Mixology: Unbridled Confusion (Summer '90)

Mixology is a recurring feature in which I take a look at one of the many mix tapes I made over the years. Some are better than others, but all of them are fun to revisit.

Unbridled Confusion (6/24/90)

The beginning of a new decade is always filled with such promise. As a 22-year-old, I had just finished my first year as a reporter at the Peabody Times and I was picturing a long, meteoric career in journalism. I lasted another five years before moving on to a gig in trade publishing, but in '90, the future seemed bright.

As I've noted in many of these posts, it's mind-boggling to consider how long ago these tapes were made. At this point in 1990, Twin Peaks had just premiered two months earlier. I was on board that train right from the beginning. LOVED that show, and that first season was especially good. In the coming months, new shows that premiered included Northern Exposure, Law and Order, Beverly Hills 90210 and the immortal Cop Rock.

This was a fun summer. I had a steady girlfriend for the first time in a while and there was a core group of reporters at the papers (Peabody and Beverly Times) that hung out together. We did a lot of drinking back then, but most of us were in our early 20s. I was living in Wenham with three roommates at the time.

I had joined a gym in January because I was sick of being pudgy and lost 25 pounds in the first three months. I wasn't running then, just doing the Nautilus circuit three times a week and using cardio machines like the Stairmaster and exercise bike. I actually didn't start running regularly until after I was dating Deb for a while in the late '90s.

This mix is all over the place musically. Some of the songs were big on rock radio that summer, some were just on CDs I had picked up and was digging at the time. The James Brown track is off Live at the Apollo, which is a terrific album. I also included a bunch of newer alt-rock stuff from vinyl I had ordered through Columbia House: Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Camper Van Beethoven, Lou Reed (really dug his New York album) and Replacements. The U2 song was later released on their B-sides album, but I had it on vinyl I had picked up in Toronto. For a few years in the late '80s, I got ahold of just about every B-side U2 released, which was no easy feat. At this time, they were laying low after the Rattle and Hum movie bombed, but they were in Germany making the awesome Achtung Baby album, which is arguably their best (I used to always say Joshua Tree was their best, but I'm coming around on AB). But as a whole, the mix reminds me of a carefree summer, which the summer of '90 certainly was.

Side A
Young Lust - Aerosmith
Cradle of Love - Billy Idol
Up to No Good - Peter Wolf
Good Times - David Baerwald
Jealous Again - Black Crowes
The Three Sunrises - U2
The Ocean - Led Zeppelin
Summer Nights - Van Halen
The Way It Is - Tesla
Think (live) - James Brown

Side B
Good Time Boys - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Epic - Faith No More
Eye of Fatima - Camper Van Beethoven
Blow at High Dough - Tragically Hip
Busload of Faith - Lou Reed
I'll Be You - Replacements
Theme from Rocky and Bullwinkle - Birdsongs of the Mesozoic
Tie Dye on the Highway - Robert Plant
I Think I Love You Too Much - Jeff Healey Band
Hangover - Max Webster



Jealous Again:


I'll Be You: