California Uber Alles

There have been a few programmes on TV lately that have found me thinking about my formative years, growing up, cars, girls, and in particular the music that was important to me as a teenager.

At the age of 17 I was playing drums in a new wave band.  New wave = post punk. We weren't very good but we enjoyed ourselves! 

As a *cough* musician I found it hard to enjoy the "music" being performed by the British punk and new wave bands.  I found bands like the Sex Pistols hard to listen to. I was more into and influenced by American bands such as the New York Dolls, Ramones, MC5 (not strictly a punk band but they had "that" attitude), the wonderful Blondie, Wall of Voodoo, the Talking Heads and particularly the Dead Kennedys (who I have to thank for the title of this blog).

The records I had by these artists have long since been sold or given away, but I've enjoyed digging up old tracks from the depths of the internet and listening once again to the soundtrack of my youth.

I've grown older now but still enjoy the latest (well for me anyway) wave of US bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Green Day and the White Stripes.  Not bad for a 51 year old!

It almost makes me wish I still had a drum kit...