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Tuesday, August 10

Mixtape mixdown: The CDP Worldwide Mix-Tape Trade 8

by Mike on Tue 10 Aug 2010 10:58 PM EDT

It was complete serendipity that I ran across a fabulous blog while surfing the 'net a week or so ago. I am not sure what I was looking for the day that I happened on The Communist Dance Party (probably looking to get some more commie tchotchkes for my burgeoning collection, I'm sure), but the style and humor of The CDP really struck that proverbial chord for me. It's in a similar vein with Cold Bacon, which has been a favorite of mine for several years now. CDP features a great mix of pop culture and personal reflection, making it interesting, funny and insightful all at the same time. Really. Plus, there are mix tapes. I've said it here before, folks: I love mix tapes.

The CDP Worldwide Mix-Tape Trade is an opportunity for CDP readers (I think we're officially called "CDPeons") to exchange mixes (on cassette or CD) via mail. Ryan Zeinert, the brains and the brawn behind the whole CDP endeavor, matches up participants and sets the guidelines and deadlines for the event. Although I missed the first seven trades, I was able to get in on Worldwide Mix-Tape Trade 8. Life is good.

Of course, given the magnitude of a global initiative such as this, there's no way that it would be so easy as to just create a simple mix and send it on its way. Each trade event involves a theme of some sort and this time around, it's "Three Little Words." So, the overall theme of the mix tape needs to be a three word phrase. I took the guidelines a little further and made sure that every song in my mix has a three-word title. I know that may seem kind of obsessive but I really want to make a big splash instead of just coming across like a CDP greenhorn.

Malachi Ritscher
(1954 - 2006)

It took me a day or so to come up with my three-word theme. I think I was just trying too hard at first. At some point, something led me to recall the story of Malachi Ritscher, the artist and activist who committed suicide in 2006 by self-immolation. Ritscher killed himself as a protest to the war in Iraq, choosing to exit life in the same manner as the Buddhist monks who died while protesting the conditions in South Vietnam during the war. Ritscher explained his actions through a note published shortly after his death. His epitaph stated in part: "if I am required to pay for your barbaric war, I choose not to live in your world." Recalling this story a week or so ago, I thought to myself, "I really hope people don't forget about this man." Somewhere along the way, I got the idea to make my CDP mix tape into a commemoration of Ritscher's life and death. So, the working title for my mix is "For Malachi Ritscher."

The mix is almost complete and at present it's somewhere around 20 tracks of music and spoken word. I am waiting on a CD that I acquired from eBay just the other day (bought for the very purpose of adding one specific track to this very collection, mind you). I am also thinking about including an original composition to the mix and I have already started laying down a basic track for that particular song. I'm not the greatest of musicians, so it'll likely be more of a sentimental effort than anything to crow about.

When it's all done, I'll post my track listing, notes and artwork (yes, artwork) here on greeklish.org. Expect stuff from the likes of 7 Year Bitch, Allen Ginsberg, Woody Guthrie, Mikis Theodorakis, Billy Bragg and others. I'm hoping that the subject matter isn't too heavy for those who will receive the mix because I feel like Ritscher's legacy merits contemplation and celebration.