WTMD intern Josh Flynn is counting down the days until he graduates from Towson University. And on Thursday night at 8, he'll recount some of the artists who schooled him outside of the classroom.
Growing up in Colorado, Flynn says, "I really didn't have much direction with music and just liked [the mainstream rap] they played on my local radio stations." His horizons broadened after a friend recommended he pick up a copy of Mustard Plug's Evildoers Beware. "The first play through the CD turned me into a lifelong ska fan," he says.
Flynn features some of his favorite ska artists with tracks from Mad Caddies and Streetlight Manifesto.
The rest of the mix tape follows Josh's transition from rock bands to more independent tracks, including Blackalicious and Zero 7. He also shares a track by Fool Dadaz Fireow, a French funk-rock collective that he discovered on a site promoting music designated with a Creative Commons license.
"Bands upload their music for people to download for free," he says. "Obviously, donations are always accepted and encouraged, but it really gives the impression that these artists are making the music for the sake of the art rather than the paycheck."
JOSH FLYNN'S MIX TAPE:
•••• Mustard Plug, "You"
•••• The Impossibles, "Plan B"
•••• Deviates, "Come With Me"
•••• Mad Caddies, "Weird Beard"
•••• Streetlight Manifesto, "Keasbey Nights"
•••• Blackalicious, "Alphabet Aerobics"
•••• De La Soul, "Change in Speak"
•••• Fool Dadaz Fire, "La Curee (feat. Tixi)"
•••• Zero 7, "Swing"
•••• 311, "8:16 A.M."
•••• Incubus, "Summer Romance"
•••• Eagle-Eye Cherry, "Save Tonight"
•••• Third Eye Blind, "The Background"