Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, and always a salute to the ones that are gone too soon!
RECORD STORE TALES Part 205: Dad Rock
When Ashleigh started at our store she became the resident hippie. Everybody loved Ash, she was one of the best. I teased her a bit about hippie things, and called her Crunchy Granola. This was all done (and hopefully taken) in fun, because she is really a great person. If you needed to know anything about Simon & Garfunkel, the Dead, Ani DiFranco or Dave Matthews Band, she was the one to ask. She knew it all.
There was a generational thing between us, and I remember this was obvious when we were setting up a Father’s Day display. We were looking for CDs and movies that “typical dads” would like for Father’s Day gifts. I would say things like “Dads like World War II movies,” while she said, “Dads like Kim Mitchell.”
“What?” I said incredulously. “Dads do not like Kim Mitchell. My dad thinks Kim Mitchell is a girl.”
Ash gave me a patient look. “Dads do like Kim Mitchell. That’s what dads listen to now.”
“Cool people listen to Kim Mitchell,” I responded quietly.
I slowly absorbed all this new information. Dads liked Kim Mitchell? But Kim Mitchell was one of my highschool idols. My dad had no interest in doing his “Rock N Roll Duty”. This must have meant that people of the Kim generation were dads themselves now…and had kids as old as Ash! Jesus!
Kim’s dad is in this video!
A little later on, Ash start socializing with this guy named Andy. At first I was skeptical of Andy because of his large gauge piercings and dreadlocks. He didn’t talk much.
Turns out Andy was just shy. Ash approached me one day.
“Andy thinks you’re cool. He wants you to make a mix tape for him. Would you be willing to do that?”
Taken aback, I said “Seriously? Sure! He thinks I’m cool? What kind of music does he want on here?”
Ash paused. She took a deep breath.
“Dad rock. Stuff like Kim Mitchell and Van Halen and David Lee Roth.”
Once again, I paused to absorb all this new information. Ash was with a guy who liked “dad rock”. This was awesome. I started laughing. I gasped for breath, as my face turned red.
“Oh…my…God! Andy likes Kim Mitchell! You’re going to have to listen to Kim Mitchell with him aren’t you?”
“Possibly,” she mumbled.
“This is awesome. This is awesome. This is awesome. I can’t wait to get started. Seriously, I already have ideas. Right on. This is going to be an awesome mix tape.”
Good as my word, eventually I furnished a custom mix tape, with liner notes and carefully selected music to entertain and hopefully enlighten. I wish I had kept a copy. Unfortunately, I didn’t. So in lieu of the actual track list, here’s the mix tape I would make today given the exact same circumstances. Let me know what you think!
Side One:
Van Halen – Eruption, Runnin’ With the Devil
Kim Mitchell – Kids In Action
Max Webster – Hangover
Talas – NV43345
David Lee Roth – Shy Boy
Van Halen – Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love
Max Webster/Rush – Battle Scar
Rush – Tom Sawyer
Dream Theater – Pull Me Under
Side Two:
Rush – 2112 (Side One)
Kim Mitchell – Lager and Ale
Van Halen – Hot For Teacher
Rush – Subdivisions
Max Webster – Toronto Tontos
Kim Mitchell – Sudbury Saturday Night
This is not the last of Andy’s exploration of the greatest music of all time either…stay tuned for…
Part 206! Rock Video Night!
I miss the mix tape format, the carefully selected tracklist & saving a solid opener for side two (2112 definitely works there). I believe your list would meet the criteria of ‘dad rock’ – nice mix of Kim Mitchell solo & Max Webster, well done!
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Thanks sir! I used to really enjoy making tapes. I haven’t made one in years.
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Great cross section of songs….I think I would include Roths Bump & Grind as well Mike for the seedier side of the playlist ….hahahahahaha ..i
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Hey Deke, maybe if I put it on a 100m tape I could fit it in! I’ll do Tobacco Road too!
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Cute story, Mike,
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Tobacco Road..classic…..actually put the whole damn EaT Em album on there would ya?..and glazed donut and a bottle of anything to go..go..go..go..go..go…
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I think of that line every time I go to Timmy’s, man! (Add in one of their sausage breakfast sandwiches.)
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I miss mix tapes too! We even tried to revive it! I don’t think it took. Mix CDs are certainly easier, now, but there was a love put into doing things in real time, a song at a time. Very High Fidelity.
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High Fidelity really nailed the essence of the tape. I’m spoiled by the ease of making a CD today. Back then I would easily spend 2 hours on a 1 hour tape, if not more. Then you had to play it back to make sure it sounds good.
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I recall spending longer, playing with track lists on paper first…
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