I first heard of T.S.O.L. in 6th grade, because for some weird reason all the 7th graders (even the preppies) somehow got into them (maybe it was the same year they played a party in the desert - a show my band mate Nick got to see - and news spread to us middle schoolers?). In any case, I'd heard them ("Code Blue" really appealed to my sense of humor at the time), and seen pictures of them when I got my "Hardcore Punk in California Book" in 8th grade, but I didn't get INTO them 'til a year later when in 9th grade (the year I really got into all the punk stuff) I bought a skate video called "Summer Sessions". the video was pretty crappy, but it was my first skate video so I watched it over and over again. Also, the entire soundtrack was nearly every song off of "Change Today?"
It was the beginning of the end for TSOL, and by the time I was a senior, my friend who was into stuff like Tesla, Skid Row and Guns 'n' Roses became a fan (always the sign of a band going "mersh"). They also, as you know had no more original members.
Anyways, at band practice the other day we all broke into an A cappella version of "How Do", and last practice I annoyed Nick trying to figure out the riff to "Red Shadows". He swears he'll never listen to this record again after that. This is for you, buddy!
p.s. For some reason I never got in to the opening track, "Black Magic" so I always start on the second song. Always. Maybe I'll give it another chance.
Heroin!
Posts
