Ah the Emo phase, I believe most of us go through something similar in our early teens. It’s a difficult and frankly embarrassing time at that age but it’s a trial by fire that we will, in a few years time, look back on and cringe, cry and laugh. I’d like to tell you all today about my Emo phase and how it shaped my music tastes today.
So, 2013. I was 14 years old, refusing to go to school and bunking off with some “friends” I had made at my new place of education. Mushroom park was our home and we would regularly crawl under a small part of the fence at the back of our school to go there. It was through this rag tag group of misfits that someone introduced me to the song “bullet” by Hollywood undead. We would sing it as a group, very out of key while complaining about whatever teenagers groan about. I don’t know, I’m 21 next week, I’m officially a boomer. Anyway, through that song being regularly recycled on my YouTube playlist, I got other bands recommended to me. I remember being sat in my room on my Xbox 360’s youtube app and one band in particular stood out to me. Hold up, this is about to get embarrassing.
Black Veil Brides. My heroes. The reason I picked up bass and decided to dedicate my life to music. Listening back now, it’s clearly average music with a lot of auto tune and eyeliner. But nostalgia hits like a truck. And memories of going to see them live with my mum come flooding back. Mum who was of course humouring my newest obsession, she tells me now that she was mortified when I told her I wanted to be an Emo, and rightly so, it was bad. But still, black veil brides remains to this day, my first gig. And you know what? I wouldn’t change it.
If I had not discovered BVB, along with countless other Emo bands, I would never have got into music. Before this I was a nerdy kid who believed more in science than in art. While both are obviously equally important, I didn’t see that at 12 years old. Black Veil Brides was my first musical epiphany. I’ve had many since and these are heavily documented through this blog. Thankfully the more recent ones have been less humiliating. Through Emo I discovered heavy metal, through metal I discovered grunge, through grunge I found punk, indie, alternative, ska and the many sub genres of rock n’ roll. Now I listen to everything from Motown to Metal. Punk to Pop. Extreme slamming goregrind to… okay not that last one, but you get my point. Lots of music. And I’m sure my tastes will develop and change throughout my life. But as awful as it was. Emo music is where it all began and for that I’m grateful. If you’re a young reader going through that same phase, remember, this will pass, be nicer to your mum and tell the bullies to do one.
Peace, Love and Cowbells,
Oscar