When I was a little kid, I didn’t just look up to my cousins—I idolized them. They weren’t just my cousins; they were like older brothers. They were cooler, hipper, and knew things I could only dream of understanding at that young age. And one of the biggest influences they had on me? Music.
My first memory of music comes from those early childhood days at home. My mom had this big cabinet record player, a little worn from use but still holding its magic. I still have a vivid memory of her playing Bob Seger records while she cleaned the house. The sound of “Night Moves” or “Turn the Page” would fill the room, and I remember thinking how those songs seemed to carry stories, emotions, and memories all in one. It was my first taste of how music could transform a simple afternoon into something memorable.
Things shifted when I got a little older. My uncle started giving us these homemade recorded tapes. He’d record them himself, compiling tracklists that included the best of the best: Metallica, Megadeth, and so many other rock and metal artists. Those tapes weren’t just pieces of plastic with music on them—they were passports to a whole other world that I would soon discover.
I remember the thrill of holding one of those tapes, knowing it contained music that was raw, loud, and unapologetic. Those songs became a way for me to express myself, and also understand myself. Every song, every note became a piece of my soul. Those tapes weren’t just music to me; they were experiences, memories, and emotions all wrapped into one.
And that’s how the Midwest Mixtape was born. It started as a feeling—a connection to those memories of childhood, family, and music’s undeniable power. It’s about sharing the sounds that shaped or shape me, the artists that told my story before I even knew how to tell it myself.
The Midwest Mixtape isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about honoring the music that carried me through my life’s early chapters and still shapes who I am today. It’s a tribute to my cousins, my uncle, my mom’s Bob Seger records—and to every riff, lyric, and melody that has ever inspired me to love music just a little more deeply.
Music has been my constant companion. And no matter how far life takes me, I know those early memories—the Seger afternoon, the homemade tapes—will always be part of my story. The picture below are THE tapes. I still have some and I’m thankful for my buddy Mike Haley for capturing their essence in a single shot.
The Barn 