Highlights, lowlights, and in-betweens of a decade.

They’re popping up everywhere.

Every blog, every news site, even long-winded TV and radio spots.

Best-of lists, favorite lists, highlights from the past decade. DECADE. 10 years have come and gone, and I’m left wondering, where did it all go? Look how much has changed. I was inspired by lots of “100 best albums of the last decade,” and as music snobby as I am, have been incredibly disappointed. I wanted to write my own long winded rants about how these people don’t understand groundbreaking albums, or amazing songs that change lives. But, as aforementioned, these are everywhere.

So instead I’m going to wax oh-so-unelequently on something a bit more personal. *side note* I’ve been working like gangbusters to try and get this up before January 1st. Music has changed my life significantly. Saved it, really. It’ makes it possible to carry on, and the music one gravitates toward reflects what is going on in their lives, what they relate to, what resonates inside of them. So lets go into the way-back machine and see what has made yours truly into the quirky individual I am.

2000-2001 – Oh, the child-like wonder.

Junior and Senior year of high school. I was driving a black 1991 Mazda 626. I’d never been in love, except for with the most beautiful boy I’d ever laid eyes on, who also loved other beautiful boys. I wore bowling shoes constantly and, after losing all that crazy baby weight, wanted to show off a little mid-section before they became strict on the dress code.

I’d slowly gravitated from my constant wear-out rotation of Elvis Presley and various oldies to jam to (I warn you, this isn’t pretty) Backstreet Boys, 98 degrees, and Ricky Martin. Other highlights; Dave Matthews Band, Better than Ezra, Stone Temple Pilots, Hootie and the Blowfish, The Verve Pipe, Toadies, and Eve 6. Essential Top 40 love.

I worked at a local owned copy shop and another boy (who I adored) handed me a mix tape with The Juliana Theory on it.
 
 
 
 
 

2001-2004 – Living in Your Letters and other emotional stuff.

The biggest year jump, but then again, starting college places you in a  type of time-space continuum where not a lot happens. I was driving a Red Honda CR-V which lasted me up through 2008. I was working at a print shop, then a pizza place. I experienced true heartbreak. I was creating real art for the first time, still longing for a real love of my very own.

I’d been chatting to a guy online and he sent me an mp3 of the band that changed everything for me, Dashboard Confessional. Don’t laugh, scoff or judge.I realized for the first time there was music beyond the radio and lusted after more. I’d discovered bands like Alkaline Trio, Jimmy Eat World, The Get Up Kids, Saves the Day, Hot Water Music, Further Seems Forever, Jets to Brazil, the Brand New, Modest Mouse. All of these solidifying my roots in Emo. They sang what I thought, each guitar riff playing the melodies that resonated inside of me.

Next to my wistful emotional side, I’d started to realize how jaded the world can be, I started listening to Minor Threat, Fugazi, Jawbreaker, Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, Bouncing Souls, Operation Ivy, Black Flag, Youth Brigade and any other punk rock I could get my hands on. Music that was shunned by society,t he same way I’d always felt. Cast out from the normal group of people. I rocked Andrew W.K., and was commonly smiled at with pity, “Look at that middle class white girl who loves trashy rock about partying and getting wasted.” I didn’t drink. I just loved the music. She Is Beautiful is amazing song, and don’t you forget it.

I’d also become reacquainted with my old friend who out snobs me with music to this day. He opened the door for me with bands like Head Automatica, Oh My God, The Eels, and Murder By Death.

2005-2006 – Let the Mix Tapes Begin

This is where I discovered good music, or rather, good music found me. I was still working at the same pizza restaurant, and made a connection with a man which drastically changed my life for the better. It started with me asking the question, “What is in your CD player right now?” And he answered Blonde Redhead. WHO? “I’ll make you a cd.” And the next few weeks included cds and love notes left on counters between shifts.

Music brought me and him together, and music is the only thing that has stayed. He showed me Nick Cave and helped me get past my prejudices of the Beatles. He understood good music, and took my listening base to a new level, exposing me to Jazz and experimental music, the origins of Punk Rock with X and Bad Brains. We had a lot of overlap, but he had 4 years more adoration of music than I did. Most importantly, he showed me David Bowie, and it changed me life. I spent months listening to Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust. I tried desperately to gather his whole catalog.

I also finally understood Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Led Zeppelin. On my own discoveries, I devoured Bright Eyes, Death From Above 1979, The Pixies, Wilco, Built to Spill. Built to Spill. Built to Spill. Oh how I adore There’s Nothing Wrong with Love. To feed my addiction, I got a job at a record store.

2006-2007 – The Sweet Spot

I graduated from college. Still worked at the record store. Saw live shows almost twice a month if not more. The Flaming Lips, Spoon, Mates of State (this band was rediscovered for me after listening to them in my Emo era), Sparklehorse, My Morning Jacket, The Arcade Fire. This was, as my friend puts it, the Sweet Spot in life.

Everything resonated unto itself. I also started as a Graphic Designer in Sacramento, CA. I was experimenting with Stevie Wonder and John Legend. Nick Cave became more prolific, I discovered Metacritic which aided in determining what would grace my cd collections. And Cat Stevens. I found Cat Stevens and listened and lived his music with a veracity unknown before Bowie.

Other bands of interest: Antony and the Johnsons, Placebo, Leonard Cohen, Gnarles Barkley, Frank Black, The Strokes, Interpol, and a lot of the Beatles including solo Paul McCartney and Jon Lennon. My tasted were now refined and solidified in Rock and Roll…and indie rock.

 

2007-2008 – Pain and Discovery

A profound break-up of a three+ year relationship left me with an amazing friend and a severe loss. Of note: Al Green’s album was amazing. I began to find myself again. Bands like Bon Iver and City and Colour were discovered. I finally realized what Bruce Springsteen was all about and I’d started listening to Elvis Costello again. I’d started to listen to more folk music and an ungodly amount of classic rock. Rifling through my now massive cd collection when the right moment hit. I was comfortable in my selections and worked slowly on building up the cd collection to encompass everything I adored, and sifting out the things I’d outgrown.

I met a new boy from Texas and he showed me a world I hadn’t known before.  He also promised me everything I could have wanted. I often remember thinking sitting on my back porch “Are you here to save me, or sent by the devil to ruin me?” He showed me Alt Country, a genre I’d never heard of, but I’d previously dabbled in with Langhorn Slim and the aforementioned Wilco and My Morning Jacket.

After spending a summer camping and exploring the area of California I grew up around, I had a profound love for Lucero, bringing me something that Chris Carrabba had back in 2001. A band that created music that paralleled my life. I ended the year by giving up my job and moving with him to New Mexico.

2009 – My Second Life

I quickly left New Mexico for a variety of reasons. I was confused, dejected, and scared. I moved back to California for a month to re-establish my life. I wanted so badly to move to Austin, Texas but put laid out (and not to get too Jesus-y) my faith to God. He’d show me where I needed to go. I sent out close to 30 resumes a day, got several interviews. I finally got an offer in Memphis, TN. Home of Elvis Presley, whom I still love, and more recently, the band Lucero who I’d been ferociously listening to. In Tennessee I’d started listening to more Placebo, Langhorn Slim, and Ryan Bingham, the Drive By Truckers, and Murder by Death. My love of music still growing, I have a backlog of albums I still need to listen to.

After years and years of short hair, it was now growing out. I’d finally lost the weight I’d put on in the bad times. I was living by myself again. I finally felt like an assured adult. I was confident. I’d done so much, and I watched good movies, read intelligent books, I’d been drawing like mad, and found Paste Magazine, which has given me a springboard for so many other musicians I’ve yet to fully devour. Several months after moving here, I was at a housewarming party with a  group of people I’d just met, and I sat outside and talked with a charming man about Nick Cave and Murder by Death. My love of music brought me here, brought me to him, and like the discovery of so many musicians (and I mean hundred and hundreds) have changed my life so has he and the amazing group of people he’s introduced me to.

Music has guided me and brought me into contact with so many amazing people and experiences. My best friends in California who I love with my heart and soul I met through exchanges of music, and my friends here in Tennessee as well. I think if I went more in-depth, this could go on forever. There’s a lot I had to leave out as well.

While working on the above, I’ve noted on “The Twitter” how strange it is drawing little time capsules of yourself can be. It’s giving recognition to who you were and who you are now. A time line of growth. I really suggest taking a look back on the past 10 years of your life and looking at how you’ve changed. I’d love to hear about it.