The Mixtape & Your Retro Lifestyle

Welcome to Phoenix Mixtapes Retro Lifestyle Blog

This blog will explore retro music and entertainment technology from the 70s, 80s and 90s, and show how this culture and technology is still very much alive and kicking. It will also explore how this technology has the potential to bring us back to a slower pace of life, bringing excitement and nostalgia and less demand for instant gratification.

All about me!

Yes a selfish start, but we have to start somewhere.

Hi, I'm Chris, Founder of Phoenix Mixtapes, and lover of all things "retro". I place inverted commas around the retro as I I don't technically view the things we talk about as that. Maybe I'm eccentric and can't let go of the past, but honestly I've been surrounded by this type of technology and the 80s and 90s culture since I was born.

Remember Pogs?

It's a part of me and embedded into my soul. My home is full of what would be classed as "retro" stuff by today's generation, (many of whom, probably wouldn't even know what half of it was).

Growing up (ish)!

I grew up in Camden Town, London, the old school capital of the world. An eccentric place, with the much loved punks, EMO's, Goths and the all important free food market.

Welcome to Camden Town

You could get a full lunch and dinner by just walking through the indoor markets, complete with an assortment of asian buffets. All of which compete to give you tasters of their products. You would traverse from one to the other, gathering your "supplies". At the other end, you would emerge briefly into the daylight, to gorge on your catch next to the canal lock.

Throughout this eclectic journey, I would be accompanied by my trusty walkman, with my "pirated" tapes. You remember the days (hopefully), of recording (or at least trying to when the DJ let you), all your favourite songs off the radio? I had some pretty awesome mixes, that used to take me hours to build. Well worth it, when you get to enjoy the 60 minutes of low fuzz and crackling rock, that emanated from your fuzzy foam headphones. Those were the days, and still are. The same walkman is playing music into my ears as I type.

Finally

I hope you enjoy this nostalgic trip, and hopefully it encourages you guys to get back on it, or try something new, that maybe only your parents spoke about briefly. You won't be disappointed. Leave us comments below about your growing up days, what technology did you use?