Some people make mixes to impress listeners. Some people make mixes strictly for marketing purposes. Others make mixes to impress other DJs.
I just make these mixes to give myself something to listen to, or as a reminder of something fun. This is one of those times.
I went to see The Go-Gos at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga CA on July 7th. I've always had a crush Belinda Carlisle since seeing her rolling in the surf in the Circle In The Sand video (1988?) and I've loved their music forever. They were doing a show with The B-52s... How could I miss that?
So when The Go-Gos came on stage, they were announced as "the most successful female rock band of all time", and that got me thinking.. No way? I know they were big in the 80s, but there isn't another band bigger?
Then as I went through my mental Rolodex of bands, I found there really wasn't. Heart? Maybe, but they aren't really a female band except for the Wilson sisters. Same thing with Joan Jett and Hole. Pat Benatar, Lita Ford, Bonnie Tyler... Solo females with great careers, not a band. The Bangles could be touted, but they weren't as big as The Go-Gos.
So once I had all these artists swirling around my head, I decided to make a mix of them all, but keep it in the 80s.
The Go-Gos, Benatar, and Jett were obvious. Lita Ford, Laura Branigan not so much. I tried to round it off with Berlin (another 80s crush of mine... Terri Nunn), Cyndi Lauper and Blondie.
I really wanted to include Heart, but by the 80's most of their hits were power ballads, and didn't fit. I wanted to keep a harder edge, more guitar-driven feel to the mix. Really show how these ladies rocked!
And I knew I wanted Scandal's GoodBye To You to end it. Patti Smyth's voice was gonna take this mix home.
The Jem artwork I found when searching for some 80s Women In Rock imagery, and once I had the artwork I had the title.
Jem & The Holograms were truly outrageous!
This is just a bit on insight into how my mixes come together. They aren't just haphazardly thrown together, I actually put some thought into them, even if they are mostly just for me.
As always, thanks to the mighty Mixcrate for being the canvas upon which I rest my art.
