June 25: #2 Buy a song from your childhood that’s no longer in your music library and listen today

Phil: I revisited a song from my early teens today. Homegrown’s “You’re Not Alone” was a favorite of mine in my junior high days. It was on this Drive-Thru Records DVD sampler that any cool kid from that era had in their possession. I played this video on repeat all the time with my brother at the time. I must have been about 12 years old. We loved this video because it was a parody of that old “Pop-Up Video” style video but actually had interesting tidbits about the band and all that, poking fun of the band members and all that stuff. It reminded me of how I was with my punk band at the time...just a couple of idiots poking fun at each other and being idiots. Hearing this song again (I’m now playing it for the second time through) brings me back to being in seventh grade spending my days dicking around my parents’ house with my brother...waiting to go on AIM to talk to my friends...being sad about my girlfriend dumping me and putting my name in strikethrough font in her profile...etc. Many historians say seventh grade Phil was when punk Phil was truly born. I think it was something in that blue styling gel he put in his spiked hair at the time. I’m a sucker for nostalgia so this one got me. (SPECIAL SHOUTOUT goes to “Not the Same” by Bodyjar and the rest of the Tony Hawk Pro Skater classics.)

Bruce: Today I listen to a song from when I was around eight that my dad made a tape for me and used to play "Neverland" by the eponymous titled CD by night Ranger. I remembered liking the song because it was so epic and rocking and my dad was so enthusiastic about it and would sing it when he would pick me up after work in construction in his big van, the song has a fantasy theme and I really liked fantasy stuff at the time (and still do, though I'm not as focuses on it now). Listening to the song now, I am able to appreciate a lot of its musical strengths and I have to say that it holds up. From the musicianship and the catchy riffs and uptempo vibe to the fun story-lyrics and the harmonies along the band changing through interesting parts it was definitely a solid choice by my Dad at the time and I'm happy that I have his musical influence or creatively wired genes!

Tomorrow's challenge: #14 Save as much money in one day as possible