Ahh To Be Young Again

I don't think anyone with a brain is arguing that the brilliance of the Soundwave 2011 line up is more about nostalgia than it is about what's hip at the moment. At every FutureMusic, We Love Sounds, Big Day Out & Good Vibrations there will be endless amounts of brightly dressed swingers complete with denim shorts and fluorescent accessories hiding the secrets of their past. During their teenage years it wouldn't have been about Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club and devoting yourself to 80's appreciate, aside from the obvious fact the aforementioned bands weren't around, it was because their past is far darker.

When I was a teenager during the early 2000's it was all about finding the most awesome black shirt, wearing your shorts around your ankles and throwing out devil horns for any and every reason. I had a cushy teenage life with no real problems to speak of, good friends, cushy home life and enjoyed school. I was teeny boppin' my way where ever my Dad would drive me. I thought I was hardcore wearing my "Iron Mullet" shirt but of course Mum would never buy me anything that had swear words so that was the biggest drama in my life.

You see I like most bloggers want to sit their and turn up my nose at festivals like Soundwave. Ewww where's LCD Soundsystem or Why isn't David Bowie playing? but at the end of the day when we remove the 2x4 our behinds, these are the now passe gems that we grew up to. Even you Christopher, even you.

After my friend Shane and I would finish work and pick up Dayve and meet Dean at a pre-determined location usually Sheperd Car park. There was nothing better than buying maccas and driving around the winter nights, windows down, eggs at the ready, pumping "Angels Son" by Sevendust. Shane's very astute drumming on the steering wheel was a particular highlight.

New Found Glory might as well take residency in Australia. Such is their following, they can't resist coming back time and time again. From the extensive reports I've heard of their live show in the present day, they don't try to shove all their new stuff down your throat. Let's face it nobody really cares if they have a new album out. But I'll be damned if their Best Of set wouldn't make even the hippest kid remember something about growing up. Chris and I spent many weekends in Chris' living room with Craig Phillips rocking out acoustically to "Hit Or Miss" complete with using the steam mop as the microphone stand. Yes, I was on vocals. The intro to "Hit or Miss" will forever own Chris' favourite pick slide.

No way! Catchy Canadian pop complete with stolen Iron Maiden guitar solos. It couldn't work could it? I'm afraid it did. If you picked up a guitar during the high times of Sum41 you are deadset kidding yourself if you didn't attempt the opening riff of "Fat Lip". Even on their second album Does This Look Infected? where some people were over their brand of hard-edged top 40, I was hooked in more than ever. I wanted to be able to play "Still Waiting" so badly but such is my attention span / skill level... it never happened.

"Best of Me" by The Starting Line represents one of my best accomplishments on an acoustic guitar. This sweet lovers ballad could melt any girl from Year 8 to Year 11 depending on how much of a snake you wanted to be. The full version was swell but the acoustic version was where Kenny Vasoli reeled in the bitches. If you could sing & play this was even poorly, a make out session at the next 16th birthday was guaranteed... Oww and don't think that's anecdotal... I was the bloke watching it happen from beside the sausage rolls and party pies.

So onward with the next teenage dilemma. Slipknot was just too hardcore for me, I wanted to like it and I probably lied and said that I did. But the masks and the shouting and the sever anger... Just not for me. I was happy about stuff or at least no angry enough to like this. I had a Dad who played catch, A Mum who hugged me enough but not too much and I wasn't embarassed of my Spice Girls collection. Corey Taylor provided the weaklings of the world like myself with Stone Sour. Tracks like "Get Inside" were a little shouty but then placated by the perfection of "Bother". "Inhale" was my perfect medium and of course Slipknot diehards still turned their nose at me but I didn't mind, they didn't have anyone who wanted to play catch.

Youtube: Stone Sour - Inhale

MxPx have got an extensive body of work, "Responsibility" is the one that everyone seems to love but for me MxPx started and ended with "Chick Magnet". It is to bass playing what "Smoke On The Water" is for guitar playing.

So go on, keep fighting it that you wouldn't love going to Soundwave because your too fucking cool, because your waiting for the Big Day Out line up. But Soundwave have done what you've been waiting since 2001 for Ken West and Co. to do again and that is, bring these big name alternative artists down on mass. I'm too old to handle a mosh pit but I do enjoy a good head nod in the car whilst reminiscing.

Website: Soundwave 2011