AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
Gather round Gaffers, old and junior, and let me tell you how I learned about bands and musicians of all genres:
The ever-magical GAF Mix Exchange threads! I grew up in a music-loving household, where we heard everything from classical music on the turntable, to Simon and Garfunkel, to the Doors, to U2, REM, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and so on. We never ventured too far off of the mainstream beaten path, however.
In 2002, however, some members of GAF came up with an idea to do a mix exchange. I participated, and proceeded to embarrass myself with the quality of mixes that I made. Nevertheless, the mixes I got in return almost always turned out to be extremely high quality.
I got CDs with The Shins, The Flaming Lips, Nada Surf, Nick Cave, Wilco, Dredg, Muse, and many others. They shifted who I listended to, and the way I listened to music entirely. I started searching off the beaten path of radio alternative and classic rock and got into Indie by way of Elliott Smith, Wilco, Neva Dinova, Peter Bjorn & John, and many others.
Before I left GAF for 2 years in 2004 to be a missionary in Peru, I made my magnum opus mixes and sent them out to about 40 Gaffers. I compiled what I considered excellent examples of almost all major genres and tried my best to make sure each song flowed into the next perfectly.
I propose, once again, that we take part in the great GAF pasttime: Mix Exchanges!
Over the years, some of the exchanges have gone really well (These are just what happened during the board's current iteration, there were 3 or 4 on vBulletin, ezboards, etc.):
The 2005 Spring Mix Exchange
GAF Mix Exchange 2007
GAF MIX Exchange 2010
Many others floundered and failed however. The last attempt was in 2011 and it wasn't SUPER successful, in that there were barely any participants, and little-to-no reviewing of mixes as they were received by participants. It was a digital only exchange, and like all things intangible, they were unappreciated, undervalued, and underutilized.
I want to gauge interest level in a new physical mix exchange. This involves burning an actual CD of music, creating album art (or at least a tracklist, you savages!), and dropping them in the mail, old school style.
Depending on how many people express interest, I will do the behind-the-scenes matching of names and addresses so that each participant would effectively send out around 3 mixes, and receive 3 in return.
On top of that, I will put together a new magnum opus set of mixes, carefully arranged and send them out to as many people as participate, so that every participant sends out three mixes, and receives 4! in return.
I am aware that not many people listen to music via CD anymore. It is not as convenient as throwing it on your phone, streaming it digitally via a music locker, or having it on your computer, but rest assured, listening to something that another person puts together with care in its intended format is ALWAYS the way to go.
After the mixes have been sent out, each participant should do the sender a solid and review the passion project to give feedback, let them know what they thought of the songs, and to let them know they appreciate the thought and care they put into its creation.
If, however, everyone would prefer to be lazy, we can accept our fate as a post-tangible world and do a Digital mix exchange. One last hurrah, if you will, to see if we can make a digital exchange a success.
If you want to participate, comment in the thread. If we see names starting to add up, I will ask that you PM me your name and address, and I will match you with three others to send to.
So... who's with me?!
