Guys, I found my iPod.

Not an iPod Touch. Just an iPod. Clickwheel and all. New enough to have a colour screen, at least.

I know I was still living in the apartment when I bought it. Could be 12 years old or more. I remember playing Peggle on it while waiting for Mika to get her wisdom teeth taken out. Doesn’t look like Peggle is on here anymore.

I found a charger for it too. And I charged it and it works. Took me a minute to remember how to get listening to things.

I apparently stopped it in the middle of a Figure Four Daily interview with Lance Storm. I might listen to that in a bit – could help me figure out when this was last in use – but for now, I’m putting all the songs on shuffle.

1. Foo Fighters: My Hero
   This is specifically from Big Shiny Tunes 3, the greatest series of compilation albums to ever exist, even though I have no use for the last 2/3ds of the series. Not a bad start.
2. The Ramblin’ Ambassadors: Camino Real
   This is from a Mint Records sampler. If I’ve ever heard this before, I have no idea. It’s good, though. Twangy instrumental.

Scrolling around the iPod, I’m amused to see how many of these playlists are still in my iTunes. It’s hard to even say “iPod” anymore. It’s been so long. I keep saying “iPad” and having to correct myself.

3. Neko Case: Look for Me (I’ll Be Around)
   I was expecting to be mortified by whatever was on this thing but so far, I’m enjoying this.

Poking into the settings. MY IPOD IS NAMED BIG BOI. I forgot that! This was from the time when I named all my devices after rappers. My wireless network was called Humpty Hump.

4. Feist: Leisure Suite
   I mean, everything so far is definitely Of A Time, but again, I stand by this. I don’t know this song so well, but Feist in general, sure.

Back in the settings. 74.3 GB used. 6.4 GB free. 9,268 songs. This is, indeed, a big boi. I found the model number and googling reveals this is a 5th gen iPod.

5. Poe: Terrified Heart
   Man, here’s an album that I really enjoyed and haven’t thought of in a million years. This is just a lil’ interlude though.
6. oh no we have encountered mashups

wait okay this kinda rules

The songs are Hey Ladies by Beastie Boys vs. uhhh a song by Vera? I do not know who Vera is. Some googling says her song is Dear Ladies. That would explain why this mashup is called Hey Dear Ladies. I feel like I should maybe apologize for my mashup phase but also I feel like maybe I should go investigate a decade’s worth of mashups that I’ve missed.

7. Novillero: Life in Parentheses
   I like this iPod!

My pal CRZ has a show on Minneapolis community radio (kfai.org, 5-7pm central time Saturdays) and he plays requests and Mika and I like making him play Canadian music he doesn’t know and probably doesn’t like. A few weeks ago I made him play a Novillero song from the album Aim Right for the Holes in Their Lives, which might be one of my favourite albums ever. It’s so great. I never took to their other albums so much but have been meaning to give them another listen. This is from one of the other albums. It’s good!

8. Ben Folds Five: The Sound of the Life of the Mind
   Speaking of CRZ, the one time I met him in person was when I went to Minneapolis to see Ben Folds Five on their reunion tour supporting this album. It feels like that was too recent for this song to be on this iPod. That show was (googles) September 29, 2012. 8 1/2 years ago. I am very suddenly feeling my age. Incidentally, this model of iPod was released in 2006. Nearly 15 years ago.
9. The New Pornographers: July Jones
   This song is good but I am now philosophizing.

Earlier today, I got a notification on Facebook that it was 13 years ago today that I met my friend Chris in person for the first and (so far) only time when we were both in Calgary. Not CRZ. A different Chris. Halifax Chris, not Minneapolis Chris. The Steves in my life are designated by location too.

Anyway, it occurred to me that our one and only meeting is now roughly at the halfway point between us first becoming friends online and the present day. When we met, I remember thinking we had known each other for so long and how crazy it was that we took forever to meet. But that actual meeting? Doesn’t feel like it was THAT long ago.

10. System of a Down: Ego Brain
    Man, here’s a band I haven’t listened to for a million years. This song isn’t yelly enough to be among their best. Can I even judge their best? I’m sure I haven’t listened to a SOAD song in a decade. Or even thought of them.

I just got a grape vodka soda from the fridge, chosen by blindly reaching and grabbing whatever was pushed to the back, behind the blackberry yogurt. Surely alcohol will help with these Feelings.

11. The Be Good Tanyas: Light Enough to Travel
    This is the only Be Good Tanyas song I know but it’s real good. It’s a Geoff Berner cover.
12. Barenaked Ladies: Told You So
    I could have guessed BNL song titles for an hour and never ever remembered that this song existed but I think I know all the words. That’s a really weird thing. I suppose I was listening to a lot more music back then. And more closely too.
13. Johnny Cash: Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)
    This is either a very good song to drink to or a song one defeinitely should not drink to.
14. The Weakerthans: The Prescience of Dawn
    I love the Weakerthans but I’m gonna need something uptempo and less thinky real soon. Or maybe play that mashup again.
15. Buck 65: Ho-Boys
    Do I know this one? Title doesn’t sound familiar but the song does. Ohhhh okay, yeah, here’s another one I haven’t thought of in forever. I loved this album too.
16. Bruce McCulloch: Flying Dream
    I listened to the first Bruce McCulloch album a million times. Never saw the second one in stores and only bought it long after it came out. This is off the second one and while I’ve heard it before, it’s as good as new to me right now. I suppose it counts as both uptempo and less thinky and oh no here come the mashups again
17. Sweet Home Alabama vs. Country Grammar and I think I can skip this
18. Fountains of Wayne: Nightlight
    Now I’m once again sad about Adam Schlesinger dying. This is a roller coaster, this iPod.
19. Danko Jones: Invisible
    YES. LOUD FAST. I’LL CRASH MY CAR JUST FOR YOU I’LL BURN MY HOUSE DOWN JUST FOR YOU I’LL RIP MY NUTS OFF JUST FOR YOU I’LL MAX MY CREDIT CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARDS

If this doesn’t have any f-bombs in it I’m gonna make CRZ play it

IT DOES NOT

I already sent in our requests for this week but this is for sure coming in future weeks.

20. Paper Moon: People Were Talking But Now They Are Forgetting
    I don’t remember this but it’s good! It has handclaps 🙂 I’m gonna make CRZ play this too HANDCLAPS AGAIN

I wonder how long I’m going to do this for? I don’t have time to do all 9,268 songs. I got two (2) songs to be forced onto Minneapolis airwaves and I’m not totally embarrassed by my taste from a decade ago. Is that enough?

21. Blur: Strange News From Another Star
    As if I or anyone listened to anything but Song 2 from this album.
22. Danko Jones: Make a Move
    YES. This experiment is teaching me that I haven’t listened to enough Danko Jones in a long time and I need to remedy that.
23. Bebe & Serge: Comé Churro
    Okay so I saw these guys opening for someone. Bob Log III maybe? I remember they were one of the great WTF concert experiences. This particular track is also a WTF experience and might be several songs and might have been joined partway through? I don’t know what this is.
24. Selina Martin with the Faceless Forces of Bigness: Grace, Too
    This is a Tragically Hip cover from a compilation tied to the book Have Not Been The Same. The best way I can describe it is to say that at first, I assumed this was still part of the Bebe & Serge song.
25. Sloan: Same Old Flame
    This is good and I have exactly nothing to say about it.
26. Great Big Sea: Jakey’s Gin
    DRINK ‘ER UP BOYS IT’S WELL AFTER 10

It’s 10:02 and my drink is about done. Should I take this as a cue to wrap this up?

27. Ben Folds Five: Smoke
    Wait no this song is good
28. Beck: Earthquake Weather
    This is good too but it is chill and I’m starting to get sleepy
29. we have a no Jian Ghomeshi rule in this house and so I will skip this Moxy Früvous song

I still know how to make the ü from memory

30. Foo Fighters: Rope
    And we’re back to Foo Fighters. This seems like a nicely full-circle place to stop. I wonder if I know how to post anything on the new blog thing?

Tags: music