| When Fast Forward introduced its first annual Mix Tape Awards last year, we did not anticipate the plastic flood of insanely creative entries that arrived at our front door for two months straight. Clearly, the popularity of the mix tape rages on.
Now, it’s time once again to open our mailbox (make that a couple oversized bins) for our second annual Mix Tape Awards. First-timer? There’s not enough space to give you a Nick Hornby history of the ’80s, so read on, darlin’.
To us unwavering audiophiles, there is no better gift than a thoughtfully assembled tape. With a friend’s handwritten track listing lining one side of a handmade cover and a spirited attempt at artwork for the front, this personalized gift is one of the best presents you could receive. Carefully selected songs filling up a 90-minute tape will always beat a Hallmark card in my books, hands down.
Maybe it’s the sentimentality behind these tapes that give them a permanent home in our cassette decks. They can keep our mood soaring high or swiftly transport us to a stress-free headspace by evoking a dreamy escapism. Quite often, mixes become souvenir soundtracks that chronicle our lives – like John Hughes movies – and introduce us to bands who can later count on us as life-long fans.
Last year, we were supplied with incredible mixes that won us over with their charm and originality. Some entries included scribbled commentary about how certain songs will get you through good times. Other people mentioned their mundane jobs, which they’d surely leave if it wasn’t facilitating their weekly HMV benders.
Some mixes stood out because of amazing handmade artwork adorning the cover. The best mixes, however, were from people who clearly threw caution to the wind. They got a little wild with their record collection and laid down some amazing songs and rare tracks, and topped it off with a cute title and dashing cover.
For those of you who stay up all night recording and re-recording your dream mixes, this contest is for you. For the rest of you, get inspired and have a go. Send us one of your old personal favourites or make a new one. What would the programming of your dream radio station be? Show us what you’re made of and we’ll return the favour by showering you with audio goodies.
Don’t forget the rules: send your mix (include artists/songs) along with your name, address and phone number, to Streetsounds Mix Tape Contest, Fast Forward Weekly, 228 - 18 Ave. SW, Calgary, AB, T2S 0C1. Contest closes on April 25. While all of your entries will be warmly received, the selected winners will be announced in Streetsounds in our May 8 edition. Good luck and have fun! |
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