This is a terrific piece. It takes guts and strength to be this vulnerable when writing, but in my opinion, it’s the best kind of writing.
As far as your connection to The Breeders, it’s refreshing to see someone drawn to music from Gen X artists that provide positive and fun vibes as opposed to the darker, more introspective ones typically associated with that era.
As someone who was in the thick of it all in the late 80s/early 90s as a high school and then college student, I was attracted to the darkness. I identified with the introspective lyrics, aggressive sounds, and “I don’t give a fuck” attitudes. I wrote a book about it the very idea of how relatable those messages were to kids of that era.
So I’m glad that you, and I’m sure there are more like you, could find joy and positivity in music that was born out of the exact opposite mentality.
Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words! It's always scary to put myself out there in such a vulnerable way. I'm glad it resonates. I was definitely drawn to the aggression, darkness, and "don't give a fuck," attitudes from the 90s era of music, but for recovery, I needed to also connect to joy, humor, and light. I realized joy can also be artistic and I didn't always have to brood. But my default is definitely brooding and negatively, ha. I will definitely check your Substack and book out!
Thank you for sharing your story. I saw them last year, on the ‘Last Splash’ 30th anniversary tour, and couldn’t agree more with your description. My life experience is very different to yours, but I share your sentiments. Oh, and Olivia Rodrigo was right —
This is a terrific piece. It takes guts and strength to be this vulnerable when writing, but in my opinion, it’s the best kind of writing.
As far as your connection to The Breeders, it’s refreshing to see someone drawn to music from Gen X artists that provide positive and fun vibes as opposed to the darker, more introspective ones typically associated with that era.
As someone who was in the thick of it all in the late 80s/early 90s as a high school and then college student, I was attracted to the darkness. I identified with the introspective lyrics, aggressive sounds, and “I don’t give a fuck” attitudes. I wrote a book about it the very idea of how relatable those messages were to kids of that era.
So I’m glad that you, and I’m sure there are more like you, could find joy and positivity in music that was born out of the exact opposite mentality.
Thank you so much for reading and for your kind words! It's always scary to put myself out there in such a vulnerable way. I'm glad it resonates. I was definitely drawn to the aggression, darkness, and "don't give a fuck," attitudes from the 90s era of music, but for recovery, I needed to also connect to joy, humor, and light. I realized joy can also be artistic and I didn't always have to brood. But my default is definitely brooding and negatively, ha. I will definitely check your Substack and book out!
Thank you for sharing your story. I saw them last year, on the ‘Last Splash’ 30th anniversary tour, and couldn’t agree more with your description. My life experience is very different to yours, but I share your sentiments. Oh, and Olivia Rodrigo was right —