Listomania! - 1994

My life continued on pretty much the same in 1994. We lived on Maitland St. and enjoyed living downtown with its easy access to the park and bars. Martina could walk to work and, before we got Aspen, she used to take Arden with her, where she would climb up on the peat moss bags and greet customers. Gord was also working part-time at Jenkins with her, where much of his time was spent killing the thousands of mice that inhabited the place. When Jenkins closed down, around 1998, it was turned into a swanky French restaurant, the name of which I can't remember, but Gord would always shudder when we went past the place and saw people eating $40 a plate dinners in the exact spot where he used to clean up mouse crap off the floor. Steve was now married to Lynne and living in North York, so we didn't see too much of each other, but we would get together whenever he came to London. Dave was a constant and welcome presence at our place, usually along with another buddy from Loeb, Chris Watt. In fact, Chris lived with us for a couple of months when his girlfriend gave him the boot, but he eventually moved in with a couple of other guys from work. Dave and Chris made a pilgrimage to New Orleans that year as well, and had a great time and regaled us with stories of their adventures, all the while listening to mixtapes I had created just for their trip, in order that I would be with them in spirit at least. Here's the list, which features many of the songs they were grooving to in the Big Easy:

10. Longview - Green Day

I am reminded of my buddy Mark Peesker whenever I hear the distinctive bass line that dominates this song. He once borrowed my bass and learned this riff. One day, the phone rang, and when I answered, I heard a perfect note for note rendition of this on the other end. He didn't even say hello, just burst into this song and I knew right away who it was. Taken from their album Dookie, which catapulted them to the top of the charts, it is the bass guitar of Mike Dirnt that surely drives this tune. But, it really kicks into gear when the soaring, savage guitars kick in on the chorus. For a song that is an ode to boredom, smoking pot and jerking off, it sure has a lively jump to it. Billie Joe Armstrong has just the right amount of punky sneer on the vocal as well, making this song part of our soundtrack that summer. It is still my fave song by them by miles, and it is one of those tunes that I never thought Martina would like, but she actually loves it. "Bite my lip and close my eyes, take me away to paradise. I'm so damn bored, I'm goin' blind and I smell like shit." Sounds nothing like my teenage years......

9. Say It Ain't So - Weezer

Here's another band that I was never a big fan of, but really liked a few of their tunes. This song would be at the top of my list where they are concerned. I love the quiet-loud dynamic here. They do a brilliant job of making the chorus explode, led in as it is with the squeal of feedback and then the crunch of those power chords. Singer Rivers Cuomo became an instant cult hero at this time, especially after the Happy Days-inspired video for the song Buddy Holly was played 40 times a day on Much Music. I love his inflection on this song. He makes it sound very personal and convinces the listener that he is living what he is singing about, which seems to be a diatribe about his Dad's drinking problem. The melody is catchy as hell too, so one listen guarantees an day long earworm. "Say it ain't so, your drug is a heartbreaker. Say it ain't so, my love is a lifetaker." Take my life, please.....

8. Cigarettes And Alcohol - Oasis

Oasis were a band that I adored for 2 albums. Then, they seemed to run out of ideas and become a self-parody, but the first time I heard this song, I was quite excited. I loved the Gallagher's dirty sound, Liam's snotty laissez-faire singing, and Noel's obvious gift for hooky melodies and guitar parts. They had that Faces swagger and the screw-you attitude of the early punks. The guitars growl here, lurching the song forward, while the rhythm section lays down a bluesy, slow groove underneath the maelstrom. The subject matter is once again bored youth looking for something other than the daily vices of the title, nothing earth-shattering, but they pull it off so well. "I was looking for some action, but all I found was cigarettes and alcohol." Sounds like a good t-shirt slogan....

7. Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos

I used to think Tori sounded a lot like Kate Bush. I don't hear that as much now, but when she launches into the chorus of "You bet your life it is", I can see where I might have got the idea. Her piano playing is as much of a draw here as her singing. The piano parts are brilliant, plinking and plonking their way into the listener's subconscious. Again, I've never been a huge fan, but this song is just so well crafted and interesting that it cannot be denied. Her backing band is full of studio pros who lay it down with an efficiency that allows Tori to do her thing and stand out. This song comes from her 2nd album, and biggest seller, Under The Pink. "Never was a cornflake girl, thought that was a good solution, hanging with the raisin girls." While I love the sentiment of the lyric, I despise raisins...

6. Feel The Pain - Dinosaur Jr.

At the risk of repeating myself, I must confess that I never really took to these guys until this record, their 7th album titled Without A Sound. What a fantastic album! Most of the time, when I like a band, I have everything they ever recorded. But, with Dino Jr., it only happened once. The rest of their output just doesn't cut it like this one. Feel The Pain is the first song on the record and is a great opener. The sound of a cork being pulled from a bottle ushers in a great guitar line and crunchy drums, with a perfectly syncopated bass line, then J. Mascis' weak but fitting vocals on top. Mascis is considered to be a guitar genius and he sure proves that on this song. But, the real highlight of this song (and album) for me is his drumming. He had fired his drummer just before making this record and decided to tackle the skins himself. The result is a true revelation as he is quite a good drummer, all rapid-fire rolls and big, thwacking snare parts. Anyone remember the video, with him and another guy playing golf from the tops of skyscrapers in Manhattan? "I feel the pain of everyone, then I feel nothing." Jean-Paul Sartre would be proud....

5. Crush With Eyeliner - R.E.M.

From their 9th album, Monster, this was R.E.M.'s big loud guitar record. Gone were the jangly sounds of their earlier work, replaced by distortion and reverb, which was helped along by the guest appearance of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore on this track. Michael Stipe sings this song with an affected, artsy half-talk, tongue firmly planted in his cheek. The groove is quite sexy and dirty, especially for a band like them. The lyrics are fantastic, full of allusions and metaphors, with full marks to Stipe just for the use of the word "smitten" alone. "I know you, I know you've seen her. She's a sad tomato, she's three miles of bad road." Just drive she said....

4. People Of The Sky - Sloan

This song is taken from their great 2nd album, Twice Removed, which has been voted in one poll I saw as the best Canadian album of all-time. I don't know if that is my feeling, but this song is truly one of their best. I love the way it starts out all low-fi with the slight acoustic guitar, before breaking into full Power Pop flower. It is sung by drummer Andrew Scott and was always one of my fave parts of their live show as the band members would trade instruments and Scott would come out front to sing and play guitar. Speaking of guitars, they jangle brightly on this track and the "ba-ba-ba-da-ba" backing vocals will have you singing along like a champ. "But she's there for the two with her bias undone." I never go anywhere with my bias undone....

3. Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots

Their debut album was a smash success in the Grunge boom, but it paled in comparison to their 2nd record, Purple, in my books. This song is from Purple and is one of many great tunes on that record. But, this is the standout for sure. Scott Weiland sings the words with an understatement that went missing by a lot of the Grunge bands. The guitars ring out with purpose and the bass bubbles along, but it is the solid, if unspectacular, drumming of Eric Kretz that holds it all together. He must have loved laying this one down, as it features a huge snare, lots of ride cymbal, and tons of great rolls and breaks. I certainly always love to play along with it! "Waiting on a Sunday afternoon for what I read between the lines" Words, between the lines of age....

2. Corduroy - Pearl Jam

From their 3rd, and most original, album, Vitalogy, this song has really stood the test of time. I love the way the bass noodles around at the start before the guitars just come charging in on that memorable riff. Eddie Vedder is at his best here too, sounding angry as hell and spitting out the words with a vitriol that sounds close to the bone. Bassist Jeff Ament plays maybe his finest bass part as well, providing a solid bottom and then almost soloing high up on the neck of his bass. This song is a true epic for me, usually sending me bouncing around the room and singing along with Vedder like a middle-aged lunatic. "I'll take the varmint's path, oh and I must refuse your test, push me and I will resist." Hey Mickey, get this in your head at work...it's empowering as hell....

1. This Is A Low - Blur

Back in '94, if someone asked me who the best Brit-Pop band was, I would have said Oasis. I was wrong because Blur were truly the best of the bunch. Their songs are indeed timeless, sounding as good today as the day they were released. This tune is probably my favourite of theirs, a swirling tour de force from their 3rd album, Parklife. It was never a single, but remains perhaps their most popular song amongst fans. Damon Albarn puts in such a moving, brilliant vocal, full of feeling and life. Graham Coxon's guitar is great throughout, but really kicks in on the solo and is one of his finest moments in my opinion. The lyrics reference many places in England, keeping with the band's Brit-centricness at the time. Just a gorgeous tune, no matter how you slice it! "On the Malin Head, Blackpool looks blue and red, and the Queen, she's gone 'round the bend, jumped off Land's End." Take me back to dear old Blighty.....