The making of a mixtape. Or a mix CD if you are in this modern age. It's a massive task. Of course, on the surface you are just slapping songs together in iTunes now. On the surface it's just some songs that you have that your mate doesn't that you want to play them.

But of course, it's never just that.

It's an artform. Many people have wrote about the way that making the tapes back in 'the day' was more than just picking tunes; man, it was an expression. So I start off with some live track of a singer songwriter fellow. Dead short, mind, don't want to bore them - but it's a killer. It's lyrical, poetic, emotional - there's some beautiful symbolism in a little song that runs less than a minute. Then you've got to bring in the big guitars and the drums, so then you bring in something heavy but poppy.  You keep it level like this for the next tune, then start to bring it down. Don't do what bands do and slap their hit singles at tracks two or three - you want to at least save the best stuff.

Now, after getting some top songs to open, you can settle into a sort of groove. I went with a funk tune, followed by an acoustic number, then a silly rap song about baked goods. Because, you know, I'm not serious. Jesus, I'm a fun loving sort of guy, right? Lighten up. I love sweet foods, who doesn't. Let's party and get some cookies in, fuck those non-biscuit loving bastards.

Then you get them. You slam down a bonafide "one". I opted with a home recorded number of some band I used to play with back in the day. Sure, it's by no means fantastic.. but it means something to me. There's one line in it, man, it's beautiful. Of course, I can not, will not, ruin that here. You're not the person the CD's for. It won't make sense to you.

Then, I put in a couple of wildcards. I wasn't to sure in this case - at bare minimum, if you've got two wildcard tracks, you want to spread them out, but I put them two side-by-side here. I've got a strange pop-electro rap piece, followed by a slightly depressing man mumbling into a microphone over some beats. These two, they are a bit weird... but you never know. They might work. You can't be into catchy indie all the time, you know?

Then I got some rap song but performed with a big band. The drums link with the last track pretty well, almost seamless. Again, it's a pretty emotional one. But cool with it, you know? Then you break out a killer, one you'll know they'll love - A sort of band you guys have seen before, but one they have not mentioned before, so slip it in, just in case they haven't heard them before.

Then another little upbeat but not too aggressive tune - I went from that reggae rap guy, he's pretty lyrical. Then I get in a couple of acoustic tunes, one pretty emotional, the other a bit one more laid back but just as passionate. Then I kick up with some band, another one back from my way, a pretty decent one, one of their rock numbers.

And to end with, some lyrical mastermind with one his best tunes. And I mean, best. I don't think this an ender, but nothing else will fit, you know. I just hope they get these tunes... I really do.