Hope everyone’s enjoying this early taste of spring we’re experiencing. Got Furthur next Friday and Sat., so one last look to the past in my awe-inspiring series, It Was Twenty Years Ago Today. Today is going to be a little different though. This entry is about the shows that I could have gone to but didn’t. I know, I know, you all look to me as some perfect Oracle of music knowledge. But even once and awhile I get it wrong. (But most of the time I’m right). So for the final entry until 2012 rolls around, It Was 20 Years Ago Today: D’oh. What was I thinking?
The first and biggest regret of my entire concert going career came in the Fall of ’91. I was a freshman at Penn State and struggling mightily. My main concern my senior year of high school was getting in to the main campus for Penn State. I did not want to spend my first two years commuting to Mount Alto or York. I wanted the full-blown college experience. So I picked a major that guaranteed I’d get placed up there, Meteorology. I had no interest in it and figured once I got up there, I’d change it. Well, that first semester I struggled with the basic calculus and chemistry classes. So when a show was announced with some college rock bands (that’s what they called alternative music before it was alternative), I checked when it was against my syllabus and I had a chem test the morning after the show so I bailed on it. Who was playing you ask? Nobody really, except the Red Hot Chili Peppers headlining, with Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam opening.
I know, I know, what the fuck was I thinking? Well, I’ve always strived to do my best when I was in school so the test took priority. Plus, I hadn’t really embraced all things that are good rock and roll. Pearl Jam was a total unknown to me (But I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard Alive. Walking to Brian Wiekel’s dorm room when he lived in the East Halls. I was walking down the hall and it just emanated from someone else’s room.) The Pumpkins I might have heard of but not really familiar with their stuff. This was during the tour for Gish. The Peppers I was a little more familiar with. I had heard Mother’s Milk and they were on tour supporting the incredible, one for the ages album Blood Sex Sugar Magik. So I missed out on seeing 3 of the major bands of the decade right before they exploded. Sigh… but I have seen PJ like 6+ times, so my rep is still intact.
The other big regret my freshman year was the Public Enemy/Ice T tour. I know what you’re thinking, Uhh Dave, you’re not really known for your hiphop knowledge. While this is true, I have an incredible respect for what Public Enemy threw down on their first 3 albums. Fight the Power might be the best hiphop song EVER. Where has all the political hiphop gone? And this was Ice T with the band Body Count, who released the controversial song Cop Killer; somewhat foreshadowing the LA riots in the spring of ’92. It would have been nice to have this on my resume, if for no other reason that some cultural diversity. Oh well, I can’t hit them all but I try my damnest. Sorry this is so short but I have to write next week’s entry this week. Plus, everyone has to cut back in this recession.
Dave Kemp
BA in American Studies
Ph.D. in Rock and Roll
Great post. It reminds me of the time I had two tickets to see The Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, Stone Temple Pilots and Jurassic 5 at RFK. A month or so before the show, Mike D flipped over his bike by hitting a pothole on the streets of New York and broke his collarbone. Show was postponed. About a week or so later, Rage broke up. Show was off. I was so bummed as you could imagine.
ReplyDeleteAnother one of those misses was the 2nd Lollapalooza with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Janes Addiction and countless other cool bands in West Virginia about an hour from Frederick. I still can't believe I didn't get tickets to that one.