The time of my life

Awhile back I was reading Dean Wareham's Black Postcards and feeling a little jealous over his stories of living in New York in the late 70s. He saw Television, Talking Heads and the Ramones at CBGBs! I've felt a similar jealousy (mixed with relief) over my brother's story of seeing Black Flag in Vancouver in '84 because I'm reading Our Band Could Be Your Life right now. But if I really think about it, I think about how lucky I am to be exactly my age. Some benefits of this are things like:

• My first concert (at age 16) was the Who!
• I saw Pink Floyd the last time they actually toured as Pink Floyd (no Roger but still)
• I saw Midnight Oil - twice! and they are no longer a working band
• I saw the Cure when I was 19 - could there be a better age to see the Cure?
• I managed to see The The on their last tour
• Sonic Youth opening for REM playing the Diamond Sea
• Death From Above 1979 - which is the loudest thing I have ever experienced - before they broke up, in a little night club
• Arcade Fire - twice!
• Broken Social scene - twice!
• The Boredoms a week before the 77 Boredrum thing

And these are just the concerts. Disintegration came out the year I turned 16, which if you think about it, is perfect timing for a sad bastard like me. I'm young enough that Nevermind came out the fall I went off to University, and Weezer's first album and Sloan's second came out when I was living in res and working in a record store. I don't consider Radiohead as kids or old dudes - they are my peers (in the way other people of your generation are your peers). Plus, the timing of the Beatles remasters and my rediscovery (again) of them means my two sons are huge Beatles fans.