Bug's Birthday Playlist

Listen to a playlist I curated for my friend's 40th birthday.

My best friend will turn 40 this weekend. His sister and her husband are throwing a party at their house, and his brother-in-law asked me to make a playlist for the occasion–a task I take too seriously. 

I’ve known Bug for 25 years, and we’ve been close for at least the last 15. We drank away most of our twenties together in shitty Broad Ripple bars. He moved into the first house I ever owned, a two bedroom Fletcher Place condo my parents purchased for cash when that was still possible for well under six figures. When my girlfriend moved in, the three of us continued to live together for a year before Bug was amicably pushed out. He was a groomsman at our wedding. 

Bug and I share a love of 10% stouts, guitar-driven indie rock, and a disdain for capitalism. But we really bonded over music. We went to a lot of shows in Fountain Square when we lived together. We still do. We both maintain large record collections. He turned me on to Ty Segall, Jason Isbell, Ryan Davis, and a shitload of great jazz and hip-hop. He won’t admit this, but I got him into Sonny & The Sunsets, Richard Swift, and Jason Molina. Bug is also my default stereo technician, a role he despises. 

I was having issues with my speakers when I asked him to take a look one morning in early 2022. Of course, I couldn’t recreate the problem by the time he arrived at my house an hour or so later, but I was happy to have him there. Bug is a nurse, and I was experiencing some blurriness in my periphery vision. My depth perception was off. I had just banged my shin on the coffee table. 

After observing me for a few minutes, Bug called my mom to ask her to watch my one year-old son while he drove me to the hospital for further inspection. I was having my first minor seizure.

Back to the playlist

No one makes mixtapes anymore. A curated playlist isn’t subject to the same constraints and intention. Nevertheless, I invested a lot of consideration into the ~90 songs and six hours that comprise the playlist I put together for Bug’s 40th birthday party. Summing up 20 years of friendship and shared music is a difficult task, but that’s what I aimed to do with this playlist. Because I’m the curator it reflects me as much or more than him. I also tried to make sure it wouldn’t put anyone to sleep or send them running for the exits. So it’s more upbeat than a playlist I’d curate for myself. 

I hope this playlist offers a glimpse into 20 years of shared listening. I hope it reflects the genuine love I feel for my friend. I hope it keeps the crowd awake. I hope it continues to grow and evolve.