Your opinion, please: 366-band, 411 track 1981 box set

Ugh, track list.

Had a lovely break from 1907 listening to 1981 today, and going to have to find time next week to listen to 1979. Can I be cheeky and ask whether there is going to be a 'briefcase' for 1979 too?

So I love listening to this/these as mixes, but is there an easy way/trick to break up and tag the tracks? My 1981 mixes seem to be track-to-track.

well aware that the mix is a large part of the appeal here and that streaming services are missing all manner of these tracks but there's more there than you might expect and I was looking for an easy way to carry this around, so (with apologies) here's a spotify playlist, sans doubles:
https://open.spotify.com/user/forksclovetofu/playlist/0oTOCanI4oeuEks5xaPXoW

Glad you guys are digging it! The Dangerous Minds website picked it up (as they did with the '1981' digital "reissue") and it's getting a lot of listens--hopefully causing the sale of some records (or at least mp3s)!

Mfktz, are you the guy doing the Centuries of Sound mixes? Impressive project!

Josh in Chicago--I made the decision to go to mixed mp3s some time back because I had some guilt about the feeling that by uploading single mp3s in the age of single-song mp3 sales, I was taking money from artists rather than sending it their way. Single-file mixes seem more like a podcast or a DJ set, more obviously in honor of the music and not in theft. Also, I like that it gives me tighter control over the transitions and flow of the mix--these ones aren't truly "mixed" much, but I go into that more heavily mix by mix.

I've looked into ways of making mixed mp3s display artist name/song name info, like a cue sheet approach, and it basically appears there's really no successful cross-platform way to do that. Hence the tracklists with start times--so you can always find out what you like, when you like it.

But I've also tried to accommodate the fact of streaming via the MixCloud site--https://www.mixcloud.com/musicophilia/--and that also does tell you the artist/track name "live". So maybe that's a better option for you, if the mp3s are distracting from the music?

Ulysses, I have to admit I don't *love* reducing the mixes to a Spotify playlist (and missing tracks) given that I do have the aforementioned MixCloud option, which is streamable; and the mp3s, which are portable. I mean, these are mixes, not playlists or folders of tracks. . . But if it helps people get interested in the music, I guess it's OK. I just don't get the fixation generally with Spotify--why use Spotify, when the mixes are available whether your preference is streaming or downloading? But I'm old, and I still buy hundreds of CDs a year (though I keep them as mp3s I rip), and I don't use streaming services, so what do I know.

Oh and Mfktz, I doubt there will be a '1979: Post-Punk' briefcase, as my collection of post-punk from '79 doesn't go nearly as deep as from '81 (and maybe the genre doesn't go as deep). That said, the next mix that goes up on the blog is going to be several volumes of the 'Le Funk du Monde' focused on 1977-1980, that are going to be amazing. If I did a '1979' briefcase, it'd be a collection from all the non-post-punk music I love from the year. . .

I love the mixes as is! You obviously put a ton of work into them, which is why I'm ultimately cool with long tracks. They flooooow.

Also, mixes as mixes make me pay attention.

Josh, thanks for understanding. I really do wish there were a way to get the artists/tracks to show universally from a mixed mp3, but given there isn't I had to stick to the format anyway despite the inconveniences. And I agree--lack of the ability to hit "skip" has often gotten me to slow down and listen more carefully on mixes by others. Thanks!

Most of the time 2004 still feels recent to me, even though that span is a third of my life. But I guess putting this new "digital box set" next to the old physical box set of '1981' makes me realize a lot of time has passed--and even the mp3s of the new one are out-of-date to many. Hopefully the upside is that there's a whole generation who were 5 when the old box came out, who're primed to discover post-punk!

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So did someone send back a copy of 1981 to you?

Soundslike- yes, I'm the Centuries of Sound guy. Can understand why you aren't doing the briefcase thing and why you don't want it on Spotify, but your site in general will still be very useful for me in five years or so, so just wanted to say thanks for that. Also really admire the design of your site, wish I had such skills.

Speaking of forcing me to pay attention, I'm finally listening to Evensong this morning, and right off the bat I don't think I've ever heard of It's Immaterial. Lovely stuff.

and I was looking for an easy way to carry this around

the original is seven mp3s. they don't weigh much.

hey soundslike: thanks again for putting this together; much of it's outside of my listening experience and i always appreciate new meat. i was four in '79 so don't judge too harshly.
to your points: the mp3s are portable but generally much more frustrating to add in or take out on the fly for portability, whereas streaming allows for listening and sharing and paring in a way that works well for me.
the fixation "generally with spotify" is just that it's a service i've used for several years and i've gotten accustomed to it. I didn't start this way! i had thousands of cds and cassettes and vinyl but moving a lot has made me focus more on immediate accessibility and cloud use.

prob also noteworthy that i grew up without a solid radio station experience so it wasn't until after college that the idea of an unbreakable mix even came into view. i like the freedom to explore and repeat and skip tracks rather than drive at someone else's speed i suppose. it's a limitation on my part!

Oh my goodness I will be spending some time with these

So did someone send back a copy of 1981 to you?

Yeah! My friend (in real life) A.M./Ettiem who is an ILMer send me a copy of the 1st edition pre-ILM. So cool of him!

Haha very good!

A q

A quick reminder--the full '1981' box including the 'briefcase' has been up for a year for anybody who didn't get a physical copy back in 2005!

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/post-punk-1981-complete-collection-including-the-briefcase/

And for those who did get one 13 years ago--we're old now! ; ) 1981 was 22 years in the past when I started the project. Which means there's some young person out there now making a '1996' box set!

There is literally an entire new listening generation out there since I made this box who get to discover post-punk/new wave--so pass it on!

And while I didn't ever really make the non-post-punk 1981 box--this set has a lot of great 1981 non-pp music, for those who might be interested:

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2018/04/03/tribute-to-brian-eno-translucence/

And in addition to the '1979' follow-up set, there's annother post-punk box for those who might be interested, with a 1-hr sampler mix: 'Post-Punk 2007-2017'

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/post-punk2007-2017/

Sorry--having some tech difficulties with my phone. This is the set with non-pp 1981 music:

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/le-monde-du-funk-1970-1985/

Which means there's some young person out there now making a '1996' box set!
We can but pity them.

Us kids don’t want your old fogie “new wave” music gramps. We like Post Malone and Silento

A project like this for the early/mid-’90s would actually be great (’96 is a bit past the curve).

Or I could just listen to my old CMJ samplers, I guess...

I was fortunate enough to get a physical copy back then. From time to time I glance at my shelf wondering when the CD-Rs will degrade and thinking I should rip them before they do (and while I still have something to rip them with!)

But now I don't have to rip them. Thanks!

I was fortunate enough to get a physical copy back then. From time to time I glance at my shelf wondering when the CD-Rs will degrade and thinking I should rip them before they do (and while I still have something to rip them with!)

But now I don't have to rip them. Thanks!

― fajita seas, Sunday, April 15, 2018 4:15 PM

I've wondered, too, whether those CD-Rs still work after so many years! Supposedly they were the very best in blank white CDs at the time. . .

But glad I could save you the trouble of ripping! Hope you enjoy them anew (and the follow-up sets, too).

Coming January 1, with any luck. . .

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Dun dun dunnnnnn

👍🏼

Dun dun dun indeed!

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POST PUNK 198O

The final link in a trilogy of post-punk/new wave box sets, following up on the original '1981' box set from 2004-2005, and the '1979' set from 2017. This is an eight-mix (all roughly C-90 in length) set covering the year I'd filed away as the breather between the huge statements of 1979 and the massive explosion of creativity of 1981. Turns out, it's just as strong, just as varied, just as exciting.

Featuring:

A Certain Ratio · Animals & Men · The Associates · Au Pairs · Bauhaus · The Beat · The Blackouts · Blondie · Blancmange · David Bowie · Bow Wow Wow · The Boys Next Door · Glenn Branca · The Breakers · Buggles · Buzzcocks · The Cars · Chris Carter · Alex Chilton · Chrome · Colored Minds · The Comsat Angels · Elvis Costello & The Attractions · The Cramps · The Cure · Dalek I · Delta 5 · Deutsch Amerikanische Freundshaftt · Devo · The Diagram Brothers · Din a Testbild · Doctor Mix & The Remix · Dome · Dow Jones & The Industrials · The Durutti Column · Essendon Airport · Factrix · Fad Gadget · Family Fodder · The Feelies · Final Program · Fire Engines · Flowers · Flying Lizard · Free Agents · Friction · John Foxx · Peter Gabriel · Gang of Four · Girls At Our Best · The Gist · The Go-Go’s · The Gordons · Half Japanese · The Human League · Husker Du · Ike Yard · Implog · Indoor LifeIn Camera · INXS · The Jam · Japan · Grace Jones · Josef K · Joy Division · Kid Creole & The Coconuts · Killing Joke · Krisma · Lizard · Ludus · Magazine · Manicured Noise · Marilyn · Martha & The Muffins · Material · Minutemen · Missing Persons · Mission of Burma · Mr. Partridge · Moderne · The Mo-Dettes · The Monchrome Set · Pauline Murray & The Invisible Girls · MX-80 Sound · Nasmak · Neonbabies · New Musik · Colin Newman · Gary Numan · Iggy Pop · The Only Ones · Orange Juice · Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark · Our Daughter’s Wedding · Pink Military · Pink Section · Plastics · Polyrock · Poly Styrene · The Pop Group · Pretenders · Prince · Psychedelic Furs · Pylon · Reptile Ranch · Martin Rev · Reversible Cords · Rinder & Lewis · The Room · Roxy Music · Ryuichi Sakamoto · The Selecter · Simple Minds · Siouxsie & The Banshees · The Slits · Smokey · Sods · Soft Cell · The Sound · The Specials · Squeeze · Richard Strange · The Stranglers · Swell Maps · Talking Heads · Teardrop Explodes · Television Personalities · Telex · This Heat · Tuxedomoon · Ultravox · Units · Urban Verbs · Les Vampyrettes · The Vapors · Alan Vega · Virgin Prunes · Visage · Scott WIlk & The Wall · Wipers · Xex · XTC · Yello · Y Pants · Yellow Magic Orchestra · Young Marble Giants

Download/stream here: https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/post-punk-1980-box-set/

If you want to check out just the tracklist, check it here.

What, no "Effortless" by Athletico Spizz 80?

Just kidding (maybe).

Good work as ever, sir. And the colour scheme for this one is spot on - exactly how I felt about the music at the time. There was an awful lot of grey or silvery grey sleeve art around, mind, which didn't help.

Not the full-on box-set treatment, I'm afraid, but here's as close as I've come to a follow-up for 1982:

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/musicophilia_00_various_-_joy-vol-2-post-punk_1982_cover-a-front.jpg?w=1024

https://musicophilia.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/musicophilia_00_various_-_joy-vol-2-post-punk_1982_cover-b-back.jpg?w=1024

'Joy! Volume 2: Post-Punk 1982'

01 [0:00:00] The Raincoats- “No One’s Little Girl” (‘Running Away’ 7″)
02 [0:04:30] Rip Rig & Panic- “You’re My Kind of Climate” (‘You’re My Kind…’ EP)
03 [0:10:20] African Head Charge – “High Protein Snack” (‘Environmental Studies’)
04 [0:13:40] Haircut 100 – “Favourite Shirt (Boy Meets Girl)” (‘Pelican West’)
05 [0:16:40] Family Fodder – “The Big Dig” (‘The Big Dig’ 7″)
06 [0:19:35] Our Daughter’s Wedding – “Buildings” (‘Moving Windows’)
07 [0:23:30] The Stick Men- “Personality Pollination” (‘This Is The Master Brew’)
08 [0:25:10] Pigbag – “Wiggling” (‘Dr. Heckle and Mister Jive’)
09 [0:30:15] Antena – “Camino del Sol” (‘Camino del Sol’ EP)
10 [0:33:55] Shriekback – “My Spine is the Bassline” (‘My Spine is the Bassline’ EP)

11 [0:37:55] Pylon – “Beep” (‘Beep’ 7″)
12 [0:41:15] Scritti Politti – “The Sweetest Girl” (‘Songs To Remember’)
13 [0:46:20] Sonic Youth – “The Burning Spear” (‘Sonic Youth’ EP)
14 [0:49:40] Delta 5 – “Powerlines” (‘Powerlines’ 7″)
15 [0:52:45] Maximum Joy – “Dancing On My Boomerang” (‘Station MXJY’)
16 [0:55:55] Weekend – “Summerdays” (‘La Verite’)
17 [0:58:45] R.E.M. – “1,000,000” (‘Chronic Town’ EP)
18 [1:01:50] Dog Eat Dog – “Rollover” (unreleased)
19 [1:04:45] Lora Logic – “Martian Man” (‘Pedigree Charm’)
20 [1:09:05] Tones On Tail – “Now We Lustre” (‘There’s Only One’ 7″)

21 [1:13:25] 48 Chairs – “Rhino Whip” (‘70% Paranoid’)
22 [1:17:10] Pere Ubu – “A Day Such As This” (‘Song of the Bailing Man’)
23 [1:20:45] Psychic TV – “Just Drifting” (‘Force The Hand’)
24 [1:24:25] ESG – “The Beat” (‘ESG Says Dance to the Beat of Moody’ EP)
25 [1:26:35] A Certain Ratio – “Touch” (‘I’d Like To See You Again’)
26 [1:31:35] The Gist – “Love At First Sight” (‘Embrace the Herd’)
27 [1:35:00] Special AKA & Rico – “Easter Island” (‘Jungle Music’ EP)
28 [1:39:05] Orange Juice – “L.O.V.E. Love” (‘You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever’)
29 [1:42:35] Yasuaki Shimizu – “Dots” (‘Kakashi’)
30 [1:45:30] Comsat Angels – “After the Rain” (‘Fiction’)

Download/stream here: https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/post-punk-1982/

The original '1981' set is back up--now in much better audio quality, but as mixed mp3s (not single tracks):

40 years since the post-punk of 1981, 17 years since I made '1981,' a definitive box-set of nine themed mixes spanning the canonized to the unknown. And it still sounds like tomorrow. https://t.co/ePWUOHce9K

Higher quality, as mixed mp3s. Dive in, share, and please BUY MUSIC! pic.twitter.com/ZM90ZOneY6

— Musicophilia (@musicophiliamix) January 5, 2021

Thanks, just now re-tweeted!

When I first shared these mixes on ILM, bith I and the music were a spritely 24 years old. Now we're both 40! But I think the music is aging (or not aging, really) far better than me. In that it hasn't aged a day, vs. I fell down my stairs a few weeks ago...

To celebrate 40 years since 1981, and over 17 since I started making the mixes, they're up in much higher quality here:

https://musicophilia.wordpress.com/2021/01/04/1981-post-punk/

The original box still sits proudly with my other box sets.

These are very much appreciated!

Still love these mixes, particularly the personality behind the songs that are picked. They're often either not my favorites or wouldn't have been my personal picks, but that's the whole point of mixes. It forces me to listen to these songs in a fresh context which in turn flavors how I hear them.

Thanks, all! I definitely often ended up picking tracks that weren't my favorites per se, but instead tracks that fit the vibe and flow of the mixes--so lead to some idiosyncratic choices. But always was the hope, and is now, that folks will hear things they didn't know, and hear those they already knew in a new context.

WFMU's Give the Drummer Radio stream is doing a fun thing today -- all four of today's live shows are playing only music from 1981. Tony Coulter (on now and for ~15 more minutes) focusing on postpunk/industrial/experimental. 12 hours total.