Claudia Gonson : “John” Tape, Circa 1986
John was my boyfriend from age 15-19 or so, ie: my entire high school career. These of course are the years where music leaves a passionate, indelible mark on the core of your being. It’s hard for me to comment on these songs (or some of them, anyway) without wanting to shout “oh my god, this is the most amazing song EVER!!”
Which is why I am so grateful to John. I met John in the summer of 1983. I had just turned 15. A few days later, I introduced him to Stephin, my bandmate and best friend. They were both older than me, and musically precocious. I was a little doe-eyed kid who had only heard of the Beatles. The day they met, they immediately had an argument over which Lindsay Buckingham solo album was the best. I was scared they hated one another, but it turned out this is how some boys show how much they like one another.
The conversation then turned to Yoko Ono, and it went on, for months, years… Who got the latest single from Flying Nun, or Rough Trade, or Cherry Red? Who had the cool newest solo project from David Roback of the Rain Parade? (see the “Clay Allison” track below. They were then renamed Opal, and eventually morphed into Mazzy Star). We got fake IDs in Times Square, and went to see our favorite bands live, including the Bangles, Game Theory, the Chills, and The Three O’Clock.
It was clear to me that I needed lessons: “what’s the difference between the Rain Parade, The Raincoats, and Rainy Day”? These two men infused me with more information in a month than I could have gotten in years by myself. John would buy the first three Bee Gees albums and then make me a mix-tape of the best songs. All I think I discovered for him during our years together was the Smiths and REM.
Anyway, I am grateful beyond words for John and his mix tapes (and Stephin too of course). I am certain I would not be the person I am today had I not had this orthodox musical education. I’d probably be a banker or something.
John also showed me how to listen to production. He sat me down on the bed one day and put on the Archies “Sugar Sugar”. “Listen,” he said, “to the first verse. What instruments do you hear? Do you hear that tambourine coming in on the second verse? That tambourine on the second verse is the first rule of classic bubblegum production!”
Like many mix-tape artists, John worked hard to time out each song so that the tape wouldn’t have any remaining space at the end. He also began and ended the A-side of this particular tape with a song featuring the chimes of Big Ben (the Chills and Cheap Trick).
So many of these songs have stories and memories connected to them, I could write a story for each (in fact, John sent me a marvelous email in which he did just that). And, while I don’t want to sound like that person… but what the hell, I will- some of these songs are the BEST SONGS ON EARTH. EVER EVER EVER.
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The Chills- Doledrums |
Yoko Ono- Walking on Thin Ice |

Claudia Gonson is the pianist/drummer/backing vocalist for The Magnetic Fields . Her day job is as Stephin Merritt’s manager, handling all his band projects as well as theater, ads and film work. Currently Stephin is writing a musical version of the Neil Gaiman story “Coraline” for the stage, and The Magnetic Fields are touring to support their newest cd, “Distortion “. As a drummer, she has also played with the bands Astrud and Honey Bunch. Along with her performances with The Magnetic Fields and Future Bible Heroes , her drumming and backing vocals also appear on the Tender Trap album, “6 Billion People” and Astrud’s “Performance.”
They were into you, so they made you a tape. Today you don't have a cassette player, but you still can't toss that mix. We share the stories and the soundtrack to your earliest loves.
The amazing thing to me is that you’ve passed your lessons on to your friends. I met you in 1985 - and you shared everything with those of us not fortunate enough to have a sibling or a boyfriend/girlfriend with such interesting taste.
Love this.
I remember Stephin made me a lot of mix tapes back in those days. Although he never went so far as to explain the rules of bubblegum, I will confess that I can have intense emotional reactions to songs from those tapes. And he decorated them so well with cray-pas, too! I guess today’s teens pass thumb drives back and forth - which lacks some of the permanence of cassettes…and you never hear that wonderful lp crackle and tape hiss anymore. Thank you for sharing this!
This is so fucking cool and lovely,
Thank you!
[...] a project to "share the stories and the soundtrack to your earliest loves." Also features a great entry from Claudia Gonson of Magnetic Fields. posted by deern the headlice (7 comments total) 3 users marked this as a [...]
Nice, very nice. Doledrums is one of the best songs EVER EVER EVER.
i can’t get enough of this tape! its really the best. i feel so lucky to have heard it! thank you!
The Three O’Clock! That _would_ be 1986.
Love the addition of the Everly Bros, Acca Dacca and Died Pretty. Real great time capsule.
i love this post because, like bob dylan, lee scratch perry, and belle and sebastian, the magnetic fields themselves are ubiquitous on mixtapes. this includes the one that my first love made me. it had ‘i think i need a new heart’ and we used to listen to it driving around washington dc, which the magnetic fields also have a song about. those were the days. thanks.
First of all, I am tremendously jealous. This (highly necessary) education you received was one so many of us only stumbled upon in our later years and tried to flesh out, probably far more haphazardly.
You do a tremendous and seemingly effortless job conjuring the excitement at receiving such a mixtape. A really lovely essay.
Finally, regards to your mom, who was my 12th grade English teacher and with whom I later taught! You do her proud!
“Stephanie Says” from Velvet Underground - GREAT SONG !
I’m just stumboling into music now and I wish there was somone to point me in such interesting directions. This site is a wonder. Thankyou for sharing.
Also, if I was to do something similar for my current boyfriend (and first love) it would include some of your songs.