Mix: Greetings from Detroit
By Lisa Parisi
Historically speaking this city knows as much about making garage rock as Henry Ford knew about makin’ cars. And where our legends paved the route, contemporaries have picked up the torch and blazed through, one broken guitar string at a time, dive bar by dive bar; the Detroit legacy lives on. And this mix truly comes from Detroit; I’m not just talking location.
As is Detroit’s modus operandi, the creation of this playlist became a collective project, as to which I could never take full credit. Roughs were mastered and rushed from Tubor studios, bands consulted each other as to what track to submit, album art went from its draft stages to final polished projects, and the intensely personal (and comical) cover art for the mix was penned.
Why all this team work? Well it was twofold: for the love of our city and the creative enterprises we sustain here. There is something similar about the concept of GET BENT and what we do here in Detroit; it’s all grassroots, by-us-for-us, and all fueled by the love of rock and roll. And there is nothing more beautiful than seeing everyone rally together for what brought us together and keeps us together.
Featuring tracks all recorded within the past year, pop open a cold one, set that speaker volume to max, and get ready to hear Rock City’s rabble.
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Best Of Year One: Mixes, Giveaways & Events
In addition to our birthday shows, we’re celebrating our one year anniversary by looking back over our favorite news, reviews, features, and mixes, as Joseph, Kristen, Mariana, and Sonam make their picks for Best of Year One. And to show how far we’ve come, we’re also switching back to our original look for the week. It’s been an amazing twelve months, and we look forward to what the next twelve will bring. Thanks for reading.
There’s something intensely special about giving someone music, in any form. It could be via mix, gifting a record or tape, through making your friend listen to a song you love. Over the past year, we’ve shared music in every way we know how. Besides writing about it, we’ve made you seventy-six mixes—whether it’s compiled by the staff, a themed videogram, or put together by your favorite band. We’ve given away over a hundred records, tapes and concert tickets. Here’s to another another year of giving as much as I can to the people who’ve given me the best thing I could’ve asked for—a reason to get out of bed every morning.
Compiled below is a list of some of our favorite giveaways, events and mixes. If you want to contribute, contact me. - Sonam Parikh, Managing Editor
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Staff Mix: Year One Stories - Getting to GET BENT
In addition to our birthday shows, we’re celebrating our one year anniversary by looking back over our favorite news, reviews, features, and mixes, as Joseph, Kristen, Mariana, and Sonam make their picks for Best of Year One. And to show how far we’ve come, we’re also switching back to our original look for the week. It’s been an amazing twelve months, and we look forward to what the next twelve will bring. Thanks for reading.
For this month’s staff mix, we’ve decided to choose songs to tell our own stories of how we got here and why we love it. What’s the song that changed your life? Tell us your story in the comments below!
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Guest Mix: Can Con Killers
Ketamines’ Paul Lawton is a busy guy, between touring (dates here), the recent release of Spaced Out, and running Mammoth Cave Recording Co. So it’s pretty neat that he found some time to make us a mix of his current favorite Canadian bands. Download the mix here and check out our other guest mixes here.
1. Cousins (Halifax, NS) - Speech - Cousins released this song on a 7” last summer, and I just redescovered it on their brilliant new LP The Palm at the End of the Mind (Saved by Vinyl). Speech was my Summer jam last year, and it is getting me right back in the proverbial mood…
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Mix: Cinco De Mayo A-Go-Go! Mexican Garage, Oldies, and Psych
By Ruby Perez
Cinco de Mayo is here! And we all know what that means: No, it’s not about getting black out drunk, but celebrating the fact that the Mexican army, despite all odds, kicked some serious French ass at la Batalla de Puebla.
Although it was a small victory, and Cinco de Mayo has been commercialized by the United States, I firmly believe that this day should be used to recognize that there is something spectacular within the heart of these people.
Some of the bands featured are from Mexico, but others derive from various parts of Latin America as well. The time has come to pay some tribute to not only the sounds of Mexico, but all of Latin America for showing the world that yes, Si Se Puede.
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Guest Mix: Call Me On The Telephone
Nightmare Boyzzz last put out a split and the Nuclear Summer 7”, after which they toured around the states and played some superb shows at SXSW. They’re currently working on some new songs and planning a summer tour - don’t miss ‘em if they happen to come through your town! Download their mix here and browse our other mixes here.
Remember when you actually called your friend up just to chat…? Nightmare Boyzzz do, and they put together some music for the occasion!
We’re here to wipe the tear drops off your telephone and keep your ears ringing. These twelve phone related tunes are sure to keep you connected to the one you love, and hung up on rock n roll…
Tracklist after the cut.
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Mix: Music Is The Only One
By Lisa Parisi
Prolific and influential, today is Jay Reatard’s thirty-second birthday. As a celebration of his work, we made a mix of his projects. Snarky, loud and rude—just how he’d like it. Many’a rock and roll fan will cite Jay as an influence. His gusto was empowering and influenced many to pick up a guitar, grab a bucket, bang the shit outta it, and then record it all in your bathroom. His influence lives on and so, we honor it. Listen to Reatards, Angry Angles, Nervous Patterns, Bad Times and Final Solutions. Tracklist after the cut.
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Guest Mix: Ruben from Hardly Art Records
Ruben Mendez is “Vice President of Stuff” at Hardly Art Records, and he’s taken some time to compile a mix of some crucial jams for your listening pleasure. He’s helped put out records from some GET BENT favorites such as La Sera, Hunx and His Punx, The Beets, Jacuzzi Boys, and Xray Eyeballs. Download the mix here and check out our other guest mixes on 8tracks over here.
Bingo Trapper’s “God’s Biographer” is a song that I heard through my friend Sean. Actually, he introduced me to a Bingo Trappers lp, but this song is not from that lp. Anyway, all of their stuff is this great. I also broke a personal rule of having the first song from a record be the first up on a mix, but you don’t know that, nor do you care…
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Staff Mix: 4/20 Baby!
Regardless of whether you smoke a lot, a little, or none at all, marijuana has influenced many a song. Here are just a few.
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