Thursday, March 7, 2024

2024, Vol 2: All We Have Is Here and Now

It's early March, and there's already been enough great music to warrant the 2nd mixtape of the year! 

Welcome returns from: Pearl Jam, James, Norah Jones, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ministry, Bayside.

New music from: St. Vincent, Dean Lewis, Kings Of Leon, Vampire Weekend.

Covers galore! Paramore tackling Talking Heads, Pierce The Veil doing a killer Radiohead cover, PAW covering Nirvana, Front Line Assembly with Jimmy Urine covering Falco! 

I don't think anyone writes love ballads as beautifully as Susie Suh. The songs by Principe Valentine and Allie X, both new discoveries for me, feel straight out of a John Hughes movie or an 80's goth club. It's great to hear an unearthed Linkin Park tune.

And the title of this mix comes from the new Beth Gibbons (of Portishead) single, "Floating On A Moment," which ends with the lyric "all we have is here and now, all going nowhere." Crank it, enjoy, discover something new!

2024, Vol 2: All We Have Is Here and Now

1. Dark Matter by Pearl Jam
2. Burning Down The House by Paramore
3. Castaway by Bayside
4. School by PAW
5. Friendly Fire by Linkin Park
6. Karma Police by Pierce The Veil
7. Under Our Pillows by The Smile
8. Broken Man by St. Vincent
9. Our World by James
10. I Do by Susie Suh
11. Running by Norah Jones
12. Floating on a Moment by Beth Gibbons
13. Memories by Dean Lewis
14. Who I Am by Alan Walker, Putri Ariani & Peder Elias
15. Coffee by Hinds
16. Something New by Principe Valentine
17. jamcod by The Jesus and Mary Chain
18. Weird World by Allie X
19. Mustang by Kings of Leon
20. Capricorn by Vampire Weekend
21. Danzig With Myself by The Dandy Warhols featuring Black Francis
22. Rock Me Amadeus by Front Line Assembly featuring Jimmy Urine
23. B.D.E. by Ministry
24. Idle Hands by Kerry King 






Saturday, February 3, 2024

2024, Vol 1: Bent Not Broken - First Mixtape of the Year!



"Maybe you've got to break me to see what I'm made of..."

That lyric from the Middle Kids single "Bend" is what started out as the main inspiration behind my first mix of the new year. I usually build these playlists off of one song of "new discoveries." But then, during the Christmas break, I read drummer Barrett Martin's latest book, followed by Mark Lanegan's "Sing Backwards and Weep" and "Devil In A Coma," and that set me off on a deep dive back into the Screaming Trees music. So that ended up becoming the foundation for these set of songs. Brand new tunes, sprinkled with the heart, soul, and voice of Mark Lanegan. 

The first new single from Billy Joel in 17 years. A pair of tunes from Michael C. Hall's band (fully channelling Bowie), Princess Goes. The surprising returns of KMFDM and James! A new, long lost song from Sunny Day Real Estate. A metal song about how much the STAR WARS sequels sucked. AL1CE covering A Perfect Circle! New music from The Smile, Chealsea Wolfe, Dean Lewis, Explosions In The Sky, NewDad, HELIUM's Mary Timony. A beautiful little romantic ditty by Durry. And so much more. 

I couldn't help but follow a Screaming Trees song with Liam Gallagher, especially after reading about their beef in Lanagen's memoir. 


This collection, like all the previous mixes, is intended to take you on a journey. For those listening, for those still paying attention, and those that are still here, I hope you enjoy the ride. 

2024, Vol 1: Bent Not Broken

1. Turn The Lights Back On by Billy Joel
2. Nearly Lost You by Screaming Trees
3. Bend by Middle Kids
4. Let It Go by Princess Goes
5. Perfect by Mannequin Pussy
6. Childhood Died by Lost Souls
7. Kool-Aid by Bring Me The Horizon
8. The Hollow by AL1CE
9. Let Go by KMFDM
10. I Don't Know Anything by Mad Season
11. Goodbye To Beauty by Mark Lanegan Band
12. 28 by Ruth B. & Dean Lewis
13. Loved Ones by Explosions In The Sky
14. Dying Days by Screaming Trees
15. Just Another Rainbow by Liam Gallagher & John Squire
16. Dominoes by Mary Timony
17. Nightmares by NewDad
18. Terrible News by Middle Kids
19. Bubble of My Gum by Durry
20. Hit The City by Mark Lanegan featuring PJ Harvey
21. Fire! by Alan Walker, JVKE & YUQI
22. Is This Love by James
23. St Louis Elegy by Mark Lanegan Band
24. Friend Of A Friend by The Smile
25. Novum Vetus by Sunny Day Real Estate
26. Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Mark Lanegan
27. Every Unpleasant Emotion by Lifesick
28. Tunnel Lights by Chelsea Wolfe
29. Jetpack by Princess Goes
30. Traveler by Screaming Trees 







- "Original Download" T-Shirt gifted to me by Brinna Kelly.
- Completely staged records photograph by me.

Saturday, December 23, 2023

2023, The Master Playlist...!

Another year, come and gone. And as usual, I like to collect together all the tracks from all my mixes and combine them into one master playlist. Usually I make 4 mixtapes throughout the year, one for each season. But there was just so much great music this year, that I ended up with 6 volumes! 

So, now here are all 6 collections, in sequence, plus BONUS TRACKS! It adds up to over 10 hours of muic. And going back to the very first mix, it's just amazing how far we're come. 

2023, Vol 1: I'm Feeling Great Because You Didn't Break Me

2023, Vol 2: Does Anybody Else Feel Numb?

2023, Vol 3: Midsummer Blues

2023, Vol 4: The End Of Summer Is Here

2023, Vol 5: Who's Laughing Now

Vol 6: It's The End Of 2023, And I Feel Fine

2023, The Master Playlist: (BONUS TRACKS)

(Kicking it off with 3 songs revived by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3!) 

151. In The Meantime by Spacehog
152. Creep (Acoustic) by Radiohead
153. Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine
154. Happier by YUNGBLUD, Oli Sykes & Bring Me The Horizon
155. TK421 by Lenny Kravitz
156. Dancer by IDLES & LCD Soundsystem
157. Telepath by Jimmy Eat World
158. Light As A Feather by Crosses
159. Black Horse by Sarah Kinsley
160. Wall of Eye by The Smile






Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Vol 6: It's The End Of 2023, And I Feel Fine


The sixth and final mixtape of the year! Normally I only make 4 volumes; one per season, and a master playlist at the end of the year with BONUS tracks, but there was just so much good music this year that I couldn't help but add a few extra volumes!

Kicking it off with the final Beatles song, followed by some Rolling Stones and U2.  New music from: Taking Back Sunday, Middle Kids, Lauren Mayberry of CHVRCHES, Lawrence, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, MGMT. Always happy to support friends like Skyhill, Katy Tunbridge, and Spiral Moon. (I cover their song "Falling" acoustically as Pike Project.) Speaking of covers, Dolly Parton covering 4 Non Blondes, Pearl Jam covering Tom Petty, guitar protegee Marcin doing his version of Layla! 

I was in a record store not too long ago and I recognized Thom Yorke's voice as they were playing the Modeselektor album. Capping it all off with one of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite albums of the year, "Last Rites" by Crosses. Kick back, relax, crank these tunes, and enjoy! 2 hours straight of bangers! 

Vol 6: It's The End Of The World, And I Feel Fine!

1. Now And Then by The Beatles
2. Whole Wide World by The Rolling Stones
3. Atomic City by U2
4. What's Up? by Dolly Parton featuring Linda Perry
5. Dramamine by Middle Kids
6. DC Special Sha La La by Scream
7. Shame by Lauren Mayberry
8. DArkSide by Bring Me The Horizon
9. Panic Room by I Ya Toyah
10. State Of Mind by 3rd Street
11. Nowhere To Go But Everywhere by Bush
12. The American Dream Is Killing Me by Green Day
13. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT by blink-182
14. I Am The Only One Who Knows You by Taking Back Sunday
15. Addicted By Romance by Bruce Springsteen & Patti Scialfa
16. The Glass by H.E.R. (Foo Fighters cover)
17. Hasta La Vista Baby by Durry
18. Whispers In The Echo Chamber by Chelsea Wolfe
19. 23 by Lawrence
20. Falling by Pike Project (Spiral Moon cover)
21. Layla by Marcin
22. Lying Through Your Teeth by Katy Tunbridge
23. Hands by Jewel
24. I Won't Back Down Live by Pearl Jam (Tom Petty cover)
25. Everything Turns Around by Dogstar
26. Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis
27. The Last Domino by Skyhill
28. Can't Catch Me Now by Olivia Rodrigo
29. Mother Nature by MGMT
30. Better Off (Alone, Pt. III) by Alan Walker, Dash Berlin & Vikkstar
31. Heart over Mind by Alan Walker & Daya
32. Redline (From Road 96) by SURVIVE
33. Shipwreck by Modeselektor & Thom Yorke
34. This by Modeselektor & Thom Yorke
35. Last Rites by Crosses 






Thursday, November 9, 2023

Rob's B-Day Mixtape '23 by Christie Gee!


My dear and awesome friend Christie Gee made me a mixtape (on cassette!) for my birthday back in August, and I'm only now getting around to digitizing it so I can share it with all of you! It deserves to be shared because it's a great listen. And the thing I love about receiving mixtapes is you can totally feel the personality of the person giving it to you. Every single one of these songs makes me think of Christie and her beautiful, bright spirit. Hope you dig it too! 

Rob's B-Day Mixtape '23 by Christie Gee:

1. Song for a Mix Tape by The Ataris
2. Hang Out by Morella's Forest
3. Friends of P. by The Rentals
4. Here and Now by Letters To Cleo
5. Burnout by Green Day
6. Popular by Nada Surf
7. Sugarhigh by Coyote Shivers
8. In My Waking Life by Saves The Day
9. Domino Effect by Ozma
10. Teenage Lobotomy by The Ramones
11. Running Out of Time by Hot Hot Heat
12. Hand In My Pocket by Alanis Morissette
13. Can't Hardly Wait by The Replacements
14. Summer Of '69 by MxPx
15. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
16. Man of Conviction by The Get Up Kids
17. Last by Gratitude
18. No Reason by Ben Kweller
19. Til I Hear It From You by Gin Blossoms
20. Lump by The Presidents Of The United States of America 







Friday, October 13, 2023

2023, Vol 5: Who's Laughing Now

 


Music always offers comfort. And this could be my best mix in quite some time. 

It all started with a strong foundation. I was introduced to the band DURRY via my friend Sam Hoyas, and I instantly fell in love with their pitch-perfect pop debut album "Suburban Legend." So right away, I knew at least 3 of the songs from that album would make up the spine of this mix. 

Add to that brand new singles from The Rolling Stones, Crosses, L7, Lawrence, blink-182, Duran Duran; new music from slowdive, Explosions In The Sky, The National (a 2nd album in 2023!?), The Pauses. Friends music including System Syn, AL1CE, John Presnell (with an excellent music video by my dear friend Adam Barnick), my own new EP "Pike Project Plays Spiral Moon!" And the theme song from Netflix's ONE PIECE, arguably the best show this year, and this makes up for a lot of positive vibes. 

Give these tunes a spin, and enjoy! 

2023, Vol 5: Who's Laughing Now

1. Who's Laughing Now by Durry
2. Angry by The Rolling Stones
3. I'm From LA by Go Betty Go
4. 69th St. Bridge (from Escape From New York) by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter, & Daniel Davies
5. Ghost Ride by Crosses
6. Terrible Lie by Static X
7. Say It Again by Filter
8. We Hold This Time by System Syn
9. Cooler Than Mars by L7
10. I Cocoon by The Pauses
11. My Sails Are Set (from the Netflix series One Piece) by Sonya Belousova & Giona Ostinelli
12. i'm confident that i'm insecure by Lawrence
13. I'm Fine (No Really) by Durry
14. Nursing Your Shadow by John Presnell 
15. Is It Over (Every Time We Say Goodbye) by Pike Project
16. Space Invader by The National
17. Ten Billion People by Explosions In The Sky
18. the slab by Slowdive
19. ONE MORE TIME by blink-182
20. MORE THAN YOU KNOW by blink-182
21. Are You Awake? by Lauren Mayberry (of Churches) 
22. See Me by AL1CE
23. Danse Macabre by Duran Duran
24. Somewhere by Johnny Marr
25. Another Fire by Voxtrot
26. Encore by Durry
27. Bending Hectic by The Smile 







Friday, October 6, 2023

New 4-Song Acoustic EP! Pike Project Plays Spiral Moon!

 



My new 4 song acoustic EP, "Pike Project Plays Spiral Moon" is now available!!!

I recorded this in 2 nights on my recent NY visit with Jay Catropa.

We spent that time reminiscing, looking at old photos, and paying tribute to that time period from around 1998-2000 where we played countless gigs together & were just having so much fun. He reminded me that when Pretty Polly wasn't available, I used to open up, solo, with an acoustic U2 cover of "Sunday Bloody Sunday." The Edge had done a live, stripped back and slowed down version of it on the "If God Would Send His Angels" CD single, so I did my version of that. 

And I figured... I might as well round it out by doing one of my own Pretty Polly song as well.

Spiral Moon... my high school friends, my favorite local band... this was done with nothing but love and respect for you guys: Clifford Catropa, Jaxon, Frokus, Kenny Meyer. I hope you ALL dig it. ✌️