Live Set: Songs From 108 Birch Way, 1990

 

Live Set: Songs From 108 Birch Way, 1990 (Shlep)

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On Christmas Day 1989, Glen and I went out for coffee at Perkin's in East St. Paul, Minnesota. I invited him out to convince him to move to California with me. We must have been there three hours, but we left that place caffeinated and with a plan to move to Marin County in three months.

Glen's good friend Nick already lived there and Nick was willing to rent a house with us, and he got us set up - after "the camper days" (we lived in a camper at his mom's for 3 days upon arrival from our Greyhound trip from MN) - in a house in Santa Venetia (aka Scabo) at 108 Birch Way.

From April 1st thru September of 1990, we fit more parties and good times in that place.... we can't say we didn't make the most of it. And we survived.

A few years ago, Nick made a 17-song mix of a sort of a Greatest Hits from that summer, which you can download here. It is the definitive mix.  My mix consists of 30 songs - not all great songs, but definitely markers of a time. I didn't include any from Nick's mix.. but since mine clocks in at around 2 hours and 10 minutes, perhaps Nick will play some from his after mine and we'll go out on a high note.

Editing from 40 songs to 30 was tough.  I slashed a few we still hear and don't really need to hear again - "Wicked Game", "I Touch Myself", "Personal Jesus", "Here's Where the Story Ends", "Freedom '90", "Epic" and "Cuts You Up" are still songs you hear today. I included a few that we still hear, but were so integral to my memories of that summer, I couldn't cut them.  That said, cutting George Michael was a damn, dirty shame. (Get on board, haters).

Every single song reminds me specifically of Birch Way. They aren't just from that era-- they are specific to the house. The only possible exception is one track from a band that seemed to always be coming out of Glen's room-I made my best guess! Some are just from listening to Live 105 in my room or watching MTV in the living room, but they bring me back.

So time travel and spend a few hours in the summer of 1990. Compiling this show, I was transported to that house. I could walk around inside, and - no kidding - some of the smells came back... and not all of them were gross!

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