and pulled back into the criminal life; some scores are made and adventures had; but in the end the outlaw must die — because how else will we learn our lesson?
Continue reading “Gangsters & Pranksters, Side B”Year: 1996
Original Format: cassette
These were the days of elaborate mixtape packaging. For this one I went so far as to commission custom artwork for the cover (which meant I asked my friend James to do a painting — isn’t it great?). The liner notes were folded up and slid into a little envelope glued to the inside cover, and looked like this:
I suppose some of that time could have been used to, like, start a career or something. But on the whole, no regrets.
Continue reading “Gangsters & Pranksters, Side A”Year: 2021
Original Format: mp3
This one has been languishing on my hard drive for awhile awaiting the finishing touches. The idea was an experiment in pure musical hedonism, without regard to any other considerations. I find the finished product pretty successful, but then I would.
With that in mind, I’m going to forego the commentary and just post the playlist. Hope you enjoy.
For best results, play loud.
Continue reading “Aural Pleasure (All Other Priorities Rescinded)”Year: 1995
Original Format: cassette
A lot of work went into these liner notes. Fancy paper, too. Apparently 1995 me didn’t have anything better to do, either.
Continue reading “Oceans and Planes, Side B”Year: 1995
Original Format: cassette
The two images above were separate postcards that I acquired around this time. I didn’t see the affinity at first, but once I did it seemed so obvious. The music here is sort of like that.
Continue reading “Oceans and Planes, Side A”Year: 2021
Original Format: mp3
My speech is finished which I have spoken concerning the solar work.
Continue reading “Sacred Songs, Pt. 13: The Alchemists Are Coming”Our Electric Destiny/The tape is a circle
Year: 1995
Original Format: cassette
Our Electric Destiny/A space is made by telephone
Year: 1995
Original Format: cassette
For the most part, the music on these old tapes still sounds really good to me. But probably not as good as it did back then, when I still had those young-person high-frequency receptors. I wonder if this is why over the years I’ve tended to gravitate more toward bass-heavy music. That probably isn’t what A Tribe Called Quest meant by “The Low End Theory,” but it’s a low-end theory, anyway.
Continue reading “Turn the Future On, Pt. 3”