Visits Of Old

So while perusing the ‘net today, I stumbled upon Towering Above The Rest, the “Holy Grail of Radiohead Bootlegs”.

Of course, it kind of goes without saying that this thing is massive and gives me just about all the Radiohead I could ever want. However, there is more to it. The album I’ve been searching for, for years no less, is their Airbag/How Am I Driving EP, something I purchased about ten years ago and have been clamoring for it ever since I lost it.

You ever have one of those albums that live in your CD Player for so long, that when you move on to something else you almost immediately lose it and never see it again? Well, that’s this EP. And it is included in all its glory in Towering Above The Rest, and I just finished listening to Palo Alto, a track on the disc. The memories I tell you, the memories!

The one that sticks out in my mind is one of driving between Rogersville and Greeneville back when I lived with my sister in the latter and worked at a bank in the former. I remember looking at the cardboard CD case, thoroughly enjoying every last track (it really is album-worthy stuff here) and not believing that everyone else isn’t listening to it. Hell, I had to track it down somewhere, as it was tough to find anyway (and now is going for $40, natch).

I remember my days back then. To call them aimless would be too kind. I did nothing back then in regards to…well, anything. I never bought any new clothes, I never invested in education, I wasn’t old enough to save for a 401k…it was an empty time, as even my sister was barely home most of the time. I did, of course, buy a lot of crap I didn’t need (such as new car I wrecked almost immediately and a nice guitar I never played outside the house that got stolen years later) and spent some great times with my friends.

That year, summer 1998, it was a good year. Of course I’m much happier now in almost every way, and I don’t miss being by myself. But I won’t say I regret anything I did back then. I had a ton of fun, my life was changing in ways I didn’t get to experience for another few years, and I believe it was important for me to get that bachelor life out of my system. But to hear this music again, to realize the impact of that time in my life…

Dick Clark has this awful, corny saying that “Music is the soundtrack to our lives.” Instead of that cornball bullshit, I’d like to think that music is a marker for events, feelings, and experiences. When you find a great record you used to listen to and it “takes you back”, that is priceless and I am grateful for it. This Radiohead EP did it for me, I hope you find an album you used to listen to and it gives you the same feeling.

In a city of the future,
It is difficult to find a space.