This mixtape is called The Chronicles Of Amber Volume 1

No I have not read this book. However, when I saw it in a little free library I had to have it.

The last house I lived in during college had cable. I lived in a house where I was 1 of 5 people. As had been planned one of the 5 moved out mid-year and we got a new unknown roommate. Dude was an aspiring sheriff who had recently gained employment as a guy who rode in the back of an armored car. When he joined our household mid year he required cable. I bet he liked to watch some kind of fighting.

This meant that when I was around the house I had access to cable as well. In addition to my beloved MTV this cable package had a BBC channel that would play a show called "Later with Jools Holland". If you're unfamiliar with Jools he was an original member of the band Squeeze. I don't know when his "Later" show started but I do know that when I found it loved it. You knew it was going to be music but you never knew what. It might be something you were familiar with or it could be something you'd never encountered. It seemed to show often when I was home for lunch so I was hyped. This offset living with a wannabe cop.

One of my favorite parts of the show was when you would see other artists/bands in the background of one of the other artists/bands performance. I started down a rabbit hole to try to find an example from the era where I was watching but then I found this this performance of (mixtape alum) Slowthai giving a full on studio tour while also saying hi to local favorite Little Simz.

The other day I was thinking about how I put these mixtapes together and "Later With Jools Holland" popped into my head. The thing I loved about the show is he always seemed legitimately hyped about the performer. Like "hey I really like this and maybe you will too..." followed up with "...but if that's not your thing try this group out!". Sometimes the different bands on the show would be super duper disparate giving an off a really interesting vibe. But it always just seemed to work. I think that is the vibe I am forever chasing.

So thanks Jools... thanks weird cop roommate. Without you this mix wouldn't have been possible.