Some radio station I stumbled upon today was rocking out the ’90s music. What caught my attention was that Silverchair song that was so popular back in ’95. I sat and listened to it and remembered singing along with it back in high school, and how’d I’d sketch the word “Silverchair” in the Frogstomp typeface on all my folders in school, along with the logos of the countless other bands I listened to at the time (The Toadies, Bush, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Drill*, The Cranberries, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, Hole, Collective Soul, the list goes on and on). Man, I loved Silverchair. And just the other day I saw their new video on VH1 or whichever cable music channel occasionally plays videos. And at first I thought it was The Killers, because the lead singer had short hair and was wearing a vest with no shirt. It was a very confusing moment when I found out who the song was by. My, how much we’ve all changed.
I also got to hear some 311 while driving on my lunch break. Man, that was a band I pretended to like big time, but, boy do they ever suck. Their logo was fun to draw, but their music was an aural abomination (my apologies to the three remaining 311 fans out there).
The radio also tossed some old-school Green Day (remember when they’re weren’t so damned ubiquitous?), Nirvana, Tool, Soundgarden, Marilyn Manson, and Primus my way. It was like being in a time machine. It was awesome and cringe-inducing. (Full disclosure: I still listen to Tool and Nirvana on occasion.)
In another ten years, I’m sure I’ll feel the same way about the music I listen to now. The cycle continues, the Earth still turns, the tides still roll, all is well with the world if we can take a mulligan every ten years re: the music we listened to in the previous decade.
I had a revelation while driving home from work tonight, after I changed the station and caught some station in the middle of a Led Zeppelin song: I don’t listen to nearly enough Zeppelin. Lucky for me, iTunes is finally offering their albums, so I can sit here and remedy that right quicklike.
* Does anyone else remember this band? I first got into them because they had a song that was in “Empire Records.” And I want to say they were also on an X-Games soundtrack, back when those were all the rage. They don’t seem to offer their music on iTunes, although there is a video for “Go to Hell” for sale. Oh, man, it is the most generic scream-grunge crap ever, and I LOVED IT. This is why I maintain that I have questionable taste in damn near everything. Check out the video here, and try not to laugh. I dare you.
What’s the matter with Tool? Come on, Maynard is one of the best lyricists of our time.
Prayed like a martyr dusk till dawn
begged like a hooker all night long
tempted the devil with my song
and got what I wanted all along.
i still kinda-sorta-mostly like tool. i think they are talented musicians and their songs are a lot more interesting than some of the bands to whom they were often (unfairly) compared.
that said, tool fans can be a rather insufferable lot. they are notoriously shitty to opening acts, and they have no tolerance for more experimental music. they gave fantomas and melt banana infamously obnoxious receptions (both bands are amazing, but highly experimental). i realize this isn’t tool’s fault, but however unfair it is, it kinda sours my opinion of them.
that and all the quasi-mystical nonsense just turns me off.
OK, I will agree that some fans (no matter what band) can be pretty insufferable. I’ve never been to a concert in my life, so I can’t comment on the state of fandom for opening acts.
It does strike me as strange, though, considering Tool is rather experimental themselves. Granted, they have a style they stick to, but there’s a depth to them that I really enjoy … whether I agree with Maynard’s philosophy or Carey’s drumming religion.
But you have to give their lead guy credit for being able to span a psychological spectrum (from Tool’s Vicarious to Puscifer’s Queen B) while still being incredibly enigmatic.
Then again, maybe I just don’t get it but think I do.
Sorry for the back and forth on your comments, Lindsey. Please don’t hurt me!
Hey, don’t apologize! That’s what these comments are for.
I have to be in a certain mood to listen to Tool. I chalk that up to the fact that they make me feel capital-D Dirty. Dirty, Dirty, Dirty. Mostly in a good way, I guess. So the correct frame of mind is often required.
Fearless, I wanted to go see Melt Banana the other night, based on your recommendation from their previous show at the Hi-Tone, but I had to work. Of course.
Oh, man. I remember Drill. I want to say it was in that video where we used black lights and psychedelic polyester button-downs to accentuate our exposed bras. But that could have been anything.
I listened to one of their tunes, recently, hoping to recall what I found so fetching about them. I never owned that CD, you see, I merely salivated at yours.
Unfortunately for both of us, it’s completely and utterly cringeworthy. If not vomitworthy.
Adolescence is bizarre.
Yep, that was the song. I knew you’d remember. Glad I could help you relive that humiliating moment of adolescence!