"I always put weeks of bloody meticulous care and thought into the playlist for every little gatho. Or you could just go with a Soulless Swedish Streaming Service. I don't care any more."
For decades, being a true Playlist King was a very well-respected skill. Whether it was an audio cassette of songs painstakingly recorded from the radio in the 80s, a CD burned with carefully chosen tunes, an mp3 of pure fire or more recently an itunes playlist, they all needed someone to cultivate the perfect songs for the occasion.
We spoke to Max Pelov (40), an aficionado of a rapidly dying artform.
"Mate yeah I used to hear all the time 'Maxxy can you whack on some suitable music?' Or 'Maxxy can you put on some fire up music before we head out.' It's a role that I really relished. I could make sure everyone had a good time, and also indirectly tell them a bit about me. If I'm honest, it was truly one of my favourite things. But I don't hear that not even half as much any more. It's all about Spotifuck."
We can understand his anger. Since its launch in October 2008, Spotify has revolutionised the way people listen to music. It specialises in providing just the sorts of playlists that Max had made his own. Spotify has a playlist for just about any occasion. But, as Max explains, it's just missing some heart.
"Ok so say I'm doing a playlist for my mate's birthday. Spotify can do a playlist. And it will have some ok songs. But let me ask you. Would Spotify include a song that me and that mate used to listen to for hours on end when we were 10 year old kids? No. You won't get that from Spotify. Spotify is just a streaming service, not a human being with a heart and memories."
And Max is definitely right. Spotify certainly provides a valuable service. But we will be losing something as a society if we lose the Maxs of this world. They have added to the fabric of the humble gatho, making the experience richer and helping forge unforgettable memories.
And as for Max's solution? He said he's just going to have more gatherings at his place, where he chooses the music.