I Don’t Feel So (Third Eye) Blind Anymore

In 1999 or 2000, I wrote and often read one of my first poems for poetry slam competition called “Earful” — a sly-and-wry, but albeit, sophomoric tirade on how much I disliked the band Third Eye Blind.

They were popular. They were douchebags. They were probably popular because they were douchebags, or they were douchebags because they were popular. My money’s on the latter as it was likely an affection I needed to see in them in order to not like them.

One of the radio stations I listen to here in Worcester plays A LOT of music from the 1990s. They refer to it as retro. Retro Lunch. Retro Hour. Retro, retro, retro. They just played Third Eye Blind’s “Never Let You Go.” It made me happy. This is not the first time in the last year one of their songs made me happy. I realized that it’s just another sound that takes me back to good places.

I told my roommate today that life is a winding challenge to collect more good moments than bad moments. I do believe we also have neutral moments, but I surely have more positive ones than negative.

It’s true: 1990 was a fifth of a century ago. That’s a long time ago. This week, twenty years ago, I was probably considering cutting my eighth grade classes to go hang out with friends and wander around San José, because “nobody’s gonna tell me what to do and I sure don’t need school right now…”

I think so fondly of the 90s. I am taken to such amazing places through its music, film and television. Even the fashion, political spectrum and architecture are fascinating to me. I very much enjoy reflecting on that decade. I learned a lot in it and remember most of it. I am proud to have made it to my mid-30s, and thinking on this does not make me feel old, just a bit wistful.

I remember watching my friend hook up his brand new 14.4k fax modem and not understanding what it was for, but enjoying his eagerness to teach me.

Shock rippled through my body when I heard Kurt Cobain died. I first voted in the 1996 election with my grandmother. Since the news polls had Clinton clinching it by the time I got to cast my ballot, I gave my vote to Nader in the hope that it would boost a third party. That was also the same election California voted for legalizing medicinal marijuana. My conservative grandmother and I both voted yes. It was cool.

So Third Eye Blind just played on the radio and it had no negative impact on me whatsoever. That to me is a huge sign of growth and maturation. Looking them up at their site and seeing they’re still together and touring made even happier for them. They look like they have fun being musicians and who can blame them for that. I may actually buy a few of their tracks soon.

Maybe I was the douchebag back then.

Check them out: Third Eye Blind
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Word to the rad.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 14 May, 2010 at 11:24 PM, filed under Uncategorized and tagged 1990s, mike mcgee, radio, reflecting on the past, songs, third eye blind. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.