Mixed tapes

From time to time I get asked what my speciality is when I tell people that I'm a chef. This happens quite a bit in the dating world actually, and my stock answer is either hot dogs or scrambled eggs, my way of helping to break ice and keep people laughing I guess. Sometimes I wish it would come across like this scene in the wonderful movie The Big Night It would be worth the price of admission just to see someones reaction to my answer. I told you my brain works funny...blah, blah, blah. The truth of the matter is that I could no more name a favourite dish than I could a favourite song or movie. The time of day, the mood I'm in, what I'm doing, who I'm with...all of these factors contribute to choosing my favourite anything.

When it comes to food, I have to explain that I'm the kind of cook that likes to throw things together, trusting to experience and good ingredients that the meal will be edible. Not working from a recipe per se, instead using an understanding and appreciation of food, hopefully leading to a good meal. Part of the reason that I'm not a fan of baking is because it is a science and precise measurements aren't in my nature. I think this also translates over to my thinking about music. The seeming randomness that I approach cooking is mirrored in my taste of music....if you looked at my Spotify play list you may scratch your head in wonder. I listen to most genres, save rap and twangy country music, and for me, there are no issues with Iron Maiden following Leonard Cohen following Talk Talk following Howard Jones. I suspect most people are like that, especially us old fogeys that have been around the block a few times.

This quote was lifted from an article in Rolling Stone I think, about the ageing of rock and roll...talk about going around the block.

We fall in love with the singers of our youth, 

and the best of them travel with us through life. 

True story. I still listen to Rush, U2, Genesis, Pink Floyd and so on....they are my go to artists. Whether driving down the highway air drumming to Xanadu or getting comfortably numb listening to Comfortably Numb, the music from my early teens forms the foundation of my life's soundtrack. Over the years layers have been added, coloured with forays into everything from classical music to folk to reggae to...well, just about anything really. I still love dropping the needle on some classic vinyl and listening through an entire album from time to time but am just as happy to let whatever algorithm is controlling Spotify to decide my next song from my play list...like a mixed tape that changes every time you play it. 

I think back in 2008 or 2009 I bought a used VW Golf. Great little car for my commute to the resort I was working at from the city. One night while driving home I was sliding a CD into the drive when my finger slipped down and landed into an opening on the face of the stereo...at first I was alarmed, what the hell happened to my stereo? But I quickly realized that my finger had slipped into a previously unknown tape deck in my 2005 golf, that opening unmistakable...I lost my shit with excitement driving along the 103 at 125 km/h. How I never realized that the tape deck was there is beyond understanding but I say better late than never.

To once again have those tapes I so cherish from my youth on the road with me had me leaping with joy...woooohooooooo The flood of memories associated with those tapes made my day...hell my month even. I used to make tapes called double shots...then and now songs from my favourite bands that showed progression and change. She Sells Sanctuary followed my Love Removal Machine. Minutes to Memories followed by Theo and Weird Henry. My "metal" tapes, the ubiquitous "best of" tapes and one simply called "Raaarrrrrrr" I was in seventh heaven on those twice a day long drives to and from work. 

I used to say that I'd rather be blind than deaf because at least I'd have my music to keep me company. I was of course quite a bit younger, so I don't really know what my answer would be now. Hard to make a living while blind. To see my kids faces. to gaze down from the Empire State Building, to see that sun rise...all very much harder to do when blinded. And living through being blind in one eye now isn't fun in the least, but the music.....sigh. Hopefully I won't ever need to choose or suffer the loss.

The golf is gone now so my tapes languish in a cupboard at home, waiting for the chance to come out for another ride. Racing down the shore, Run to the Hills blaring and knowing the next song will be Crazy Train...how appropriate. Soon I hope.

Ciao

D