I was watching the movie "Adventureland" last night. The film itself is set in the 1987 which means MP3 Players, touch screen cell phones, facebook, GPS systems, and flat screen televisions are no where to be found in this film. For some of us, we remember the simple times and wish today was more like those days. For the rest of us however, its hard to believe that there was a time before myspace and the Ipod.
Anyways, in the movie the main character gives the girl his slowly falling for a mixtape of his favorite "bummer songs". Of course mixtapes back then where cassettes, now days they come in CD or via the internet through your MP3 service provider. While I watching the movie I got alittle nostalgic over the cassette mixtapes. I kind of miss them.
Making a cassette mixtape could be considered a process by today's standards. After figuring out the theme and or purpose of the tape is, figuring the perfect arrangement of songs, gathering the sources {CD, vinyl, or other tapes}, putting songs on the tape, and then writing the songs on the label. Actual work involved unlike today where you can sit at the computer and from start to finish takes 5-10 mintues.
I use to make a shitload of just random mixtapes but only one of those actually made it in the hands of a girl I had a crush on. I was in the 5th grade and she was in the 7th grade. Besides the fact I found her attractive, she was a badass; smoked cigarettes in the alley of a church across from the school, cursed aloud, hated her parents, and constantly questioned authority. I remember we use to walk home together sometimes and one day I gathered the courage if you will to give her a mixtape I made for her. Aside from the bad handwriting and my phone number plastered on it the tape was chalk full of Aerosmith's Big Ones, Metallica's Ride The Lighting, maybe some KISS. Not much variety considering I was young and my musicial taste had not expanded yet. As for the mixtape, not the great success I was hoping for.
Yes folks, mixtapes on cassettes are a thing of the past. Just like Vinyl, they could make a comeback but I doubt it........
