TopJLax

Anyone remember those days where the only place you could see music videos was on "Kerrang" or "MTV" and that was if you were lucky enough to have sky (not everyone did back in the day)...and yes, we're talking about when MTV actually showed music, rather than Cribs, or My Sweet 16. Not that we aren't partial to a little of that, but I digress.

TopJLax thought it'd take a look at some of the classic influential tunes that were around about 5-10 years ago, when we all dressed in baggy jeans, skater shoes, studded belts, tight t-shirts and had swept emo hair. Remember the feeling of heading to a gig on a Friday night, to mosh your heart out to a band singing (screaming) about girls, arse waggots, and high school. Oh and I forgot the classic rule: As soon as a band becomes popular (i.e. you saw 12 year old wearing their t-shirts... read Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park etc..) they were no longer cool. Fact.

I'm opening with probably one of the less obvious choices on the page, but despite claims at being one hit wonders, Hoobastank are a perfect start to the thread. Formed in Agoura Hills in California in 1994, they have released 4 records and sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. So not really just a one hit wonder then. Crawling In The Dark was the first song to really hit the big time due to it's studio friendly chorus, melodic lyrics and tanned tight t-shirt wearing Californian skate dudes. These guys were clearly too cool for school and opposed to the "jocks and cheerleaders" who normally dominated that scene. We love'em and their swept hair.

Love them or hate them Papa Roach were on the hoodies of many a teen during their reign of popularity. Last Resort is the stand up record of their first studio album "Infest". I can actually remember queueing at HMV to buy a copy of the record, and then playing this song on repeat on my cd deck. (Imagine that - not being able to download!). Also from California, this track also had an exceptional video, surrounded by fans on four sides on a bright white stage, and with frequent use of the "bug-eyed" lens... nice little reference. Classic.

A little later in the movement, when the likes of "Nu Metal" had moved into "pop punk" [trucker hats with a bit of long hair casually curling out the bottom] and spawned spin-offs like "emo" [nhs glasses wearing geeks who cried about their girlfriends], "emo-core" [as emo, but probably a bit better in a fight and prone to screaming the chorus], "hardcore" [just screamers with studded belts] and "post hardcore" [really inwardly reflective ex-hardcore people who had probably grown up a bit], came Story of the Year. Who with their radio friendly lyrics and heart wrenching chorus leaped in with the song "Until The Day I Die".

Limp Bizkit. What can you say? They were probably the biggest well known Nu-Metal band, and it was hard not to be with a character like Fred Durst and his iconic red backwards baseball cap leading from the front. It was hard to pick a tune to represent this band, but My Generation is a too appropriate song title to miss within the context of the article. It sums up the style - heavy guitar riffs, rap, a dj-scratching and cymbal heavy drums. Love'em or hate'em...

The first non-US based band, Lostprophets are from Pontypridd in Wales and formed in 2007. They've probably done more famous, radio friendly songs, but this is the one that started it all. True Ian Watkins couldn't really sing on this album (he later took let singing lessons) but that didn't stop it being an instant classic. The epitomy of being "tight" and in time, there is a lot of stacatto in the drumming and riffing that makes the track jump from one drop to another. It's a shame they became so commercialised.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh probably one of the happiest tunes to dance around to, this song from the Canadian rockers Sum 41 is all about being young, not conforming and generally looking to cause trouble. It has an instantaneously recognisable riff, and the boys bounce rap/lyrics between the four of them for fun, and in between that the lead singer still managed time to snag Avril Lavigne. So we heard it didn't last, but in the words of Coach Dave, she was an absolute smokeshow so fair play.

Getting a little heavier as we come to the end, one of the original daddy's of the genre were Deftones, and with the iconic album cover (below) to their album "around the fur" the track My Own Summer (Shove it) was the song that jumped off the album. A little thick on the guitar for those more leaning towards the pop punk side of things, but equally good to mosh to. Oh and it was featured on the Matrix soundtrack... as if it wasn't cool enough.

GlassJAw are a controversial way to finish the article, since their style does divert from the more radio friendly records above. A four-piece band from Long Island, New York (home of another thing that we are big fans of on this site) they are fronted by Daryl Palumbo (also of Head Automatica fame). What makes Daryl Palumbo and the GlassJAw such an interesting band stems from his suffering of Crohn's Disease which has affected the bands ability to tour and also formed a large driver for all of the tracks lyrical content. Experimental to the bone, this post-hardcore outfit fuse melodic vocals with confused guitars, frantic drums and the occasional scream. Not for the faint hearted, it take a few listens to appreciate the mess. Despite this, we'd feel guilty not including it on the list, as they were a big driver for the genre... listen to Head Automatica for something lighter.