Make me a mixtape, something old and something new

Sad news.

Who even remembers these anymore? Why do I still have them?

Honestly, I still listen to some of my old mixtapes. So many memories associated with them that I just can't bear to throw away or digitize. Real hands wrote in those letters, real hands cut out images and glued them to the covers. A real person spent real time arranging and choosing songs to put on these tapes and I can't do them the injustice of getting rid of them.

I used to listen to a lot more music in high school. Back in the day where you actually knew the albums. You had a physical relationship with a tape or CD. Nowadays I gather music so fast I don't have time to absorb it all. After sponging up melodies, bass lines and lyrics I'd take pen and paper and write down all the songs I wanted to tape, then spend another couple of hours rearranging the order. Then I'd carry all the music to my dad's office where the baller soundsystem was and hole myself up for an entire afternoon. Making one mixtape. After the music was recorded it didn't end there. I kept a huge stack of magazines and colored paper to make covers with, which was just as fun as picking out the music.

Back then, you knew when you got one that it was made with thought and love. And maybe some tears as well. Bring analog back!