A few weeks ago, a friend confessed to playing a masochistic little game with his iTunes. The rules of the game, he said, are simple: put your music library on shuffle. Give yourself points for each song that has a pleasant association. Deduct points for each song that’s been ruined – or at least damaged – with an unpleasant association. Stop when you get too depressed to continue.

As the editors of Ruined Music, Bryan and I heartily endorse this idea. My friend just calls it “that sad thing I do with my iTunes sometimes,” but we decided to call it a Shuffle Scuffle – and we played it ourselves at RM HQ the other day. Here’s what happened for us; let us know what happens when you play! -Mary

RM HQ Shuffle Scuffle #1: 10 Songs Each

Bryan’s Scuffle

Mission of Burma – “Train”
I wish a better track came up, but Burma is Burma (or rather Myanmar is Burma, eh?). I love Mission of Burma. They’re one of my favorite bands, and the first time I saw them live (February 2002) was a time I’ll never forget. +2 for the only band that has ever picked up right where they left off and keeps getting better.

Deerhoof – “Chatterboxes”
What, you don’t like Deerhoof? +1 for awesomely bizarro jams.

The Lonely H – “All Hope”
My only association with this is that I remember their publicist managed to get my work email. There’s nothing weird about me getting PR emails, but these were the only ones that went to my work address and this band sort of bugged me for that reason. Their album is actually pretty good (look at that, your efforts paid off!) so I kept it on my computer, but I still feel mildly annoyed whenever I see their name. -1 for overzealous publicists.

Brian Eno – “Third Uncle”
This album was a Christmas present from Somethin’ Else, which was a record store in Brooklyn where I worked. The owner, Anthony, liked to get people gifts of music for the holidays, and it would usually be something interesting. Somethin’ Else was the kind of small neighborhood record shop that people trusted, where we’d try to find new records for each customer, dig up something they’d really appreciate or turn them on to something new. I think that’s why the regulars kept coming back. This gift followed in that principle, as it was meant to introduce me to some necessary and important music that I wasn’t familiar with. However, that means this record is closely associated with the store, which closed about a year ago. It was turned into a cream-colored showroom for a luxury condo development around the corner. There’s a lot I miss about Brooklyn, but there are some things I couldn’t have back even if I lived there again. -2 for more ugly condos in Brooklyn.

Sure Juror – “Harry Reems and the Gift of Life”
This score should be a +2, because I really like this band and a good friend of mine is in it, but this track is my least favorite on the record. It doesn’t get interesting until the last 40 seconds. -1 for shuffle totally picking the wrong song.

The Vibration – “Oh Well”
It’s not a happy song, but it’s got that perfect combination of creepy and poppy that I love. This band never fails to make me happy. +1 for creepy, poppy, sassy ladies.

Tex Penhaligon – “For Shame Of Doing Wrong”
This could go either way. I could say that this gets a negative score because I miss my friends in Brooklyn, but I’m going with the positive because I love my friends and am always happy to think of them. So, Tex Penhaligon was the alias of one of my best friends, Jared Friedman, doing a cover of the Sandy Denny song for our friend Daniella’s birthday. It was actually D who started the trend of cover albums - for my 25th birthday she secretly coordinated an album of covers of songs that I’d written, which my friends then recorded and unleashed at my birthday party. When her birthday came around, we did the same for her, and there have been more since, as it’s a become a tradition among my friends in New York. +2 for the best friends in the world.

The Shackeltons – “Madeline”
They played the After The Jump Fest this summer and were one of my favorite bands of the show! +1 for bands who cover themselves with branches, +1 for foliage abuse.

They Might Be Giants – “Particle Man”
A long time ago my friend Michael made a TMBG mix for me after I told him that I didn’t know much of their music. It was a great introduction to a band whose work I’d missed out on, and I really enjoyed a lot of it. The cover on the cd looked very professional and I was impressed by that. +2 for mix cds/primers from friends.

Wally Pleasant – “I was a Teenage Republican”
In college I dated a Republican who introduced me to Wally Pleasant’s music. I tend to keep everything, including music on my computer — that’s why, in 2004, when some friends were doing a mix cd exchange with the theme of “4 More Years of Bush” as a response to his reelection, I had this song lying around to include on mine. I’d like to think that doing so lessened the negative blow of the song, but, well, you know how well that election turned out. -2 for bipartisanship and terrorism.

TOTAL SCORE: 3/20

Mary’s Scuffle

The Wedding Present – “I’m From Further North Than You”
I went to New York a few times when I was in college; it was my first and only chance to see shows. I saw the Wedding Present then, I want to say it was at Brownie’s – someplace in the East Village that isn’t there any more. David Gedge wore a thrilling orange silk shirt and they played my then-favorite song (“Swimming Pools, Movie Stars”) at the very end of their set. I’d managed to get a spot right up front. It was amazing. Many years later, when I lived in New York and saw shows all the time, my boyfriend gave me the new Wedding Present album for Valentine’s Day. Aw, ew, etc. +2 for happy times old and new.

Jane’s Addiction – “Summertime Rolls”
Would you just leave me alone? I don’t want to talk about it. CAN’T YOU SEE I HAVE MY DOOR CLOSED? Fine, I don’t care. FINE. FINE. Leave me alone. I said I don’t want to talk about it! God MOM! You don’t GET IT! I said I want to be left alone! -1 for junior high.

Tsunami – “In a Name”
I cannot stress this enough: Jenny Toomey will always be a personal hero. +2 for Jenny Toomey.

The Monorchid – “X Marks the Spot Something Dull Happened Here”
The summer of 2004 was my first full summer in New York. That summer was heat rash, mouse infestation, a stinking sauerkraut factory across the street, smog, two jobs, insomnia, Republican protests, vague terror threats, the G train that never came, a slant-floored apartment with a shower in the kitchen, a view of a brick wall, the smell of other people’s cigarettes, a boy who wouldn’t return my phone calls, and a handful of songs. Including this one. -2 for the summer of 2004. +1 for most of these things working out for the best in the end.

New Order - “Let’s Go (Nothing for Me)”
New Order always reminds me of my friend Liz in Los Angeles. I should visit her again soon so we can go dancing and driving and drinking (none of these at the same time, obviously). +2 for the West Coast posse.

The Bangles – “Manic Monday”
Red-and-white pompoms on my rollerskates. Rainbow-striped velour pullover. Purple ribbon barrettes. I’m quite sure I was the most stylish kid at the Happy Wheels in Winslow, Maine. +1 for the last time I was the most stylish person in the room.

Sleepyhead – “I Love You the Rain”
For some reason, this was the album I turned to when I was cranky, sick and/or exhausted during my sophomore year of college. That was the year I had multiple sinus infections and a 9 a.m. statistics class. -1 for being cranky, sick and/or exhausted in Worcester.

The Secret Machines – “1,000 Seconds”
My friend Caryn, who’s an editor, let me write a story about the Secret Machines a few years ago. I was super-excited; this was when they were doing their live show in the round, and their record was in heavy rotation at my apartment. But the day of the big interview found me sick, hoarse and reeling from extra-strength cold medicine. I dropped my pen, had trouble getting my DVR to work and asked at least a few inane questions while I tried to recover my verbal capabilities from the Tylenol haze. As for the band members, they were tired from traveling and kept staring at their cell phones. The story came out okay in the end, but I felt like an idiot, especially since my friend was paying me to meet one of my favorite bands. -2 for not being on my game.

Spoon – “Car Radio”
You know what? I was going to tell a story about some Spoon-related experiences I’ve had, but forget it! Just forget it. This is a ruin-proof pop song. I just weighed a list of despairing things against that shaker that runs from 0:18 to 0:25 and again from 1:03 to 1:12 and let me tell you, it’s no match. +1 for resilience and shakers.

The Mountain Goats – “Alpha Desperation March”
To say the Mountain Goats are my favorite band would be an understatement. Like, oxygen is my favorite molecule to breathe. Food is my favorite thing to eat. Granted, not everyone feels the same way I do about J. Darnielle. I’m aware of that. I used to wish I’d wind up dating someone who could match my Mountain Goats geekery, but I never did: Bryan likes some of the later records well enough, but when I start jibjabbering about old cassettes from 1993 his eyes kinda glaze over, as well they ought to, I suppose. Anyway, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s really smart to date someone who isn’t as obsessive about your favorite band as you are. It’s like an insurance policy. No matter what happens in my personal life, I’ll always have the Mountain Goats, and no one can take that away from me. Yeah! +2 for my Mountain Goats records being mine all mine.

TOTAL SCORE: 5/20