In October of 2002, I packed up as much as I could fit in my 1997 Nissan Maxima and set out from Boston to San Diego with a little bit of savings and a whole lot of gumption. No, truthfully I didn’t really have any idea what I was getting myself into, I was more clueless than brave, but hey, I had been feeling stuck in a rut and it seemed like it would be an adventure. And I was right!
While I did have the foresight to line up an apartment in advance, I had no job plans when I moved, and it took almost three months for me to find one. Which left me with a lot of time on my hands. So, among other things, I decided to start blogging, both as a way to keep my writing/creative chops from atrophying and to give me something to do. So, like a lot of people were doing back then, I made a Livejournal.
I maintained it pretty steadily for the next year or so, and then sporadically after, up til August of 2003. At which point I basically abandoned it.
But I never deleted it.
Ten years later, it’s still there right where I left it, a weird little momento of a particular time in my life.
Most of what’s there is of interest to absolutely nobody but myself. (And, likely, is incredibly embarrassing. Ah well, on the Internet, everyone has a past!) But, while it wasn’t a music blog, I did write a lot about what I was listening to, and what bands I was seeing, and there are a lot of fun little flashbacks buried in there.
The posts in this blog will consist of all the music-related excerpts from that Livejournal. I’ll excise each bit that related to music and give it an entry here, along with the date it was written and a link back to the full original blog post. I generally logged whatever song I was listening to at the time I posted – in cases where I did this, that song will be posted as well. For entries where I didn’t record this info, I’ll find a piece of music related to my post. If nothing else, I’m looking forward to going back through and seeing what my thoughts at the time were on what I was listening to then and how they’ve changed in the decade since.
This doesn’t tell a complete story, nor was it meant to (though that story is out there if you’re so inclined). But it does tell a story nonetheless.
(chronological order by date written, highlighting featured track)
- Sigur Ros – Agaetis Byrjun – Svefn-g-Englar (11/25/02)
- The Monkees – Pisces Aquarius Capricorn And Jones – The Door Into Summer (11/27/02)
- Mineral – Love My Way (11/29/02)
- Iron And Wine – The Creek Drank The Cradle – An Angry Blade (12/01/02)
- Old 97’s – Fight Songs – Lonely Holiday (12/04/02)
- Sugar – Beaster – Feeling Better (12/05/02)
- Sugar – Beaster – Judas Cradle (12/11/02)
- Slint – Spiderland – Nosferatu Man (12/14/02)
- Sugar – Besides – In The Eyes Of My Friends (12/16/02)
- Jimmy Eat World – Firestarter (12/19/02)
- Machine In Motion – World In Fascination (12/19/02)
- The Album Leaf – One Day I’ll Be On Time – Story Board (12/25/02)
- Coheed And Cambria – The Second Stage Turbine Blade – Time Consumer (12/29/02)
- OK Go – OK Go – Get Over It (1/04/03)
- Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Radio Cure (1/06/03)
- The Blood Brothers – Burn, Piano Island, Burn – Cecilia And The Silhouette Saloon (1/11/03)
- Wilco – Being There – Misunderstood (1/12/03)
- Cursive – Such Blinding Stars For Starving Eyes – Eight Light Minutes (1/12/03)
- Slobberbone – Slippage – Write Me Off (1/13/03)
- The Blood Brothers – Burn, Piano Island, Burn – Guitarmy (1/13/03)
- The Blood Brothers – Dynamite With A Laser Beam Compilation – Under Pressure (1/13/03)
- Grey DeLisle – Homewrecker – The Hole (1/15/03)
- Alkaline Trio – From Here To Infirmary – Armageddon (1/16/03)
- Slobberbone – Barrel Chested – Haze Of Drink (1/17/03)
- Slobberbone – Slippage – Find The Out (1/17/03)
- Rilo Kiley – Take Offs And Landings – Go Ahead (1/18/03)
- Dashboard Confessional – The Swiss Army Romance – Turpentine Chaser (1/19/03)
- Weezer – Weezer (The Blue Album) – My Name Is Jonas (1/20/03)
- Alkaline Trio – Alkaline Trio / Hot Water Music split – Queen Of Pain (1/21/03)
- Drive By Truckers – Souther Rock Opera – The Southern Thing (1/23/03)
- Iron And Wine – The Creek Drank The Cradle – An Angry Blade (1/25/03)
- Rhett Miller – The Instigator – The El (1/27/03)
- The Movielife – Has A Gambling Problem – Walking On Glass (1/28/03)
- Noise Ratchet – Till We Have Faces – A Way To The Heart (1/29/03)
- American Football – American Football – Stay Home (1/31/03)
- Radio 4 – The New Song And Dance – Get Set To Fall Out (2/05/03)
- Dashboard Confessional – The Swiss Army Romance – THe Sharp Hint Of New Tears (2/09/03)
- Old 97’s – Wreck Your Life – Doreen (2/11/03)
- The White Stripes – Elephant – Seven Nation Army (2/13/03)
- Bad Religion – No Control – I Want To Conquer The World (2/17/03)
- X – Los Angeles – The World’s A Mess It’s In My Kiss (2/18/03)
- Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights- PDA (2/21/03)
- Hot Rod Circuit – Sorry About Tomorrow – The Pharmacist (2/24/03)
- Tears For Fears – Tears Roll Down – Mad World (2/27/03)
- Henry Rollins – A Rollins In The Wry – The United Colors Of West L.A. (2/28/03)
- Coheed And Cambria – The Second Stage Turbine Blade – Devil In Jersey City (3/03/03)
- Uncle Tupelo – Anodyne – We’ve Been Had (3/11/03)
- Joy Division – Substance – Love Will Tear Us Apart (3/13/03)
- Evanescence – Fallen – Bring Me To Life (3/29/03)
- The Strokes – Is This It – Trying Your Luck (3/30/03)
- Live – Birds Of Pray – Heaven (4/25/03)
- The White Stripes – Elephant – The Hardest Button To Button (4/30/03)
- The White Stripes – Elephant – Ball And Biscuit (5/01/03)
- Pearl Jam – Singles Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – State Of Love And Trust (6/06/03)
- Pearl Jam – Vs. – Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town (6/06/03)
- Guster – Keep It Together – Amsterdam (6/25/03)
- Fountains Of Wayne – Welcome Interstate Managers – Bright Future In Sales (7/31/03)
- Kenna – New Sacred Cow – Vexed & Glorious (8/23/03)
(alphabetical order by artist referenced, with date written)
- Alaska (11/25/02)
- the Album Leaf (12/25/02)
- Alkaline Trio (1/16/03), (1/21/03)
- American Football (1/31/03), (2/11/03), (2/27/03)
- Arrested Development (7/31/03)
- Atom And His Package (1/28/03), (2/24/03), (2/27/03), (2/28/03)
- At The Drive-In (1/16/03)
- Avail (11/29/02)
- B-52s (7/31/03)
- Bad Religion (2/17/03), (7/31/03)
- Beachwood Sparks (11/27/02)
- Big Star (1/25/03)
- the Blood Brothers (1/04/03), (1/11/03), (1/13/03), (1/13/03), (1/13/03), (1/16/03), (2/05/03), (2/24/03), (2/27/03)
- Blues Traveler (11/25/02)
- Brand New (1/16/03)
- Bright Eyes (3/30/03)
- Britney Spears (4/25/03)
- Bruce Springsteen (3/30/03)
- Burning Brides (2/09/03)
- Caitlin Cary (11/27/02)
- Cat Power (2/11/03)
- the Cato Salsa Experience (11/25/02), (11/27/02)
- Cause And Effect (12/19/02)
- Chris Carrabba (2/05/03)
- Chris Cornell (6/06/03)
- Coheed And Cambria (12/29/02), (1/04/03), (1/16/03), (2/05/03), (2/17/03), (3/03/03)
- Counting Crows (12/29/02)
- Cursive (1/04/03), (1/12/03), (1/23/03), (1/31/03)
- Dashboard Confessional (1/19/03), (2/09/03)
- Dave Grohl (2/21/03)
- David Bowie (3/30/03)
- Death Cab For Cutie (1/31/03), (2/18/03)
- Deftones (2/17/03)
- Dennis Lyxzen (1/25/03)
- Desaparecidos (2/05/03)
- the Dirtbombs (1/28/03)
- the Dismemberment Plan (1/19/03)
- Division Of Laura Lee (1/04/03), (2/09/03)
- the Doors (2/21/03)
- Dream Theater (12/29/02)
- Drive By Truckers (1/04/03), (1/17/03), (1/21/03), (1/23/03)
- the Dropkick Murphys (8/23/03)
- Duncan Sheik (6/25/03)
- Ed Harcourt (11/27/02)
- Eddie Cochran (1/27/03)
- Engine Down (2/27/03), (3/11/03)
- Evanescence (3/29/03)
- the Faint (3/13/03), (3/30/03)
- Fig Dish (1/25/03)
- Finch (1/28/03), (7/31/03)
- Fiona Apple (1/27/03)
- Foo Fighters (2/21/03)
- Fountains Of Wayne (3/13/03), (7/31/03)
- From Autumn To Ashes (1/04/03), (1/11/03), (1/13/03), (1/15/03)
- G. Love (7/31/03)
- Gary Jules (2/27/03)
- Glassjaw (1/04/03), (2/11/03), (2/18/03)
- Goo Goo Dolls (7/31/03)
- the Grateful Dead (2/21/03)
- Great White (2/27/03)
- Green River (6/06/03)
- Grey DeLisle (1/15/03), (1/17/03), (1/19/03)
- Guster (6/25/03)
- Har Mar Superstar (11/25/02), (2/11/03), (2/21/03)
- Henry Rollins (1/04/03), (2/24/03), (2/27/03), (2/28/03)
- Hey Mercedes (11/29/02)
- Hopesfall (2/17/03)
- Hot Hot Heat (1/04/03), (1/23/03), (1/31/03)
- Hot Rod Circuit (2/24/03)
- Hot Water Music (1/04/03), (1/21/03), (2/11/03), (2/18/03)
- Husker Du (12/05/02), (12/14/02), (1/16/03), (1/17/03), (1/17/03), (2/21/03), (4/25/03)
- I Am The World Trade Center (12/19/02)
- Ian Curtis (2/21/03)
- Incubus (2/27/03)
- Information Society (12/19/02)
- Interpol (1/04/03), (2/11/03), (2/21/03), (3/13/03)
- Iron And Wine (12/01/02), (1/25/03)
- Jeff Buckley (2/11/03)
- Jimmy Eat World (12/19/02), (1/20/03)
- Joan Of Arc (3/03/03)
- Joey Ramone (2/18/03)
- Jonah Matranga (2/17/03)
- Joy Division (3/13/03)
- the Juliana Theory (1/31/03)
- Kathleen Edwards (7/31/03)
- Kenna (8/23/03)
- Kevin Seconds (1/16/03)
- Kurt Cobain (2/27/03), (6/06/03)
- Linkin Park (3/29/03)
- Live (4/25/03), (5/01/03)
- the Locust (1/16/03), (2/27/03)
- Local H (1/25/03)
- Lou Barlow (11/25/02)
- Love (12/25/02), (7/31/03)
- Machine In Motion (12/19/02), (1/21/03)
- Macy Gray (7/31/03)
- the Mars Volta (2/05/03)
- Matt Skiba (1/16/03)
- MC Paul Barman (12/01/02)
- Mick Jagger (3/30/03)
- Mickey Dolenz (12/19/02)
- Mike Kinsella (2/11/03)
- Mile Marker (2/27/03)
- Mineral (11/29/02)
- Minus The Bear (1/29/03), (1/31/03)
- the Monkees (11/27/02), (12/19/02)
- Morrissey (2/21/03)
- the Movielife (1/28/03)
- Murry Hammond (1/15/03), (1/17/03), (1/19/03)
- My Bloody Valentine (2/21/03)
- My Chemical Romance (1/29/03), (1/31/03)
- Nappy Roots (11/25/02)
- Neil Finn (1/04/03), (2/11/03)
- Neil Young (1/17/03), (6/06/03)
- Nickel Creek (7/31/03)
- Nirvana (4/25/03)
- Noise Ratchet (1/23/03), (1/29/03), (1/31/03)
- Oasis (2/21/03)
- OK Go (1/04/03), (1/23/03), (1/25/03)
- Old 97’s (12/04/02), (1/17/03), (1/25/03), (2/11/03), (4/25/03)
- onelinedrawing (2/17/03)
- Our Lady Peace (1/15/03), (4/25/03)
- Owen (2/11/03)
- Paul Westerberg (12/29/02)
- Pearl Jam (6/06/03), (6/06/03), (7/31/03)
- Phantom Planet (1/23/03), (3/13/03)
- Piebald (1/04/03), (1/23/03), (1/29/03), (1/31/03), (2/05/03)
- the Plus Ones (1/25/03)
- the Polyphonic Spree (2/05/03)
- Presidents Of The United States Of America (7/31/03)
- Pretty Girls Make Graves (2/27/03)
- the Prodigy (12/19/02)
- the Psychedelic Furs (11/29/02)
- Radio 4 (2/05/03)
- the Ramones (2/18/03)
- Ranchero Brothers (1/27/03)
- the Raveonettes (2/11/03), (2/21/03)
- REM (8/23/03)
- the Replacements (4/25/03)
- the Reverend Horton Heat (7/31/03)
- Rhett Miller (11/25/02), (11/29/02), (12/04/02), (1/04/03), (1/12/03), (1/17/03), (1/23/03),(1/25/03), (1/27/03), (2/09/03), (2/11/03)
- Rilo Kiley (1/18/03), (2/05/03)
- Robyn Hitchcock (1/12/03)
- Roxy Music (2/21/03)
- Rush (12/29/02)
- Sarah McLachlan (3/29/03)
- Science Park (12/19/02)
- Sebadoh (11/25/02)
- the See-Throughs (2/27/03)
- Senses Fail (1/28/03)
- the Sex Pistols (7/31/03)
- Sigur Ros (11/25/02)
- Sixty Stories (1/28/03)
- Slint (12/14/02)
- Slobberbone (1/04/03), (1/11/03), (1/13/03), (1/15/03), (1/17/03), (1/17/03)
- Social Distortion (7/31/03)
- Sparta (1/04/03), (2/11/03), (2/18/03)
- A Static Lullaby (1/13/03)
- the Strokes (3/13/03), (3/30/03)
- Sugar (12/05/02), (12/11/02), (12/16/02)
- Taking Back Sunday (1/11/03), (1/13/03), (3/13/03)
- Tall Ships (2/27/03)
- Tears For Fears (2/27/03)
- Ted Leo (2/05/03)
- Temple Of The Dog (6/06/03)
- Three Doors Down (11/25/02)
- 3riplefastaction (1/25/03)
- Tristeza (1/04/03)
- Uncle Tupelo (3/11/03), (3/13/03), (3/30/03)
- the Used (1/11/03), (1/13/03), (1/13/03)
- the Velvet Underground (2/21/03)
- Veruca Salt (1/25/03)
- the Von Bondies (1/28/03), (2/05/03)
- Waiting For Autumn (2/17/03)
- Weezer (1/20/03), (1/25/03)
- Whiskeytown (11/27/02)
- the White Stripes (2/13/03), (3/30/03), (4/30/03), (5/01/03)
- Wilco (1/06/03), (1/12/03), (1/16/03), (7/31/03)
- X (2/18/03), (7/31/03)
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs (3/30/03)
- Yes (12/29/02)
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