Hard to Explain: The Summer of 2001

Way behind this week for some reason… Perhaps because I took so much time debating whether to include Pig Destroyer or Slipknot and struggling over the number of slow, sad songs (sorry Tindersticks, had to lose you). In any case, it’s the Summer of 2001. Things seemed relatively bright at the time with no idea what was to come in September.

The only concert that I have a record of seeing that summer is Air at Avalon in June. My recollection is that it was excruciatingly boring – but they still appear on this playlist.

Looking at the albums that were released at this time it’s definitely a tipping point… much like last week’s summer of 1991, particularly in alternative rock. The summer of 2001 saw the arrival of The Strokes and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and the release of the White Stripes’ breakout, White Blood Cells. I guess this is the summer that Jack White became a scrawny, pretentious guitar hero to millions of frat boys. Don’t get me wrong, I like them White Stripes but nothing can ever shake the memory of seeing them at the Opera House on their last tour while a gaggle of drunken, backwards hat bros screamed “Jack” like they were teenyboppers at a fucking Beatles concert. There was a guy in front of us who we thought was going to faint.

Please Enjoy…