I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret of mine. Not many people know this about me, only a few close friends. It’s quite embarrassing but I like to believe everyone goes through phases like it…
Whispers: *I used to like techno/dance music*
There, I said it and I’m glad that’s out in the open now! Top acts such as 2-Unlimited, Corona and other 90’s artists used to live in my walkman and keep me company on my various paper rounds. I can’t remember the exact reason but one day I borrowed one of my brother’s tapes – it was Megadeth’s “Countdown To Extinction” mixed in with Metallica’s cover the the slightly sweary song “So What”. I was hooked – gone were the days of the chart friendly Dutch techno-pop duo, for I had discovered rawwwwk! I was about 14 at this time.
In 1995 for my 15th birthday (yes I’m comprised of 34 years of beauty and awesomeness(!)) I got a CD player. It was actually the first CD player in our house so I was quite special. Tapes were so old fashioned, so I had to buy some music on CD with my birthday money. I’d seen a song on MTV at the time, it had some guys being wheeled into a mental institution who started playing their song.
This was was, of course, “Basket Case” by Green Day – a band that would pull me away from heavier rock/metal to discover 2nd-wave American punk-rock. A musical preference that has been a staple part of my CD collection for almost 20 years. Bands like The Offspring, AFI, Pennywise, Guttermouth, The Vandals, Rancid and NOFX – proper bands that are still making awesome music now (although Green Day have gone a bit poo recently).
So, B is for “Basket Case” by Green Day – the first CD I ever bought.
