Growing up means growing old; and if you didn’t know, I’m currently 21 going on 40. I want to go to bed early every night, don’t like loud noises and can’t function without coffee. Worst of all, my music is starting to show my age.
Taking Back Sunday’s “Tell All Your Friends,” Brand New’s “Your Favorite Weapon” and New Found Glory’s “Sticks and Stones” are all at least a decade old now. It blows my mind to think that over 10 years ago, some of my favorite bands ever released some of my favorite records ever.
Growing old also means seeing some of your favorite bands call it quits. The internet rumors a Brand New split each year (thankfully they’re just rumors). I had to say goodbye to The Early November in ‘07 (although they returned to my life earlier this year). The Starting Line went on a hiatus in ‘08, while continuing to play the occasional show nowhere near my house. I saw Thrice one last time at their “Farewell Tour” this past June (well, last time till their reunion tour in a few years).
The latest band to be bitten by the breaking-up bug is Underoath. After 15 years, seven studio-albums and countless member changes, the band has decided to hang it up.
I’ve been a longtime Underoath fan (both with and without Aaron Gillespie), so this is a pretty sad moment. They aren’t my favorite band of all-time, and I didn’t like every record they have ever put out, but this really shows the changing of times (Underoath fans will get that reference).
This must be how people felt when At The Drive-In, Refused or Glassjaw called it quits (I got into these bands right after and right before they broke up, respectively). But much like the fans that dealt with this pain, I can just wait for the day till the bands get back together.
We don’t all get to marry our high school sweethearts. Mine was music, and I think I’ll be going through some bad break-ups in the upcoming years.
I guess I’ll leave you with the wise words from Blink-182’s song “Dammit,” because “American History X” says a quote is a good way to end written works.
“Well I guess this is growing up.”