So I took the bate. ANOTHER tag from my brother. I’m telling you its like chocolate to me- I cannot resist! You should know I do not look back on my High School years with undiluted fondness. And no, I don’t want to talk about it. But while in High School I enjoyed a variety of music- mostly nineties-punk and ska bands and alternative music (whatever that means), I always had a soft spot for eighties alternative too. Music played an leading roll in my young life- it was there for me when no one else could be. Music empathized. Music chided me. Music inspired and empowered me. And though my tastes have undulated and developed as I’ve matured, music continues to influence me just as it always has.
Its been almost impossible to narrow down, but based on my CD collection, here are my top five favorite bands from High School.
Green Day. Dookie was the first album I ever purchased in 1994 when I was thirteen. It was a cassette tape because I didn’t have one of those fancy space-aged CD players. Up to that point I had led a musically sheltered life and I’m pretty sure I still called my parents “mommy and daddy”. Green Day put and end to that. Their 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours album continues to be one of my favorite punk rock albums today.
No Doubt. From the moment I heard “Just a Girl” on the radio I wanted to be Gwen Stephani. For reals. I liked No Doubt because they were really different than anything I’d ever heard, and had a very charming innocence to their insanity. I played my Tragic Kingdom CD until it died. Such a fun album.
Radiohead is the real deal. Thom is a genuine artist that makes genuinely rad music. Although I have loved many of their albums, their best IMO is OK Computer. It just doesn’t get better than this. Period.
Ah, Garbage; the sum of all my teenage-girl angst! Their self-titled album Garbage was by far their finest, and though it was more of a phase for me than a lasting love connection, there’s no denying the magic of listening to Garbage full blast with the windows down, singing it out with an angry Shirley Manson.
Like I said, its impossible to narrow down. Other noteworthy bands I loved in the nineties: The Offspring, Nirvana, Live, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Rage Against the Machine, The Cranberries, The Smoking Popes, The Smiths/ Morrissey, The Pixies, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sublime, Pearl Jam, & The Beastie Boys.
Tag.
Outstanding post Di! That’s what I’m talking about.
I too loved those bands (in my mid-20s)especially Garbage and No Doubt.
Beck is the Morrissey of his generation – musical genius or idiot savante?
Green Day and Radiohead? Guilty pleasures. I love Dookie.
Glycerine was a frickin’ awesome song by Bush. THAT was a great band in my book.
So, are you going to pass along the tag or what?
The Beastie Boys? Puu-lease! I was listening to them in the 8th grade. Where were you?
Oh yah. In utero!
So, no one wants to know my favorite bands in high school, huh? Being left out of the family tags, ay? I see how it is.
I thought for sure Shana would tag you and Gina, she probably thought I would tag you. Anyway you have now been tagged so you best get on the ball.
i saw No Doubt in concert in college and got to go back stage and meet Gwen.
I didn’t tag Gina because, let’s face it, she is never going to find out the tag has been issued. And I was following Diana’s lead and untagging the new Momma, Angie… although thinking about it, this is a little different than taking pictures of your house’s netherregions and posting them on the web.
I DID take those pictures though and was going to post them, until Diana untagged me. Which was kind of a relief, actually. But thanks for the re-tag this time around, Di.
You’re too good to me, you really are.
Angpang, I am VERY interested in which bands you listened to in high school.
So let’s have it.
BTW, did anyone notice that Anna met Gwen Stefani backstage?
That’s pretty cool.
That is really cool. I’ve seen No Doubt in concert and Gwen is crazy-wild.
I am even nerdier than I previously thought! Your bands are cool and hip and now (well, then, I guess). I can’t think of anyone I actually listened to on a regular basis. I remember asking people I though were cool to recommend CD’s for me so that I could also be cool, and then I would go and buy them and find them annoying and go back to listening to 80’s soft rock, which is all our one radio station in St. George played. Yes, once again, you are so much cooler than me. But didn’t you like Journey too, even just a little bit?
Journey was awesome. Steve Perry is one of the best vocalists of all time.
Its so kind of you to think that I am cool Erika. Bless you! I am unfamiliar with Journey, which probably means they’re one of Andy’s favorites.
Di….I will forgive you for not knowing Jouney, but you should give it a try. It is way worth it!
Great picks Di. I loved those bands too! I still Listen to a lot of Radiohead and Beck these days. And I need to listen to some Green Day.. been years! My Dookie album got stolen years ago. ;(