As I sit here drinking the over priced beer that I bought yesterday just trying to relax as best I can I turn to Pandora for some musical entertainment. I tried listening to some of the newer stuff out there but it all sounds so generic and overdone so I change it up and throw on the good old 90's alternative station. Now I'm not the biggest Nirvana fan out there but there is something about them that just makes me feel good. Most likely its the memories of the 90's that come with there music. In my eyes the music that came out of that decade was some of the best out there. Now as you read this keep in mind I'm four beers deep so bear with me (almost threw an LOL in there like this was some 2AM drunk text but quickly deleted it. LOL). The music that is coming out of my speakers right now brings back memories that I hope to never forget. As the songs play, each one reminds me of something so why not share those with you.
Summertime from Sublime. When the livin's easy. No, it wasn't easy but when I was riding around with my cousins heading to some party or to yet another concert, this song made life feel lighter. Sublime's album was the perfect backdrop to hanging out in a back yard drinking and just having a good time without caring about anything but doing just that, having fun.
All Over You - Live. Ok now its not the song that does it for me but the band. I started listening to Live my senior year of high school. Me and my good friend Tad would listen to them like it was nobody's business. He loved All Over You while I swore by Lightning Crashes (I always liked the slower tracks for some reason). After my senior year I moved back home to CT and Live was coming to perform at the Meadows Music Theater a couple months after. I had to see them so me and my cousins got lawn seats and after sitting through PJ Harvey (awesome live by the way), Live came on. I remember how cold it was out on the lawn and how everyone who smoked seemed to not be bothered by the cold. So what did this naive 17 year old do? Thats right, I asked someone for a cigarette. The first of many stupid cigarettes all due to the fact that I thought they would make me feel warmer. I survived four years of blistering cold in MN without one but couldn't make it through a somewhat chilly night on a lawn listening to good music. I guess its ok to blame a rock band right?
Better Man - Pearl Jam. Ah, Pearl Jam. I used to hate Pearl Jam. Not for any reason in particular, just because I wanted to. I think it was the same with Dave Matthews. Everyone and there mothers like Pearl Jam so being someone who wanted to be different I chose to hate them. Then I saw them live. It also happened to be after one of the toughest breakups I've ever gone through. A breakup and a Pearl Jam ticket had me listening to Black like it was the only song that existed. I went to the concert not expecting to come out of it with a new favorite band. They were amazing from start to finish. The only thing that I hated was the concert was shut down due to Pearl Jam asking the crowd to come closer so they could dance. They never did play Black. My ex was in the crowd and for some reason I felt like if she heard that song and knew I was there it would have made her feel bad for what had happened between us. When you're young and in love your mind tends to put crazy thoughts like that in your head. It was probably a good thing that it wasn't played.
Glycerine - Bush. See Better Man - Pearl Jam. I spent a lot of this time frame with the same girl and these songs bring back those great memories of her. Its part of what made this time so great for me. Bush as a band however is one of those that is historically way underated. Does no one remember that almost every song on Sixteen Stone was a top 10 hit in alternative radio? Bush held the title of king of alternative radio for a good three or four years but for some reason they seem to get forgotten. Maybe its because Gwen Stefani stept in and did what most wives do and stole Gavin's manhood. Just joking ladies, you don't really do that!(yes you really do).
Pandora commercial. No, I do not need to learn a new language thank you. Bring back the music.
Everclear - Santa Monica. Everclear may not be everone's favorite or even a band that people listened to regularly, but I did. Santa Monica made me think California. California made me think skateboarding and so I decided why not give skating a try. I was terrible at it. I could do nothing more than ride the stupid board but while I was doing it I would have Everclear playing. I got to meet the lead singer Art on more than one occasion and had some pretty in depth conversations with him. The first time I met him was during Cracker's set at one of the Radio 104 fests at Riverside (now Six Flags). He was surpisingly very open about life and I found that comforting coming from a rock star. He shared with me stories about what led him to give up drinking and drugs and how life is much more beautiful with a clear mind and unclouded memories. I don't know why he chose to talk to me about this but it made listening to his music that much more enjoyable and meaningful.
Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins. One of two bands that I have always wanted to see but never have. Disarm is still to this day one of my favorite songs to listen to. "Disarm you with a smile". Five words that really can make a world of difference. One more smashing pumpkins story for you. Senior year of high school a friend of mine lent me a bunch of alternative cd's to listen to as an attempt to recruit me away from the east coast rap I would listen to. One of those CD's was Siamese Dream from Smashing Pumpkins. I loved every second of this album. Loved it so much that I scratched it by accident rendering it unlistenable. My poor mother had to buy the album and replace the one that I broke. So if you're out there Paul Heneman, my apologies for ruining your Pumpkins disc but a vey big thank you for introducing them to me.
As I do this I'm realizing I could do this all night long but that would just be crazy. For those out there my age do yourself a favor and turn back the clock a bit. Give Lady Gaga a rest and turn on some Alice in Chains or Hole. Rihanna will come on again in twenty minutes so pop on some No Doubt and just jump around for a little while. Think back to those $20 concerts that would last all day where you'd see all the bands that played on the top nine at nine. A time where bands like Verve Pipe and The Wallflowers could actual make it. You could pull up a top 200 of the 90's and see over 100 different artists. Do that now and you'd see the same names over and over again. Sorry but I'd rather listen to RHCP (Red Hot Chili Peppers for the older crowd) over LMFAO any day. And as I type, Black from Pearl Jam comes on and yes, I did put it on repeat.
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