The Audacity of Rock: Part 3

Let's sing at a school pep assembly about angsty teenagers.

Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Apparently this is the song that kicked off the grunge scene. While that's debatable, let's talk high school. My gymnasium was definitely not this smoke filled or creepy. And there was a lot less long hair and a lot more Abercrombie and Hollister. I never really connected with this song (I'm a little young to really belong to this era), although being raised in the Northwest I admit I have a special place in my heart for Nirvana. Anyway, some genuine angst.

Nirvana |MTV Music

My Chemical Romance "Teenagers"

I dare anyone to say this isn't a brilliant rock song. Not only is it totally catchy, it's not dark enough for me to feel guilty about not agreeing with its sentiments. Also, it came out once I was already in college meaning I was a little too old to belong to this era of rock. This is just to say I never got into the teen angst thing. Anyway, the video features another pep assembly from hell, this time with gas masks.



So in the Battle of Teen Angst: Grunge vs. Emo, I think emo wins out mostly because it doesn't sound angsty so much as anthemic. And I love me some classic rock throwback.

Questions to Ponder:
1. What's the draw of creepy cheerleaders?
2. Is high school supposed to suck this much? Because I missed out.
3. Why were the only "alternative" bands that put out teen angst songs when I was in high school Good Charlotte or Linkin Park? And how lame were they?


Part 1 and Part 2 of The Audacity of Rock.