The back story to this mix is that it was a mix to leave on my blog and socials before I headed off on a trip. I've said that during this 'refresh' of the blog I wouldn't go into much detail of a personal nature, but for this I'll let that slide, it's part of documenting my time on this floating space rock, even though nobody is paying any real attention... maybe one day someone might.
This trip wasn't going to be any old trip, after a difficult few years dealing with the care system etc, I was setting off on my own to try and take a ride through Europe on my motorbike for the first time - this has been a dream of mine for many years, a bucket list thing.
I had no plans or route, the only thing that I had in mind was that I was stopping at Outlaws Yacht Club in Leeds, to take in the Balearic Social 5th Birthday bash, and hopefully meet some people in person that I'd become friends with online through music, people like Andy Pye, Kirsty P and Andy Hickford among others. This was no small feat for me.... any of it. No confidence, no social life, no real world friends, never having done adventure like this. What was I thinking? So, I made the mix, posted it through the usual places and of course here, where I plugged the life out of the event, the venue and the folks that were due to play there.
Well, let me just cut a long story fairly short. It pi$$ed with rain (biblically) and was blowing a gale most of the way from Aberdeenshire until reaching the motorway of the M1, at one point when coming over the Borders it hailed so bad I could make a snowball from the amount that collected between the petrol tank and my crotch! Bad weather on a bike, not ideal, but it's part of the package and experience. What was a big deal was being bashed on the motorway by an inexperienced lorry driver! I managed to save it from being a full on fall, but my brand new £600 panniers were scratched to bits and ruined. I did continue to Leeds, I only spent one night there rather than the two I intended. I met Kirsty and Andy Pye, and one or two others who were probably too drunk to remember much of anything. Kirsty played a great set and we spent a good time chatting, but with me not being a social butterfly, I felt very awkward and out of place, you know that feeling when you feel like you're awkwardly hovering, well that was me for the most part. I caved in to feeling uncomfortable and called it a night at midnight whilst the party continued and I talked myself out of continuing my journey the following day and headed home. Go me!! So, with the way things went, and how luck seems to be for me at times 'A Postcard From Reality' feels like a very apt title. I think the worst thing is, since that night, I don't think any of the people I had been friends and done a lot with online and met / made the effort to visit have spoken to me since; I guess you either fit in, or you don't. It did knock me though and I probably really disengaged from trying to make friends etc online from that point. I look back and think that at least I did try, even though it was very much out my comfort zone. Lessons learned in some respects I guess.
Just to add some positivity into this post. I have managed to get that trip through Europe done on my bike, three times now, and very lucky I feel too, though none were without hitches or hiccups, I guess that's part of the appeal. If I could do it for a living the life would be perfect! The other thing is, my brain wouldn't allow me to sit on my arse at a beach for two weeks, it just won't switch off and I have to be doing something.
Anyway, this was an off the cuff mix, that'll become evident toward the end when one or two tracks are very out of place. That said, I ended with the track Better Man intentionally because pushing myself to do this whole thing was with an intention of coming home in a better mindset, feeling like a better man.... hah!
Tracklist
01. Fake Glasses - Dancehall (Red Motorbike)
02. Oyama Edit - Ghost Guide (Most Excellent Unlimited)
03. Nots - Reactor (Mikey Young Remix) (Heavenly)
04. The Noodleman - Acid Ting (Red Motorbike)
05. Osmose - A Lonely Sound, Slowly Dying (Friendly Monster)
06. Bill Withers - Make A Smile For Me (Trishes Edit) (Not On Label)
07. B-Jam - Later (Midnight Riot)
08. Boule Noir - Aimes-tu a Vie Comme Moi (Noodleman Rework) (Not On Label)
09. Paul Hardcastle - Still Thinking About You (Bydesign Edit) (Not On Label)
10. Minnie Riperton - Inside My Love (Late Nite Tuff Guy Edit) (Not On Label)
11. BB King - Thrill Is Gone (Rock n Rolla Soundsystem Edit) (Not On Label)
12. Jona Saucedo - Look At Me (Not On Label)
13. Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Under The Bridge (Dynamicron Edit) (Not On Label)
14. Rhythm Heritage - Barettas Theme (Jack Sparrow Edit) (Unknown Label)
15. Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It (The Starkiller Space Remix) (Self Released)
16. Astrodynamics - Acela (Baltimore Version) (Vielspaß)
17. Mugwump - Until You're Worth It (Andrew Weatherall Mix) (Subfield)
18. Jascha Hagen - Early In The Morning (Luettje Luise)
19. Seahawks - Islands (No Man Is Mix) (Ocean Moon)
20. Eddie Hazel - California Dreamin' (Be With)
21. Bella Figura - Better Man (Craig Bratley Remix) (Claremont 56)
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