The Thousands

Ho ho ho… etc.

We don’t mean to sound like fence sitters, but we can’t side with either the ‘it’s the most wonder-ful time of the year!’ enthusiasts, nor the opposing ‘bah humbug!’ misers. Truth is, Christmas can be a great celebration and a relaxing unwind at the end of a long year, or it can be a stressful, disappointing hassle.

Regarding Christmas, what we’ve done here (as always) is to maximize the best bits, and minimize the worst. We asked Santa himself to compile us a mixtape of the best Christmas music. Santa, as it turns out, is a pretty hip dude. You may think it’s all sleigh music and naff classics, but Santa’s actually into shoegaze, hip-hop, and indie rock. Here, we asked him a few questions about the mix he’s made us. Merry Christmas everybody.

What makes a great mix?
It has to come from the heart. You know someone cares about you if they give you a mix. I knew I was on the outs with Mrs. Claus when she gave a mixtape to that new elf with the pointy nose… grr…

Who are some of your favorite bands?
I like a lot of the bands on this mix – which includes The Knife, Run DMC, Wavves, My Morning Jacket, and Coconut Records. I also love all those Phil Spector girl bands. Poor Phil. So brilliant but so mad! 

What’s your favourite song on the mix, and why?
I like ‘Silver Bells’ by Moon Duo. They stuck to the original structure but made something cool and and edgy out of a song that normally makes me want to jump down a lit chimney.

Why is most Christmas music so naff?
People have so much other stuff to worry about at Christmas, between buying presents and cooking dinner and driving four hours for one night. They want something that’s mindlessly optimistic, and so do the people singing the songs.

What do you have in store for Christmas this year?
Oh, the usual toys, cars, booze, a tie for dad and a fruitcake no one will eat. I’m not re-inventing the wheel each year, y’know?