My music taste is eclectic; I grew up on pop-punk and rock but I also enjoy a lot of metal,
including classic, power, gothic, and even nu. I also enjoy Johnny Cash, and would probably
describe him as my favourite artist. I also think ABBA have never put out a bad album.
If you're interested in seeing a visual representation of the music I grew up on I've prepared an album wall .
Three Days Grace
When I was around thirteen years old a friend of mine sent me a YouTube video to something I've long forgotten.
In the 'similar videos' sidebar there was a Harry Potter fan-edit with Three Days Grace's "Animal I Have Become" played in the background.
I thought it was excellent, peak artistry, combining my new-found angst with my (at the time) favourite movies.
From there I found other Harry Potter/Three Days Grace videos and it wasn't long before I ditched the MTV in favour of some dubiously
acquired songs which I played in Windows Media Player, loudly, and on repeat for three days straight.
I still listen to One-X at least once a month but I've mostly fallen off the TDG bandwagon and don't enjoy their newer stuff as much.
I do enjoy Saint Asonia, which is Adam Gontier's new band and is basically what TDG would be today if he never left.
Favourite tracks:
Animal I Have Become
Never Too Late
Get Out Alive
I Hate Everything About You
I Am Machine
Kill Hannah
If Three Days Grace kicked off my love of alt-rock and metal Kill Hannah would be the emo equivalent.
Skinny jeans, converse and emo fringes. Oh yes, Kill Hannah lit up my emo phase like a match in a fuel station.
Showing how much of a fake fan I am, it wasn't until I looked them up to write this did I realise that American Jet Set
was not their first album. Take away my hair straighteners, I don't deserve an emo fringe. Technically
"The Beauty in Sinking Ships" is their first, which was self-released in '96.
American Jet Set was their first that wasn't self-released though. It came out in '99 and fucking slaps.
They didn't hit their emo stride until 2003 when For Never & Ever released,
and it was this album that I fell in love with. "They Can't Save Us Now", "Kennedy", "10 More Minutes with You",
"Boys & Girls", "Raining All the Time", if I kept listing the songs from this album I love I'd literally just be listing
the album contents. It doesn't have a single bad song. It's ALL killer.
Lyrics to these songs would be included in my MSN name, and later, posted as my Facebook status.
I still listen to it when I'm feeling a little emo.
Unlike Three Days Grace there was never an album I didn't like. I have vivid memories of listening to
Wake Up the Sleepers whilst I was playing World of Warcraft; I was in Stranglethorn Vale killing basilisks.
Sadly in 2015 the band stopped performing, and as of yet there's nothing to suggest they will reunite.
Favourite tracks:
Kennedy
Boys and Girls
Race the Dream
Love you to Death
Crazy Angel
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio ages like a fine wine. I liked this band when I was an angst-ridden teenager,
but now that I'm 29 I have this new respect for their songs and experiences that elevates the sound.
"Mercy Me" was probably the first song I had knowingly heard and I loved it. The actual first song I heard was
"Armageddon" because it's included in the Tony Hawks' Underground soundtrack, but I wouldn't realise it was them until I
was actually a fan.
Here's a fun trivia fact: "Good Mourning" was the first album I ever bought for myself.
This was their fourth album and I remember buying it very clearly. I was on a camping holiday with my parents
when I bought this and when we got back to the campsite the only speaker system we had capable of playing it was the
car's so I listened to the entire album sitting in the front passenger seat, doing absolutely nothing except listen
to this beautiful masterpiece. When I was 15 years old Alkaline Trio came to play a gig in a large town nearby.
I knew I would never be able to convince my parents to let me go and to be honest I think given the time & venue it
was probably age restricted anyway. That's what I tell myself to ease the regret of not going.
To my knowledge that's the first and last time they've ever been near to where I live.
Favourite tracks:
Mercy Me
Burn
Is This Thing Cursed?
Calling All Skeletons
She Lied To The FBI
Music