Chad Mize was born into the age of cassettes in 1974.
“Growing up, cassettes were a thing for me. I was a child of the ‘80s,” Mize, a St. Pete-based visual artist told CL.
Like many at that time, Mize grew up as a fan of singers like Madonna and Janet Jackson and groups like Wham! and Depeche Mode. Along with listening music, he took part in its DIY culture, making mixes of songs on cassettes, his own intros and outros included.
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“I would always make mixtapes for friends and girlfriends. Back in the day, you would just record your voice and do little intros and outros,” Mize, 43, said.
But since then, he’s ditched the old-timey cassettes and these days, makes MP3 playlists for anyone who cares to listen. Complete with their own specially designed cover and quirky theme, Mize houses them under the “mixes” tab on his website. With names like “Tokyo Seahorse,” “Nolege is Power” and “Shucks!,” his mixes span many genres and decades, reflecting Mize’s eclectic taste. Dance, R&B, hip-hop, rock and pop songs are all sprinkled in amongst each other, along with tons of remixes.
Mize started doing mixes in 2015, consistently putting out one playlist every month. But since then, he’s slowed down on making them (he’s only made one this year) because his work has kept him busy.
“I had one year where I was like ‘I’m gonna make a mix every month and I’m gonna document this whole year,’” Mize said. “I guess I had more time on my hands then because it’s time consuming. Now that I’m so busy, I’m not really doing it as much.”
The “mixes” tab is an oddity on a website where Mize also shows his murals, solo art exhibits and design work. But there’s a reason why it’s there. For Mize, music in the background is integral when creating his art. Lately, BBC Radio 1, especially Irish DJ Annie Mac’s Friday show, has been on rotation in his studio.
“I love listening to her show because I always find a song or two that I like. When I’m in my studio (listening to her show), I feel like I’m in London,” Mize said. “When I’m creating, I always love to listen to music. It’s always been just part of me and it’s an inspiration for what I do.”
There’s also a personal purpose for making his mixes. They serve as good time stamps for everything that’s happened in Mize’s life, the same way albums do for other people.
“I love the fact that for me, the music documents the time period (in my life) so I can go listen to that mix and be transported back to that time,” Mize said. “I feel that that’s what music does for me and it’s powerful. I like that idea of documenting because it’s like a diary.”
Download Chad Mize's music mixes via ChadMize.com. Get more information on the Illsol's Letterheads show where Mize will be showing via local.cltampa.com.
This article appears in Aug 17-24, 2017.