I would say if there was one major aspect of the way my life was shaped in my 20's, it would be music. It was what I did, where I went, what I gobbled up in magazines and the internet and radio. I worked at the radio station, booked bands, went to concert after concert after concert.... it was my life style. It made the great times greater and the bad times tolerable.
Below are a list of the bands that really shaped both me and my taste, in well... everything.
Radiohead - a constant in my life... since probably 1995... Stop Whispering (93) is still in my top 10 songs of all time. There was a time when I was sitting at my desk job in Ada, Mi and I'd request Stop Whispering on an almost daily basis, to the KEXP - John in the Morning show in Seattle, WA. That was in 2003/2004. It made everything good.
Sleater-Kinney - they made every girl feel like she could be a bad-ass rockstar. They still make me feel that way. Now, if only I could play an instrument...or sing....
Iron & Wine - Sam Beam has the voice of an angel. Or at least, that's what I want my angels to sound like. I remember my first Iron & Wine concert... it makes you just want to hold hands with whoevers next to you, then maybe after the show you can go look at stars in the back of a pickup truck or something... I wish I had more Iron & Wine in my life when I was a teenager and less Metallica... but that's a whole other story.
Jenny Lewis - I feel like Jenny Lewis is the girl/woman every girl/woman wants to be. She's lovely and has great style and she's a kick ass songwriter and can wear sequined get-ups and still look hot. We can't all pull off the sequins, thank you very much.
Interpol, my transition music.... almost every heartbreak included these fellas, I drowned in them.
Antony & the Johnsons... ... this was my Brooklyn soundtrack... all the time, over and over and over and over. it kills me. Throw on some of this stuff, crank the heat, fry some polish food and I feel like I'm home.
And then comes Sigur Ros... Sigur Ros touches my very soul, I swear they do. Their concerts are a religious experience. I have never in my life had a band that can bring me to tears like them... and it's in a good way. It's haunting almost. The first time I saw them live was a life changing experience.... How many things can you say that about? Maybe it's the fact that I have no idea what they are saying, maybe it's because they just know exactly what crushes me... but they do it... When I am overstressed or just having a terrible day, they are my calming potion. No anti-anxiety meds needed... just give me some of them.
Another Game Changer: Elliott Smith
some of the most lovely and sad and wonderful songs. ever.
The New Year - delish, just delish
and last but not least...
Conor Oberst, Bright Eyes, Monsters of Folk... and well, every other entity he's preformed in... Yes Yes Yes... I know, I'm sure you've made fun of me, but well I cannot help myself. I've seen him play in probably 10 states. I think he's one of the very very best song writers of my generation and I don't take that comment lightly. His lyrics have spoken to me like nothing else. Maybe it's just my love for skinny, dirty, indie rockerish boys... but since 2000 his music has been such a big part of my life... I would be lying if I didn't say I had secretly hoped when I moved to New York I would be bump into him in the East Village and we'd become fast friends... All I know is that to date, my favorite concert ever was him in Pittsburgh. It probably 2003 and we were at a tiny club and there were only about 50 of us there. Jim James and M. Ward opened for him. They all played the show together and had just started touring together and it was magical. M.Ward is still one of the most amazing guitar players I've ever seen. I was in the front row and the whole show was a little.... hmmm... DIY. Things kept breaking and going wrong, but they all rolled with it... and it was heaven.
Conor used to get such a bad wrap... back in the day he had terrible stage fright, so he'd usually drink way to much, til he was comfortable on stage and then he'd wreck the show... I thought it was charming. Regardless... charming or no, his song writing is masterful. I won't take it back no matter how much fun is poked...
I feel like after reading all this, you probably think I am some sad and lonesome person. Please don't get me wrong, I love love love poppy fun dance music too... these were just the bands that, if I had to give away all my music and keep a handful, these are it.. They changed the way I look at music. That's all.
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