I play bass.
I design websites.
I like a good idea.

Being involved in bands gives you a different perspective on the music world.

You see everything that happens before anyone gets onstage. Rehearsals, flyers, finding shows, hauling gear, getting everybody on the same page, and trying to make something happen.

I enjoy being part of that world.

Not just playing music, but being around people who care enough about it to put in the work.

And yes, I can spend an unreasonable amount of time talking about bass guitars and amplifiers.

I’d worked with websites before, but building sites for bands made it a completely different kind of project.

There was more personality to work with.

More interesting references.

More room to do something unexpected.

A band website didn’t have to be another template with a photo at the top and some tour dates underneath.

It could actually feel like the band.

That idea stuck with me.

I started realizing that one of my favorite parts wasn’t even building the site.

It was everything that happened before that.

Talking about the band. Looking at artwork. Digging through references. Coming up with an idea, deciding it wasn’t quite right, and finding something better.

Sometimes a concept comes together quickly.

Sometimes it takes a few unexpected turns.

I like that part.

I like the conversations that lead somewhere neither person expected.

And I like seeing those ideas turn into something real.

MixTape Art Dept. grew out of wanting to bring those interests together and make something of them.

I don’t want to build the same website over and over.

I want to get to know different artists, venues, studios, and music businesses, figure out what makes them interesting, and build something that belongs to them.

That sounds like a pretty good way to spend my time.