Aural
As some longer-term readers will know, last year I created the Australian Blandwagon Collection CD, a compilation of Australian songs for each letter of the alphabet from A to Z (well, actually only to U, because CDs aren’t long enough).
This year, I’ve gone with a project with a slightly more disturbing title: 20 Years in Blandwagon’s Ears. It’s a compilation of one song for each year from 1986 to 2005, and thus tracks the evolution of my taste (or lack of it) from teenagerhood to my current elderly decrepitude.
To a certain extent, it’s a history of pop music over the last two decades. Who can forget the one-finger-piano-and-diva zeitgeist of 1993? Or the fey, Smiths-inspired sounds of the late 80s which seem to celebrate impotency through every falsetto note?
But in another way, it demonstrates certain ongoing personal themes. For example, it seems I’ve always had a thing for retro, whether it be The Primitives tapping into the Swinging Sixties, Chris Isaak covering The Yardbirds, or the Chemical Brothers getting their Miami Vice thang on. I’ve also got a long-term thing for BritPop; eleven of the acts are British, while there are six Australians and only three Americans.
So, as before, the rule is this: email me (at the address in the top left corner of my profile) with your postal address, and I will mail you a copy of 20 Years in Blandwagon’s Ears. In return, you send me a bunch of your own music – 20 Years in Your Own Ears would be much appreciated. Bear in mind that it just has to be music from the relevant year, not necessarily what you yourself were listening to at the time. Otherwise I’m going to get a lot of Sesame Street Disco from younger readers, and frankly, I don’t want it.
Except ‘C is for Cookie’. I love that song.
This year, I’ve gone with a project with a slightly more disturbing title: 20 Years in Blandwagon’s Ears. It’s a compilation of one song for each year from 1986 to 2005, and thus tracks the evolution of my taste (or lack of it) from teenagerhood to my current elderly decrepitude.
To a certain extent, it’s a history of pop music over the last two decades. Who can forget the one-finger-piano-and-diva zeitgeist of 1993? Or the fey, Smiths-inspired sounds of the late 80s which seem to celebrate impotency through every falsetto note?
But in another way, it demonstrates certain ongoing personal themes. For example, it seems I’ve always had a thing for retro, whether it be The Primitives tapping into the Swinging Sixties, Chris Isaak covering The Yardbirds, or the Chemical Brothers getting their Miami Vice thang on. I’ve also got a long-term thing for BritPop; eleven of the acts are British, while there are six Australians and only three Americans.
So, as before, the rule is this: email me (at the address in the top left corner of my profile) with your postal address, and I will mail you a copy of 20 Years in Blandwagon’s Ears. In return, you send me a bunch of your own music – 20 Years in Your Own Ears would be much appreciated. Bear in mind that it just has to be music from the relevant year, not necessarily what you yourself were listening to at the time. Otherwise I’m going to get a lot of Sesame Street Disco from younger readers, and frankly, I don’t want it.
Except ‘C is for Cookie’. I love that song.
posted by Blandwagon at 6:07 PM
2 Comments:
I would take you up on this but it looks like postage is $5 and takes 4-6 weeks. I'm such an immediate-gratification cheapsake.
What a terrifying prospect. Are you sure you want a cd? How much Limahl can you handle?
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