KeySpins: The Chain #1
Related sets of three songs Chain. This is Chain #1
For this episode, we’re starting a new series: “Key Spins Chains.”
It began with a simple DJ game between Robert and Gregory, passing songs back and forth like musical whispers. Our goal was to create a thread of connection, linking tracks through people, places and things. We have linked instruments, clubs, concerts, people and anything really.
Our first experiments were too brief—a single song felt more like a statement than a conversation. Expanding to five lost the thread, the connections becoming too diluted. But three… three was the magic number. It was just enough to establish a vibe, tell a micro-story, and pass the baton.
Thus, The Chain was born.
The rules are beautifully simple: one person adds three songs to a shared playlist. The next person listens to the final track and finds an informational bridge to their own first song, explaining the connection. From there, anything goes. The philosophy is simple: Less Rules, More Fun.
We’ve had a blast crafting these chains in private, and now we’re thrilled to introduce our very first public chain to you. We hope you enjoy listening to the connections unfold as much as we enjoyed creating them.
How to listen to this playlist?
Click on the link below for the streaming service you sub. Be sure to scroll to see the connections for each set.
Chain #1 Playlist with Connections
Slava Tsukerman - Alien’s Theme II - Liquid Sky (2019)
Broadcast - Black Cat - Tender Buttons (2005)
Automatic - Mind Your Own Business - Mind Your Own Business (2019)
R: Automatic took their name from The Go Go’s track, Automatic
The Go-Go’s - Automatic - Beauty And The Beat (1981)
Say She She - Cut & Rewind - Cut & Rewind (2025)
Stereolab - Captain Easychord - Sound-Dust (2001)
G: My connection for all three songs is former members or players with Stereolab. Your track was from Stereolab’s album Sound-Dust which was recorded in the Chicago studio, Soma, owned by John McEntire. McEntire also played on Stereolab’s Emperor Tomato Ketchup and Dots and Loops albums. He was a founding member of both Tortoise (who also recorded in Soma) and The Sea and Cake. Sean O’Hagen was a member of Stereolab in 1993 and he left to form The High Llamas.
Tortoise - Oganesson - Oganesson (2025)
The High Llamas - Hi Ball Nova Scotia - Cold And Bouncy (1998)
The Sea and Cake - Sound & Vision - One Bedroom (2003)
R: Sound and Vision cover of Bowie’s original. My connecting track is from that same album, followed by two tracks from English bands that sound a lot like Bowie.
David Bowie - Speed of Life - Low (1977)
The Fortunes - Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again - The Very Best (2015)
The Hollies - The Air That I Breathe - Hollies (1974)
G: Gram Nash cofounder of The Hollie’s added his distinctive voice to this A-Ha song.
a-ha - Over The Treetops - Analogue (2005)
The Church - Columbus - Heyday (1985)
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car - Tracy Chapman (1988)
R: Tracy Chapman was a stand in for Stevie Wonder at Nelson Mandela’s 70th birthday Concert. The other two artists in this set also performed for that same event.
Stevie Wonder - You Haven’t Done Nothin’ - The Definitive Collection (2002)
Eurythmics - Love Is a Stranger - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (1983)
Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed - Waiting (1983)
G: The Specials are directly related to Fun Boy Three because Fun Boy Three was formed by three ex-members of The Specials: Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, and Neville Staple.
The Specials - Nite Klub - The Specials (1979)
The Beat - Can’t Get Used to Losing You - I Just Can’t Stop It (1980)
The Clash - Ivan Meets G.I. Joe - Sandinista! (1980)
R: The Clash made their second public appearance along with the Buzzcocks-both opening for the sex pistols. 1976 I think.
Buzzcocks - Why Can’t I Touch It? - Singles Going Steady (1979)
Talk Talk - Life’s What You Make It - The Colour of Spring (1986)
Book Of Love - I Touch Roses - Book Of Love (1986)
G: Book of Love hung out in NYC disco Danceteria as did Squeeze, The Cult, Certain General and Gregory!! Certain General actually played at Danceteria and they used the procedes to record November’s Heat.
Squeeze - Tempted - Greatest Hits (1992)
The Cult - Spiritwalker - Dreamtime (2024)
Certain General - Only a Dream - November’s Heat (2010)
R: Certain General opened for many bands, like New Order and Gang of Four.
Gang of Four - The History Of The World - Songs of the Free (1982)
Dead Can Dance - The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove - Into the Labyrinth (1993)
Blancmange - I Can’t Explain - Happy Families (1982)
Can you think of a song to link with Blancmange - I Can’t Explain? Leave a comment with the connection.
The Data Below
30 songs, about 1 hr 45 min
Genre’s in this chain: electroclash, dream pop, neo-psychedelic, shoegaze, post-punk, egg punk, new wave, retro soul, art pop, krautrock, post-rock, math rock, slowcore, baroque pop, glam rock, motown, classic soul, soul, ska, rocksteady, ska punk, punk, proto-punk, madchester, power pop, synthpop, darkwave, gothic rock, neoclassical, deathrock, new age, cold wave, hard rock, glam metal, funk rock, jangle pop
More connections (not in chain):
The Specials’ guitarist and songwriter Lynval Golding provided backing vocals on The Beat’s classic track “Stand Down Margaret,” directly linking the two 2-Tone era bands.
Stereolab and Broadcast not only shared the Warp Records roster but also released a split single together in 1998, featuring the tracks “One Note Sway” and “The Southern” respectively.
Buzzcocks’ frontman Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto previously formed the band The Buzzcocks together, before Devoto left to form Magazine, a direct post-punk contemporary of Gang of Four.