Mixtapes, Mood Machine, Memory, and Me
Here’s an excerpt from a piece I wrote about the book Mood Machine by Liz Pelly, my love of making mixes, and some music-related memories from the past five years.
With a deep appreciation for music that makes your face scrunch up into an approving scowl, I was always going to be a mark for Knocked Loose. Dennis tells me to get tickets for their show at Terminal 5 (a famously terrible venue), and I do. Despite all odds, the oppressively loud T5 sound and weirdly tall room are to the band's benefit. At the show, they play "Blinding Faith" and it feels like getting punched in the face with each of the guitar string bends. The sounds these men generate are truly not of this world, and I quake in fear of Knocked Loose's pit at this venue, having almost died in it at a T5 Death Grips show in the past.
You can read the rest here.
In the East Village this coming Sunday, March 30th, there will be a Tiny Slices bill curated by me! Respond to this email if you want the address!
Friday April 11th, Overheard is playing our first ever show in New Jersey! Side note: Overheard has a bluesky account!
Misc. stuff I’m into:
Movies:
Up [2009, dir. Pete Docter]. I got to see it again and in theaters for the first time this past weekend. The people who say the opening scene is the best/only good scene are wrong! The whole movie is excellent! It's one of my all time favs for a reason.
La Operación [1982, dir. Ana María García]. A documentary about the genocidal sterilization campaign by the United States against the women of PR, that you can watch here.
Thief [1981, dir. Michael Mann]. Since watching, I have been asking ‘did Michael Mann invented the 80’s'?’ and many have been saying ‘yes’.
Music:
the new Japanese Breakfast record, For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women);
last year’s album Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay;
Revisiting the Purple Mountains self-titled after over five years;
the latest Ethical Fuckboy playlist I made, which you can listen to here.
Reading:
Mary Oliver’s poetry collection Dream Work, gifted to me by Erin. I know “Wild Geese” is basically a meme now, but its popularity is warranted, that poem bangs.
Misc:
The board games Arcs and Arkham Horror;
The NYC mayoral campaign of Zohran Mamdani;
The public crumbling of Chuck Schumer. Resign, coward;
being alive lately, now that the sun and warmth are back.
Happy birthday to my friend and bleep bloop collaborator, Evan. Love ya buddy.
Bring Mahmoud Khalil home. Pay attention when our administration disappears its citizens.
Lotta words in this one. Thanks for bearing with me.
- Will