Having a great love for music and keeping up with all the new music genres out there today are two different things. I try to keep myself as much in the know as humanly possible, I’m content if I am at least aware of the scene. And as you get older it’s not as easy. Life happens, work, family. That’s why all of our youth know what’s up and therefore whenever I can, I take full advantage of my teenage niece and nephew’s musical prowess. Working in radio and endlessly immersing myself in music forums also help the cause. But, I’ve always been that person who can appreciate and open myself to different styles of music, I crave it and soak it all in. Rock music however is in my soul. Growing up with an older brother who played guitar and worshiped Van Halen to the point where he had an identity crisis and thought he was Eddie Van Halen absolutely played a role in what I viewed as cool music. Funny, that one of the radio stations I work for today is a Classic Rock station and I hear Van Halen on a daily basis. I finally got to see them live for myself on their 2008 tour. And it was awesome. Seats comfy close stage left, right by Eddie. Eddie looking right at me with his fist pump in the air, like “yeah rock on!” It was a moment, I’m not gonna lie. My brother was a little jealous.
But I have to say rock music in the 90s is what lit a fire in me and I yearned for more. At that time I was a little Sabrina, in High School and listening to mostly “club music” influenced by my older sister and her friends who would go clubbing. I was first introduced to most of the bands in the 90’s from my guitar loving Eddie Van Halen older brother who made me a mixed CD. Listening to Stone Temple Pilots and The Smashing Pumpkins blew me away. Of course there was Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Nirvana, who I had already been beginning to obsess over. Other (female bands) such as Garbage, Belly, Liz Phair and later Hole who I undoubtedly worshiped for most of the late 90’s to 00’s. The newly vast genre “grunge” or “alternative” music forming in the late 80’s early 90’s was so raw, the type of melodies and lyrics combined with gritty vocals that gets you in your gut. Songs like Alice in Chain’s “Man in a Box“, Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun“, and Jane’s Addiction “Jane Says“, and I’ve been consumed ever since.
And when Kurt Cobain died and Dave Grohl released the Foo Fighters debut album I was extremely eager. Even though I had gotten into Nirvana a bit later, I was quickly enthralled with them. I of course thought Kurt Cobain was the shit, but I had always smiled at the playful drummer that I would see in interviews. I remember seeing one of the Foo Fighters first videos for “Big Me“, and laughing and being mesmerized at the same time. That’s it, I was done from there and completely under a trance. The debut Foo’s album, is still one of my favorites today.
And with every era emerges new “popular” music. Today EDM/Dubstep, and psychedelic music is massive. Oh sure we had our “Techno” music back in the day. But it was always under ground and never really went mainstream, something you’d hear at a party or a “rave” as they would call it. Animal Collective, who are not a new band by any means are one of the top college radio artists now, along with Grizzly Bear and The xx. All good in there own right. I dig Animal Collective. Their sound, a 
contrast between loud and muffled with clanking beats, hard and sometimes un-uniform. Love “Applesauce.” Grizzly Bear on the other hand is very mellifluous, It sort of makes me feel like asking “Will someone just pass me a joint already?” So I can get high and dance by the light of the moon. But, such is the joy of music, and life, that whatever mood you are in there is a song to sing along to. Then there is The xx, and they are just cool. Maybe it’s the whole Brit thing but I like it. I like the low soft vocals. What these bands have in common is they are part of a music phenomenon, like Deadmau5 & Skrillex, but can they stand the test of time remains to be seen. In 20 years will you be anticipating more from them.
So this past year, to say I got extremely excited when some of the 90’s rock bands started resurfacing and putting out new albums, is an understatement. It was like coming home again. Garbage, who were one of my all time favorites, releasing Not Your Kind of People in May 2012 after a 6 year hiatus. I adore Shirley Manson on a cosmic level. The Smashing Pumpkins, Oceania released in June 2012 and the highly anticipated Soundgarden release of King Animal on November 13th. So far so great, Not your kind of People was exploding. To say Shirley Manson is like a fine wine that gets better with age is a not even close. She is a confident rock goodness with lyrics like “I won’t be your dirty little secret”. The Pumpkins Oceania was surprisingly a more level headed Billy Corgan. Songs such as “Celestials” revealing “I’m gonna love you 101 percent”, and I ended up really loving this album. I expect nothing less from Soundgarden and from what I’ve already heard it is right on Chris Cornell style.
With all of these great bands coming together again after so many years, there is one band that after 18 straight years of magnificent music and touring will be taking a break, The Foo’s. I am okay with this, or so I keep telling myself. No I am, I know Dave Grohl will have many more projects to come. It is bitter though because the Foo Fighters represent a time in my life when I was coming of age and wrapping myself up in a big blanket of music and cared about nothing else. But Dave Grohl will be a part of me for life, and my future husband must know and except this. But I digress.
And now comes a great time for me to once again explore and taste what else is out there. Like going to a buffet and sampling all the different kinds of cuisine. There is so much music out there it’s impossible to follow every artist or band. But I’m always searching for the next one that’s going to get me in my gut with staying power. More recently within the past decade bands such as The Killers and Muse showing a promise for longevity. And I was pleasantly surprised loving The Black Keys when seeing them live earlier this year with Arctic Monkeys who I think are really becoming a solid band. And so as music progresses from past to present, influences are being re-emerged into the new greats of today. Music is a constant recycling force. So I say may the force be with you.