flarets
Last Login
4925 days agoRatings
points
4153
level
9
history
Activity
joined
2/5/07
updated
11/17/09
Statistics
profile hits
122
unique hits
42
# mixes
4
# posts
1
vitals
| full name | brendan |
| age | 44 |
| location | au |
| gender | male |
liner notes
despite what John Cusack says, if you have a lot of rules you'll get formulaic mixtapes. these are mine.
1. try to keep songs under 5mins apiece, just in case you pick a song you end up hating.
2. build the mix in blocks of three or four (because if all the songs are of one style, there's no contrast, and if they're all different there's too much contrast)
3. be very picky about song transitions, they're what makes a mix coherent.
4. make a B-side (so you don't try to fit every song into one mix even though it doesn't fit)
practice is the best way to learn. an encyclopedic knowledge of music also helps. the titles of the mixes here refer to the old magnetic strip of cassette tapes.
1. try to keep songs under 5mins apiece, just in case you pick a song you end up hating.
2. build the mix in blocks of three or four (because if all the songs are of one style, there's no contrast, and if they're all different there's too much contrast)
3. be very picky about song transitions, they're what makes a mix coherent.
4. make a B-side (so you don't try to fit every song into one mix even though it doesn't fit)
practice is the best way to learn. an encyclopedic knowledge of music also helps. the titles of the mixes here refer to the old magnetic strip of cassette tapes.
Badges
The Fortune Cookie Badge
Your fortune: person who looks in unexpected places finds unexpected things.
awarded on 2007-02-10
The One Year Anniversary Badge
Issued to those who have stuck it out for a year here on MTC. What a long, strange trip, huh?
awarded on 2008-02-12
The Festivus '08 Badge
Frank Costanza:
"Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way."
Festivus For The Rest Of Us, MTC 2008
"Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way."
Festivus For The Rest Of Us, MTC 2008
awarded on 2009-03-07
The Level 5 Badge
Welcome to level 5! Keep up the hard work.
awarded on 2007-03-04
The Valentine's Day 2008 Badge
Happy Valentine's day from the MTC staff. We really do love you all. So much so, in fact, that you should probably investigate a temporary restraining order -- we're crazy like that.
awarded on 2008-02-15
Favorite Music Artists
- Sarah Slean
- Tool, Tori Amos
- Frou frou, Garbage
- Jonathon Coulton
- Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen
Favorite Webcomics
- Calvin and Hobbes
- Dresden Codak
- Gunnerkrigg Court
- Kate Beaton
- xkcd
Favorite Things to do on a rainy day
- Go to an art gallery
- Go for a bike ride
- Go to the beach
- Bake cookies
- Play scrabble
Favorite Things to do before I die
- Watch a full solar eclipse
- Have a coffee in Italy
- Spend a night looking at the sky through a telescope
- Tour France on a motorcycle
- Fit ten pieces of bubble gum in my mouth at once
flarets's Mixtapes
1288 points (Level 2) · 4/20/09 5:20am
Trying to describe love seems to devalue it. As if to limit it by its definition. I'll say this though, true love is rare.
This mixtape centres around track 7 - fittingly, because it is by far the longest. It was compiled with someone in mind, but unfortunately can never be given to them. It's being posted here with apologies for the delay.
This mixtape centres around track 7 - fittingly, because it is by far the longest. It was compiled with someone in mind, but unfortunately can never be given to them. It's being posted here with apologies for the delay.
1473 points (Level 2) · 8/18/08 10:31pm
I dreamt that I was dreaming,
upon waking still was sleeping.
So I'll dream until I wake
unto the world I was before.
I tried a slightly different approach to creating this mix, although it still follows the mixtape rules. I looked for instrumental elements, specifically brass and cabaret in most tracks to make it more coherent overall. The first and last set of tracks also have a common dreamlike or otherworldly theme, making the mix replayable.
upon waking still was sleeping.
So I'll dream until I wake
unto the world I was before.
I tried a slightly different approach to creating this mix, although it still follows the mixtape rules. I looked for instrumental elements, specifically brass and cabaret in most tracks to make it more coherent overall. The first and last set of tracks also have a common dreamlike or otherworldly theme, making the mix replayable.
1805 points (Level 4) · 10/25/07 9:32am
adoration and sadness are not at opposite ends of some scale. I've known these feelings to be more similar than we've been led to believe. they are the feelings of longing, of waiting for a second chance, of unrequital. such feelings grow by what they feed upon. songs of this nature are almost always odes.
this mix was collated from twelve such songs (according to the mixtape rules) but with a focus on repeatability. no one song dominates yet together they seem to capture the feeling that I've yet to find a word for.
this mix was collated from twelve such songs (according to the mixtape rules) but with a focus on repeatability. no one song dominates yet together they seem to capture the feeling that I've yet to find a word for.
1719 points (Level 3) · 2/6/07 6:20am
this mix took a single night to make. it was created along with "the rules" and became the first example of them. the first block is lost and searching, the second block is dark and raw and the third is strange, ending with a calm final song.
Tag Board (23)
The Lotto Badge
Did I ever tell you about how I wrote a big paper on Crash after reading it, and then even got an excellent grade for it.
So what I'm saying is: where you at?
So what I'm saying is: where you at?
2/3/10 2:12pm
The Lotto Badge
Oh. Well, that's a shame. But if you have Queen in there it's bound to be rad. Who is the mix for?
Yes, The Shoemaker sounds really sick, but I heard about it when John Waters talked about it in his This Filthy World show, and now I have to read it!
PS. I love When It Started now thanks to you.
Yes, The Shoemaker sounds really sick, but I heard about it when John Waters talked about it in his This Filthy World show, and now I have to read it!
PS. I love When It Started now thanks to you.
12/26/08 6:51pm
The Lotto Badge
I didn't realise strings meant guitar as well. Dude, I feel dumb.
12/23/08 5:36pm
The Lotto Badge
I just had a second look at the tracks I listed for you earlier... they are REALLY all over the place, haha. How are you getting along with the jigsaw that is your unpublished mix?
11/26/08 3:55pm
The Lotto Badge
Well, from what I've heard, "The Shoemaker" (by some Schreiber) is also a pretty strange ride, but I've yet to read it myself. Oh yes, Generation X is the bomb.
As for your mix... four songs came to mind when I read your message: 1) David Bowie - Life on Mars?, 2) Electric Light Orchestra - It's Over, 3) Lou Reed - Perfect Day, and 4) Hard-Fi - Tied Up Too Tight (this one is 4:49 though).
It's hard to come by a song that has both piano and strings.. I'm not sure if this is anything near what you were looking for, it's just a rough brainstorm. I didn't take into consideration whether they would work in a mix or not, but at least I think they - somewhat - correspond with your criteria:
The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, 4:05
Mew - Chinaberry Tree, 3:33
Wolfman & Pete Doherty - For Lovers, 3:34
Eskobar - Bring the Action, 3:47
Billy Paul - Me and Mrs. Jones, 4:39 (sorry, but it's my favourite song!)
The Beatles - She's Leaving Home, 3:35
Meat Puppets - Head, 4:18
The Whitlams - No Aphrodesiac, 4:20
PS. I think your mixtraping rules are awesome, breaking them would be too bad. But I'm sure you could make it rock as a 13 track tape just as smoothly.
As for your mix... four songs came to mind when I read your message: 1) David Bowie - Life on Mars?, 2) Electric Light Orchestra - It's Over, 3) Lou Reed - Perfect Day, and 4) Hard-Fi - Tied Up Too Tight (this one is 4:49 though).
It's hard to come by a song that has both piano and strings.. I'm not sure if this is anything near what you were looking for, it's just a rough brainstorm. I didn't take into consideration whether they would work in a mix or not, but at least I think they - somewhat - correspond with your criteria:
The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, 4:05
Mew - Chinaberry Tree, 3:33
Wolfman & Pete Doherty - For Lovers, 3:34
Eskobar - Bring the Action, 3:47
Billy Paul - Me and Mrs. Jones, 4:39 (sorry, but it's my favourite song!)
The Beatles - She's Leaving Home, 3:35
Meat Puppets - Head, 4:18
The Whitlams - No Aphrodesiac, 4:20
PS. I think your mixtraping rules are awesome, breaking them would be too bad. But I'm sure you could make it rock as a 13 track tape just as smoothly.
11/26/08 6:50am
The Lotto Badge
I'm currently reading Crash! and you've made a new mix!
11/18/08 2:31am
The Yay! Badge VII
Happy one year and one week anniversary. Nice avatar.
2/12/08 2:46pm
The Lotto Badge
You're calling me strange then? Haha. I don't know this Ballard, but I'm currently reading SLAM by N. Hornby - it's good.
Art galleries! and Calvin and Hobbes!! You're a friend, too.
Art galleries! and Calvin and Hobbes!! You're a friend, too.
11/6/07 10:36am
The Yay! Badge IX
i prefer painting. i used to use oils, then acrylics, and have recently been trying out watercolors.
lemon slice! YUM! can i get your recipe?!
lemon slice! YUM! can i get your recipe?!
10/29/07 12:06pm
The Yay! Badge IX
what kind of cookies are your favorite to bake?
10/27/07 6:17pm
Mixtape Potpourri II: Third Place
oh my god! i LOVE calvin and hobbes!!! i didn't know it was a web comic.... when i lived in switzerland they used to have them in the daily newspaper. calvin and hobbes helped me learn german, so i have a special place in my heart for that comic.
is it is english?
is it is english?
3/23/07 1:21am
The Yay! Badge VI
haha i don't know about tool fans being few in numbers. i think it has just become a fad to hate on tool, so people moved over to being fanboys for mike patton and hating on tool. soon enough, people will start hating on patton and go be fanboys for someone else haha. anyways, def check out isis. i recommend celestial and oceanic. oceanic is one of my favorite albums. porcupine tree is a bit more poppy sounding for prog rock, but still very solid.
3/7/07 12:42pm
Mixtape Potpourri II: Third Place
just take your time with them. it's alllllll good
2/7/07 5:50pm
Mixtape Potpourri II: Third Place
sounds like the right way to reply to me. lol. welcome!
I'd love to go to brisie...one day
why thankyou! that's very kind. yeah it's pretty special and highly addictive
I'd love to go to brisie...one day
why thankyou! that's very kind. yeah it's pretty special and highly addictive
2/7/07 5:50pm
The Badge of Mystery
Your mixtaping rules are fabulous. I have a feeling you will fit in nicely around here. And Sarah Slean! Oh, I love her.
2/5/07 10:48pm
The Patton Badge
points for being brave enough to put tool on your list (i like them, too).
2/5/07 4:23pm
Mixtape Potpourri II: Third Place
owww i love being the first.
Welcome!
Welcome!
2/5/07 3:38pm
