Author: ifmyalbumscouldtalk

During the Spring of 1973, I was finishing up my fourth grade year in school. I am not sure if I was precocious or just a pain in the butt to the older kids in the neighborhood, but I was constantly picked to play basketball with those high school kids. Sure, I got roughed up, but I was finding that I could get my shot off against the bigger kids. Plus, I could dribble so well that I could make myself difficult to guard off the dribble. And, I know those guys were not holding back by the number of times I would make the cuss when I made someone look bad with a no look pass here or a behind-the-back dribble there. But, that was NOT the important thing about playing hoops with high school boys at such a young age. Nope, there were two other things: great rock music and high school girls.

Sure, I was only ten, but I knew a good-looking girl when I saw one, and those guys attracted them by the car loads. After a while, I got to know the girls, and I could impress my buddies whenever one of them would see me away from those driveway courts and say “Hi!” to me. Yes, it was an advantage to have “friends” who were older. But, in addition to the young ladies, I learn much about rock music that summer from all those older teens. They would play the Doobie Brothers, Seals & Croft, Alice Cooper, Deep Purple and Elton John, among many others. From them I also learned that the cool radio stations were on the FM dial or AM Chicago stations at night.

Yet, the biggest thing I learn about with those guys was Steely Dan. That band had debuted the year before with the album Can’t Buy a Thrill. Those guys would tell me that chicks loved the Dan, and laugh while giving themselves five. Me? I wasn’t sure what they were talking about, but I made a mental note about Steely Dan. Now, at the time that Spring of 1974, I was hooked by the soaring guitar played during the Steely Dan classic “Reelin’ in the Years”. That song was brilliant to me for not just one awesome solo during the song, but three of them! I was hooked by Steely Dan through that one song; however, the hook was fleeting, because I did not understand much of those others songs that were as smooth as any R&B and sophisticated as any jazz song, but it was totally rooted in rock and roll.

Well, one of the creative minds of Steely Dan, bassist Walter Becker, passed away over the weekend to the shock of many. I was totally caught off guard, but I was also happy knowing of all the enjoyable times I have had over the years with Steely Dan’s music in the background. They made the perfect music, in that it was smooth and sophisticated as stated earlier, so it made for excellent music over which you could talk with people or romantic enough that it made for good make out music during those single years. But, if you wanted to take the Dan’s music on a deeper level just read the lyrics sheet. Those lyrics will make sly references to other bands and artists, as well as some of the most sexually risque lyrics this side of Prince. But, the key in the band getting away with those lyrics was the smooth, deadpan vocal delivery of Donald Fagin and the smooth, nearly jazz musical landscape to which those lyrics are set.

When Becker and Fagin first began to form bands, their drummer was Chevy Chase. That’s right! The very same Chevy Chase who hit the big time as a Not Ready for Prime Time Player in the original cast of Saturday Night Live. But, as the duo’s musical ambitions grew, so did their need to find the best musicians available. And, although that first album contained an actual set line-up, subsequent releases were simply Becker and Fagin leading some of Los Angeles’ top session musicians through the recording of their music. By the time the band, whose name came from the name of an oversized, steam-powered name “Steely Dan III from Yokohama” from the book Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. As you can see, the band was little off-kilter from the start.

By 1977 and 1978, Steely Dan reached their commercial and artistic peak with the sublime Aja album. That album yielded four Top 40 hits in the title song, “Peg”, “Josie” and “Deacon Blues”. But, all of the songs from that album are Classic Rock standards today. It was during this “hot streak” that Becker and Fagin recorded the theme song to a little-known movie with an outstanding classic rock soundtrack. The movie was FM, and the hit song was “FM (No Static at All)”. Both the song and movie were an ode to the free-form radio formats of the late-Sixties and early-Seventies that had been found on the FM bandwidth that were quickly being changed into the radio we hear today with tightened playlists that make it seem as though one can hear “Free Bird” every day at 9 PM on your favorite classic rock station.

Steely Dan will be one of those unique aberrations in rock history. Unfortunately, few artists have the guts to move in the direction of Steely Dan’s wake. I have yet to hear them. Most artists that move to an avant-garde beat attempt to emulate Captain Beefheart’s noise-based blues or Frank Zappa’s classical musical freak-outs. But no one attempts the rock/R&B/jazz triumvirate that Steely Dan perfected.

Walter Becker, I’m certain that your family will miss you more than the fans of your music, which is only proper. But, I will miss your vision and courage to try to fulfill that vision in the field of rock music. Thank you for a lifetime of great memories, and may you find peace in the eternity. May Steely Dan live forever!

As I begin this last post about my favorite alternative songs throughout history, a large part of me feels nothing but relief. Relief that this demon has be exorcised, so to speak. Some days it is so very easy to write this thing, and others it feels as though I literally have run out of things to say. And, to be honest, writing is beginning to take the place that sports held for me in my life. In my pre-Failed Back Surgery Syndrome days, I went to play basketball to compete, not just exercise. And when I ran, I was competing with myself. I loved competition because it made me feel alive and at one with the world.

But, now, my body fails me. So, I have been on a search for a replacement. Now, does writing have a feeling like competition? No. Not at all. But, there is something about it that helps me keep the darkness from swallowing me whole. Thus, I am beginning to switch from competition to this thing called writing. And, I prefer not to write much about this chronic pain thing I have. I prefer to turn to music, something that helped me through some terrible times over the years to find the good in the world.

And, I feel that all good art does that: converts the pain of the artist into the collective release of pain to his/her audience. At least, that’s what rock music has done for me. So, I celebrate this release by listening to it (even though I think the volume is catching up to me in my left ear – thanks Brian May and Anne Wilson for your concerts!). So, let’s celebrate these relatively new artists and their outstanding songs from the latest complete decade that we have lived through.

As the prophet Casey Kasem once would say, “The numbers get smaller, but the hits get larger. Now, back to the countdown!” Here’s my Top 20 Favorite Alternative Songs of the 2000s.

1. Daft Punk – “One More Time” (2001). That’s right! Here’s a surprise for you! I still love disco, especially when it’s done well, like Daft Punk did here. I thought for a moment that I was back in the late Seventies when I first heard this song.

2. My Morning Jacket – “I’m Amazed” (2008). I long thought MMJ would become the 21st century version of The Band. But, after this great song and the album from which it comes, Evil Urges, they are something more. Something like a modern Grateful Dead/Prince/Talking Heads/Phish amalgamation. In other words, something I totally dig.

3. M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” (2007). Seriously, who bases a smash hit song on The Clash’s funk-punk freak-out from Combat Rock “Straight to Hell”? Well, M.I.A. did, along with the innovative use of cash register and gun shot sound effects as hooks. I heard this song blaring from students’ cars in the school parking lot for the better part of a year. That says something.

4. Modest Mouse – “Float On” (2004). I always love it when a long-time underground band has a hit song, because that song usually lives on forever, much like this song does. And, no, it has NOTHING to do with that soul hit from 1977 by The Floaters.

5. Jimmy Eat World – “The Middle” (2001). This song, along with Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacey’s Mom” are the power pop anthems of the decade. Need I say more?

6. U2 – “Beautiful Day” (2000). As the new millennium rolled around, U2 rediscovered their youthful enthusiasm and came up with another timeless anthem.

7. Johnny Cash – “Hurt” (2002). What Seventy-something take a Nine Inch Nails song and make it own, and an alternative standard as well? If that person is Johnny Cash, nothing is impossible. This is Cash’s last testament to his talent and genius. Every musician should go out this way.

8. The Strokes – “Last Nite” (2001). For a brief time at the beginning of the Aughts, the NYC music scene was alive again, like it was 1977 again. And, The Strokes were leading the way. Then, the whole thing was over quicker than the lights came back on during the NYC blackout in the Seventies.

9. MGMT – “Kids” (2007). No band sounded like they were having fun as much as MGMT did on their debut album, from which “Kids”, their best song, comes. Their recipe was a little alternative music here, some punk there, throw in a little disco, and some synth-pop and new wave. Cook for three to four minutes. And, presto! MGMT gave us “Kids”.

10. Cheap Trick – “Sick Man of Europe” (2009). C’mon Keller! Who are you kidding?!?! Cheap Trick? That’s right! The band rediscovered their inner-garage band/punk rock band to create one of their greatest songs. If you don’t believe ask Little Steven Van Zandt.

11. Arcade Fire – “Wake Up” (2004). I think this band may never live up to the potential of this anthem, but who cares? Dan Patrick uses it every Friday coming out of his last break to pump up everyone for the weekend.

12. Kings of Leon – “Sex on Fire” (2008). For a moment in time, KOL seemed like the saviors of rock music. I was wrong, but this song reminds of that though every time I hear it.

13. The Killers – “Mr. Brightside” (2004). I miss The Cars. But, The Killers helped on that count a couple of times, such as this song.

14. Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy” (2006). THE song of 2006, it was nearly everywhere. I heard it on all radio formats except for Country and Classic Rock, though it does belong in the latter now.

15. Bob Dylan – “Mississippi” (2001). What’s with all the older artists on this countdown? Well, it proves that old-timers were the talented ones who were timeless. Will we be able to say that about the others on this list. Probably not!

16. Ryan Adams – “To Be Young” (2000). I still hold on to the hope that Adams will become this generation’s Neil Young, like he seemed destined to become when this song was released.

17. Franz Ferdinand – “Take Me Out” (2004). Franz Ferdinand woke up the sleeping giant of Duran Duran with this song. D-squared has since recorded three of their better albums since “Take Me Out” was released to remind everyone that we need teen idols who rock. Too bad FF weren’t those idols.

18. Pearl Jam – “Just Breathe” (2009). The Nineties alternative gods return to top form on this song, and there’s nothing better than Pearl Jam when they are focused.

19. Crazy Town – “Butterfly” (2001). These one-hit-wonders took an obscure Red Hot Chili Peppers’ riff and created a whole new haunting funk-rock song in the process. The song still gives me chills to this very day.

20. The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army” (2003). This song contains THE guitar riff of the Aughts. The song is everywhere now. You can hear it at sporting arenas. College and high school bands are playing it at football and basketball games. Hell, even the crowds will chant the riff in an attempt to rally their team. It is timeless, but I knocked it down a few notches because it is so ubiquitous.

And there you have it, friends! That wraps up my favorite alternative rock songs throughout the decades. From the garage bands playing proto-punk in the Sixties to today’s indie rock bands, alternative music will live on, evolving into a viable music.

Hey, thanks for hanging with me through this, the final week of my alternative music lesson. I know the 21st century music is not that familiar to the masses, yet much of it is playing a crucial role in keeping the genre alive and relevant. But, when you look back at these lists from my series you can see how the genre has developed over time, as well as incorporating trends and fads of the day into the musical mix. To me, this whole thing has proven that music is still living and breathing, waiting to strike just at the moment when society needs its, not when we want it.

I still hear my beloved power pop surviving both in the traditional sense but also in the music that has been called emo or punk pop. I can find the dance/rock hybrid that The Cars had a small hand in developing in the music of The Killers and Franz Ferdinand. Moody music by the likes of Joy Division and Gang of Four have kindred spirits with the likes of Interpol and Bloc Party. And, punk is alive and well with Against Me and Rise Against leading the way.

I guess Billy Joel said it best when he sang, “It’s all rock and roll to me.” And, I know that I get emotional about popular music, but I also realize the Stones had it correct when they sand, “It’s only rock and roll, but I like it, like it, yes I do.” What can I say?

Except, for the magic words, “On with the countdown!”

21. Interpol – “Evil” (2004)

22. The Hives – “Hate to Told You So” (2000)

23. Green Day – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2004)

24. The Flaming Lips – “Do You Realize??” (2002)

25. Everclear – “AM Radio” (2000)

26. System of a Down – “Chop Suey” (2002)

27. Randy Newman – “A Few Words in Defense of Our Country” (2007)

28. Andrew WK – “Party Hard” (2001)

29. Weezer – “Island in the Sun” (2001)

30. Foo Fighters – “The Pretender” (2007)

31. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “By the Way” (2002)

32. Foo Fighters – “Best of You” (2005)

33. JET – “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” (2003)

34. Coldplay – “Viva la Vida” (2008)

35. The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” (2004)

36. The White Stripes – “Fell in Love with a Girl” (2001)

37. Green Day – “Minority” (2000)

38. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows” (2002)

39. American Hi-Fi – “Flavor of the Weak” (2001)

40. Muse – “Uprising” (2009)

41. Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody” (2008)

42. Enuff Z’Nuff – “There Goes My Heart” (2000)

43. Paramore – “crushcrushcrush” (2007)

44. Arcade Fire – “Rebellion (Lies)” (2004)

45. Panic! At the Disco – “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” (2005)

46. MGMT – “Time to Pretend” (2007)

47. Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk” (2008)

48. U2 – “Vertigo” (2004)

49. Arcade Fire – “Neighborhood #3 ((Power Out)” (2004)

50. Fleet Foxes – “White Winter Hymnal” (2008)

51. MGMT – “Electric Feel” (2007)

52. Santigold – “L.E.S Artistes” (2008)

53. Green Day – “21 Guns” (2009)

54. Interpol – “Obstacle 1” (2002)

55. Arcade Fire – “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” (2004)

56. OK Go – “Here It Goes Again” (2005)

57. Ryan Adams – “New York, New York” (2001)

58. The Exploding Hearts – “Sleeping Aides and Razorblades” (2003)

59. Bloc Party – “Helicopter” (2005)

60. Interpol – “PDA” (2002)

61. Feist – “1234” (2007)

62. System of a Down – “B.Y.O.B.” (2005)

63. The Ting Tings – “That’s Not My Name” (2008)

64. Weezer – “Keep Fishin’” (2002)

65. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Maps” (2003)

One more day and this whole thing will be over. Thanks again for bearing with this obsessive/compulsive act that I have put you all through. But, now I have given my radio friends a nice, big playlist of alternative songs for the classic alternative terrestrial station that we have been discussing. Now, if I were truly into this idea, I would due another list of the 2010s, but we are not even out of them yet, so I don’t think I have a firm grasp upon this decade yet. Give another five years so I can judge things more fair.

So, rock friends, see you tomorrow for the big pay-off. Or, maybe it will be an anticlimactic ending to this little history lesson. If you have any suggestions for topics, write them in the comment section! I have received one about cut-out bin classics, which could be fun. Otherwise, you just get my continual drivel about Cheap Trick, Prince and power pop music, and do we REALLY want that?

Now that the 2000s have been over for 17 years, I would like to pose a question. Which artists the got their start during the first decade of the new millennium should be considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sure, I am focusing on alternative artists, but I want to look at all artists who hit the big time between 2000 and 2009.

As I was constructing the list for the decade under question (The Aughts, right Bondo!?!?), Foo Fighters and Radiohead immediately jumped out ahead of the others. However, do they really count, since they had each released three albums in the Nineties. Then, I choose the Queens of the Stone Age, one of the finest metal/alternative bands of any decade. Now, if I focused on Hip Hop, then Jay-Z, Eminem, Missy Elliott and Kanye West are all shoo-ins. Then, from the pop world, which is always controversial to choose from these artists, my list would include Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Adele, No Doubt/Gwen Steffani, *N SYNC/Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. And, from the rock world, we could have White Stripes/Jack White, The Black Keys and, maybe Coldplay and/or Maroon 5, but people seem to be split on both of them. And, there’s one of my favorite artists of the 21st century, Daft Punk, who deserve induction, if nothing else but pointing out what a great artist/guitarist Nile Rodgers is.

On the other hand, there are the artists, who all at one time or another, I though would get inducted, but now seem like outsiders. I am talking about artists such as The Strokes, The Hives, Kings of Leon, The Flaming Lips, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, LCD Soundsystem, MGMT and Moby. Then, there’s the one of my favorite cult bands, Drive-By Truckers, who deserve consideration, even though their sales are probably more like the Velvet Underground as opposed to Adele. Then, Gnarls Barkley and The Postal Service did not stick together long enough to eek out a career. Finally, what I am supposed to do about Audioslave? Neither Soundgarden nor Rage Against the Machine have been inducted.

In other words, the current array of artists are not making a lasting impression upon music so far this century. Back in the Sixties through the TRL Generation, there always seemed to be a buzz when a great artist was about to release an anticipated album. I really cannot vouch for what happened in the Sixties and Seventies, but the anticipation of the new Prince, Springsteen, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, even Mellencamp albums could spark a long line at the local record store. And on those big release days, the record would be blaring that new album, plus kids who had just purchased their latest Holy Grail of a rock album would be blaring that very cassette through their Alpine Speakers in their vehicle. Album release day was a magical time. The Napster destroyed everything.

The only new release day that has come close to matching those heady days, was when Adele released her last album. But, the only lines that occurred were the virtual lines in the Amazon checkout and the iTunes download, not some physic record store, one of the last bastions of human contact and interaction.

Now, just because the artists are not as long-lasting as in the part, the songs have become the point of collecting music. So, there are still great songs being released, but that is the only thing being encouraged. So, with that said, let’s take a look at the next section of My 200 Favorite Alternative Songs of the 2000s, or the Aughts (for my good friend Bondo – that’s TWO name-drops!). Let’s see the list from #66 to 115.

66. Audioslave – “Like a Stone” (2002)

67. Scissor Sisters – “Take Your Mama” (2004)

68. The Postal Service – “Such Great Heights” (2003)

69. Arcade Fire – “No Cars Go” (2007)

70. The Shins – “New Slang” (2001)

71. LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge” (2005)

72. Queens of the Stone Age – “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” (2000)

73. Arctic Monkeys – “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” (2006)

74. Snow Patrol – “Chasing Cars” (2006)

75. Green Day – “Know Your Enemy” (2009)

76. Panic! At the Disco – “Nine in the Afternoon” (2008)

77. U2 – “Moment of Surrender” (2009)

78. Paramore – “That’s What You Get” (2007)

79. Weezer – “Hash Pipe” (2001)

80. The Flaming Lips – “Do You Realize??” (2002)

81. Pearl Jam – “The Fixer” (2009)

82. Avril Lavigne – “Sk8r Boi” (2002)

83. Maroon 5 – “This Love” (2002)

84. Fall Out Boy – “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” (2005)

85. Incubus – “Wish You Were Here” (2004)

86. Queens of the Stone Age – “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret” (2000)

87. blink-182 – “What’s My Age Again” (2000)

88. Everclear – “Wonderful” (2000)

89. Valley Lodge – “All of My Loving” (2005)

90. The Walkmen – “The Rat” (2004)

91. Radiohead – “Everything in Its Right Place” (2000)

92. My Chemical Romance – “Welcome to the Black Parade” (2006)

93. At the Drive-In – “One-Armed Scissor” (2000)

94. Daft Punk – “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” (2001)

95. Belle and Sebastian – “I’m a Cuckoo” (2003)

96. Phoenix – “1901” (2009)

97. blink-182 – “I Miss You” (2003)

98. Hoobastank – “The Reason” (2004)

99. The Strokes – “Barely Legal” (2001)

100. Bowling for Soup – “1985” (2004)

101. blink-182 – “All the Small Things” (2000)

102. Green Day – “Holiday” (2004)

103. blink-182 – “The Rock Show” (2001)

104. Nickelback – “How You Remind Me” (2001)

105. Gorillaz – “Clint Eastwood” (2001)

106. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dani California” (2006)

107. Green Day – “21 Guns” (2009)

108. The xx – “Crystallized” (2009)

109. The New Pornographers – “Letter from an Occupant” (2000)

110. Beastie Boys – “Ch-Check It Out” (2004)

111. Daft Punk – “Human After All” (2005)

112. Morrissey – “Irish Blood, English Heart” (2004)

113. Fall Out Boy – “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” (2007)

114. Champagne – “Summer and Kisses” (2009). NOTE: This is NOT the ’70s/’80s R&B band of the same name. This Champagne is a power pop band.

115. TV on the Radio – “Wolf Like Me” (2006)

Three days down, and two to go. What song is my number one song for the latest decade to be completed?

I know! I know! I know! I’m with you!

My whole alternative music obsession is getting a little old. I totally understand. Yet, I am determined to see this historical timeline through its “logical” conclusion. My thought process was to show the progression of this musical genre known as “alternative music”. Little did I realize until taking on this series that I loved the so-called alternative music from the Sixties as a young child, through my adolescence, teens, twenties and into adulthood.

And, yes, today’s alternative music today sounds little like the alternative music of the Sixties and Seventies. That’s evolution. Unfortunately, today’s alternative music generally sounds as if these artists’ musical starting points are Duran Duran, and not some warped version of the blues, as much of the early alternative did. Oh, sure, the 21st century has given us The Black Keys and The White Stripes, in addition to the more pop/dance oriented artists such as The Ting Tings, Panic! At the Disco and Maroon 5.

Unfortunately, these pop bands are getting more radio play than the actual alternative artists that are around, causing a couple of problems. First, most people think alternative music today is pop/dance-oriented music. Second, this homogenization of alternative music is leaving the true alternative musicians alone to fight for existence. And, maybe that’s the ultimate point?!?!

So, if you are willing to dig past the “alternative” pop songs being pushed by Ryan Seacrest, you will find a rich scene festering underneath the industry-labeled alternative artists currently jamming the alternative airwaves.

With that said, let’s do the countdown! Here’s my next 45 songs.

111. Daft Punk – “Human After All” (2005)

112. Morrissey – “Irish Blood, English Heart” (2004)

113. Fall Out Boy – “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” (2007)

114. Champagne – “Summer and Kisses” (2009)

115. TV on the Radio – “Wolf Like Me” (2006)

116. Ken Sharp – “Beautiful” (2000)

117. Phoenix – “Lisztomania” (2009)

118. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.” (2005)

119. Arcade Fire – “Keep the Car Running” (2007)

120. The Libertines – “Can’t Stand Me Now” (2004)

121. The Dandy Warhols – “Bohemian Like You” (2000)

122. Evanescence – “Bring Me to Life” (2003)

123. Papa Roach – “Last Roach” (2000)

124. Band of Horses – “The Funeral” (2006)

125. LCD Soundsystem – “All My Friends” (2007)

126. Belle and Sebastian – “Legal Man” (2000)

127. Thirty Seconds to Mars – “From Yesterday” (2007)

128. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Snow (Hey Oh)” (2007)

129. Linkin Park – “Numb” (2003)

130. Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott – “Hero” (2002)

131. Animal Collective – “My Girl” (2009)

132. Beck – “E-Pro” (2005)

133. Spoon – “The Beast and Dragon, Adored” (2005)

134. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Otherside” (2000)

135. The All-American Rejects – “Move Along” (2005)

136. Linkin Park – “In the End” (2001)

137. Arctic Monkeys – “Fluorescent Adolescent” (2007)

138. Fall Out Boy – “Dance, Dance” (2005)

139. Sum 41 – “Fat Lip” (2001)

140. Coldplay – “The Scientist” (2002)

141. Death Cab for Cutie – “Company Calls” (2000)

142. Green Day – “Jesus of Suburbia” (2004)

143. Wolfmother – “Joker and the Thief” (2005)

144. Gossip – “Standing in the Way of Control” (2006)

145. Nickelback – “Rock Star” (2005)

146. P.O.D. – “Youth of the Nation” (2002)

147. Weezer – “Pork and Beans” (2008)

148. The Vines – “Get Free” (2002)

149. Weezer – “Beverly Hills” (2005)

150. Pearl Jam – “World Wide Suicide” (2006)

151. Arctic Monkeys – “A Certain Romance” (2006)

152. Foo Fighters – “All My Life” (2002)

153. The Starting Line – “Best of Me” (2002)

154. Bloc Party – “Banquet” (2005)

155. Foo Fighters – “Let It Die” (2007)

And that’s a wrap for today! Fear not, I shall return tomorrow with the next section of my list. See you all tomorrow!

For me, personally, the 2000s were a mixed bad of great things, such as my boys graduating from high school and #1 graduating from college for the first time. I had some professional success in teaching and coaching. Yet, I also was dealing with back issues which caused me to eventually have eight surgeries. And, that total does NOT include the procedures I have gone through all in an effort to reduce my pain, none of which worked. One day, I am coaching the fifth best boys’ track and field team in Indiana, and six months later, I have trouble picking up a T-shirt off the floor. Who knew that November 11, 204 would become my fateful date of the beginning of my dance with chronic pain and back spasms. It was during this time that I began my slow transition from being a chemistry teacher/basketball and track & field coach to disabled blogger. We all need a hobby.

So, during the 2000s, I found that there was little quality music on the radio, so that forced me to use streaming and downloading services to discover new music. I understand how much richer my musical collection is now that we have the “world-wide inter-web”.

Now, what we considered to be alternative music is largely found under the moniker of “indie rock” or “indie pop” and less so the “alternative” label. Now, the alternative label means a pop song that simply drives down the alternative highway, yet still retains some pop gloss.

No matter how we label the music, I will be listing My 200 Favorite Alternative Songs of the 2000s, #156-200. Let the countdown begin!

156. Muse – “Hysteria” (2003)

157. Doors Down – “Kryptonite” (2000)

158. Good Charlotte – “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” (2002)

159. 3OH!3 – “Don’t Trust Me” (2008)

160. New Found Glory – “My Friends Over You” (2002)

161. The Ataris – “Boys of Summer” (2003)

162. Kaiser Chiefs – “I Predict a Riot” (2005)

163. Rooney – “When Did Your Heart Go Missing?” (2007)

164. AFI – “Miss Murder” (2006)

165. Coldplay – “Clocks” (2002)

166. A Perfect Circle – “Weak and Powerless” (2003)

167. TV on the Radio – “Halfway Home” (2008)

168. Phantom Planet – “California” (2002)

169. Bon Iver – “Skinny Love” (2007)

170. JET – “Cold Hard Bitch” (2004)

171. Peter Björn and John – “Young Folks” (2006)

172. Jimmy Eat World – “Pain” (2004)

173. Evanescence – “Going Under” (2003)

174. Sum 41 – “In Too Deep” (2001)

175. Linkin Park – “One Step Closer” (2000)

176. Alter Bridge – “In Loving Memory” (2004)

177. Alien Ant Farm – “Smooth Criminal” (2001)

178. The Killers – “All These Things That I’ve Done” (2004)

179. Snow Patrol – “Make This Go on Forever” (2006)

180. The Used – “The Taste of Ink” (2002)

181. 311 – “Love Song” (2004)

182. Good Charlotte – “The Anthem” (2002)

183. Klaxon – “Golden Skans” (2007)

184. Antony & the Johnsons – “Hope There’s Someone” (2005)

185. Puddle of Mud – “Blurry” (2002)

186. Velvet Revolver – “Slither” (2004)

187. Farrah – “Stereotypes” (2009)

188. Coldplay – “Yellow” (2000)

189. All Time Low – “Weightless” (2009)

190. My Chemical Romance – “I’m Not Okay” (2004)

191. Incubus – “Drive” (2001)

192. Fuel – “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” (2000)

193. Incubus – “Megalomaniac” (2004)

194. Three Days Grace – “Animal I Have Become” (2006)

195. Thirty Seconds to Mars – “The Kill” (2005)

196. The All-American Rejects – “Swing Swing” (2002)

197. Beirut – “Postcards from Italy” (2006)

198. Nine Inch Nails – “The Hand That Feeds” (2005)

199. Yellowcard – “Ocean Avenue” (2003)

200. Lifehouse – “Hanging on by a Moment” (2000)

That’s Day 1 of this countdown, which will last one week. See you all tomorrow!

I never really considered the depth of great alternative music in the Nineties. It really was a great decade, and arguably the last decade, for a vast collection of great artists making fantastic music. I cannot wait to evaluate all of the music in the Nineties one day, just to gain an even greater appreciation for the decade.

The alternative music of the Nineties was the conclusion to the vision started by those garage bands in the Sixties banging out the proto-punk music that I covered a couple of weeks ago. You can just envision those teenagers setting up their equipment in their parents’ garage, and amateurishly banging away until a flash hits them causing them to create a hit song, as depicted in the great Nineties film That Thing You Do! That film showed the lifespan of one of those Sixties garage bands. And, although the movie was set in the Sixties, the band’s big hit song, “That Thing You Do”, displayed the timeless of the songs from that era.

Now that we are finishing this countdown, I need to give my buddy “Bondo” a shout out. After I published my first blog in this series, he called me to discuss my list. Then, “Bondo” predicted that two songs would definitely be in or near the top spot. Well, “Bondo”, you were right. One of those songs you mentioned is #1, just as you predicted, though my voice probably gave it away.

With that said, on with the countdown! Here’s my Top 10. Let the arguments begin!

1. R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion” (1991). Was there ever any doubt? This is THE quintessential R.E.M. song. Everything that made R.E.M. the voice of the Eighties is wrapped up into one neat song, from the obtuse lyrics to the arpeggiated mandolin (as opposed to the usual guitar) to the impassioned, yet slightly mumbled vocals to the rock solid rhythm foundation. R.E.M. finally made their signature song.

2. Pearl Jam – “Black” (1991). Let’s just state a simple fact right now. Pearl Jam’s first album, Ten, plays just like a greatest hits package. And, this song is the emotional center around which the rest of the album is build. “Black” is the sound of the band peeling back their emotions to the most basic level, where everything that makes up their being as a collective is found. Now, 26 years on, I am so glad the band never released this as a single nor as a video. The song continues to fascinate music lovers.

3. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991). This was the grunge shot heard around the world. When compared to the other bands from Seattle, Nirvana was the pop band. That explains Nirvana’s ascent in the pantheon of rock. They were a fresh and authentic voice supported by powerful instrumentation that allowed for the cathartic release from the pain of the lyrics. Sorry Kurt. Your pain spoke volumes about our pain. You were the only person who could articulate it into such beautiful music. I wish you could have grown into the role of being the voice of a generation.

4. Smashing Pumpkins – “1979” (1995). Wanna know what the Cars may have sounded like if they had been a Nineties band? Billy Corgan showed us with his band’s smash hit song called “1979”. Whenever I hear the song, my first inclination is to be transported back to the late-Seventies. When I realize the song was popular during my first year in teaching, I then change course in my stream of conscience to that time as an adult.

5. New Radicals – “You Get What You Give” (1998). I was so close to making this song my #1. When I first heard it in the late-Fall of 1998, I thought it was a new Todd Rundgren song. Instead, I soon discovered that this was the product of a power pop genius and his band. And the band just wanted to be a one-hit wonder. This is power pop perfection and stands right alongside all of the greatest Power Pop songs of all-time.

6. U2 – “One” (1991). This U2 ballad is now the namesake of Bono’s vision to save third countries from poverty and all that is linked to that status. Yet, the song is a relationship ode in a spiritual sense. This is the band’s lyrical masterpiece.

7. Temple of the Dog – “Hunger Strike” (1991). Here’s the second song from the Pearl Jam family. Temple of the Dog was formed as a one-off project between Soundgarden’s late singer Chris Cornell and some members of Pearl Jam to celebrate the life of Cornell’s late-roommate and Mother Love Bone Singer Andrew Wood. MLB was the band that became Pearl Jam upon the overdose death of Wood. And, this song is the emotional good-bye to the guys’ friend.

8. Pearl Jam – “Yellow Ledbetter” (1991). This song was only included on cassette versions of Ten. But the fans loved the song so much that it now stands as another classic from that time period. It might just be the band’s signature song in concert.

9.  Mother Love Bone – “Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns” (1992). Here is the fourth song from the Pearl Jam family. Mother Love Bone was the name of the band when Andrew Wood was the lead singer. This song is the one MLB song that anticipates the sound of Pearl Jam, the configuration that conquered the world.

10. Pulp – “Common People” (1995). Wait a second! What’s a Britpop song doing in the Top 10? Well, when the brilliant, nearly power pop music is coupled with great lyrics about the economic divide that keeps people separated in society. It also deals with how the rich use the middle class and poor as their playthings. Plus, the song has a good beat, and it’s easy to dance to.

Thanks for reading this series! I truly appreciate all of your support in my endeavor. Have a great weekend! See you Monday with another blog from the demented mind of Keller. Peace!

These past two weeks have been a wild journey through the Nineties. There are songs on this list that I had not heard in decades. I spend some much time listening to music from the Seventies and Eighties, that my listening tastes have diverted me away from the Nineties. Ironically, I have been listening to more music from the Twenty-First Century than the Nineties. So, I definitely will be listening to more music from the Nineties, and not just Pearl Jam, Green Day and Teenage Fanclub. Looks like I will be digging out my Nineties CDs. Nope, I need to re-evaluate my Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden and Nine Inch Nails collection.

Most of the Nineties music I listened to was influenced by the first group of students that I taught. Through those kids, who are now in their mid-thirties (CRAAAAAZZZZZZYYYY!) I remember giving them assignments or doing lab work with MTV playing, and the kids becoming excited when they saw the latest videos by Pantera or The Offspring, which made me realize that the youth of America’s taste in music was still evolving. Their enthusiasm for “1979” or “When I Come Around” helped my discernment in the music of their generation.

Enough of this tomfoolery! Let’s get back to the countdown.

11. Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun” (1994). Yesterday, I stated that critics were calling Jane’s Addiction “the Led Zeppelin of Alternative Music”. They got that one wrong because the Led Zeppelin of Alternative Music was Soundgarden, the first Seattle band signed to a major label. From the late Chris Cornell’s banshee wail to Kim Thayil’s tasteful solos, Soundgarden updated the basic Zeppelin blues rewrites for the Prozac generation. And, this slice of psychedelia showed the world the Zep- like diversity in the band’s approach.

12. Pearl Jam – “Jeremy” (1991). When Pearl Jam burst on the scene in the aftermath of the Nirvana-induced grunge explosion, they did so with a clear statement of purpose. Where Nirvana was steeped in the punk esthetic, Pearl Jam’s sound was based in rock of ’70s stalwarts such as The Who. They aimed, and thus succeeded, at being as transcendent as their heroes. Still, they maintained their grunge credentials by turning away from the mass adulation bestowed upon them with the song. By the way, the video for this song is a stone-cold classic. Then, after this, they stopped making videos and accepted their role as one of the greatest bands in the history of rock music.

13. The Cure – “Friday I’m in Love” (1992). A new decade rolls in, and Cure leader Robert Smith shows a sliver of optimism. The misunderstood Eighties’ Prince of Gloom, caught his audience off guard when he delivered this power pop masterpiece.

14. New Order – “Regret” (1993). Upon the demise of Joy Division, New Order evolved into the alternative dancefloor outlaws. Although New Order created a rich catalog of updated disco tunes during the Eighties, the band outdid themselves in the new decade with this transcendent song that is equal parts dance classic and alternative rock hit.

15. Sinéad O’Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U” (1990). O’Connor had released a great album in 1987, but nothing prepared us for the total artistic transformation she took on the album from which this version of a then-obscure Prince song. O’Connor took this song originally recorded by Prince protege The Family, stripped the song of all the pretentious Prince production and coupled the song with a video that was essentially a close-up of her face displaying all of the emotion she felt during the song. With a single tear streaming down her cheek, O’Connor became an international pop sensation from which she ultimately turn her back on.

16. R.E.M. – “Nightswimming” (1992). Easily the most beautifully reminiscent song in the R.E.M. arsenal. For a band that refused to be sentimental, they sure tapped into the emotion perfectly.

17. Weezer – “Buddy Holly” (1994). Weezer has always been considered ground zero for the emo explosion of the new century. Personally, I never understood this whole emo category. But, I do know Power Pop, and this song IS Power Pop. “Buddy Holly” is simply a classic song.

18. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage” (1994). Everybody’s favorite white rappers in the Eighties, started digging around record stores around New York City for inspiration, rediscovered the instruments from their punk band days and created a new alternative rap language that is still reverberating to this very day. In “Sabotage”, the trio took a Ted Nugent sample and refurbished it into a Gen X classic. Plus, the video is nothing but a stone cold post-modern classic.

19. Sugar – “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” (1992). So, in the Eighties, Bob Mould lead the band Husker Du into pop punk gods wielding buzzsaw guitars and playing faster than any band ever played before. Then, he broke the band up, releasing a late-Eighties acoustic-based classic alternative album before starting a new punk pop band that made the world safe for similar artists like Green Day and blink-182 in the future. With this song, you can hear a classic power pop song played faster and harder than any band had since his own Husker Du. Now, we have had been exposed to hundreds of lesser bands trying to catch up to Mould’s Sugar.

20. Rage Against the Machine – “Killing in the Name” (1991). Political bands have been around since MC5 in the late-Sixties. But none transcended the rock world like Rage Against the Machine. Their lyrical integrity was impeccable, yet critics called them hypocrites for being signed to a major label. I call that subversive. Today, the band’s reputation as a voice against the status quo influenced pop fans in the U.K. to purchase copies of this song instead of the latest X-Factor winner’s song to become the song of the Christmas season in 2009. Rage Against the Machine was America’s Sex Pistols and The Clash all rolled into one band. Plus, they had one of the true guitar heroes of the Nineties in Tom Morello.

With that, 290 songs down and, finally, there is ten songs to go. That means we will wrap this thing up tomorrow. Have a great Thursday, and I’ll be back tomorrow for the conclusion of this countdown. Have a fantastic day!

Wow! It is so much easier to make a list like this when the decade in question is nearly 20 years in our collective rearview mirror. In the pre-blog, pre-internet days, I would make these lists for my eyes only. Two things would happen. One, with the music fresh in my mind, I would make emotional choices for songs that would not stand the test of time (Anybody remember the Bus Boys? They used to be all over my ’80s lists). And two, I would not have heard all the music on my lists. Back then, we would have to buy the records or hope a local radio station would play a particular song. Now, with streaming, one can access nearly any song he or she wishes to hear. So, I am no longer dependent upon a critic’s opinion.

Now, I have heard every song in my countdown. Additionally, I worked on these countdowns, one after another until I had them complete. By doing so, I noticed that my lists were strong up to and including the Nineties. After that, the lists are weaker. It’s not the music’s fault. No, I simply believe less music is being released at this time. And, because of that, the public latches on to a song for longer periods of time. Think about how much terrestrial radio STILL plays Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” from five years ago or “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon that is a couple of years old now. In the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, thousands of cases of music were being pushed out for consumers throughout the world. Now, since Napster was unleashed, the music industry has kept only proven moneymakers, and then hope their young bands can score one monster hit in order to keep that artist around. Otherwise, the artist is cut loose. The industry has no time for artistic development. All you can do is hope that an independent band can quietly develop, then have its first couple of hits on an independent label before the companies swoop in and steal the nearly finished product.

It will be interesting to see how music develops. Bono once said in a late-Eighties interview that when kids finally tired of electronics, that the kids would be turning to acoustic instruments. Are we beginning to witness that, with the rise of Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers? Or, was that simply a passing fad, not unlike the Swing Revival of the late-Nineties? I do not know. Then again, maybe we will find out in couple of years. Regardless, it will be interesting to listen to the change. Personally, I continue to hold out to how things develop.

Today, in the countdown, we venture into the Top 30 of my list. As Casey Kasem used to say, “The numbers get smaller, and the hits get bigger. Now, on with the countdown.” Here we go…

21. Beck – “Loser” (1994). Here it is, the song that was considered Gen X’s anthem. At the time, our generation was considered to be slackers, when we were much more than how the Boomers defined us. When Beck released this song, it was yet another statement of our collective disaffection with society. We embraced the “Loser” label and ran with it.

22. R.E.M. – “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” (1992). This is the song that R.E.M. never understood its appeal to the fans. It could have been a huge hit for the band if they had simply released the song as a single. The song’s genius lies in the lyrics’ cut-and-paste layout.

23. Phish – “Bouncing Around the Room (live)” (1995). The heir-apparent to the Grateful Dead, who had a hit single in 1987, had their own fluke hit with this buoyant song that the band perversely leaves this song out of their setlists more times than not.

24. Green Day – “Longview” (1994). Okay, after what I said what I said about “Loser”, up comes this ode to slacking off. But, who didn’t slack off around the house while in their twenties? But, this song is full of humor that breaks through the cliches of a generation.

25. Jane’s Addiction – “Been Caught Stealing” (1990). On Jane’s first album, critics were calling them an alternative version of Led Zeppelin. Since they were a punk band at heart, they were more than Zeppelin. Yes, they knew the blues, except they were much more succinct and not as “jammy”. “Been Caught Stealing” was their punk song that had arguably the strangest low-budget video ever.

26. The Verve – “Bitter Sweet Symphony” (1997). This is one of the finest Britpop songs ever. It is also the song that was involved one of biggest screw jobs ever in rock history. The song has a sample from a Rolling Stones song, which was owned by sleazy rock attorney Allen Klein. Check out the story online. I thought we had heard the last of him in the Seventies. You just can’t keep a bad sleaze down. Still, this song is fantastic, and the band, not some parasite, should be reaping the benefit of writing a timeless song.

27. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds with Polly Harvey – “Henry Lee” (1996). A beautifully dark vision of love between the literary genius of Nick Cave with a female counter-point from guest Polly Harvey of the band PJ Harvey. Cave’s music has a Gothic beauty to it, but when Harvey sings, the song transcends the time-space continuum.

28. Paul Westerberg – “Dyslexic Heart” (1992). The former Replacements leader hit a homer with his first solo single that was brilliantly included on the classic soundtrack to the Gen X movie Singles. You can tell from the song who was responsible for the Replacements’ sound.

29. Stone Temple Pilots – “Plush” (1992). Sure, STP had the ability to sound like any alternative band from Pearl Jam to R.E.M. Still, the band was original enough to add their own sound to the grunge sound that was so popular at the time. This song has become one of their classics.

30. Jamiroquai – “Virtual Insanity” (1997). This English band was lead by a singer who sounded very much like Stevie Wonder. What better way than for an alternative band to be in touch with its “soul”. Plus, the video was mind-blowing.

Well, there you have it! We are ready for the Top 20. So, hang on people! The end of this countdown is near.

Many years ago, I recognized the true genius of Saturday Night Live. Sure, it is a great source for comedy, satire and brilliant parody. Additionally, the show has been a show that has exposed the world to live performances from some of music’s biggest names, such as Bob Dylan, Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, The Band, Queen, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, among many others. Still, the true genius of the show lies with the fact each show is a live time capsule of American/pop culture. THAT is the genius of the long-running show.

For that reason, I wish every season of the show would be released either as a home video collection that could be sold to the public, or, as  compromise, Lorne Michaels, the man behind the creation of the show, should develop his own streaming service that could handle all of his production shows in addition to SNL. That service could house the history of The Tonight Show and the Late Night shows, as well as obtaining permission to stream Monty Python’s Flying Circus, SCTV, Fridays, Kids in the Hall, MAD TV and In Living Color, for starters. The streaming service could charge a nominal monthly fee. And, Mr. Micheal would once again be proving himself to be the king of comedy, as well as pop culture.

Now, the reason I bring that idea up is that we deserve to see these little time capsules so that we can see the changes that society has undergone over the past 40-plus years. Additionally, these shows would give to us, the music fan, the ability to see live performances by some of the finest musicians in all history on these different shows.

With that said, let’s move on to the next ten songs on my countdown of My 300 Favorite Alternative Rock Songs of the 1990s. Today, I am covering numbers 31 through 40. Le the countdown begin!

31. Edwyn Collins – “A Girl Like You” (1994). This song was released in the US on a soundtrack for a little indie film called Empire Records. At the time, it was many Americans first taste of Britpop, which was just gaining steam over in the UK. Britpop, which sounded to American ears as Power Pop, never really gained a foothold in America but the movement did yield this brilliant bit of Britpop.

32. Faith No More – “Epic” (1990). At the time of the release of this song, hair metal was all the rage in the States. Then, this song was released and it captured America’s collective ears with its fusion of rapping, hip hop beats and metal guitars. Sure, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were doing a version of this but had not written a hit song…yet! Now, Faith No More was way more versatile on their albums than this song indicated. Yet, “Epic” influenced a whole new type of metal that would pop up in a few years called Nu-Metal.

33. Alanis Morissette – “You Oughta Know” (1995). Before Alanis unleashed this angry woman’s diatribe on the world, she had been a Canadian pop star in the vain of Tiffany or Debbie Gibson. Plus, the music made by women tended to be “sunshiney”, much like what The Go-Go’s or Bangles were doing. Then, Liz Phair made it acceptable for women to show their strength and anger in their music. So, Morissette took the final step by writing honest, gut-wrenching songs and, thus, breaking the chains that shackled women from being true rock stars.

34. Urge Overkill – “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” (1994). This Chicago band tapped into the darkness buried within the lyrics and music of this Neil Diamond classic and made the song into their own signature song. It often stands alone in its brilliance so well that many forget its a cover song. Unfortunately, Urge Overkill never could write their own hits, so their catalog is a bit thin.

35. Supergrass – “Alright” (1995). In the States, this song has reached the public’s conscience through the song’s use in many recent commercials. The song’s youthful exuberance lends it well to pushing products toward the youth of America. But, this Britpop standard is my proof that the British music movement called Britpop was nothing more than American Power Pop dressed up as a new musical movement over seas.

36. Depeche Mode – “I Feel You” (1993). Everybody’s favorite moping New Wave synth-pop band had slowly mixed in dark lyrics and sounds as the Nineties rolled around. As the band reached their commercial zenith, Depeche Mode decided to follow U2’s lead into a band make-over, only Depeche Mode kept the darkness close and incorporated grunge-like guitars to their, as perfected in this song.

37. XTC – “The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead” (1992). XTC spent the latter part of the Eighties paying homage to their Sixties garage and psychedelic pop heroes with their Skylarking and Oranges & Lemons albums, along with their alter-ego’s, The Dukes of Stratosphear, psychedelic pop releases 25 O’Clock and Psonic Psunspot. Who knew that the band would tone down the artistic tendencies and go full blown power pop on their first single of the new decade? Thank goodness they did.

38. Paul Weller – “You Do Something to Me” (1995). The Modfather has written some of rock’s most heartfelt love songs, in addition to his political observations aimed at both the dwindling English empire and the crass American consumerism. My wife and I just love his love songs!

39. U2 – “Numb” (1993). Oh no, who’s idea was it to let guitarist The Edge to mumble the lyrics to this song? Well, give them credit for the balls to let The Edge handle the most distinctive song in the band’s whole career.

40. Cake – “I Will Survive” (1996). Take an alternative band full of the snarkily dark humor that Gen X is known for and pair it with a Women’s Power disco song from the Seventies, and you get a brilliant slice of dark cynicism and hurt from the same song that meant women’s strength to the Boomers. Generation X bought it, literally and figuratively. Personally, I LOVE the trumpet/guitar interactions toward the end without the loss of the danceability of the original version.

That takes care of another ten songs in my countdown with 30 more to go! I hope everyone has a blessed day! Until tomorrow, keep on rocking in the free world!