Inspired by an NPR story and further encouraged by a friend, I made a list of the songs that were huge for me during my teen years (holy crap, I’m old). Anyway, as is obvious from this list I was very into punk, hardcore, & all the other iterations/sub-genres of those (Skacore, Oi!, street punk, thrash, metalcore, etc.). I was pretty angst-ridden & didn’t have nearly enough outlets for my energy, so intense, violent music was how I dealt with it all. Nowadays I’m pretty obsessed with jazz and all of its sub-genres, but I can totally see myself returning to punk/hardcore leanings. You just can’t beat this stuff. Anyway, here’s my incomplete list, in no particular order, with links to audio/video/info where available:

• Nirvana: Drain You, Heart-Shaped Box, Milk It
• Drexel: Allston Throne, Shoe (Link will say it’s by Big D & The Kids Table but really it’s just on a split cd with them & Drexel)
• In My Eyes: Welcome to Boston
• Reach The Sky: World Stands Still
• Deftones: Lotion, Elite
• Mighty Mighty Bosstones: Patricia, Hell of a Hat
• Codeseven: Boys of Summer (Don Henley cover)
• Fugazi: Combination Lock, Waiting Room
• Minor Threat: Screaming At A Wall
• Purusam: I’m Not One of You
• The Unseen: Social Security, What Are We Waiting For?
• The Trouble: Saturday’s Kids
• Thumper: All Fall Down
• Stompbox: Saltpeterexitwound
• AFI: God Called In Sick Today
• Pretty much every Pilfers song.

& there ya have it.

UPDATE: How I forgot Operation Ivy is beyond me. Forgiveness, please.