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)