The Metallica Trajectory

If you’re familiar with my post (way back when) known as the Poorly Titled Music Project, then you’ll be happy to know that it’s still very poorly titled.  And you’ll also know that I lied.  I won’t be kicking off with The Mars Volta.  I had the juice back in June of 2011, but I’ve moved onto other things.

I find Metallica endlessly fascinating.  I should start out with that.  They’re not my favorite band in the world, but at one time they were probably in the Top 5.  Probably.  I’m very fickle when it comes to my Top 5; it’s constantly in flux.  But, Metallica has always been strong in my book.  I would listen to their albums quite frequently.  And even now, while I don’t listen to a lot of the same music I did even ten years ago, I still make it a point to go back to Metallica on a regular basis (“regular” being a relative term, probably something like once every month or two I’ll listen to one of their albums; but I’ve got a lot of music at my disposal, so give me a break; every two months is pretty fucking regular for me!).

Guns N’ Roses, Key Arena, 2011 Part I: The Before

I’ve known about this show for a little while, but honestly I just didn’t have any interest.  And it’s NOT because I’m some kind of purist who won’t acknowledge the band without Slash, Duff, and the rest.  Let’s face it, Slash is super-talented, but he’s not the be-all, end-all of guitarists.

It’s mostly just because … I’ve never really been a fan of Guns N’ Roses live.

The Bands I Grew Up With

I’m convinced I’m going to get a little older and I’m going to forget everything I used to know.  Alzheimer’s doesn’t necessarily run in my family (as far as I know), but I have a poor memory as it is.  If I don’t chronicle these types of things, they’ll be lost forever.

One day, I’d like to look back on my writing – having forgotten everything I’ve ever experienced and ever written about – and smile with a twinkle in my eye.  Oh yeah, I remember that …

Here’s a list of bands I grew up adoring.  My musical heyday ranges from probably 1988 through probably 1994.  Oh sure, bands have come after; just like I eventually came to appreciate bands that came before.  But, this window, this is where it’s at.

These bands aren’t necessarily my FAVORITE bands, but they’re among them.  And some of them probably are.  I’m using my iPod to help out with this, because if I tried to go off of my memory alone, I’d surely leave out a few.

Poorly Titled Music Project

I don’t really know what to call this yet, so it’s currently untitled.

For a while there, I’d say from the time I was 7 to … I guess I’d say my last year of college, I was a pretty rabid music fan.  If I had to outline my trajectory, I’d say it started with hard rock of the late 80s (Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Motley Crue, Skid Row, etc.), continued on with the Alternative sound of the early 90s (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers), worked its way into heavy metal (Metallica, Pantera, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC), worked its way backward into classic rock (Jimi Hendrix, Creedence, Cream, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, old Aerosmith, old Alice Cooper) with a smattering of hip hop (Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, Tupac, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg).  As I got into my later teenage years and early 20s, my taste expanded to old and new punk, jazz, progressive rock, post rock, electronica; but I still found room for some of the newer “garage” type rock of The Strokes, White Stripes, the Hives, and some of the more, I dunno, melodious types of stuff like Franz Ferdinand, Interpol, Arcade Fire, the Decemberists, etc.