May 6, 2019January 17, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 17

20 years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I put together the first of what would become a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. We last looked back at all 20 volumes three years ago to see which of my “favorite” songs still resonated in today’s digital world. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how, or if, things have changed in the past 3 years.

Volume 17 picks up in early 1995 and the second semester of my junior year and takes us into early summer. At this point, it is nearly all alternative, with just one hip-hop breakthrough.

Side A

Hole – Asking For It

One of three Hole songs to feature a contribution from Kurt Cobain, the latest from Courtney Love and company more than quadrupled its play total after not being heard in 2 1/2 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	4 plays	17 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018

Cranberries – Twenty One

The minor hit from the band’s second album, helped in part by the death of singer Dolores O’Riordan, added a mere 5 plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 plays	1 play	6 plays, most recently on 12/12/2018

Veruca Salt – Number One Blind

The follow up single to Seether added 8 listens over the past 5 1/2 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
7 plays	9 plays	17 plays, most recently on 12/18/2018

Stone Temple Pilots – Unglued

Peaking at #16 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, the track added 10 new plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
9 plays	13 plays	23 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018

Pearl Jam – Better Man

The biggest hit from the grunge superstars’ 3rd album, spending 8 weeks at the top of Mainstream Rock chart, added a paltry 5 listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	11 plays, most recently on 11/9/2018

Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night

The traditional American folk song, recorded for MTV Unplugged and released following the death of lead singer Kurt Cobain, picked up a mere 4 new listens.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	3 plays	7 plays, most recently on 8/27/2018

Weezer – No One Else

Never released as a single but with plenty of radio airplay, Weezer’s latest picked up 7 new listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
7 plays	10 plays	17 plays, most recently on 10/4/2018

Offspring – What Happened To You?

The final offering from Offspring’s debut album, also never officially released as a single, added 8 additional plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	12 plays	20 plays, most recently on 10/14/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

April 29, 2019January 7, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 16

Volume 16 takes us from the early fall of 1994 towards the end of the year and the first semester of my junior year of college. The song selection is nearly completely alternative, with just one or two hip-hop and pop hits to go along with it.

Side A

Hole – Doll Parts

The band’s first release after the death of bassist Kristen Pfaff in June 1994 picked up an additional 9 listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
12 plays	19 plays	28 plays, most recently on 12/9/2018

Live – I Alone

Ranked as the 62nd best song of the 90s by VH1, the band’s second single added 9 listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	7 plays	16 plays, most recently on 10/2/2018

Deadeye Dick – New Age Girl

The one hit wonder, featured on the Dumb and Dumber soundtrack, quadrupled its listens after not having been heard for over 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	2 plays	8 plays, most recently on 8/9/2018

Nirvana – About A Girl

The performance from MTV Unplugged, which reached #1 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart, added an additional 8 listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
13 plays	15 plays	23 plays, most recently on 8/7/2018

Aerosmith – Blind Man

The extra B-side thrown onto Aerosmith’s then-current greatest hits package picked up 4 new listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	8 plays	12 plays, most recently on 11/9/2018

Real McCoy – Another Night

Ranked as both the 63rd best single of 1994 and the 6th best of 1995, the international dance hit doubled its total since last we checked.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	5 plays	10 plays, most recently on 10/11/2018

Warren G – Do You See

The Warren G release, which failed to make the Top 40 in the US, hasn’t been heard in 2 1/2 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 plays	3 plays	4 plays, most recently on 7/1/2016

Urge Overkill – Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon

The Neil Diamond cover, featured on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, added 5 additional plays over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	13 plays	23 plays, most recently on 11/14/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

April 15, 2019January 19, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 14

Volume 14 takes us into the early summer of 1994, following the end of my sophomore year of college. The song selection continues to be mostly alternative, with a little G-funk added for flavor.

Side A

Stone Temple Pilots – Big Empty

This entry from The Crow soundtrack picked up an additional 12 listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	5 plays	17 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018

Aerosmith – Crazy

A 5 play increase for the final installment of the Alicia Silverstone video trilogy, now with extra Liv Tyler.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
11 plays	18 plays	23 plays, most recently on 11/19/2018

Soundgarden – Black Hole Sun

Winner of the Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy and nominated for Best Rock Song, the band’s biggest commercial hit picked up 8 plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	5 plays	13 plays, most recently on 12/11/2018

Green Day – Longview

The “debut” that pushed Green Day into the mainstream, hitting #1 on the Alternative Songs chart, doubled its number of listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	7 plays	14 plays, most recently on 8/25/2018

Hole – Miss World

Hitting #13 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the introduction of Courtney Love to a mainstream audience picked up 8 additional listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
9 plays	14 plays	22 plays, most recently on 8/20/2018

Pearl Jam – Dissident

The song, which peaked at #3 on the Album Rock Tracks chart, more than doubled its listens over the previous 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	8 plays	17 plays, most recently on 7/10/2018

Sarah McLachlan – Possession

Inspired by letters written to McLachlan by two deranged fans, the 27th biggest hit of 1994 on the Alternative songs chart added a paltry 3 plays to its total over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
1 plays	4 plays	7 plays, most recently on 12/6/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

April 15, 2019January 9, 2021 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 13

Volume 13 takes us into late spring of 1994 and my the end of my sophomore year of college. The song selection is now mostly completely alternative, with just one or two hip-hop hits to go along with it., with a little pop and Aerosmith on the side.

Side A

Alice In Chains – No Excuses

The first Alice In Chains song to top the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, originally acquired via 93.5 KHY in Lafayette, added 10 new plays over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	16 plays, most recently on 12/23/2018

Smashing Pumpkins – Disarm

The third single from the band’s breakthrough release Siamese Dream, which was banned by the BBC because of its lyrical content, more than doubled its output over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	7 plays	15 plays, most recently on 12/17/2018

Counting Crows – Mr. Jones

The debut single from Counting Crows, which hit #2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, added an impressive 14 plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 plays	3 plays	17 plays, most recently on 9/17/2018

The Cranberries – Dreams

The first single from the band, which became a hit after Linger put them on the map, saw a 13 listen increase.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
7 plays	9 plays	22 plays, most recently on 7/12/2018

Jodeci – Cry For You

The 60th biggest hit of 1994 picked up 10 listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 play	2 plays	12 plays, most recently on 11/20/2018

Julianna Hatfield Three – Spin The Bottle

The track, featured on the Reality Bites soundtrack, added 8 additional plays over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
10 plays	13 plays	21 plays, most recently on 11/1/2018

Aerosmith – Deuces Are Wild

Aerosmith’s contribution to The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience compilation album, originally recorded for Pump, more than doubled its listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	14 plays, most recently on 5/30/2018

Gin Blossoms – Mrs. Rita

The minor Gin Blossoms, which peaked at #36 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, picked up a single new listen, 3 1/2 years ago.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
1 plays	5 plays	6 plays, most recently on 6/25/2015

Continue reading →

March 25, 2019January 28, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 11

Volume 11 takes us late into 1993 and my sophomore year of college. It features mostly alternative and hip-hop hits, with a little pop and Aerosmith on the side.

Side A

Shai – Baby I’m Yours

The second, and final, top 10 hit for the R&B quartet more than doubled its plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	7 plays	15 plays, most recently on 10/12/2018

Tears For Fears – Break It Down Again

Topping the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the comeback hit for the 80s sensations managed to double its plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
6 plays	9 plays	18 plays, most recently on 7/28/2018

Bell Biv Devoe – Something In Your Eyes

The only single from the band’s sophomore effort to chart, peaking at #38, the tune managed to pick up 10 additional listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 plays	2 plays	12 plays, most recently on 10/3/2018

4 Non Blondes – Spaceman

A mere 2 new listens for the minor follow up hit to What’s Up.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
2 plays	4 plays	6 plays, most recently on 1/10/2016

Pearl Jam – Go

Used as Paul Konerko’s walkup music during his final season, the first single from Pearl Jam’s sophomore effort picked up 5 new listens in the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
6 plays	19 plays	24 plays, most recently on 11/7/2018

Nirvana – Heart-Shaped Box

Nirvana’s first release from their final studio album, ranked as the 10th greatest rock track ever by Kerrang! magazine, added 14 additional plays over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	9 plays	23 plays, most recently on 12/27/2018

Radiohead – Stop Whispering

Peaking at #23 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, the lesser known follow up to the smash Creep tripled its plays over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
1 play	2 plays	6 plays, most recently on 11/7/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

March 18, 2019January 13, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 10

Volume 10 covers the spring and summer of 1993, following my freshman year of college, and features the top rap and alternative hits of the summer, along with some pop and the last remnants of hair metal.

Side A

Pearl Jam – Black

Hitting #3 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart despite the band’s refusal to release it as an official single, the song was only listened to 5 times in the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	6 plays	11 plays, most recently on 5/1/2018

Def Leppard – Two Steps Behind

The big hit from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bomb Last Action Hero, originally recorded from The Blaze during a nightly song battle, garnered 10 additional listens over the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
5 plays	7 plays	17 plays, most recently on 7/13/2018

UB40 – Can’t Help Falling In Love

After going unheard for 3 years, the track, featured on the Sliver soundtrack, doubled its plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	8 plays	16 plays, most recently on 10/29/2018

Aerosmith – Cryin’

The first installment of Alicia Silverstone’s video trilogy, which finished as the 60th biggest single of 1993, picked up 10 new plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	6 plays	16 plays, most recently on 10/3/2018

TLC – Get It Up

The cover of the The Time hit, created for the Poetic Justice soundtrack, finally picked up some listens over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
0 plays	0 plays	4 plays, most recently on 7/31/2018

4 Non Blondes – What’s Up?

The 50th biggest single of 1993 picked up a small increase of 3 listens for the ubiquitous debut from 4 Non Blondes.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
9 plays	16 plays	19 plays, most recently on 11/5/2018

Tag Team – Whoomp! (There It Is)

The unofficial theme to the Bulls third straight NBA championship, who showed up for 90s night at the game I attended in February 2015, added 30 new listens over the past 3 years, thanks to its use by the Cubs when someone hits a home run.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
8 plays	13 plays	43 plays, most recently on 9/1/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

March 4, 2019January 12, 2019 by admin

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 8

Volume 8 covers the winter and spring of 1993 and the second semester of my freshman year of college. The alternative influence starts to become more noticable, as both Pearl Jam and Nirvana make their belated first appearances alongside old mainstays like Poison, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard. Besides that, we are treated to a lot of hip-hop and hair metal, with a small sampling of pop, as always.

Side A

Bell Biv Devoe – Gangsta

The intended first single from the second Bell Biv Devoe record, which flopped, it was dropped from the album and now is lost to history.

Pearl Jam – Jeremy

The belated first appearance on these tapes by Pearl Jam, the song, which VH1 ranked as the 11th greatest song of the 90s, saw a modest 3 listen increase over the past 3 years, with nothing for nearly 2 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
6 plays	9 plays	12 plays, most recently on 4/21/2017

Wreckx-N-Effect – Rump Shaker

Charting as the 9th biggest hit of 1993, the biggest song for butts since Sir Mix-A-Lot had a healthy 15 play increase.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	8 plays	23 plays, most recently on 8/6/2018

Boyz II Men – In The Still Of The Night

The cover of the old doo-wop classic, recorded for the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, added 5 plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
4 plays	9 plays	14 plays, most recently on 12/4/2018

Arrested Development – People Everyday

Peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts, the second single for the Atlanta-based group added an additional 7 plays over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
7 plays	14 plays	21 plays, most recently on 10/18/2018

Nirvana – In Bloom

The belated first appearance of Nirvana on these tapes, the song, winner of the Best Alternative Video VMA in 1993. picked up a mere 5 new plays in the last 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
6 plays	13 plays	18 plays, most recently on 4/30/2018

TLC – What About Your Friends

The third straight top 10 hit from TLC’s debut album added 11 new listens to its total over the past 3 years.

**iTunes Stats**
2012	2015	2019
3 plays	6 plays	17 plays, most recently on 11/30/2018

Side B

Continue reading →

December 30, 2018December 2, 2018 by admin

2018: The Year In Music

I managed to see 4 different concerts last year, across 3 states. This is the story of those shows.

The first show was in Las Vegas back in March. In conjunction with the IBM Think conference, the Barenaked Ladies were performing on the beach at Mandalay Bay. IBM had hooked one of my co-workers up with a cabana for the show, due to her being a legitimate superfan of the band, which the rest of us got to crash. The group cycled through their hits, including the theme song to The Big Bang Theory, which was a nice surprise. I don’t think you could ask for much more out of a free show attached to a tech conference.

The next night, there were two shows going on. We had our choice of Train or The Chainsmokers, and I went with option 2. The show was at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and it was not quite what I was expecting. In my defense, I am an old and thus was not up to speed on the nature of the Chainsmokers, so I should have been more familiar with the type of music the band would be performing. While the two guys I were with decided to bail after a half hour or so, I decided to stick it out and was genuinely entertained, if not in the manner I was expecting. I can’t say it is something I would want to see again, but I’m glad I did so at least once. And, hey, you can’t beat the price.

In August, Pearl Jam came to Wrigley Field for 2 shows and I attended the first one. It’s been a long time since I considered myself a Pearl Jam fan, and the show, while entertaining, certainly dragged for long periods between songs that I knew.

Finally, in October, I traveled to Boston to, on top of Angelina related things, see Garbage at the House of Blues. The 20 Years Paranoid tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of Version 2.0, had played in Chicago the week before, but I’ve already done that a time or 5. With Game 1 of the World Series taking place across the street at Fenway Park, Garbage put on another fine show, ripping through the entirety of their second album, along with some covers and special treats.

And that does it. Time will tell what 2019 has in store and I look forward to finding out.

August 22, 2018November 16, 2018 by admin

FB4: Week 29

A good week, despite a slow start on Sunday with a disappointing 3400 steps. Things bounced back on Monday, as I fell just shy of 8500 steps. Tuesday managed to surpass my daily goal by a mere 71 steps. Wednesday was better, with over 9700 steps. Thursday came in at over 11,100 steps, as I bounced back and forth between Willow and South, preparing for the move back. Friday was 2 steps shy of 10,100 steps, thanks to a post-work trip to Guaranteed Rate Field to watch the White Sox battle the Royals. Saturday was the big day of the week, coming in just short of 11,900 steps thanks to an aborted attempt to get a Tim Anderson bobblehead before the Pearl Jam concert at Wrigley Field.

Total steps: 61,782

Daily average: 8826

May 7, 2018May 6, 2018 by admin

Top 200 Albums – #51 – 60

Nearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.

We finish off the first 3 quarters with the next batch of 10 albums ranked between #51 and 60, including 4 studio recordings, 3 compilations, 2 greatest hits collectoins, and 1 live performance.

#60: P.O.D. – Satellite
iTunes stats: 102 plays
Previous Ranking: 29

2 tunes, and former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks, are responsible for this total.

#59: Garbage – Not Your Kind Of People
iTunes stats: 103 plays
Previous Ranking: 59

48 additional plays over the past 3 years gives this album the exact same ranking.

#58: Poison – Swallow This Live
iTunes stats: 105 plays
Previous Ranking: 38

The first CD I ever owned, which I received for Christmas in December of 1991, makes the list thanks to 8 tracks from the double album.

#57: Pearl Jam – Vs.
iTunes stats: 106 plays
Previous Ranking: 40

Pearl Jam’s second album, which I purchased as a midnight release at the record store in Purdue West whose name escapes me, makes the list thanks to 7 tunes.

#56: Van Halen – The Best Of Both Worlds
iTunes stats: 107 plays
Previous Ranking: 68

This greatest hits compilation makes the list thanks to 8 tracks, split between David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar.

Continue reading →

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Tag / Pearl Jam

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 17

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 16

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 14

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 13

Side A

Continue reading →

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 11

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 10

Side A

Side B

Another Mix Tape Monday – Volume 8

Side A

Side B

2018: The Year In Music

FB4: Week 29

Top 200 Albums – #51 – 60