kahlilgibranbreithaupt-blog

[kahlilgibranbreithaupt-blog]

Between the Awesome mix and Chris Pratt channeling Jack Black’s middle finger was Guardians Of The Galaxy paying homage to John Cusack's "High Fidelity"?  Anytime one makes a tape “the rules” should come up.  I ignore those for the most part.  My tapes are spontaneous.  A mix of nostalgia (Harold & Maude), cliche (Queen), surprises (Electro Swing), and challenges (an atheist that loves gospel).  In any given day I will listen to 5 or more hours of music.  This is music selected out of desire or necessity, but it is planned from day to day (obscure John[ny] Williams, George Harrison/Jeff Lynne oddities, new find Old Grey Mule made the queue today - Sparks and Nick Lowe should beat out the clock).  From those 500+ hours ideas begin to form, notes are taken, notes are discarded and at some point the procrastination that led to a blank greeting card (usually still on the rack at the store) is quickly filled by an “in the moment” 45-70 minute mix crafted in about 3 hours.  No blood or sweat...but certainly a few tears where sentimental flashes and accidental lyrics intersect.  The result is conceptually (in hindsight) a conversation between a former version of myself and the one I’m represented by today - as opposed to the more traditional linear biography model (those never seem to strike a meaningful chord).

Rob Gordon would have me believe that I’m using someone else’s poetry, but that is too academic (well he did learn his lesson in the end).  Spiritually I am using my interpretation of that poetry and often that interpretation bends both the meaning and impact.  ”Perfect Way” is hardly autobiographical but represents paths not taken either by nature or choice - over the last 30 years that distinction is comfortably muted.  As I have in a few rare moments written poetry (worth revisiting) I can say that the discovery process is a totally different dynamic.  The mixtape is celebratory and promotes rebirth.  The poem, for better or worse, is carved in stone - it immortalizes a moment and at its worst has the capacity to undo years or a lifetime of growth, so you’ve got to tread carefully. One takeaway, and the spirit of this blog, is to not dismiss pop culture and politics as something disposable and separate from your own being.  Pragmatism, a sanitized personal history, and jingo memes are boring me stupid. >> Listen to the “Today Is June Twenty-First” mixtape <<