AMBFAD Book Club

'Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture' (edited by) Thurston Moore

Long before the burning of CD's, bit torrents, podcasting and music blogs, the act of sharing music (and, more importantly, sharing a bit of yourself) was done by way of the compact audio cassette. Like a lump of clay on a potter's wheel, in capable hands, this non-descript combination of plastic and magnetic tape could be molded into a device used to express everything from love to hate...despair to optimism. A lovingly assembled mix tape could be a window to the soul or, worst case, turn you on to band that changes how you look at art, music and maybe even yourself.

That may sound like overly-romantascized pap, but I could cite an assemblage of mix tapes that have come and gone through my life that shaped who I am today. More importantly, allowed me to communicate w/ people on an entirely different level that I couldn't do w/ words. I can't paint, the cassette was my canvas used to express myself. Hell, I still think that a mix tape made for a certain girl my Junior year in college...was responsible kickstarting a series of events that eventually made her my wife.

Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, has curated a collection of stories, essays and images from a collection of tapes compiled by various contributors over the last 20 years. From the Romantic Tape, to the Break-up Tape, the Road Trip Tape, to the 'Indoctrination' Tape...this book isn't a just bunch of tracklists, it focuses more on the stories behind them. Offerings from a diverse bunch that includes Mike Watt, Christopher Knowles, Glen E. Friedman, Kate Spade, Ryan McGinness and Jim O'Rourke, show that a mix tape can leave a lasting impression that goes way beyond the first time you listened to it.

There is no denying that CD burners and artwork software have taken the act of creating a mix to an entirely different level. I still spend hours making various mixes for friends and family. There is a little unibomber inside me though, that longs for the days spent with your stereo assembling one solitary collection of 90 to a 120 minutes of music...with the hope that it could possibly change somebody's life, even if just a little. Great book. Available now. Go get it.

For those mixologists looking for something more interactive, check out THE ART OF THE MIX. A website dedicated to making mix tapes and cds, you can browse through submissions of collections made for every reason (and then some) under the sun OR submit your own.