Random Rules: Steve Mandich

"In Random Rules, The A.V. Club asks some of its favorite people to set their MP3 players to shuffle and comment on the first few tracks that come up -- no cheating or skipping embarrassing tracks allowed."

I bought myself a new iPod a few weeks back and loaded it up with a couple thousand songs. Then, as soon as I got the idea to do my own Random Rules, I swear to Baby Jesus that these were the first ten songs to come up...

"Panic in Detroit," David Bowie

A credible, cool track to start with -- whew! -- from 1973's Aladdin Sane. Like the many other songs I've been downloading from iTunes, it cost me a measly 99 cents.

"Evil Woman," Electric Light Orchestra

Another iTunes purchase, mostly 'cause the chorus is fun to sing along with in the car (at least when it's on the radio -- I don’t yet have a way to play the iPod in the car).

"Doin’ It," LL Cool J

Yet another iTunes purchase. I was amused by the song when it was big about ten years ago ("I represent Queens/ She was raised out in Brooklyn"), but not 'til hearing it through my iPod headphones did I realize it was so pornographic.

"Sofa King," Dangerdoom

This one was ripped from my own copy of The Mouse & the Mask, one of my favorite albums in recent years. You say funny thing.

"Anyway You Want It," Dave Clark 5

Digital DC5 tracks are hard to come by -- I got this one off a British Invasion anthology I borrowed from the library. A great Kinks-y rocker, faithfully covered years later by the Ramones.

"Woman," Wolfmother

I ripped the whole Wolfmother album off a friend's CD. It's the first album I've listened to in its entirety -- and continue to listen to frequently -- on the new iPod. The guy sings "whoa-mon" just like Robert Plant!

"Bad Trip," the Wailers

Not the reggae Wailers, but Tacoma's seminal garage band. Kind of a weak song though, a sort of "Incense & Peppermints" knockoff. Also from the library -- I wouldn't've dropped 99 cents for it.

"Smoking Gun," Robert Cray

Yet another library find. I liked this song when it came out in the mid-'80s when I was in high school, excited that this cool local guy was getting some big exposure. I still like the song okay, but now it's more for nostalgic reasons.

"New Slang," the Shins

I heard and liked this song after repeatedly hearing it in a local coffee shop, and once I figure out what it was, I got it from iTunes. The video is pretty killer too.

"Feel So Fine (Feel So Good)," Johnny Preston

A snappy R&B track from another library anthology, The Rock 'N' Roll Era: '60s Keep On Rockin'.

So, that's it. I thank Baby Jesus that nothing potentially embarassing turned up, particularly my tracks by Dinah Shore, Insane Clown Posse, Jefferson Starship, Freddy Fender, 2 Live Crew, Gretchen Wilson, Freak Nasty...