'I can't imagine what my life would be without music, 'cause music is life.' Never have truer words been spoken. The Groove Junkies and vocal diva Mijan created those brilliant lyrics and Deep Swing remixed it into a stellar club track in mid 2000 called 'Music Is Life'. It's one of those tracks I'd heard a lot but never owned. Hunting it down was fun, and it's currently my prime time #1 hit.
A track from the year 2000? At the top of my hit list? To some, that's blasphemy. In fact, the majority of the DJs I know are constantly scrambling to get the latest and greatest records out there before everyone else. My philosophy is quite different. Sure, when a new track hits the streets it's hot, but there is so much great music that gets so little play.
It's the same for everyone at home. You have stacks of CDs, or gigs of mp3s just waiting patiently there. You bought them, listened to them for a while, and then you tucked them away somewhere. Where does a good song go when it's not being played?
My message this week is to urge all of you to dig out music from your past and listen to it. If you still have cassette tapes, dust them off and pop it in your tape deck ( when was the last time you heard the words 'tape deck'? ) . Or if you are a vinyl junkie, clean your needles, and power up the turntable.
Why the nostalgia? Well, I was digging through some boxes that have lived in my closet for the last hundred years or so. I hit the mother lode when I found my collection of cassettes.
My Falco cassette leapt out at me and I screamed. I'm certain my neighbors became ill because I played 'Rock Me Amadeus' at full volume for about an hour. I also happened upon a radio mix tape I made in 1991 with some killer chart toppers: R.E.M. 'Losing My Religion', Amy Grant 'Baby Baby', Jesus Jones 'Right Here Right Now', and L.L. Cool J 'Momma Said Knock You Out'. Somehow Stereo MCs 'Connected' was on the same tape. I have no idea how that happened.
And then, as if by magic, copies of BBDs 'Poison' and 'Do Me' appeared under a book on a 25 cent cassette tape that looked like it had been to war and back. I was dancing around my apartment singing 'miss her, kiss her, love her... that girl is Poooisoooon!' My cats were bewildered.
The real gem of the collection was when I found some House on a horribly recorded tape. Inner City's 'Big Fun' and 'Good Life' were present. There was some Soul II Soul, some C&C Music Factory, Ralphie's 'You Used To Hold Me' and an early 'Jack My Body' mix. Those songs all take me back to points in my own history that I'll never forget. Good times.
With you in 4/4,
Peter Mavrik
peter@windycitymediagroup.com
