From the Surfside

Part XI “Blank Tape” Part 11 of 12 After a complete listen to the remnants (the “non-labeled songs”), I discover the tunes that follow on side B have all been taped off the radio station Cape 104 (WKPE), the Top 40 station of choice in the mid to late 80s on Cape Cod. Even though I purchased this cassette on the Cape and was fairly certain about where it originated, the front and back announcements by the DJ announcing Cape 104 are proof positive that this cassette was, without a doubt, produced on and by a resident of Cape Cod. But assuming the balance of these songs on the second side are not part of the original “Olive Juice ‘87” compilation because they aren’t written out on the label, and there’s inconsistency in the quality and care of the recordings, I have questions. Questions like, Who’s responsible for these additional songs on side B? Was it the recipient of “Olive Juice ‘87”? Noticing about 25 minutes of blank tape on side B, maybe he nor she decided to ...

“Flip the Tape” Part 10 of 12 Side B: Track #1 - “Stuck With You” The second side of “Olive Juice ‘87” starts with the familiar formula we heard on the first side where Olive Juice kicks things off with a mainstream pop hit. On side B it’s “Stuck with You” by Huey Lewis and the News. Huey was red hot in the mid 80s thanks to the #1 single from the “Back to the Future” soundtrack. In fact, “Stuck With You” is the follow up single to “The Power of Love” and the second #1 single for Huey & Co.  Is Olive Juice pandering to the object of his affection here again? If so, it’s worth noting that this one is NOT taped off the radio. Track #2 - “No One Is To Blame” Interesting song choice. One that moves away from the theme of love and tackles those of  infidelity, shyness, and the complicated times in life where one can look but cannot touch.  But when putting together a mix, sometimes the mood of a song can prove to be more powerful than the song's...

"The Final Stretch of Side A" Part 9 of 12 Track #8 - “True Blue” Just as quickly as the mood got creepy with some deep Depeche Mode, we take a sharp left to get out of the woods. No worries that the Juice might be an over-obsessed lover, that’s a different OJ. Straying from the 80’s New Wave/Alternative music vibe, Olive Juice drives to the lane with an easy Madonna lay-up. “True Blue, baby, I love you.”  Sure, lyrically, this song sums up the entire purpose of this tape in one catchy pop song, but even though it’s the album’s namesake, I think we all know that “Live To Tell” is the real winner from this album. However, when it comes to lyrics, a song about distrust, lies, and childhood scars would probably have ruined the mood Olive Juice had so carefully created up to this point (sans creepy Depeche Mode mood). So I give him credit for resisting any urge that may have been bubbling under to include “Live to Tell”. Track #9 - “I Want You” This is ...

"Reset the Counter" Part 8 of 12 Track #4 - “Something About You” As an 8th grader in a small town on the south shore of Massachusetts, I used to walk around singing “Something About You” by Level 42 in my head while thinking about one girl, and one girl only. Yes, I had a crush. A big one. And while I never made her a mixtape or even made it known that I had a crush on her, this track seemed to sum up everything that my 14-year old self felt at the time. Congratulations Olive Juice. You beat me to it. Unlike the first three songs, this one has a very clean launch and a slightly extended intro. It’s obviously not the radio single edited version. And with a very clean ending to the recording to match, it’s obvious this wasn’t dubbed from the radio.  Here we have the first evidence of a song from his, or at least someone’s, personal music collection. I’m starting to feel good about where this might be headed. Track #5 - “If You Leave” The O...

"Roll the Tape" Part 7 of 12 Part VII - “Roll the Tape” Well, let’s start where it all began. Wednesday, March 4, 1987. It’s late on a school night. A young male, simply known as Olive Juice, sits hunched over a bedside table, nervously, yet carefully, writing out the names of 15 songs he has painstakingly chosen to share with a close friend. The statement is powerful and the lettering on the cassette needs to display just as much confidence as his choice in songs — no shaky hesitation in the lettering, no smudges of the pen, and for the love of all that’s holy, no freakin’ misspelled words. Because remember, the only thing that lasts longer than the sentiment of a good mixtape, is the unholy presence of Wite-Out on a mixtape label. It’s turning your head to the same side as your partner when going in for the first kiss, it’s nervously answering “Good” to the greeting of “What’s up?”, it’s audibly farting on the first date. It’s a move you’ll be forever remem...