Mix CD for a non-fan

[journeytoarcana]

This is difficult, at times, but I think it helps knowing the musical background of the person I am dealing with. The girl (one of my colleagues) is into mostly jazz and classical, with some rock background and even a Loreena McKennit CD (yay .... we took a long cruise listening to that one). But, after I was telling her about my favorite band, I had mentioned the APSOG adventure, and she laughed by saying "that was a title of a paper I wrote in grad school".

!!!

Owweee! What's the chance of THAT happening. Seeing that this was the opportunity to spark her interest, I told I would make a mix of Fates tunes for her. Knowing they are not for everyone, I figured to pick some of the less abrasive ones, especially for untrained ears. Here is what I chose:

1. Left Here
2. Through Different Eyes
3. Life in Still Water
4. Wish
APSOG
5. II
6. VIII
7. IX

I like to keep my mix CD's short and to the point, so they are not drooling into a deep sleep by track #17 (of 34 nonetheless!)

Other thoughts were "Chasing Time" and "River Wide, Ocean Deep" and even "Still Remains", just for epic kicks. "Quietus" as a tag on was another thought, but I held back. I felt I represented the band well through it's mid-period, which were an array of finely crafted rock tunes, while displaying APSOG's peaks and valleys, in case she finds that one the most intriguing to purchase.

Who knows? Of course, I prefer the Arch material, and for a post-thrasher chick crooning to Slipknot in her Trans Am, that's feasible. But not for a classically trained tap and jazz dancer. Know thy audience, one wise man once said.

Any thoughts? Anything I forgot? Maybe I should have just bought her APSOG and added different songs fro tracks 5-7?

Hmmmmmm .....

jta

[BenMech]

Trade Life In Still Water for At Fates Fingers and bump the tracklisting so an instrumental is NOT the second thing she hears, nor the first or the last.

Skip APSOG 8 for The Eleventh Hour

[ShadesofGray]

Chasing Time and the Road Goes On Forever could be good toss ins as well. Can you *ever* have too many Fates songs on a mix?

Great idea, btw

[SethFWF]

I made one for my sister in law some time ago, she likes classic rock mostly...think Van Halen might be one of the 'heaviest' bands she likes. So I stuck with the mellower, catchier side. Can't remember the exact list now, I know I put in quite a few from "Inside Out"...

The Strand
Island in the Stream
Shelter Me
Monument(maybe?)

Life in Still Water
We Only Say Goodbye

Think the oldest ones I added were...

Through Different Eyes
Chasing Time

Then the newer stuff

APSOG parts 8 and 9
Still Remains

Don't think "FWX" was out yet at that time. She seemed to like it pretty well, but didn't rave though. Her and my wife are not real music lovers I guess.

Seth

[journeytoarcana]

As it turned out, she loved it! She said she had been playing it non-stop, and commented how unique it sounds compared to anything in her collection. She was particularly fond of "Left Here" and the APSOG stuff.

Yay. A convert.

Hey Seth, if you ever get to read Nick Hornby's High Fidelity, he goes into detail about the art of tape making, including song selection and, of course, the order they go on the mix itself. haha. True classic. Hornby speaks our language ... it's how I learned the art of the mix tape/CD. The songs you selected were good ones, but the order is vital to the whole process as well.

jta

[SethFWF]

That's true, whenever I've made one for somebody...I always try to pick the order well. Don't know if I always do?? Sometimes I'll do a chronological order type thing if the person is really into music and I know they'll give it time. Otherwise I'll try to make the first track a real catchy one, something to keep 'em listening...then mix up tempos and styles somewhat from there.

I love trying to convert people to a band or genre, whether it works or not...have hit it on the nose a few times... ;D

Seth