I had a chat with my girlfriend this morning on my way to work. Recently, I've gotten her into Dave Matthews Band. She didn't really care for them when she was at the age to listen to them (in college); which was around the time of "Everyday" & "Busted Stuff."

It got me thinking about all of the music I loved throughout high school, college, & now into my adult life.

Around age 12 my neighbor's two girls (who were 2 & 4 years older than I) brought home the "Ten" album by Pearl Jam. Shortly thereafter I started middle school --> high school (it was the same place). On the bus I would get introduced to everything from MegaDeth to Blind Melon. I gravitated more toward the latter.

By 15 my cousin & my best friend introduced me to the Grateful Dead & Phish. I'm sure you could play the "6 Degrees" of separation with the Grateful Dead (whether they covered a song, played with an artist, or an artist covered songs of theirs). Of course with this type of music came being somewhat of an outsider deemed by my peers. But it opened my ears to so much. Like, how cool my father became to me because he listened to Santana, The Doors, Janis Joplin, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane (not the Starship, never the Starship).

In chatting with the girlie; I started rattling off bands & musicians that I've kinda missed listening to. This happened because it became almost a complete jamband music influence for me once I got to college: Phish, Dead, Blues Traveler, Ben Harper, moe., DMB & lots of classic rock with some jazz sprinkled in!

But as a kid in high school I was around during a great time in music. The hair bands were fading & Guns N Roses was the cross-over (in my opinion). Then Aerosmith came back (after that hip-hop thing) with "Get A Grip" & Alicia Silverstone became every boy's fantasy. Mine music was: Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Blind Melon, Soundgarden, Counting Crows, Ben Folds Five, Black Crows (Hard to Handle - which is a cover, was also covered by the Grateful Dead), & any band/musician who was connected to them somehow; I would give a listen to.

It was such a phenomenal time for music. Rock came back on the scene but now it was Alternative! One of my best friends growing up loved the Smashing Pumpkins; & I did put in "Melancholy & the Infinite Sadness" this week. I'm partial to their lighter stuff; just like I wish Radiohead would only play acoustic.

So now I'm taking a trip down musical memory lane this month. Making some mixes for myself & others again. I'm thinking 1990-2000 cause that was a great decade for every genre of music. I feel blessed, because I believe I really got to appreciate it.

Let me know who'd be on your list...

~bbryon